Benelli M4 Tactical

The Benelli M4 Tactical is the civilian version of the shotgun the U.S. military calls the M1014. In 1998, Picatinny Arsenal asked for a modern semi-automatic combat shotgun. Benelli sent five test guns to Aberdeen Proving Ground that August, and its design won. The Marine Corps went on to field it as the M1014, and the platform is Marine Corps approved.

What made the M4 different was its gas system. It was Benelli's first shotgun that didn't rely on an inertia system. The Auto-Regulating Gas-Operated design, or A.R.G.O., uses two short-stroke operating rods with stainless steel pistons. It's a simple layout with few core parts, and it was built to run reliably with a wide range of shotgun loads.

This is the base configuration with the tactical stock. It's a 12 gauge that takes both 2 3/4-inch and 3-inch shells, and it holds five in the magazine plus one in the chamber. The 18.5-inch barrel has a phosphate finish, and the receiver is anodized black aluminum. The stock is black synthetic.

The sights are set up for fast work. You get a ghost-ring rear sight that adjusts for windage, along with a front sight. The receiver is drilled and tapped and has a Picatinny rail, so adding a red dot is simple.

At 7.8 pounds and 40 inches long, the M4 is a full-size shotgun, and that weight helps it stay steady through a string of shots. If you're looking for a shotgun with military roots that you can actually take to the range, the M4 Tactical is a strong choice. It's also a natural pairing for a collection that already includes modern service rifles.