Quintin Likely
Member
My dealer finally got a handful of these in. I had a rifle sighted model with the conventional stock on layaway for the past few months and finally brought it home today. After assembly and playing with it a bit, I've formed a few opinions and questions about it.
1. It is a solidly built weapon. The barrel and receiver fit together solidly, there's no slop anywhere in it. It points very well. My Mossberg had a 20" barrel on it; this 18.5" tube seems to point a lot faster. Looking back on it, comparing my 590 and the M1 is akin (for me) to comparing a 20" HBAR and a 16" barrel shorty AR carbine. I regretted at first not getting ghost ring sights, but I think the rifle sights will do fine. I think it was packaged nicely as well, at least compared to my Mossberg, I got three chokes and a wrench and a little bottle of oil. Patterning will come soon, but I think I'll leave the improved cylinder choke in it for now. A local range down here has a combat shotgunning class in a couple weeks, time permitted, I'm gonna sign up for that.
2. Loading. This is gonna take some practice. The carrier, I guess they call it, is a finger buster. The shells themselves take a little effort to push and get locked into the magazine tube, I assume this'll loosen up over time though. Although I think I remember reading somewhere about a modified carrier that helps this some?
3. Ergonomics. Controls are placed nicely, for me at least. The crossbolt safety button is big and easy to switch from safe to fire, although when mounted, a better visual indicator of the weapon being off safe would be nice. Again, that'll become second knowledge given enough time though. Locking the bolt back with the carrier drop button is a breeze as well, I figured it'd be kinda awkward when I just looking at it.
4. Stuff to bolt on it. I'm a strong advocate of "less is more," ergo, I don't see myself doing too much to my M1. The Surefire lighted foreends are really nice, but they're also really expensive. I'm thinking along the lines of a +2 magazine extension and calling it a day. So who do I go do for extensions? I've read a lot that the more stuff you hang off an inertia operated Benelli, the greater the chance of a malfunction, so less is fine by me. Although, would there be any harm in an extension and something to hold more ammo on the weapon, like a buttcuff or side saddle?
1. It is a solidly built weapon. The barrel and receiver fit together solidly, there's no slop anywhere in it. It points very well. My Mossberg had a 20" barrel on it; this 18.5" tube seems to point a lot faster. Looking back on it, comparing my 590 and the M1 is akin (for me) to comparing a 20" HBAR and a 16" barrel shorty AR carbine. I regretted at first not getting ghost ring sights, but I think the rifle sights will do fine. I think it was packaged nicely as well, at least compared to my Mossberg, I got three chokes and a wrench and a little bottle of oil. Patterning will come soon, but I think I'll leave the improved cylinder choke in it for now. A local range down here has a combat shotgunning class in a couple weeks, time permitted, I'm gonna sign up for that.
2. Loading. This is gonna take some practice. The carrier, I guess they call it, is a finger buster. The shells themselves take a little effort to push and get locked into the magazine tube, I assume this'll loosen up over time though. Although I think I remember reading somewhere about a modified carrier that helps this some?
3. Ergonomics. Controls are placed nicely, for me at least. The crossbolt safety button is big and easy to switch from safe to fire, although when mounted, a better visual indicator of the weapon being off safe would be nice. Again, that'll become second knowledge given enough time though. Locking the bolt back with the carrier drop button is a breeze as well, I figured it'd be kinda awkward when I just looking at it.
4. Stuff to bolt on it. I'm a strong advocate of "less is more," ergo, I don't see myself doing too much to my M1. The Surefire lighted foreends are really nice, but they're also really expensive. I'm thinking along the lines of a +2 magazine extension and calling it a day. So who do I go do for extensions? I've read a lot that the more stuff you hang off an inertia operated Benelli, the greater the chance of a malfunction, so less is fine by me. Although, would there be any harm in an extension and something to hold more ammo on the weapon, like a buttcuff or side saddle?
