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2,841 - 2,860 of 3,899 Posts
Discussion starter · #2,841 ·
mjlabs said:
Picked up my VM on 12/24 (traded in my browning maxus) and heres a few random thoughts, first impressions and a few questions. I just went out and put maybe 10 various rounds through it.

First thing I noticed is this thing is longer than most 28" barrel shotguns, I was going to get some extended chokes for it but then it wouldn't fit in my softcase! So I'll have to stick with flush chokes for this one. Actually was looking for a 26" black gun but gun shops in the area are limited and the place I bought it from was having a 'year end close out' on guns. I changed out the front bead to the factory hi viz. The camo dipping on my gun isn't the cleanest I've seen but there again this VM is going to be put through the paces, not hung on the wall. Glad you can still get MODB finish on the VM, I seen other guns that had the MOSGB and that is not my cup of tea to put it nicely. Not sure how one knows if it has the 'updated mag cap' besides shooting it and seeing if it gets loose, not a fan of the up and down play at the rear of the forearm, maybe 1/8 inch play or more. I light a tight gun, but that's still minor to me. The other irk is the shell carrier/lifter, why they have that design beats me. The notch in the end is a finger biter, much prefer the carrier found on the 870, etc.

Is there a different shell carrier available for the VM? I thought I seen online that the tactical version is better and that's what some guys are switching to.
Yes, a competition carrier is available without the notch. I have big fingers so the original version has never bit me. Here is a link to one.

http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-parts/ ... 44301.aspx

How can I tell by my serial # on the gun what year it was manufactured?
By serial number you will have to call Remington CS and ask them. Look on the barrel for a two letter date code and tell me what you find and I can tell you the month and year the barrel was made.

Thanks in advance for your answers, I'm sure i'll have more in the future.

Theres my first take on the versa max.......
You never said how it shot???
You can't leave us hanging like that :shock:
 
shoots great, I was alittle nervous about the zero stock adjustment on the sportsman, just cause you never know til you shoot it, and to shoot it, you have to buy it. All seems well at this point, after goose season and winter is over I'll settle into my shooting bench and test some different chokes and see what patterns best.

Oh, and nice vid on the VM by the way, I would consider posting that on youtube if I was you.

Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year to all
 
Shot one of my vmaxes alongside of a very nice super x3 today. The super x3 was really smooth and comes up much better on me. I'm only 5'7" so that short LOP was much more comfortable. The action on the X3 was also like ceramic compared to my vmax. While I liked the X3, there was ZERO comparison to the vmax recoil and all present agreed including the two females who quickly grabbed my vmax and went to town! Love my gun!
 
There was a gentlemen about 100 or so pages back that railed about his method of shortening the LOP but didn't mention how he did it. I've messaged him to know reply.

Anybody know how he did it? I've already put on the normal supercell pad so please dong make that suggestion. Thanks guys!
 
Third duck season on my Versa Max. If you use Tujay's method of tightening the magazine cap, and your forearm is still loose you can try what I did.
Take your forearm and put it in hot water 175 - 200 degrees, let it soak for a couple minutes then take it out, and wrap the end with heavy string or strap,really tight. Let it cool. Mine has was tightened up enough that I had to pry it apart a little the first time I put it back on.
To keep from getting your finger bit use your thumb keeping the joint close to the carrier.
Hope you enjoy your gun as much as I do mine.
PS mine really likes 3'' 1 3/8 nitro steel thru a patternmaster anaconda choke for snow geese, it will reach out and smack them
 
Well Cabelas 2 day air transfer from another store hasn't arrived in 7 days on the waterfowl pro, so now I'm trying to decide what to get. Is there that much of a difference in the enlarged feeding port to make a difference? I know I can change the bolt handle and carrier later if I want to, but not the feeding port. Time is running out on the rebate and I'm really wanting a versamax. Should I get the waterfowl version or wait on the pro version?
 
j c said:
Well Cabelas 2 day air transfer from another store hasn't arrived in 7 days on the waterfowl pro, so now I'm trying to decide what to get. Is there that much of a difference in the enlarged feeding port to make a difference? I know I can change the bolt handle and carrier later if I want to, but not the feeding port. Time is running out on the rebate and I'm really wanting a versamax. Should I get the waterfowl version or wait on the pro version?
I seen on a tactical forum where a guy enlarged and polished his feed port with his dremel and took approx. 4 hrs to do, it looked pretty good. Granted it wont have the camo finish, but it wont rust either. My 2 cents.....I would take advantage of that $100 rebate, skip out on the few hundred extra and get the regular waterfowl version for now and make the changes yourself.
 
TuJays said:
PaulDH said:
TuJays said:
do yourself a favor and get this for your early Christmas present to you....

http://www.carbonarms.us/Shotgun-Access ... lower.html

JM
TuJays,

I just found your post. So this follower can be installed down the factory Versa Max magazine tube, no problems?
NO not exactly......I use it in both my VM and my CT ii but.......you either have to press/drill out the dimples on the end of the mag tube or do like I did and machine two slots in the Nordic follower......here is the thread where I machined the slots....
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=175324
Brownells has a "black" one that is aluminum that already has the slots in it, but it is not as long and stable as the Nordic IMO......but they get excellent reviews!
http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-parts/ ... 20384.aspx
If you go to his link about halfway down you will see where TuJays did it.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=175324
 
I probably wont be machining my own Nordic follower, its a shame because it looks to be the best on the market. Is the follower in the 870/1100 the same as the VM? I was going to order a brownells brand one that is slotted, but it says it fits 870/1100/1187, no mention of the versa max.
 
I'm don't know if it will fit or not. I saw where TuJays said the brownells is shorter and not as stable and thats why he used the nordic one. You could file the slots in the nordic, won't look as good but will get the job done. Should be easy to file and won't have to be perfect, just enough to clear the dimples.
 
Discussion starter · #2,853 ·
mjlabs said:
Anyone replace the plastic follower with a Nordic Teflon/aluminum follower? Loading shells seem a bit 'catchy' or rough (after cleaning of course) and was thinking of the $18 upgrade follower, they say it 'improves' loading.
the Brownells one is fine....beats the living hell out of the plastic one!

I have replaced the plastic followers in all of my shotguns with aluminum ones, not so much to make it load better, but it is so much easier for the gun to cycle the next shell out and into the chamber. I noticed that the orange plastic ones with heavy use would start to get rough and bind up when it should be allowing the spring to push the next shell out onto the lifter. Since going to the Nordic aluminum follower in both my VM's and my 105 CTii I have been extremely happy!!!!
 
Discussion starter · #2,854 ·
mjlabs said:
I probably wont be machining my own Nordic follower, its a shame because it looks to be the best on the market. Is the follower in the 870/1100 the same as the VM? I was going to order a brownells brand one that is slotted, but it says it fits 870/1100/1187, no mention of the versa max.
Yes the brownells one will fit and work way better than plastic.....
the Nordic was and is designed for the tactical/3 gun crowd who all have extended mag tubes that do not have any dimples. It was not designed for normal hunters and shooters like us.
 
Can someone post pictures of the New Updated parts, so I can compare them to what is on my VM. My foreend does get lose during shooting, i just bought it 3 weeks ago, after reading about it, figured that this would be a newer production with all the issues fixed, but doesn't look like that is the case. I have went thru prolly 70 pages of this thread but most the pic links are no longer showing up, so figured I'd just ask, thanks.
 
I finally got my versa max today and I love it. I cleaned it up and went and shoot it about a dozen times. It shoots great. Would have shoot it more but it was raining. I will get to break it in Thursday I hope, headed to Missouri duck hunting.
 
Remington's web site is not very good. When I was researching the versamax they have very brief descriptions and very few pictures. Now I have been trying to register for the rebate. They tell you that there is a rebate but not how to get it. I finally found a link hidden in the FAQ section. After that I registered my gun online for the warranty and it said to print out the warranty information, there is a drop down menu to choose your firearm and the versamax is not listed. If you go to the site and look under warranty you will see they don't list the versamax.
 
Discussion starter · #2,860 ·
j c said:
New Madrid. Headed out Wednesday and hunt Thursday thru Sunday. Never been there before.
I live about a hour west of New Madrid
Im in Poplar Bluff
Good luck
 
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