Versa Max info thread

frumpy

frumpy

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Kingston, ON
I'm picking up a versa max this weekend and have been doing a lot of searching and reading up on them. I decided to go with the sportsman for the 3.5" chamber (will fit seven 2 3/4" shells in the tube +1 ghost loaded +1 in the pipe).

Stocks - only aftermarket one I could find is the Mesa urbino with 12.5" LOP and with or without riser. http:// mesatactical.com/?s=Versa+max&s_cs=true

Mag extensions - Nordic make them but they are hard to find. SFRC said they will have their own versa max extensions soon. It is the same thread size as the 870/1100 guns but those extension will not work unless you have access to a lathe and can turn the base down a bit. http:// 3gn.ar15.com/forums/t_13_4/104_How_I_Modified_my_Remington_Versa_Max_for_3_Gun.html

Shorter barrels - I haven't found anywhere that has them yet. However, Tacord said they can be cut and possibly threaded for a thinner wall choke (so Remington chokes are out)

Shell lifter - Tacord can weld/polish them for $75

Jumbo safety - benelli M4 safety should be a drop in install.

Oversized/tactical charging handle - I haven't found anything yet, M4 ones may possibly fit

Jumbo bolt release button - haven't found anything yet
 
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I went with a Sportsman as well (28").

Stocks - I ended up just shortening mine myself to my preferred LOP and with a kydex cheek riser. Looks like crap, but works well enough. I'll be building my own adjustable stock with shell carrier in the near future.

Mag extensions - I'm cutting my own clone of the Carbon Arms Versatube, just waiting on the cutters to arrive. It'll be an aluminum spacer rather than the fancy carbon fiber one though. I'm also replacing the fore-end with a slimmer kydex one.

Barrels - I had mine shortened by Briley through Lawry Shooting Sports, ran about $400 including 3 extended steel/tungsten shot thin wall chokes - brings it pretty much back up to the Tactical in price for the same barrel length but with a 3.5" chamber, and missing the fancier furniture.

Lifter - I've been practicing load 2 (strong hand) and with my particular technique, I can't seem to get my thumb stuck under basically any conditions. Doing traditional weak hand loading, I definitely can and do get caught. For now, I'll probably leave the lifter alone.

Safety - the stock safety is pretty well sized already. Were you looking for both the on and off sides to be enlarged?

Charging handle and bolt release - I made these myself:
1898870_10151930868271889_961437282_o.jpg
 
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I just bought the versa max tactical, with 22" barrel, and 3" chamber because of the following

1. did not have to pay hundreds of dollars to cut the barrel, due to chokes
2. already has the over sized safety
3. already had the tactical charging handle which I found big enough
4. the 3" chamber gives me 6 in the pipe, 1 ghost and 1 in the chamber for 8 rounds of 2-3/4 which is max for Tactical optics starting
5. When loading Quad's you load in 2's so most times the 7th round in the tube would not be used (ie with the 3.5" chamber you can get 7 - 2.3/4 (rnds)
6. Shooting in the USA I just put a longer ext tub on, still have to start with 8 max rounds but once the beep goes off i can load as much as it can hold
7. bought the match sazer for times i may run dry
8. sent the pitch fork lifter to be welded and should have it back this week i hope ( and yes i did try dry fire and that thing will draw blood sooner or later)
9. going to polish the lifter
10. going to grow some balls and expand the loading port ( this may take some time to grow the balls that is, it's brand new still!)
 
Was thinking about the sportsman but got the VMT instead...less work. no barrel shortening and already comes with an extension (just need to remove the washer and put a permanent plug).

One thing on my wish list to an aftermarket stock...perhaps a magpul sga would be nice, not into the pistol grip. Original LOP was a bit long for me. Replaced the buttpad for the one on my 870, reduced it by half an inch or so. Another half inch would be great (that's what she said).
 
Also, if you're willing to wait and don't mind the green colour, there's the Tactical 3-gun Edition coming soon(tm).
3" marked chamber, but it has all the features on the Tactical, plus a one piece magazine tube, and factory welded lifter and opened loading port.

Also, in case you didn't know, all VersaMax models (including the Sportsman) have the oversized safety.

This is also a good mod to do if you find pushing the shell rim past the latch a bit stiff:
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=183566&hl=
 
I too have found that the load two method is fairly safe so long as you bend your thumb properly. It may vary for hand sizes, but, I find that so long as my thumb is bent to be inline with the two shells as I stuff them in, I can let the lifter ride over my knuckle! and I am able to extract my thumb snag free. It really just comes down to practice and muscle memory. This technique should be okay for the newer quad load method as well
 
frumpy said:
I'm picking up a versa max this weekend and have been doing a lot of searching and reading up on them. I decided to go with the sportsman for the 3.5" chamber (will fit seven 2 3/4" shells in the tube +1 ghost loaded +1 in the pipe).

Stocks - only aftermarket one I could find is the Mesa urbino with 12.5" LOP and with or without riser. http:// mesatactical.com/?s=Versa+max&s_cs=true


Mag extensions - Nordic make them but they are hard to find. SFRC said they will have their own versa max extensions soon. It is the same thread size as the 870/1100 guns but those extension will not work unless you have access to a lathe and can turn the base down a bit. http:// 3gn.ar15.com/forums/t_13_4/104_How_I_Modified_my_Remington_Versa_Max_for_3_Gun.html

Shorter barrels - I haven't found anywhere that has them yet. However, Tacord said they can be cut and possibly threaded for a thinner wall choke (so Remington chokes are out)

Shell lifter - Tacord can weld/polish them for $75

Jumbo safety - benelli M4 safety should be a drop in install.

Oversized/tactical charging handle - I haven't found anything yet, M4 ones may possibly fit

Jumbo bolt release button - haven't found anything yet
Click to expand...

This may be a stupid question, but in regards to the ammo capacity, aren't we allowed only 5 rounds in a semi auto shot gun?
 
Wakeboarder said:
This may be a stupid question, but in regards to the ammo capacity, aren't we allowed only 5 rounds in a semi auto shot gun?
Click to expand...

Five shells in the magazine of the largest size shell the gun is capable of shooting. Five shells of 3.5" will allow seven shells of 2 3/4" in the tube, plus one ghost loaded (sitting on the lifter, not in the mag tube) and one in the chamber gives you a capacity of nine shells.
 
frumpy said:
Five shells in the magazine of the largest size shell the gun is capable of shooting. Five shells of 3.5" will allow seven shells of 2 3/4" in the tube, plus one ghost loaded (sitting on the lifter, not in the mag tube) and one in the chamber gives you a capacity of nine shells.
Click to expand...

Ok. Thanks for clearing that up. I've been wondering how it would work for 3 gun up here vs the US where they can squeeze in a lot of shells etc thus reducing reloads.
 
frumpy said:
I'm picking up a versa max this weekend and have been doing a lot of searching and reading up on them. I decided to go with the sportsman for the 3.5" chamber (will fit seven 2 3/4" shells in the tube +1 ghost loaded +1 in the pipe).

Stocks - only aftermarket one I could find is the Mesa urbino with 12.5" LOP and with or without riser. http:// mesatactical.com/?s=Versa+max&s_cs=true

Mag extensions - Nordic make them but they are hard to find. SFRC said they will have their own versa max extensions soon. It is the same thread size as the 870/1100 guns but those extension will not work unless you have access to a lathe and can turn the base down a bit. http:// 3gn.ar15.com/forums/t_13_4/104_How_I_Modified_my_Remington_Versa_Max_for_3_Gun.html

Shorter barrels - I haven't found anywhere that has them yet. However, Tacord said they can be cut and possibly threaded for a thinner wall choke (so Remington chokes are out)

Shell lifter - Tacord can weld/polish them for $75

Jumbo safety - benelli M4 safety should be a drop in install.

Oversized/tactical charging handle - I haven't found anything yet, M4 ones may possibly fit

Jumbo bolt release button - haven't found anything yet
Click to expand...

I went the same route with the Sportsman

Stocks - haven't looked into any, I believe the Mesa is the only one. I'm happy with my factory stock for now.

Mag extensions - I run a Nordic, Freedom Ventures brought some in, I also got one from a different source (pm for details if you want), but Freedom is awesome to deal with. Curious to see what SFRC comes up with! I'd be extremely interested in somebody either brining in or producing something like the CA Versa-Tube

Shorter barrels - I'd be interested to see if Tacord can do a chop and thread. I emailed Gravel about getting one as well, prices aren't terrible (for some reason the zombie and mossy oak 22" barrels are cheaper than the plain black ones by a considerable amount)

Shell lifter - I know Casey brought in some TT ones as well, but they are shorter and seem to give mixed results depending on thumb size. I'll probably get mine welded when I have some spare cash, but like others have said it varies. I've also found the load 2 method (either hand) to not give me any issues, load 4 pinched my thumb something fierce.

Safety - the factory one is already oversized and reversible, unless you're looking for even bigger.

Oversized charging handles/bolt release - I run Nordic on mine as well (see my mag comments). Most Benelli compatible parts should fit though.

The only other thing I've done is notched out the shell latch and lightly polished it, made loading much smoother.

 
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