As the owner of a Benelli M4, I’ve grown to despise 922r. Actually, as a freedom-loving American, I’ve grown to hate 922R and other silly gun laws that only exist to hamper the rights of free Americans.
I should be able to own a Benelli M4 in the same configuration as the USMC’s M1014 should I so choose. Unfortunately, this 922r nonsense means you must have a certain number of American-made parts in the M4 if you want to add a collapsing stock and a 7-round magazine tube.
You can read all about 922r here because today we are focusing on the Benelli M4 and the 922r upgrades from Freedom Fighter Tactical.
Freedom Fighter Tactical is a small American business that happens to specialize in American-made parts for Benelli shotguns (among other guns). I wanted to legally de-neuter my Benelli M4, and Freedom Fighter Tactical made it possible.
They provide not only a handy guide to 922r compliance and also a complete parts listing of what they carry to make your M4 compliant.
To establish the Benelli in a configuration where I could sport a 7-round tube and a collapsing stock, I need a total of four American made parts. Freedom Fighter Tactical carries everything you need to make your Benelli a 922R-compliant shotgun to make one-stop shopping easier. They make it simple to find the necessary parts to de-neuter an M4 and see if they work.
Starting From the Top
I needed four parts and Freedom Fighter Tactical makes three of the four in house. That includes the seven-round magazine tube, a follower, and both a hammer and trigger. While I already had a hammer, the Freedom Fighter Tactical components aren’t just a hammer, but also an improved trigger system. The hammer and trigger are precision machined parts and reduce trigger pull by roughly two pounds.
The Magazine Tube
The two parts I needed that FFT produced were the seven-round magazine tube and follower. That silly neutered Benelli tube is an embarrassment and I was excited to get a proper magazine on the gun.
I ordered the standard steel variant, but they also make an NP3-coated tube to match H20 M4s and the ultra-cool and lightweight titanium seven-round tube. I went with the standard steel tube and was a bit worried the finish wouldn’t match.
I was pleasantly surprised to find the magazine tube finish perfectly matches the gun’s odd-ish grey/black finish. It looks like it came from the factory and after using a heat gun to remove the five-round tube, the seven-round tube fit like a dream.
I dropped the Freedom Fighter Tactical aluminum follower down the tube and ran it back and forth. It glided smoothly, indicating no burrs, finish glitches or problems of fit between follower and tube. The recommended Wolff factory spring was my spring of choice and it fits perfectly when accommodating seven 2.75-inch rounds.
The Handguard
The handguard isn’t made by Freedom Fighter Tactical, but by Mesa Tactical. However, the Mesa Tactical Truckee forend seems tough to find outside of a special or backorder status. Freedom Fighter Tactical had both the 8.5 and 11-inch models, so I moved quickly to add the 11-inch model to my cart.
This aluminum M-LOK handguard offers plenty of slots to mount accessories. The 11-inch model requires you to remove the M4’s sling keeper, but installation is easy. There is some slight play in the handguard, but not enough to worry. I wouldn’t zero a PEQ 15 on it, but for shotgun stuff, it’s perfect.
I added an angled foregrip, a light, and a sling QD slot and it all attaches quickly enough. The longer design of the handguard makes it easier to mount a light closer to the muzzle to help minimize barrel shadow. The aluminum design also keeps things from getting too hot when running a lot of rounds in a short period. It also allows for a more forward grip if you have gorilla length arms like me.
The Complete Package
I appreciate convenience, and Freedom Fighter Tactical offered me. The parts they make seem to be exceptionally well made, and everything was shipped quickly with tracking numbers provided. I have some level of fear with small gun companies, especially when it seems most of them are likely overwhelmed with orders in the current market.
Luckily, my stuff arrived quickly and I am quite happy with the result of my 922r compliant Benelli M4…but I’m still angry 922r exists in the first place.
The silver lining is the support of smaller American companies. I’m sure accusations will pop up in the comments that FFT paid me or TTAG, but that’s not the case. I’m a happy customer impressed with the parts and service they provide. I’m nowhere near popular enough to be getting that shill money y’all.
Admittedly nothing involving the Benelli M4 is cheap. It’s not a cheap gun and people who buy them tend to accept that this isn’t a bargain gun and the parts for it aren’t cheap either. It’s worth the money, but I’m also a shotgun nerd, so your mileage may vary.
Their is a hot debate on who exactly is responsible with regard to USC Title 18, 922r. Many hold that it only pertains to the importers, and not end purchasers. That being said, I don’t suggest putting yourself in the legal litmus test position, unless you have a spare dump truck load of extra $$$ lying around to spend on a legal team.
This should be fought, along with all other infringements.
Nice M4 btw. 😉
“That being said, I don’t suggest putting yourself in the legal litmus test position, unless you have a spare dump truck load of extra $$$ lying around to spend on a legal team.”
That ought to be enough to make anyone leery, right there. Always wise to know the local ‘lay of the land’ as to what the local DA thinks about such things…
Geoff,
I don’t think the local DA would have much sway on 922r compliance anyway. It’s a federal law/ruling/made-up-thing.
Exactly, and being one who can attest to the detraction rate on one’s purse on such legal things…
However, I’ve never seen or heard of anyone being stopped and inspecting the gas puck, mag springs, or whatever.
Has anyone actually been hemmed up for a violation? Seems like something they add after a arrest to give you couple more years of rear end time in the pen. Most LEOs hardly know about NFA items even less about 922r violations.
The answer is “yes’. Rare, but “yes”.
@4:26
I’m a Rem guy, and admittedly have very limited experience with Benellis. The first and only time I used one was at a shotgun class, when my personal 870 Security became temporarily jammed with debris while I was going through timed exercises in the prone position, and gravel/dust became lodged in the shell tube. I borrowed a Benelli pump to complete the day, and it soon jammed upon heat-up during a drill involving a high shell count. The instructor was adamant about doing “whatever it takes to get back on target so you don’t die”, so I took a knee, swung the butt of the stock down (muzzle up to sky) and mortared the thing to advance the next shell into chamber. The instructor yelled at me in front of the entire class and said “What are you doing to my gun?”
I froze, then calmly said. “Anything it takes so remain alive, yes?”
He paused as he felt the other students looking at him, pursed his lips, and eventually muttered “Yes.”
I handed the gun back at the end of the day and never touched a Benelli again. TEHO.
Jerome, I noticed you didn’t beat up your Remington like you did your instructor’s Benelli. I also noticed you didn’t blame it for failing like you did the Benelli. Just my $0.02.
Oops I hate this comment system. That comment was for I Haz A Question, not for Jerome.
If I get the textured grips (in case my hands get…wet) will it still be compliant?
A big reason why I like my M1 over an M4,
The M1 holds 9 rounds.
My Vepr’s got 20, a maximum scale mono-pod third leg. :p
Incidentally, I saw some gouger trying to sell a V 12 the other day, $1700, can you believe?
Yup. It’ll probably sell too.
I’ve got a new 1st import V-12 sittin in the safe. Waiting for sell time. Extra mags, etc…
Not sure why, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to find them for a lot less. Nice, mine’s a 12-03 folder, but 922r compliant so fold-y thing is unmolested. No safe queen here, modified in just about every way possible for hard running and lifespan. Just waiting on this other garbage to clear so I can finish up the machining.
Mines a folder also. Threaded barrel. I keep looking for a comp for it but no luck so far.
Oh, and a couple of drum mags.
Beauty Tom. You go all out on the PowerMag drums? I couldn’t justify the cost myself. Perhaps later, much later I’ll revisit that. To be fair, I put all the additional money elsewhere. Because interwebz, I’ll keep it generic & not list parts, but product placement like:
– ALG ultimate
– CustomGunz
– ISPC Labs
– LAC
– Zenitco
– JTE
– Dissident
There’s also a long running internal debate on the Ti bolt carrier. All the things that are nightmare fuel to purists, more or less. She’s my pet project.
I have an M1 Practical. 9+1. Light and crazy fast. M1’s are super sweet shotguns. Really love my M4 tho. 7+1 with an rmr, Surefire and a fixed MT stock. Benellis aren’t for everyone, but I dig ‘em.
You can ghost load the M4.
i like all the itralian shotties.
don’t want one from turkey.
plenty u.s made.
ithaca.
These laws are dumb, parts counts, the assault weapon import ban, pistol points counts, SBR barrel length, they all need to go.
You have rifles that get imported with single stack mags and thumbhole stocks, basically sporterized, then they can get converted once here, either by the manufacturer or aftermarket. And pistols might have to come with target sights or palm swell grips, and are then swapped out in the US. Sticking safeties on 50+ year old surplus pistols, you can get a ppk/s but not a ppk unless made here, etc.
Agreed, but there’s only 2 paths out of the quagmire. No one’s volunteering for either…
I became familiar with 922r when I converted my Saiga. It was Sold/imported as a hunting rifle. There were a multitude of combinations of parts to make it compliant. Been several, several years now, but IIRC internal mag parts were part of it.
Nice shotty!
“As the owner of a Benelli M4, I’ve grown to despise 922r. Actually, as a freedom-loving American, I’ve grown to hate 922R and other silly gun laws that only exist to hamper the rights of free Americans.”
That would encompass them all,as they any and all are un Constitutional.
That’s a really odd looking bird gun. I mean it’s a shotgun, right? What else would you use it for?
Delivering the most efficient payload per trigger pull to a threat
Excellent reply. 👍
Not effective at all at any kind of real range. Slow to reload. Difficult to make precision shots. Ammo is bulky and heavy. Nope. I’ve owned half dozen M-1 Super 90s. One M-3. Hated that thing. Sold my last defensive shotgun when I retired. A Scattergun Technologies 870. Never looked back. Shotguns are for birds. Rifles are for fighting.
GF. Us citizens don’t have qualified immunity. If we’re fighting at hundreds of yards with our rifles we will likely see prison afterwards.
Shotguns work better than fine for just about all our defense needs. But my benelli m2 is a dedicated bird gun. With a side of rabbits and squirrels.
Gadsden Flag,
I’m not sure you’re wrong, but I’ve given this subject a lot of thought due to a similar discussion with a friend, and I’m curious about your thoughts. “Right” is a different debate; I’m focused on what’s legally defensible.
Compact shotguns seem ideal for home defense. My house is roughly centered on an acre and a quarter, so about 30-40yds to the fence in any direction (the outer limit of buckshot effectiveness). My KSG has a tube of buck and a tube of slugs. Given the cover and concealment my home provides, I find it hard to foresee a situation where even slugs would be useful in a shoot that could be legally construed as self-defense – and my yard is larger than most. In the context of legally justifiable home defense, when and where do you think a lack of “real range” would come into play?
It sounds paradoxical, but – even though I agree rifles are more effective fighting tools – for private citizens, the circumstances in which they’re both practical to carry and [legally] advantageous seem far fewer than either handguns or shotguns.
It never ceases to amaze me the number of people on this site that must have attended the Joe Biden School of Self Defense when the subject is shotguns. He too will tell you that you don’t need a simi-automatic rifle that accepts a 30 rd magazine. I’m sorry. An AK-16 that takes a thirty shot clip. I should always speak in terms those grads will be familiar with. According to Uncle Joe you don’t even need a repeating shotgun. A twice barrel will do just fine, thank you very much. And! No need to shoot the bad guy. A round I the air will send them scurrying. Let me break down me previous statements. First, a shotgun is a great defensive weapon. Within its limitations. I see no need to limit myself to them. They are painfully slow to reload. As anyone who’s ever been in a hot dove field will tell you. Their range is very limited. A little better with slugs, but then severe overpenatration enters the equation. If you’re shooting buckshot a good handgun has more effective range. I’d rather have the range of a rifle and not need it than… Besides a .223 55 grain softpoint center mass will ruin your day. Next, I have seen when a rifle was absolutely the best option for the average citizen. This usually followed a natural disaster. For me these were hurricanes. Opel through Katrina as LE. Kate and Michael as a non-sworn citizen. After Michael a running gunfight broke out one night a hundred yards from my front door. It involved handguns and an AR-15. Between 20-30 rds fired. Was I glad to be able to grab my rifle and a four cell chest pouch with 35 rd mags and take up a defensive position? You damn skippy I was. With the current civil unrest, and the size of the crowds, make mine a rifle. Witness the gentleman in St. Louis recently. While we’re on the subject of rifles. I wish I had a $100 bill for every article/comment I’ve read on this site that said any attempt to restrict the MSR (whatever that is, none of these are more modern than a ’57 Chevy) is an infringement on our right to an effective defensive rifle. If I had that money I’d start hunting Alaska this fall working my way south to Texas. Then I’d fly to Costa Rica and start fishing my way north. Finally, my opinion of the shotgun as a defensive weapon is just that. An opinion. Thought that’s what “Comments” was for. To share ideas and experience. Speaking of which I’ve seen a few people killed with shotguns. Close range out of necessity because of a shotguns limitations. Very impressive. Two were decapitated. They weren’t any more dead than if they had been shot at the same point of impact with a rifle or serious handgun caliber. Without those limitations.
Nice screed, GF, but you completely sidestepped the whole ‘qualified immunity’ thing. You’re talking from the perspective of a cop.
The rest of us do not have that luxury. For the record. I’m not against rifles. But for home defense without the benefit of qualified immunity most of us are at least as well served by a shotgun.
Forgot to say. Those M-1 Super 90s I mentioned. That was when I was shooting competitively and needed them for three and four gun competition. The Scattergun Technologies 870 was because the Policy and Procedure Manuel dictated a Remington 870. I bought my on rather than take a department issued one. They were rough. Can only remember deploying it twice. Both armed robbery suspects. Both times I was on top of them so fast I didn’t have time to access my rifle. Since they were both within 10 yards it didn’t make a difference. Don’t remember how many times I deployed a rifle.
jwm, I didn’t side step it. Indeed I meant to address it. Just forgot. I don’t know what this “qualified immunity” thing is. I’m not an LEO and haven’t been for going on seven years. If I stepped on my dick, then or now, I’d be in prison same as anyone else. In fact, my testimony was key to sending my former Captain to federal prison. Like I said I don’t know what qualified immunity is. Never heard the term before visiting this site, but if it’s anything like vicarious liability (which was drilled into my head in every legal class I ever had) meaning everything I did and up the chain of command all the way to the Sheriff we were responsible for. And if you want some liability; let loose a load of buckshot and one pellet out of the pattern miss the intended target and strike John Doe. Even if you avoid criminal charges say goodbye to everything in civil court. No thanks. I’ll take one a med projectile everytime. Oh, and screed? Really?
OK, your original statement seemed to dismiss defensive shotguns entirely, but I understand your position now. I support (and exercise) semiauto rifle ownership myself, and believe there are a few situations where I might employ one defensively. The mass unrest scenario is one I hadn’t considered earlier – thanks! I still think a shotgun’s limitations track (in the home-defense scenario) closely with my own, but I appreciate your insights.
Aimed. Typo. Sorry.
Umm, I was in a lot of “dynamic entries.” I’m not sure what that is except that we went in a room get a bad guy. I was dual sworn as a Deputy U.S. Marshal as a member of the N. Florida Violent Fugitive Task Force. Every entry I made was with a 1911. All others had M-4s and MP-5s. No shotguns. I never wanted a shoulder weapon. Handguns are a lot faster. And at ten feet? Who cares? Besides, my 1911 held at least as many rounds as a shotgun and I could reload or a lot faster. Besides, shot in the head is shot in the head. At least that’s what Bill Rogers taught me in the classes I took under him. If you’re young, Google him. LOL
Your mention of dynamic entry brought me back to my own (Navy) background. When limited to FMJ, 9mm did not inspire confidence in the handgun, especially when paired with the Beretta’s crappy slide-mounted safety and DA trigger – not to mention a ricochet and overpenetration hazard inside big steel things. I liked the shotgun’s power, but besides being (as you said) slow, it was also a retention nightmare, given the frequent need to open watertight doors and navigate other obstacles with the off hand (coupled with the fact that we had no tac slings). I always figured a bullpup shotgun would be the best of both worlds for shipboard defense, and also that household defense is a pretty close parallel.
I built one on a Saiga 12 and then paid way too much for a KSG when they first came out. Neither is quite as nimble as a 1911, but both are fast enough (and slow reloads are no concern). A Crimson Trace laser / flashlight / VFG is a very helpful touch. I think the SBS version of either would be perfection.
Thanks for the tip on Bill Rogers – seems like a helluva shooter and trainer (once I added “handgun” to get past all the references to the voice actor)!
Umm,nice speaking with you. Again, my opinion of the shotgun is just my opinion. I have two Sig P220s, a Sig P226, a Glock 22 and a S&W 3″ round butt 65 stashed around my house. A S&W 442 in my pocket at all times. A stainless Ruger Mini-14 with a twenty rd mag of Federal 55 grain softpoint. In the geographic center of my house. Yeah, I know, but I keep the really expensive stuff locked up. That’s just to buy time. Wouldn’t be happy to loose them, but each is worth less than a $1000 so wtf.
GF,
I’ve enjoyed our chat as well, and learned from it too. My EDC is a P365 (concealed) or G23 I converted to .357SIG (open). A few other handguns, built a 6.5G braced pistol last year from 80%, an RDB, M-11/9 SMG, and some original designs in progress when I can get into the workshop without melting.
Some Marines and a lot of dead Fallujans would disagree
Those Marines with a shotgun had at least an infantry squad with rifles and belt fed weapons backing him up. My cousin, Edgar, was a Gunnery Sergeant, father-in-law an E-6 Viet-Nam. Worked with Marines. Know Marines. They all said one thing; “Every Marine is a rifleman first.” Ask that Marine with the shotgun, “If you were separated from your patrol; would you rather have the shotgun or a rifle?” See what he says.
Well I am a Marine, an infantry Marine, wh8 was issued an M500 but the fact is you claimed the shotgun is not a fighting weapon. I refuted that and then you moved the goal posts and that doesnt make you right.
He could have bought the M1014 to begin with. 922r isn’t enforced if it was half the SKS you used to see before the Wuhan panic. Would have been confiscated. I used to think 922r was around to keep Tapco in business.
I believe there has never been a successful 922r prosecution or conviction. How would it be proven a part isn’t US made?
I run a Spas I restored as myself. I’m on the lookout for an M1 super 90.
The civilian Benelli M1014 is still neutered with a fixed faux collapsing stock and 5 round tube.
Help? Will someone please explain this 922r regulation?
And Travis, what kind of side saddle is that?
https://youtu.be/4E-KWQE9eR4
It’s kind of funny to see it being an issue again.
Old AK and SKS fans remember it well from the old days, when < $100 AKs and SKS were everywhere. There was an explosion of US made AK and SKS parts to get around it. Cheap imported AKs and especially SKSs faded away. Then a bunch of US boutique AK builders opened up and took over the kit building from Century. Then full US based boutique AK shops opened up. Meanwhile the US government spent 3 decades introducing lots and lots of American citizens to the AR and the AR conquered the world. So we all forgot about it.
Sorry to see it's affecting another sub group of gun nutz. It is definitely on the list of laws, rules, and regulations that don't make any fucking sense and need to go.
Forums still see heavy traffic, with new guns & builds all the time. Parts are still plentiful, despite restrictions, albeit some brands are increasingly rare. There’s been a trending uptick for quality headspaced kit’s, and they move quick. Radom, WBP, Zastava, and others have been struggling to keep up with demand for years, esp. since the Russian direct import bans went into place.
Still tripping on the fact that MAK-90 I bought in 93′ for > $300, is selling for 3x and sometimes more, even pre-covid rush.
Still lovin’ my Beretta 1201FP…
I have recently updated my ongoing M3 project with a collapsible stock fixed with a part from Grainger for California compliant.. I have both the regular and field barrels for defense and hopefully competition and think of 922r as a numbers game. There are a number of sources for US parts to swap out for the original ones. The companies I used were Freedom Fighter tactical, AnS shotguns for enhances trigger guard with feeding ramp, Taran tactical, and Bellini parts . net, and ebay for follower. I definitely like having the option of pump or semi auto depending on the type of ammo.
Name one gun owner prosecuted for a 922R violation.
One!!!
You can’t. Because he doesn’t exist.