The Benelli M4 is known for its rugged durability and reliability, leading to an ease in maintenance requirements. By Staff Writer
The Italian Benelli semi-automatic 12 guage shotgun was accepted into US service after extensive trials in which the US Army was seeking to upgrade its shotgun line in the late 1990's. In 1999, the system was accepted for service as the M1014 (the designation upgraded from its prototype XM1014 designation) with a contract for import awarded to the German firm of Heckler & Koch. The US Marine Corps received their first batch of production M1014s that same year.
The Benelli M4 "Super 90" was designed in 1998 with production beginning 1999 and continuing today. The weapon weighs in at 3.82 kilograms with an overall length of 886 millimeters. The barrel makes up 470 millimeters. Caliber is a standard 12 guage while the action is gas operated with a pump action slide. The effective range is listed at 50 meters and the feed system can accomodate a 4+1 or 7+1 internal tube magazine as needed. Sights are of a ghost ring-style arrangement and are field adjustable. Reliability is noted as being quite excellent requiring little to no maintenance. The M4 also features a collapsable buttstock as well as pistol grips as desired. The American M1014 does not utilize the collapsabe buttstock feature.
The Benelli M4 pump action shotgun is currently in service with the United States Marine Corps as the M1014. Planned use will also reach the US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Army and US Air Force.
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