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Benelli M4
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Once it’s all together, the Raven’s look is cohesive, and more aggressive than the stock M4.
The ATI Raven Deluxe Stock and Forend Package is a high priced kit designed to take the stock Benelli M4 to a level of readiness and comfort that was previously unobtainable.
This package is a complete overhaul of the weapon. ATI spares only a few inches of the platform, almost completely wrapping the shotgun in aluminum and soft-to-the-touch polymer. The kit ships with 5 main components:
- Stock
- Pistol Grip
- Forend
- Magazine tube
- Follower
Within these 5 larger groups of parts is a plethora of smaller components as well as all the required hardware to fully assemble the gun.
The ATI stocks have lots of angles and serrations.
The Stock and Pistol Grip assembly are designed to completely replace all of the hardware to the rear of the receiver. It uses a proprietary buffer tube that slips over and secures to the buffer system of the M4. This gives a very hefty feel to the rear of the gun, making it feel as if the stock assembly came off of an ar15 or similar platform. The stock assembly is multi-positional in more than just the standard retractable aspect. It also allows the user to change the comb height with a simple twist of a wheel, which allows for a more comfortable check weld. The stock assembly also has some features specifically designed with comfort in mind, utilizing the ATI Scorpion technology which wraps the pistol grip, comb, and the butt plate in softer rubber.
The forend of this package is designed with both function and comfort in mind, replacing the stock handguard. Alone it would be a nice addition, but we’ve got to remember this is a Package and the forend is only one small part of ATIs front-end conversion.
Enough rail for a whole host of extras.
In front of the handguard sits an aluminum tri-rail which makes the additions of grips, lights, lasers, or anything else you could possibly want to strap to your gun as easy as turning a screw. A full-length magazine tube extension sits inside the tri-rail and brings its capacity up to 6+1. The kit also includes an improved follower, new magazine spring, and cap to hold it all together. My favorite feature of the package is the heat shield. Creating a small enough barrier to keep your skin safe from burns, the heat shield allows you to achieve a high C-clamp on the gun.
Shooting with the Raven Stock
Shooting the newly dressed gun is a completely different experience. The added weight and recoil reducing material help to cut down sharp recoil impulses. The gun holds on target well and the recoil wasn’t able to break my grip and make my hand slide, as can sometimes happen. The Gun became more manageable then I had assumed possible, even with OO Buck.
High C on a shotgun? It work well if your sights are high enough.
Thanks to the heat shield I was able to utilize a high C-clamp on the gun, a grip I don;t normally get to use on a shotgun because of the heat coming off the exposed barrel. I could dump the content of the tube on target as quickly as my trigger finger could move–7 shells on target at 15 yards in well under 3 seconds. Never once did I have to wait to get the gun back on target; it was more like the gun was waiting on me to wipe the smile off my face and resume firing.
All in all the ATI Raven Deluxe Stock and Forend Package brings a lot to the table: added ergonomics, enhanced texture, and reduction in felt recoil. So if you can deal with the nominal gain in weight, and afford the $549.99 price tag, this is the ultimate package for you. Does that seem like a lot for an aftermarket stock set? Maybe. You can buy a couple of decent pump shotguns for that price. But ATI is delivering a lot in this package. And considering what it brings to the M4, I think there will be plenty of Benelli owners willing to make the extra investment. If that price tag has you running for the hills, or the weight has you worried on one end of the gun or the other, you should also note you can purchase individual components from this kit individually, which would defray some of the sticker shock.
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The stock, with the cheek piece down.
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Expanded, the Raven’s cheek piece forms an angular obstacle that I always fear will catch on something. That’s my only beef with the ATI, and an opinion–I’ve never caught anything on it.
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The rubber on the stock can show wear, but it isn’t a bad look.
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Installing the parts wasn’t easy. I’d not recommend it for novices.
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Make sure you have a clean workspace and good organization, as some of the guns parts are small and springy.
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The trigger assembly on the Benelli.
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You have to break the M4 down almost all the way to make the additions.
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The trigger on the M4 is a work of art.
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Remove the old tube, install the new one.
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The new forend.
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Iniside the forend.
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The whole installation took us close to an hour to complete.
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The mag tube extension is easy to install.
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The instillation shouldn’t require any special tools.
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The new tube, ready for the stock.
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The stock slides on and is screwed in place.
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Small screws! Don’t let them get loose.
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Some of the instillation requires use of fine motor skills.
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Removing some of the parts of the M4 can be a challenge. The C rings were a real bear. Don’t google C ring.
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The follower is almost identical to the one we had in the T&E M4.
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The adjustable length of pull is a big benefit.
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The M4’s sight is tall and robust.
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The new forend is easy on the hands.
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The grip on the Raven is padded to help with the shock.
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The Scorpion Razorback butt pad is padded, too. The rubber is resistant to chemicals, and isn’t affected by extremes of heat or cold.
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The rail is three sided, which allows for multiple attachments.
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Will this stock fit on a benelli m3?
Is the ATI Tri-Rail compatible with the Carriercomp Ti Full Length magazine tube? The note on ATI’s product page states “*Magazine tube not included. Tri-Rail will only fit the Benelli® M4 ATI magazine tube (A.5.10.2501)” But if the ATI extension is close to the same diameter as the stock mag tube, I suspect the Tri-Rail would also work with the Carriercomp tube. Any insight would be appreciated. Excellent review!
The Benelli M4 ranges in price from $1299 to 1799 on G. A. At least you won’t feel like you trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
In this case, its a prince’s dagger out of a prince’s cutting knife!
Circlip, c clip, e clip, maybe
How much does Raven M4 cost?
Just googled c ring… Interesting….