Ukrainian soldiers are using high-powered shotguns to blast Russian drones out of the sky, as the frontline battle against First Person View (FPV) attacks becomes ever more desperate. The Benelli M4 may be best known to action fans as the shotgun wielded by Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 2, but its latest evolution – the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian – is being used for a very different kind of close-quarters combat: against threats from the skies.
Though normally associated with urban fighting, this new breed of anti-drone shotgun is proving unexpectedly effective at taking out incoming threats at up to 100 metres, making it a weapon of last resort when jammers and other defences fail.
“In major warfare scenarios, the most significant threat is FPV drone attacks, particularly those using fibre-optic guidance, which makes them immune to electronic warfare,” said Lt Gen Marco Angelelli, a counter-drone shotgun expert and instructor.
“That means the only effective defence is a hard kill – and that’s where these shotguns come in.”
Formerly with the Italian Air Force, Angelelli – now president of the Italian Federation of Clay Shooting’s technical commission – said both Ukrainian and Russian forces were already deploying shotguns in combat, though troops were still unfamiliar with the technique.
“The challenge is training as many soldiers as possible in aerial target shooting. This is a completely new skill for ordinary infantry,” he said.
“But once learned, it gives them a fighting chance.”
The Benelli M4 A.I. Drone Guardian is no ordinary shotgun.
Its Advanced Impact (A.I.) barrel system – originally developed for hunters – increases pellet velocity, range and penetration by up to 50% over standard models.
Using specialised tungsten cartridges such as Norma’s AD-LER round, troops can punch through carbon fibre drone casings, smash rotors, or kill cameras at standoff distances.
Test data shows that at 75 metres, 20 to 25 pellets from a single shot can hit a drone-sized target. As few as two or three strikes are enough to destroy a mini-UAV, especially if they damage critical components.
In trials conducted in Italy, Benelli gunners were able to hit FPVs travelling at high speed between 30 and 100 metres – far enough to protect infantry from the six-metre lethal radius of a grenade, or 15 metres for an RPG warhead, both commonly carried by kamikaze drones.
The M4 A.I. also features a redesigned forend with full M-Lok compatibility, a red-dot sight aligned with its ghost ring, and a 220-degree field of view – critical when tracking fast, low-flying drones.
“This is not just for the battlefield,” Angelelli added.
“These weapons are also being tested by security services to protect critical infrastructure, airports, prisons – anywhere UAVs pose a risk.”
Demand for the weapon is now surging as real-world performance attracts attention from military buyers.
Benelli confirmed it is preparing samples for US SOCOM, the FBI and other agencies, and has received interest from companies seeking to mount the M4 A.I. on turrets or larger drones as a drone-on-drone solution.
“The future is widespread use of the 12-gauge,” said Angelelli.
“Not just in the hands of soldiers, but integrated into vehicles, autonomous systems and air-defence networks. Against the drone threat, it may be the most direct solution we have.”