Mossberg 590-A1 vs Remington Versa Max Tactical, care to chime in?

thegrandpoohbah

thegrandpoohbah

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Getting ready to spend my annual bonus and these are the two in the running. I plan to use it for 3-gun, recreational clay busting and the odd back country outing.

I like the 590-A1 20" as it is a proven, simple platform and has 8+1 capacity. I would want to thread it for chokes and probably would end up getting the Magpul SGA furniture for it.

The Versa Max Tactical 22" is already threaded for Pro Bore chokes and holds 5+1 3" shells. Does anyone know how many 2.75" shells this model will hold in the tube? I am leaning towards the Versa Max as it will handle recoil better and be quicker to shoot. Reloading may be a pain though (literally) due to the shell carrier design.

All said and done, either option will cost roughly the same. Or at least close enough that I'm not concerned with the price difference. I had been leaning heavily towards the 590-A1 but now I am not so sure. What do you think, would I regret going with the Versa Max?
 
Would the 28" barrel of the Versa Max Sportsman be a detriment for 3-gun? The longer sight picture would of course be a plus for accuracy but would the extra weight slow me down enough to be an issue?
 
sailor723 said:
I know some guys are running the Versamax sportsman. The 3.5" chambering gives 6+1 capacity w. 2.75" shells ( plus one ghost loaded gives 8 in total.)
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If it's marked for 3.5" shells and a mag extension is added, you can get 7+1+1.

People will argue that even though the barrel on the VMT is marked for 3" you can still add an extension to allow 5.9 - 3.5" shells so 7 - 2.75" shells will fit. I am not that brave and had my extension plugged for 5.9 - 3" shells.
 
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Benlli_Beginner, do you own the Versa Max Tactical? How many 2.75" shells fit in the tube in stock configuration? And which mag extension do I need to get more capacity while staying legal?
 
thegrandpoohbah said:
Benlli_Beginner, do you own the Versa Max Tactical? How many 2.75" shells fit in the tube in stock configuration? And which mag extension do I need to get more capacity while staying legal?
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I do but I haven't touched it yet. Tactical Ordnance ordered one for me and it went under the knife out of the box. The machining is done, just waiting for TiN parts, Cerakoting and laser engraving.

Tactical Ordnance sells the extensions and it's made so the final capacity is 7+1+1, they are plugging it for me so I'll have 6+1+1.

My TacOrd VMT will be my first firearm and I wasn't planning to do any 3 gun with it. If I do decide I'd like to try it I would buy a 26" barrel, get an unplugged extension and add a MatchSaverZ. I had my VMT barrel ported so I'd have to compete in the Open class I think and that would be way too serious.
 
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Contact Casey at TO and get he's extension .
You'll be at 7+1+1

I have a 590a1 since many years , all beat up but god it seems to run better the more it shoot. Must have fired 10k+ since Casey modified mine to the Vang comp system. Great value but then you have the versa max..

My wife bought one for me from Wanstalls in October. I previously had a Benelli M2 so it is my reference.

Literally took it to the range inside the box. No cleanup, no lube. I had 300 rounds of mixed ammo. From Turkey load ,high speed slug to cheap target load.
Run flawless with anything you throw inside and FAST, faster than a fat kid in a candy store!

My M2 was nice but IMO the versa is smoother and faster. My buddy was like: wow that sound like a usas 12!

Right now I've shot around 2k without cleaning and i can say its my new favorite shotgun. Only complain is the loading fork but once you learn to double Load and push them fast inside the tube It will stop bite you.

Both are great but nothing is more fun than a semi.
 
Benelli_Beginner said:
If it's marked for 3.5" shells and a mag extension is added, you can get 7+1+1.

People will argue that even though the barrel on the VMT is marked for 3" you can still add an extension to allow 5.9 - 3.5" shells so 7 - 2.75" shells will fit. I am not that brave and had my extension plugged for 5.9 - 3" shells.
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I think you are correct. It would seem to me that if the gun is not chambered for 3.5" then basing the mag capacity on holding no more than 5 of 3.5" would not apply.

OTOH....it is the magazine itself that is or is not a prohibited device, not the firearm it is used in. You could argue that using a magazine that holds no more than 5 rounds of one ammo (3.5") in a gun that is chambered for another type (2.75") would be OK. Like using a Beretta 96 .40 mag in a 9mm Beretta 92.

Grey area indeed.
 
I don't have a Versa Max but I do use a semi-auto JM Pro for 3 gunning. I started with and still also use the 590A1 20" with VCS. The Semi is faster for engaging and follow-up obviously, but the Pump is just sooo much fun and doesn't bite me when loading. A couple guys I do 3 gun with have the Tacord Versa Max shotties and they love them. I would love to have one but it's significantly more expensive than my JM Pro was.

Bottom line, I use the semi if I want to win and the pump if I want to have more fun.
 
I have two versa maxs Amazing guns to say the least. Im sending the 26 inch one to Casey in Jan to get the full 3 gun treatment. I have shot about 1000 rounds out of them both and had zero failures. Shoots soft and its so easy to get back on target. I have no regrets going with these guns. If they make the new Versa Tac model I might have to have 3. I have never shot a 590 so I have no input on that gun. Hope this help
 
vmxracer said:
I have two versa maxs Amazing guns to say the least. Im sending the 26 inch one to Casey in Jan to get the full 3 gun treatment. I have shot about 1000 rounds out of them both and had zero failures. Shoots soft and its so easy to get back on target. I have no regrets going with these guns. If they make the new Versa Tac model I might have to have 3. I have never shot a 590 so I have no input on that gun. Hope this help
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When you mention the new Versa Max Tactical model, are you referring to the Competition model? Once Casey gets done with your 26" model, it'll be better than the VMT Competition. A couple more weeks till I get mine :D.
 
I heard that Remington is working a much shorter type cqb versa max Shorter LOP and combat sights and a shorter barrel. Might be years before we see it up here but who knows. BB would love to know how you like your gun when it comes back from Casey.
 
vmxracer said:
I heard that Remington is working a much shorter type cqb versa max Shorter LOP and combat sights and a shorter barrel. Might be years before we see it up here but who knows. BB would love to know how you like your gun when it comes back from Casey.
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This will be my first firearm so I won't have anything to compare it to but I am sure it'll bring a smile to my face......just thinking of it already does.

Are you referring to the R12? I don't think it'll ever be available to civilians. I was thinking of building something similar and I kinda of did with my build with an Urbino stock and Mohawk forend. I was going ask Casey if he could remove the sight rib and add Ghost ring sights but my build was getting too expensive already.
 
So, would there be a mag capacity advantage here in Canada to buying something like the Versamax Sportsman with it's 3.5" chambering instead of a 3" Versamax?
 
thegrandpoohbah said:
What's this 3-gun treatment from Tac Ord that you guys are referring to? I didn't see anything on their website. What work is done and what is the cost?
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Personally I asked Casey to:

Open up feed port and blend in, remove dimples in mag tube
Weld tip of carrier to lengthen and eliminate forked end
Machine and flute bolt with Titanium Nitride coating
and add a magazine extension

Those were the 3 gun mods but I don't think you need to do the bolt work if you're on a budget. I started with a VM Tactical so I already had oversized controls and a Nordic follower. I added a bunch more stuff but probably more cosmetic than anything.
 
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