Bernelli's Joint Service Combat Shotgun M1014

In 1998 the U.S. Army Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) issued a request for submissions on a new 12-gage, semi-automatic combat shotgun for the U.S. Armed Services.

History of the Joint Service Combat Shotgun M1014

The Benelli Armi SOPA of Urbino, Italy, won the contract and developed what was known by Benelli as the M4. The following year, the U.S. Army ARDEC awarded the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun contract to Benelli and the import contract went to Baretta USA, Inc. The first shipment of 20,000 was sent to the United States Marine Corps in 1999.

After putting the shotgun through extensive testing, the Corps adopted the resulting M1014, known as the Joint Service Combat Shotgun, in November 2001, replacing three different service and tactical shotguns:

• Mossberg 590
• Remington 870
• Winchester 1100/1200.

The M1014 is currently in use by the United States Marine Corps and is planned for use by all other military branches including the Coast Guard and Special Operations Command of the United States.

HK Benelli Joint Service Combat Shotgun

The M1014 Military Joint Service Combat Shotgun is a gas operated, semi-automatic 12-gage shotgun that uses a new Auto Regulating Gas Operated (ARGO) Twin System. It has a three-position adjustable stock, an air-cocking system, and a modular exchange system that allows for quick interchange of parts in response to a changing tactical environment.

The M1014 's Advantages

Advantages of the M1014 include its:

• accessory rail on top of the receiver allowing vision scopes, lasers and night vision tools to be used easily in combat as a military weapon or as a hunting gun.
• collapsible buttstock, shortening the military weapon by almost eight inches, allowing easier storage and transportation and permitting better maneuverability around tight corners and over obstacles in close-quarter combat.
• durability. The M1014 is reported to function reliably for at least 25,000 rounds without problems.
• light weight, weighing in at only 8.44 pounds unloaded.
• self-cleaning, requiring very little operator maintenance. The modular assembly allows an operator to exchange the various parts of the shotgun without tools quickly in the field.
• self-regulation. In contrast with other gas-actuated automatics, the M1014 can fire differing power level shells without any operator adjustments, in any combination (Note: lower power rounds such as rubber pellets must be cycled manually).
• semi-auto action, allowing the operator to maintain sight on the target while another round is pumped into the chamber, effectively stopping the usual "pump " action.

Shotgun Specifics

The following are specifics of the M1014:

• 3-inch chamber
• accessory mounting rail on top for night vision or sighting devices and lasers
• ambidextrous manual cross bolt
• barrel size is 18.5 inches
• capacity: six 3-inch shells, seven 2.75-inch, plus one chambered round
• collapsible stock makes it 34.9 inches long
• effective range is 40 yards with 00 buckshot and in excess of 100 yards with the rifled slug
• fitted with Ghost Ring iron sights
• full extension with stock is 39.8 inches
• non-reflective wear and corrosion-resistant finish
• reliable in extreme weather conditions
• retails around $195 (yes, it 's civilian legal)
• self-regulating for different size cartridges; can take a rifled slug, 00 buck or bird shot and dummy rounds; can also use special ops rounds such as Avon round-Lock Buster and a Ferrett Round-CS Round
• the M1014 has a minimum of five rounds and a maximum of 29 rounds (fires both 2.75 and 3-inch shells)
• trigger pull: 5.5 to 7.28 lbs.
• velocity is around 99m/s at 0.8J
• weight is 8.4 pounds (unloaded).

The M1014 is civilian purchase legal for hunting and sport purposes, but the telescoping version has been restricted by Benelli to law enforcement and military suppliers. It is designed for close-quarters combat and defensive shooting in the military and, as for most shotguns, for sport hunting and skeet shooting. The M1014 is lightweight, easily transportable and relatively maintenance-free features make it an effective shotgun for both military and sport uses for anywhere from 40-100 yards.