I'm slowly setting up a Benelli M4 to be a do all HD, camp and occasional back up big game gun.

I think I am going to start by patterning Federal Flight Control OO buck once the cylinder choke I just ordered from Midway gets in and trying either Federal Tru Ball or Brenneke KO slugs. What do you guys prefer in your guns that see similar usage?

Any flight control should do you well with appropriate shot size. I forget the name, but Hornady also makes a similar wad. Make sure you try the different power levels. There's max loads, standard and low recoil. I've only tried the PFC154-00 (max 00, 9 pellet), and they work very well for me. About 12" patterns at 25 yards.

I've had good luck with the cheapo Winchester slugs at walmart, although their performance on game is unknown to me. I'm sure that they'll put a hurting on anything that gets hit. About 6" groups at 50 yards for me.

I'd expect brenneke products to perform admirably.

Lightfield only makes sabot?

The cheapo Winchester 3" 00 also pattern decently for me for a cylinder bore and standard wad. Great for social work around the house, but I'd rather have flight control when outside.

00: Federal Low Recoil 9 pellet Flite Control

http://www.sgammo.com/product/12-gauge-ammo/50-round-brick-12-gauge-275-inch-federal-le13200-low-recoil-buckshot-ammo

Slugs: Federal TruBall Deep Penetator

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002077946/federal-premium-vital-shok-ammunition-12-gauge-2-3-4-1-oz-deep-penetrator-truball-hollow-point-rifled-slug-box-of-5

I think the 00 above will handle most anything but if I'm going slug I'm wanting penetration and not a soft lead slug that'll deform.

Seems like the Federal Flight Control OO Buck is hottest thing on the market for tight patterning buckshot these days. I'll also give the new Hornady a try as well. I have TAP 00 Buck in my ammo stash but don't think it has the new shot cup. It didn't pattern anywhere near as nicely in my cylinder bore 870 as the Federal Flight Control.

Brobee223 on youtube has some great slug tests and the Federal Truball Deep Penetrators out performed the Brenneke Royal Slugs if I remember correctly. TNoutdoors also has a good video on the Brenneke 3" Black Magic slug. I'm looking for a slug with deep penetration to be used in bear country and possibly for elk in the thick stuff.

I'm hoping that I can sight the ghost ring sights in with the slugs and still shoot to reasonable point of aim with 00 buck.

You shouldn't have any issues with the sights using buckshot. The pattern might be slightly off, but it shouldn't matter once the shot spreads.

Iirc Hornady advertised the wads differently, like federal does. It's called "versatite".

Brennekke KO slugs will hit very hard (obviously) and put a lot of energy into the target with their large frontal area. Check this gel test out: http://www.brennekeusa.com/hunting-ammunition/kotm/  I'm certain this would do well on windshields and car doors, but for penetration on barriers I'd prefer the Green Lightning (or painted red as Special Forces Short magnum lol) because it is hardened and heavier. Personally I use the Magnum Maximum Barrier Penetrators http://www.brennekeusa.com/law-enforcement-ammunition/sfmbpmr-special-forces-maximum-barrier-penetration-magnum/  1 3/8 oz at 1600fps and hardened allow. The recoil in my Mossberg was quite a bit but not so bad I don't keep them. Would be nice if you needed to shoot through two car doors to get to the bad guy.

I'm one of the guys who likes a spread. For SHTF I like the idea of a nice pattern of #1 buck out to 30 yards ... and I also like the 00 flight control ... I have both. The 00 flight control would be my choice over the #1 because in SHTF a windshield may come into play.

Also for the non-recoil averse (and I say so seriously) the 3in 12 pellet 00 flight control at 1325fps patterns about as well as the 2 3/4in load for me. Around 6in at 25 yards. If you want the 9 pellet at 1100fps your dick will be just as long and I'm sure the bad guy will be very unhappy wherever his brains end up.

Right now I'm going to order some 15 pellet Winchester double-x 00 buckshot (which is plated and patterns well in my gun unlike the 15p Federal), then have an assortment of 3in Winchester Super X 15 pellet 00 buck (not plated... cheaper), 3in Winchester Super X #1 buck, some Federal Flight Control 00 buckshot, and Brennekke Green lightning slugs (or maximum barrier penetrators above depending on my budget lol). I like the 3in #1 buckshot because at 24 pellets a pop it would be nice in a riot ... not that the 15p 00 would not be.

Good luck

I like Remington Sluggers. Very accurate. As far as buckshot, I really liked the Winchester Ranger HD loads, but those are out of production temporarily.

Thanks for all the input guys. I placed an order for some Hornady Critical Defense, Federal 00 Buck with the flight control wads and Federal Deep Penetrator Tru Ball Slugs. I also ordered a 250 round case of S&B Buckshot for $89 because 'Merica. Looking in my ammo stash, I've got random boxes of Wolf 00 Buck, Winchester 00 Buck, Hornady TAP 00 Buck and some Brenneke KO Slugs.

This fall, I'm going to take some leftover lumber from house projects and build a backer that I can take out and use to pattern different loads as well as sight in slugs. I'll update this thread with the results.

While I haven't tried the s&b, I've had good luck with Spartan (available at sgammo) buckshot for blasting and training. It patterns well enough that I'd be comfortable with it in my gun should I encounter feral bipedals given appropriate distances (it is a generic load).

The suprema buckshot from Walmart also patterns well enough and I feel the same about it and the spartan.

For patterning I like to use my Shepard hooks from the lawn and garden section (1/2" round bar, $12 from lowes) spaced appropriately to hold my paper/cardboard. Duct tape keeps the target in place as long as the wind isn't crazy.

The 1/2" ones are strong enough to hold up a ~35lb steel target when used in tandem (one on each side). They have been hit by all calibers up to 308, and tend to deflect, but I did have a 5.56 take a chunk out of one. No big deal as I weld for a living so I fixed it right up. After about 20 range trips the Chinese welds broke on the foot peg, so I gusseted and applied proper American welds. No issues.

Much easier to store and transport a couple Shepard hooks than a sheet of plywood.

Much like a .22 each shotgun tends to be an individual in what slug it will shoot most accurately. Best advice is to buy 10 or so of each commonly available slug and accuracy test them. My brothers old 870 shot Winchester slugs best but mine did better with Remington and federal.
If you find some obscure boutique slug that shoots really well buy a couple hundred!
However it is a good idea to have an idea what the typical slug available at wal mart or other big box stores does, as sometimes it may be hard to find certain types or brands. Back when I lived in the northeast in an area  that was slugs only for big game it was not uncommon to see hunters scrambling to buy slugs when they mistakenly grab shot and headed out to the hunting grounds. Many a small convenience store and gas station stocked a few boxes of slugs to capitalize on such a circumstance. If you find yourself in some out of the way locale and need slugs it is nice to know how the slug you can find to buy performs ahead of time

I stagger 00 Buck and Winchester PDX1

It patterns and works as advertised.  

Lot of people suggesting #1 buck. You said Benelli M4, and as someone who has #1 in a Benelli M4, if you take their advice, be aware both Federal and Winchester #1s are TOO LONG for all 7 rounds to fit in the tube. The 7th will be protruding ever so slightly and cannot be loaded.

Remington's #1 buck is the only one I've tried that will fit all 7. Alternately, you can do a single round of Hornady Critical Defense 00 with 7 rounds of Federal or Winchester #1 buck. Hornady's 00B is extra short, and one of those is just short enough to fit exactly with 6 rounds of Winchester or FFC #1 in an M4's tube. This is what I do with mine.

I fired off my HD load last month, which starts with a PDX1 slug in the chamber... it had a bad primer. First strike and second strike went *click.*

To their credit, Winchester sent me a prepaid label to send it in, then refunded me the cost of the entire box of ammo.

For me, I choose Federal Flite Control 8-pellet 00 buck as my go-to load with Federal Tru-Ball slugs in the side-saddle.