m4 Archives

Introduction

Tactical shotguns are a vibrant part of the black-gun market, the incredibly popular and venerable Benelli M4 made the genre of firearms famous. Today we will review a fresh clone of the M4, this one manufactured by Panzer Arms. The Panzer M4 offers all the same features as the original M4, but at a more modest price point.

Specifications

Caliber	12 gauge
Action	Semi-Automatic
Chamber	3-inch
Barrel Length	18.5 inches
Sights	Ghost ring standard sights
Capacity	5+1
Optics Mounting	Picatinny optics rail

Gun Background

Panzer firearms are manufactured like many others in Turkey. The manufacturers of these arms have been making rifles and shotguns for nearly fifty years. The low cost of manufacturing firearms like these overseas has created a large market of imported arms.

Panzer has made a variety of shotguns for the US market. A surprisingly diverse family of 12 gauge shotguns that could fit nearly any collection. There are AR style shotguns that use the AR manual of arms and detachable box magazines. And for those that love the Kalashnikov design, there are also AK Twelve models that incorporate the AK functions you are familiar with. They even offer their own 20-round drum magazine for the AK Twelve, and Panzer ammo to go with it. There are even bullpup 12gauge models for all those like me who suffer from a bullish fever.

Panzer Arms are imported to the US by PW Arms out of Washington. And in true PW Arms fashion, they engrave the guns so as to be legible to most satellites and orbiting craft. Panzers are sold all over the country through various dealers, as well as big outfits like Palmetto State Armory.

Gun Features

It’s an M4 clone- need I say more?
Simple and reliable dual gas piston driven operating system- reliable well tested system
Included Ghost Ring sights- ready to shoot out of the box
Optics Ready picatinny rail- for adding your favorite optical sight
Included Weapon Light mounting bridge- to add your preferred weapon light
Comes with set of three chokes

Additional Models

There are other models of the Panzer M4. Most of them are simply variations in finishes and stock options. There is a marine version with black polymer stock and pistol grip, with a nickel plated finish. As well as a standard M4 model with a black finish and pistol grip with either a traditional polymer fixed buttstock, or a skeleton adjustable buttstock. Today’s example uses a walnut stock with the disruptive gray finish.

Panzer M4 Review

I am no stranger to shooting shotguns, but my experience has always been for sport and hunting purposes. Tactical shotguns are used in a slightly different application; instead of applying a volume of shot to increase the likelihood of hitting a moving airborne target, tactical shotguns use the power and shot volume to remove matter from the immediate vicinity of its user. Whether its door hinges, sheetrock, or an uninvited torso, shotguns are great at creating voids where there wasn’t before.

Shootability

Panzer’s M4 copy brings all the familiar functions of modern semi-automatic shotguns. The controls are all very familiar and easy to operate well. This made it easy to pick up and get right to shooting. An 18.5-inch barrel makes the gun very easy to maneuver quickly, fast to point and faster to shoot.

I found the walnut stock to fit my grip and hold very well. If anything I felt like my trigger finger was a touch short for ideal actuating of the trigger. But I quickly got used to it. The oversized safety made it easy to put the gun into fire mode in a hurry.

I’ve not shot many tactical shotguns, so the ghost ring sights were a little new to me. But I can see why they are popular with these types of guns. They are quick to get on target, and don’t obscure your view much. I also shot the M4 with the new Vortex Defender XL red dot, which was also very nice. The big window and bright dot made it easy to make things disappear downrange.

Reliability

According to what I’ve heard, it’s recommended to run the M4 on heavier loads for the first bit to help break in the gun. So it didn’t surprise me when a few of the light trap loads I tried didn’t cycle the gun. While I dont think you’ll need to run 3-inch magnums to get the gun to operate reliably, it’s probably fair to assume a defensive tactical shotgun will run on heavier loads.

Panzer Arms M4 12 gauge — I added a **Vortex Defender XL red dot**

The only malfunctions I experienced during testing were under-operation of the action, resulting in a half-ejected hull. These few malfunctions were all with Fiocchi Field Dynamics 1 0z loads. Other similar loads didn’t have these issues, so I think it’s fair to assume the problem was ammo compatibility.

Again I’ll stress, for a tactical shotgun like this, you would much more likely be running higher velocity buckshot rounds like Winchester SuperX or Hornady Critical Defense.

The Panzer M4 uses the reliable operating system perfected by Benelli. Dual gas pistons drive the bolt carrier for rugged durability.

Ergonomics

Panzer’s M4 incorporates traditional shotgun ergonomics on this model. The other models also give you the adaptability of pistol grips and adjustable stocks. All of these options are sure to give you an option you like and can shoot well.

I found the Panzer M4 to be very easy and comfortable as is. The sights lined up well with my eye and natural comb height. With the red dot installed it was just a touch high, but that’s more about the optic mounting than the gun.

panzer arms M4 — with or without a red dot sight, the M4 lined up quickly with targets

One of the very interesting things about the M4 is the ability to swap the charging handle to the left side of the receiver. This is very convenient for those who prefer charging on the left side. And makes the gun more adaptable by more people. The only thing I would change on the Panzer M4 would be to make the bolt-release button a little larger.

Accuracy

Accuracy with shotguns is a bit misleading, as ammunition types and compatibility can vary greatly. If I had some slugs it would be a bit more relevant to this subject, but the traditional shotgun pattern was more than adequate. The M4 comes with three different chokes that allow you to adjust the gun’s patterning to best fit your needs.

Shooting the M4 at distances where shotguns are useful, I found it to be very easy to hit what you wanted. That’s what makes shotguns so good for close defensive tactics. And it is pretty clear that this gun is a great option for quickly making big holes in things within its range.

Panzer arms — Notice receiver cut for left side charging handle, and dual gas pistons

Value

A quick search through vendors shows that the Benelli M4 can be had for anywhere between $1500 and $2000. Contrast that with the $500 cost of the Panzer M4 as we tested it today. If the Panzer M4 retains the reliability of the gun it was cloned after, I think it would be hard to argue it wasn’t an incredible value.

Panzer M4 Pros & Cons

There is quite a bit about the Panzer M4 shotgun to like. There are a couple things I would change about it though. There is a single sling connection point up front. It is a sling loop attachment, but it isn’t solid. It is simply held around the mag-tube with a snap-ring, which makes me feel like it would rattle a lot both when in use and not. The other end of the sling simply has no-where to attach to the butstock. There is no sling swivel or place to attach one on the back of the stock.

Pros

Very affordable- ⅓ the cost of its parent firearm
Very attractive- handsome coatings and wood
Optics Ready- picatinny optics rail for easy mourning of your optic
Included sights- handsome and very functional ghost ring sights included
Reversible charging handle- for left hand operation
Includes weapon light bridge- for easy mounting of your light

Cons

Prefers heavy loads- at least for breaking in
Sling mounting- includes front sling loop but nothing at the back

Panzer M4 Report Card

Shootability (A) No surprise that an M4 clone is easy and fun to shoot

Reliability (B+) Function is great, the break-in and need for heavier loads is a small drawback

Accuracy (A-) It’s a shotgun, if you can’t hit your target, don’t blame the M4

Value (A+) Compared to its parent, this thing is a steal!

Preferred Ammunition

I used a variety of Fiocchi ammunition, Field Dynamics and Shooting dynamics. Other than the few issues I mentioned above it all ran excellent. The 2.75 loads all worked well, and are great for practice, but if you are going to use this gun for defensive shooting I’d probably use something else.

For dangerous situations I would use something like the Hornady Critical Defense or the Federal Premium Personal Defense.

Panzer Upgrades and Accessories

This shotgun works great as it comes from the factory, but I would certainly recommend a few upgrades. I really enjoyed shooting the gun with the Vortex Defender XL red dot. It makes an excellent addition to the M4.

A sling would also be a nice addition to this gun, if only it had a rear sling swivel…

But you can always add one, and the other models of the Panzer M4 have rear sling connection points. Something simple like this Spectre Gear Raptor would work.

Final Thoughts

Do yourself a favor if you are looking for a defensive shotgun, have a look at one of these Panzer M4 models. They are refreshingly affordable, and feel fantastic, and come with the features you’d expect from a costlier firearm.

-CBM

Check out other shotgun reviews here

AR-15 History

The AR-15 is perhaps one of the most well known rifles in America, enough to even be known as America’s rifle. And of all the many different AR-15 configurations perhaps one of the most popular is the M4, or one of its clones. Colt has been one of the longest standing manufacturers of this type of rifle, so it feels a bit daunting to try and revisit this as a review. After all, what could I possibly have to offer that hasn’t been said a thousand times over the past twenty years?

The Colt M4 Carbine

The M4 Carbine I received for review is as familiar as Mom’s bacon and eggs on a Sunday morning. The rifle uses all of the standard features we have come to know, a mil-spec two-stage trigger, detachable Stanag pattern magazines released with the push of a button. Charging handle at twelve o’clock above the buffer tube, with a collapsible CAR type buttstock. A single sided safety operated by the thumb, and a bolt-release on the left side of the receiver.
This model came with a sixteen-inch seven twist barrel, threaded 1/2-28 at the muzzle and you guessed it; a bird-cage flash hider on the muzzle. Also included were sling attachment rings front and rear, as well as a fold down rear sight assembly to use with the gas-block mounted front sight.
This is almost exactly the rifle we have all seen in the movies and magazines since childhood, with its flattop receiver designed to take whatever kind of sight you’d like to install there. Commonly you’d see an Aimpoint, Eotech, or ACOG in this position. The only thing left to investigate was to see if it lived up to the expectation.
I prepped the Colt for a range trip, which consisted of mounting up a Trijicon MRO and some ammo to feed it.

Shop all Colt firearms here

On the Range

The M4 is configured for a fighting scenario. Or for civilians like myself lots of shooting and maneuvering at relatively close range. Surely it can be used at further distances but for the most part two-hundred yards or less are a most likely where it will be used. A red dot sight like the MRO works great for that scenario.

After sending a few test rounds, I zeroed the sight at 75 yards. Shooting for accuracy is a little easier for me to do with a riflescope, but I was able to shoot some inch and a half groups at seventy five yards. I don’t imagine it would open up too much more at one hundred yards, but it was certainly accurate enough for hitting forty-five percent IPSC targets all over the range. The XM193 ammo flowed through the rifle like a Vegas slot machine payout, and it felt just as valuable to watch it disappear.

Shooting the Colt M4 was as pleasant as you might expect. The mild recoil of the 5.56 cartridge makes shooting the rifle soft and easy to control. Muzzle rise is minimal and easily reduced by adding a different muzzle device.

The collapsible stock is easily adjusted to fit smaller statured shooters or to accommodate body armor. I’ve never envied left-handed shooters that had to operate an AR. And yet my oldest who has been given by Uncle Sam the opportunity to shoot the M4 extensively using his left-handed stance seemed to not have any issues. He even likes it to my surprise.

Accuracy

Hitting targets for both of us was great fun while using the MRO. I am definitely a scope kind of guy so using iron sights always comes with its contrasting results. It would likely serve me very well to spend more time shooting through these sights if only to improve my capabilities. The Magpul rear sight that came with this rifle was easily used through the Trijicon. I just need to up my iron game.
The M4 comes with pretty much no embellishments, a standard trigger, Magpul Pmag, single-sided safety and so on. That came as no surprise for a service-grade weapon, but I found it didn’t significantly inhibit the performance. Making shots and reloads went as smooth as I could go. And were only slowed by my skills, or lack of them anyway.

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PROS & CONS

Colt M4 Carbine Rifle — The adjustable stock is also a classic design now, and makes the gun easy to adjust for different users or uses

What’s not to like about this rifle? It is the result of distilled revisions based on hundreds of thousands of users and decades of use both here and abroad. Any demerits or praise for the rifle or its features will likely bring out a chorus of people more experienced with the gun than myself contradicting my perspective. But I’ll do it anyway because that’s what you read this far for.

First, let me give my personal perspective. I’m more of a precision rifle kind of shooter, spoiled by good triggers and sharp-shooting rifles. So, keep that in mind and take my opinions with a grain of powder.

I felt the M4 was a bit mediocre, which may well be its purpose. The trigger was a bit “scratchy,” though not a significant issue when it comes to hitting what I aimed at. The features are also quite middle of the road: single-sided safety, mil-spec trigger, the same charging handle since 1981 (maybe), and so on. But this may all be by design and exactly what this rifle was meant to be.

Truthfully

Let’s be candid, it is an AR-15. So there isn’t a single thing about it you couldn’t change or adjust to better fit your preferences. I have heard reports of declining quality from Colt over the last decade or so. While I experienced nothing that would indicate any issues with this rifle. It is good to hear that CZ has taken the reigns over Samuel Colt’s rampant pony. Perhaps the Czech’s can improve the brand.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this rifle. I experienced no malfunctions of any kind, and the gun plowed through everything I fed it. While not stunningly accurate, it was more than suitable for a practical fighting or sporting rifle. There are cheaper AR-15’s out there these days, so I think it may be a little overpriced when compared to its competition for some people. That may come with the name, I guess.

CONCLUSION

If you are in the market for a simple and lightweight AR, I don’t think this one would be a bad choice. The AR-15 market is incredibly broad. There is quite literally something for everyone out there. And if you are one of those die-hard Colt fanatics, then this classic AR should serve your needs well.

-CBM