Even though it is a bit too late for the information to be useful to most, I did end up purchasing a V3 a couple of weeks ago. I purchased it with my young son in mind. My 18 year old daughter claimed the Outlander when I purchased my Versa Max, so it won't be available for my other kids when they get ready to start shooting with me. I hope to get a 20 Gauge A300 for my middle daughter should they ever manufacture one as rumored. If they aren't, I'll likely get an SX4 in 20 gauge for her.
I wanted a soft shooting auto loader for my son to hunt with when he gets old enough. Seeing as how my Versa Max is the softest shooting gun I've ever pulled the trigger on, I am guessing the V3 shoots very soft as well. There was 1 black synthetic 26" V3, and 1 in 28" new on the rack at our local Gander. I prefer a 28" gun myself, but I purchased this gun with my children in mind. I shouldered both, and the 28" did feel more front heavy. Neither were what I considered heavy for a gas gun, but the 26" would be easier for a young person to shoulder and swing, so I purchased the shorter barreled gun.
I considered getting one of the walnut versions on the shelf, as there were several of them to choose from, but they were $100 more. This gun will be used for everything from clays, doves, squirrel, to waterfowl hunting. However, it will be used most heavily for clays and waterfowl hunting. The synthetic stock will handle the harsh elements we waterfowl hunt in much better than the walnut version. I also noticed the grip on the walnut version is much wider. I have very large hands, so it felt fine for me, but this gun is for my children. Their hands are much smaller, and I knew they'd have trouble with the grip. I am aware that walnut can be worked with and customized to fit, but I felt the synthetic version was a better purchase for my application. My son will grow into it.
I have yet to fire the V3, but I have broken it down and cleaned it. I did not clean the pistons, but I did use an Allen wrench to loosen and remove the gas plugs. I've read where at least one of the gas plugs were sometimes too tight to break free on new V3s. One of the plugs was much tighter than the other on mine, but I did manage to free both of them, remove them, and reinstall them. Both threaded fine. The gun is very easy to field strip. Not quite as easy as the Versa Max and inertia guns, but it was easier than most gas auto loaders, including the Outlander.
I disassembled the bolt, so I could grease the cam pin (the one part of this gun I'm concerned with). The bolt is not as simple to dissemble as other guns. There are a couple of small parts on it that fall out and have to be put in the proper place when reassembled, and two spring loaded rods (one being the firing pin). I did not remove the rotating head from the assembly, but I do intend to do it in the future. I plan to polish the sharp edges of it before putting many rounds through it in hopes it won't score the cam pin. I did manage to get the bolt reassembled, but it was by far the most complicated part to reassemble in the whole gun. The bolt on the Versa Max is much simpler and easy to disassemble and clean.
I checked the weight on the V3 with my digital lymon trigger scale, and it was 7 lb and 4 ounces rounded to the nearest ounce. About 3 ounces lighter than my Outlander, however, my Outlander is a 28". The trigger pull on the V3 is in fact very nice, breaking at between 3 lbs 11 ounces and 4 lbs, however it isn't better than the Outlander as some have claimed. My outlander has an average trigger pull of 3 lbs 10 ounces. It has lightened up a little over the years, as my daughter and I have fired thousands of rounds through it. It has always had a very good trigger as well.
I did push some rounds into the magazine and cycle the action to make sure everything functions as it should. The shells start fine, but pretty stiff when pushing them into the magazine. It's very similar to my Versa Max, and doesn't glide nearly as easily as loading the Outlander. The bolt release is small, but not too stiff. The bolt release on the Outlander is a little stiffer, but it's larger. I'll likely have an oversized bolt release pad installed on it as I have with my Versa Max. The action doesn't feel as smooth as my VM, or the outlander, but I'm guessing that will get better after a few rounds have been fired through it. The safety is large enough and not too stiff, but it isn't quite as large as the one on the Versa Max, so I can't easily push it with the inside of my finger as I put it on the trigger. I have to adjust my grip to click it off. I'm sure I could get used to it, but the safety on the Outlander and the Versa Max are much easier to click off.
I hope to get some trigger time with the V3 soon, however, I'm not sure how much I'll get. The ammo shortage has slowed our shooting considerably. This gun will not be my primary shotgun. I am thoroughly impressed with my Versa Max. I am a big fan of the Versa Port gas system, and I suspect the V3 will be softer shooting than the Outlander. I wanted to get the softest shooting 12 gauge I could possibly find for my other two kids to use when they are ready. I hope I have. Not that the outlander has harsh recoil. It's easily adjustable to fit the shooter. I removed the spacer for my 18 year old daughter, and she has not complained about the recoil at all. She's even fired 3" bbs from it when snow goose hunting. I just thought this may be my last opportunity to own a new V3 and pass down to one of my other kids.
I wanted a soft shooting auto loader for my son to hunt with when he gets old enough. Seeing as how my Versa Max is the softest shooting gun I've ever pulled the trigger on, I am guessing the V3 shoots very soft as well. There was 1 black synthetic 26" V3, and 1 in 28" new on the rack at our local Gander. I prefer a 28" gun myself, but I purchased this gun with my children in mind. I shouldered both, and the 28" did feel more front heavy. Neither were what I considered heavy for a gas gun, but the 26" would be easier for a young person to shoulder and swing, so I purchased the shorter barreled gun.
I considered getting one of the walnut versions on the shelf, as there were several of them to choose from, but they were $100 more. This gun will be used for everything from clays, doves, squirrel, to waterfowl hunting. However, it will be used most heavily for clays and waterfowl hunting. The synthetic stock will handle the harsh elements we waterfowl hunt in much better than the walnut version. I also noticed the grip on the walnut version is much wider. I have very large hands, so it felt fine for me, but this gun is for my children. Their hands are much smaller, and I knew they'd have trouble with the grip. I am aware that walnut can be worked with and customized to fit, but I felt the synthetic version was a better purchase for my application. My son will grow into it.
I have yet to fire the V3, but I have broken it down and cleaned it. I did not clean the pistons, but I did use an Allen wrench to loosen and remove the gas plugs. I've read where at least one of the gas plugs were sometimes too tight to break free on new V3s. One of the plugs was much tighter than the other on mine, but I did manage to free both of them, remove them, and reinstall them. Both threaded fine. The gun is very easy to field strip. Not quite as easy as the Versa Max and inertia guns, but it was easier than most gas auto loaders, including the Outlander.
I disassembled the bolt, so I could grease the cam pin (the one part of this gun I'm concerned with). The bolt is not as simple to dissemble as other guns. There are a couple of small parts on it that fall out and have to be put in the proper place when reassembled, and two spring loaded rods (one being the firing pin). I did not remove the rotating head from the assembly, but I do intend to do it in the future. I plan to polish the sharp edges of it before putting many rounds through it in hopes it won't score the cam pin. I did manage to get the bolt reassembled, but it was by far the most complicated part to reassemble in the whole gun. The bolt on the Versa Max is much simpler and easy to disassemble and clean.
I checked the weight on the V3 with my digital lymon trigger scale, and it was 7 lb and 4 ounces rounded to the nearest ounce. About 3 ounces lighter than my Outlander, however, my Outlander is a 28". The trigger pull on the V3 is in fact very nice, breaking at between 3 lbs 11 ounces and 4 lbs, however it isn't better than the Outlander as some have claimed. My outlander has an average trigger pull of 3 lbs 10 ounces. It has lightened up a little over the years, as my daughter and I have fired thousands of rounds through it. It has always had a very good trigger as well.
I did push some rounds into the magazine and cycle the action to make sure everything functions as it should. The shells start fine, but pretty stiff when pushing them into the magazine. It's very similar to my Versa Max, and doesn't glide nearly as easily as loading the Outlander. The bolt release is small, but not too stiff. The bolt release on the Outlander is a little stiffer, but it's larger. I'll likely have an oversized bolt release pad installed on it as I have with my Versa Max. The action doesn't feel as smooth as my VM, or the outlander, but I'm guessing that will get better after a few rounds have been fired through it. The safety is large enough and not too stiff, but it isn't quite as large as the one on the Versa Max, so I can't easily push it with the inside of my finger as I put it on the trigger. I have to adjust my grip to click it off. I'm sure I could get used to it, but the safety on the Outlander and the Versa Max are much easier to click off.
I hope to get some trigger time with the V3 soon, however, I'm not sure how much I'll get. The ammo shortage has slowed our shooting considerably. This gun will not be my primary shotgun. I am thoroughly impressed with my Versa Max. I am a big fan of the Versa Port gas system, and I suspect the V3 will be softer shooting than the Outlander. I wanted to get the softest shooting 12 gauge I could possibly find for my other two kids to use when they are ready. I hope I have. Not that the outlander has harsh recoil. It's easily adjustable to fit the shooter. I removed the spacer for my 18 year old daughter, and she has not complained about the recoil at all. She's even fired 3" bbs from it when snow goose hunting. I just thought this may be my last opportunity to own a new V3 and pass down to one of my other kids.