NRA Gun of the Week: Benelli M4 Tactical Shotgun

by
posted on September 12, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Benelli’s M4 has been in service with the U.S. military since 1999, after receiving the Joint Service Combat Shotgun Award and winning the contract to serve the U.S. Marine Corps. It is now used widely throughout the U.S. military, and has seen service in Afghanistan and Iraq. The M4 was Benelli’s first shotgun to employ its ARGO (auto-regulating gas operated) short-stroke gas system in which dual pistons cycle a rotating bolt—a design Benelli is known for in its autoloaders. The self-contained gas system not only requires fewer operational parts, it is also self-cleaning. For many of the same reasons the autoloader is favored by military worldwide, including its modularity and ability to be quickly reconfigured, the civilian-version M4 (18.5” barrel and reduced magazine capacity) is chosen today by millions as their all-around shotgun for home defense or 3-gun competition. In our latest NRA Gun of the Week video, American Rifleman’s Brian Sheetz discusses all of the features that are packed into this modern semi-automatic shotgun. For more, visit benelliusa.com.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Benelli
Action: Gas-operated, semi-automatic shotgun
Gauge: 12; 3” chamber
Capacity: five 2 ¾” shotshells
Finish: Cerakote Flat Dark Earth
Barrel: 18.5”
Choke: modified, interchangeable choke tube
Sights: adjustable ghost-ring rear, post front
Trigger Pull Weight: 8 lbs., 10 ozs.
Length: 40”
Length of Pull: 14.38”
Weight: 7 lbs., 13 ozs.
Accessories: owner’s manual
MSRP: $2,399
benelliusa.com

Latest

Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1
Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1

I Carry: Taurus TX9 Compact in a Galco Holster

In our latest "I Carry" segment, we pair the new Taurus TX9 Compact with a leather Stow-N-Go holster from Galco, Inc. This compact, concealed-carry kit is rounded out with an Xolotl automatic knife produced by CRKT.

The Armed Citizen® March 13, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Canik USA MC9 Prime

Canik USA built out its concealed-carry handgun lineup with the MC9 Prime, which is a larger, yet still slim, CCW gun that sits in the same category as other upsized micro-compacts.

U.S. Army Awards Mossberg Contract for Additional 590A1 Pump-Action Shotguns

The U.S. Army has awarded O.F. Mossberg & Sons a contract for approximately $11.6 million dollars to supply the U.S. Army with additional Mossberg 590A1 pump-action shotguns.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Bolt-Actions & Semi-Automatics on the Battlefield

In just a few decades, the U.S. Army would see itself go from a single-shot, blackpowder design in the form of the Trapdoor Springfield to a modern, semi-automatic fighting rifle in the M1 Garand.

Modernized & Economical Muzzleloaders: The CVA Optima XP & XP-SB

CVA's longest-lasting muzzleloader design, the Optima, has been updated in 2026 with "modern ergonomics and modularity."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.