MAC 1014 Shotgun, Tested and Reviewed

It was the wooden furnishings on the MAC 1014 Wooden that caught my consideration after I was reducing by way of the SDS imports sales space at SHOT present 2024. That’s type of a bad-ass-looking shotgun, I stated to myself as I paused to look at it nearer. It was clearly a clone of the Benelli M4 tactical shotgun, however in walnut trim. The corporate MAC, which stands for Navy Armament Company is a nominal revival of the defunct sheet-metal submachine gun firm. Scatterguns typically don’t perk my curiosity — the one bird-appropriate shotgun that I personal is my grandpa’s Winchester mannequin 1897 — however I’ve a light fascination with defensive shotguns that may function boat and truck beaters and up-close bear stoppers. Mixed with my everlasting optimism that many low cost weapons are hidden gems ready to be found, that’s what made me pause to have a look at the MAC 1014 Wooden — I’m glad I did.

MAC 1014 Wooden Specs

• Gauge: 12
• Capability: 6 rounds (2 ¾-inch)
• Barrel: 18.5 inches, black end
• Receiver: Aluminum, anodized black
• Inventory: Turkish walnut
• Set off: 9 kilos, 10 ounces (measured)
• Handguard: Turkish walnut, two-piece
• Sights: Adjustable Ghost ring with white dots, white-dot entrance
• Optic mounting: Picatinny rail on receiver
• Fuel System: Twin short-stroke piston
• Weight: 7 kilos, 13 ounces (measured)
• Value: $375

Evaluate Highlights

• Dependable: Just one stoppage in 500 rounds fired
• Fuel-driven system doesn’t recoil as sharply as some inertia-driven weapons
• Suitable with many Benelli Components
• Simple to keep up
• Good Buyer Service

The MAC 1014 Wooden: A Poor Man’s Benelli?

There are typically two camps relating to clones of common weapons: the “identical to the actual factor, solely shittier,” and the “why pay full value after I can get the identical for a fraction of the price” crowds. Neither is de facto mistaken, and generally each are proper. The character of this shotgun’s design requires some comparability to the real Benelli M4 Tactical Shotgun, however I believe it’s a disservice to not take into account it by itself account. If you would like an M4, save up and purchase a kind of. If you would like comparable traits, however aren’t dead-set on the actual deal, clones generally is a nice possibility. There are quite a few Turkish M4 clones available on the market, with suggestions that displays various levels of satisfaction. 

The largest query round any gun clones — and one I posed whereas analyzing the SHOT present show mannequin of the MAC 1014 Wooden — is whether or not the gun is well-built and dependable. For any sensible software, that’s a elementary requirement. I’d by no means thought-about shelling out $2,000 for a legit M4 to abuse within the woods, however I assumed: if this factor is reliable, it could be a hell of a bear shotgun. A steadfast semi-auto 12 gauge can rapidly pump out quite a lot of detrimental reinforcement onto a bear within the type of 602-grain rifled slugs. If it’s not dependable, although, it’s ineffective.

The previous saying “you get what you pay for,” exists for a cause — it’s often true. That stated, there are nice weapons on the market that gained’t break the financial institution. I’ve seen blended outcomes with different Turkish-made weapons. A few of them have been surprisingly good, others are poorly-polished turds. The place would the MAC 1014 fall? I’ll plug the opposite previous saying, “there’s just one technique to discover out.” I wasted no time in ordering one. 

How the MAC 1014 Wooden Works

The MAC 1014 wooden is a semi-auto 12 gauge that has a rotating bolt and operates off a twin short-stroke gasoline piston system. The short-stroke piston was first used en masse on the well-known M1 Carbine and later the SKS rifle. The 1014’s piston system is a duplicate of the Benelli Auto-Regulating-Fuel-Operated system, which contains a piston on each the left and proper facet of the barrel, simply ahead of the chamber. They divert gasoline from the barrel and, just like the M1 Carbine, are designed to be self-cleaning. When pushed backwards, the pistons strike the bolt service, knocking it again in opposition to the recoil spring and plunger housed within the inventory. 

This piston-driven design makes use of gasoline from the fired shell to cycle the gun, not recoil drive just like the inertia-driven Benelli M2. The MAC 1014 Wooden has recoil that’s comparatively gentle in comparison with another inertia weapons I’ve shot just like the Browning A5, Stoeger 3500, and Benelli Tremendous Black Eagle. It’s a 12 gauge, and heavy hundreds nonetheless kick fairly good, however the recoil isn’t as sharp with heavy buck and slug hundreds. One other benefit of piston-driven methods just like the MAC’s is improved reliability. I’ve had inertia weapons malfunction whereas capturing straight overhead or not being held tightly in opposition to the shoulder.

The chrome-lined bolt rotates within the bolt service and locks open on an empty gun. It’s set free by the small bolt catch button beneath the ejection port. It has a fairly commonplace tube journal that matches 5 2 ¾-inch shells and hundreds identical to some other tube-fed gun — although shells require extra drive to lock them into the journal than some higher-end shotguns.

Area Stripping and Upkeep

Similar to the M4, the MAC 1014 wooden is subject stripped by unscrewing the journal cap, then sliding the barrel off the journal tube. Because the barrel comes freed from the receiver, the handguard shells will be pulled off or will fall off. The handguard is a two-piece design that clamshells collectively, closing across the journal tube. They’re held in place by a lip on the barrel meeting on the entrance and one other on the receiver on the rear. The bolt deal with is pulled out, and the bolt and bolt service will be pulled from the entrance of the receiver. The set off group is retained by a single drift pin and will be eliminated for higher entry to scrub the receiver. That is the extent of what you’ll must do for regular upkeep.

After about 250 rounds, I wiped down the bolt and receiver and lubricated the bolt, bolt service, and bolt service rails with gun oil and a few Lubriplate 130-A grease. That’s just about it so far as upkeep was involved. 

Testing the MAC 1014 Wooden

I didn’t got down to break this shotgun per se, however I used to be going to muster each mix-and-match coffee-can stuffed with 12-gauge shells I may scrounge from the recesses of my storage. Just like the show mannequin I first dealt with, the shotgun I obtained had good-quality coatings, and gave the impression to be well-built. Some Turkish weapons have poorly overdone coatings and options — making an attempt to be one thing they’re not. That wasn’t the case right here. It got here with three Benelli/Mobil-pattern chokes, and I put in the modified cylinder one. Every little thing appeared to be on the up-and-up, so I took it to the vary to begin blasting. 

Good Buyer Service 

You have to be skeptical when somebody is just too obsessed with an organization’s customer support — I would like one thing that gained’t break within the first place — however shit does occur generally. After firing the primary journal by way of the gun with some high-brass quantity sixes, I seen a protracted crack within the skinny portion of the starboard-side handguard shell. I saved capturing, and the gun ran with out the crack getting worse. Wooden foreends on semi-auto shotguns typically appear to crack simpler than eggs, nevertheless it was nonetheless a bummer. 

Again within the store, I epoxied the crack again collectively — a restore that held — however I additionally emailed MAC’s customer support contact from their web site. Usually, if I’ve questions or a problem, I’ll undergo PR or advertising channels, however being a budget-priced import, I wished to get the common buyer expertise. They promptly replied and despatched me a brand new set of handguard shells which have held up positive. I believe that within the pursuit of price financial savings, some funds import weapons have scarce help within the substitute elements division. It was good to see MAC rapidly get these out, although this can be a fairly new launch for them.

Pointing and Capturing

The army mannequin of the M4, the Breacher, contains a pistol grip and MAC affords a variant like that. Nevertheless, I desire the look and feel of the MAC 1014 Wooden. With a daily inventory, it seems like a conventional sporting shotgun, factors rapidly, tucks in a daily mushy case, and isn’t unhealthy to hold on a sling. Whether or not utilizing the iron sights or including a pink dot, that is precisely the configuration I’d need in a shotgun for the woods or to maintain within the truck.

It is a shotgun that’s meant to shoot buckshot and slugs, and the ghost ring rear sight is totally adjustable to zero your sample or slug affect. Each the rear and entrance sights have protecting wings on both sid, and in any case my capturing, the {hardware} remained completely tight — I’ve had elements rattle off of different Turkish-made weapons throughout heavy use.

The MAC 1014 Proved Dependable

After I stated I wished to throw all the things I had at this shotgun, I meant it. I emptied each previous espresso can of 12 gauge shells I had, plus a .50-caliber ammo can brimming with previous pre-lead-ban duck hundreds. I shot 2 ¾- and 3-inch shells of each form, measurement, and age by way of the gun with out problem. I fired totally different varieties of latest and previous slugs, buckshot, high-brass upland sport hundreds, and low-brass subject hundreds —together with a case of Federal Top Gun Clays ammo. I made it by way of about half of the 100-plus-round break-in interval MAC recommends, utilizing high-brass stuff, then began throwing all the things at it. I used to be amazed that it cycled previous, off-brand, mild subject hundreds in addition to 3-inch-magnum buckshot. 

I attempt to be intentional about every spherical I hearth by way of a rifle or pistol, however this was one check by which I fortunately dumped ammunition as quick as I may stuff it within the gun. I wished to see the way it loaded (not fairly as easily as a Benelli), and the way it cycled when scorching. At about spherical quantity 486 I had a hull stovepipe within the motion — my first and solely malfunction. I’m now over 500 rounds fired and plan on persevering with. For me, that’s sufficient to say that this can be a fairly rattling dependable semi-auto 12 gauge — particularly for lower than 400 bucks.

Not solely was the recoil impulse softer than impulse-driven or pump weapons, the MAC was fairly simple to maintain on the right track by way of fast magazine dumps utilizing a modern-style stance, and the laser-etched grip texture prevented slipping. Not like another slug weapons I’ve shot, it didn’t knock me astray by a lot in any respect. Hulls ejected at totally different angles relying on their energy stage, however the gun spit every load’s shells at a constant angle.

What the MAC 1014 Wooden Does Properly

I believe that the MAC 1014 Wooden is a handsome shotgun with good coatings and is sort of dependable for its value. It’s a terrific choice to fill the truck gun position or act as an entry-level three-gun shotgun.

The place the MAC 1014 Wooden Might Be Higher

I’d just like the MAC 1014 Wooden to load a bit of bit extra easily. Shells require a little bit of drive to lock them within the journal tube. I’d desire a bit lighter set off, nevertheless it’s not a precision rifle.

Ultimate Ideas on the MAC 1014 Wooden Shotgun

I believe that for the cash, this can be a nice worth for a semi-automatic shotgun. I’d all the time check them first, however mine has been dependable sufficient that I’d use it for probably harmful work like bear protection. I believe that there are methods a real Benelli M4 would beat it out, nevertheless it’s genuinely a great-quality gun for the value. That’s a testomony to how far manufacturing has come. Certain, it may all the time have higher coatings and a few upgrades, however you’ll have a tough time beating it for the value.