When I first heard of the Remington Versa Max
shotgun, I really did not give it a second look. I had heard the
hype and promotion, but the truth is, when any gun maker
introduces a new shotgun, it is touted as the greatest thing to
happen to shotguns in the history of the world, so I did not pay
much attention, at first. Remington advertises the Versa Max as
a game-changer; a new standard in autoloading reliability and
versatility, the best thing to happen to autoloading shotgun
technology since shooters have searched for better ways to get a
shell from the magazine into the chamber. Remington has the gun
to back up that claim in the new Versa Max shotgun.
Since the inception of autoloading shotguns,
shooters and hunters have looked for versatility, needing the
ability to shoot light target loads and magnum loads in the same
weapon. Years ago, the answer was to buy a magnum gun, then buy
another barrel for light loads. Then other shotgun designs used
an adjustment of some kind to regulate the amount of gas used to
cycle the action, or even changing the ring position on
recoil-operated shotguns. These systems worked pretty well,
until the advent of the three and one-half inch magnum twelve
gauge shotgun shell. Since the longer shell was introduced,
searching for an autoloading shotgun that would function
reliably with everything from light target loads for clay
shooting, to heavy field loads, to three inch magnums, and even
the big three and one half inch shells has been the Holy Grail
of both shooters and manufacturers. Remington has the solution
in the new Versa Max shotgun.
The heart of the system is the VersaPort
chamber. The VersaPort seems like such a simple idea, it is
amazing that no one has successfully done that years ago. The
VersaPort is a series of ports from which is bled the gas to
cycle the action, just as gas-operated shotguns have used for
decades. With the VersaPort chamber, instead of the gas being
bled off about half way down the barrel, the gas is ported from
the chamber to operate the action, by impinging that gas upon
two gas pistons located just below the chamber. The ingenious
system uses the shotgun hull to cover ports to regulate the
amount of gas used to operate the action. With the short 2 ¾
inch shells, seven gas ports are exposed, bleeding off more gas
to operate the action than is needed with a longer, more
powerful shell. When a three inch shell is used, the longer
shell covers three of the gas ports, using enough gas to operate
the action, without bleeding off too much gas, damaging the
weapon. Likewise, when a three and one-half inch shell is used,
only three ports are exposed to operate the action. Each shotgun
shell regulates the amount of gas used to operate the action, so
shells of various lengths, any length, can be mixed or matched
in the magazine. There are no adjustments to make, no barrels to
switch, no rings to turn, nor anything else to be done by the
operator. Just load it and shoot it, using any length twelve
gauge shell available. I have tried a wide variety of shotguns
shells in the Versa Max, including light target handloads,
Remington Gun Club light factory loads, Winchester AA target
loads, Remington, Federal, and Winchester 2 ¾ inch field loads,
Remington and Winchester 3 inch magnum turkey and waterfowl
loads, Winchester PDX1 fighting loads, Winchester and Remington
buckshot and slugs, and Remington, Federal, and Winchester 3 ½
inch turkey and waterfowl loads. I have not tried any of the
super-short imported stuff, but I have no use for those anyway.
Any standard length 2 ¾, 3, or 3 ½ inch 12 gauge shell will
run this Remington Versa Max, interchangeably, without
adjustment.
Also of importance is the simplicity of the
gas system. There are fewer parts, with no O-rings, gaskets, or
seals to keep lubricated. The weapon operates much cleaner than
any other gas gun with which I have experience. There is no
black gunk running out from under the fore arm, and no baked-on
soot on the magazine tube. The gun runs and keeps running,
without cleaning. The Versa Max is also very corrosion
resistant. The mag tube is stainless steel, the receiver
hard-anodized aluminum, as is the action tube. The barrel and
springs are nickel plated, and the gas system has some kind of a
Teflon coating. The stock is synthetic, with soft inserts in the
gripping areas. The buttstock wears a very soft and compliant
recoil pad, and stock spacers can adjust the length of pull.
Also, the cheek piece is soft, and interchangeable to adjust the
comb height. The sample gun I have here has a high comb for use
with optics, and has a Picatinny rail atop the receiver, both of
which are optional from Remington. The one that I have here is
set up for turkey hunting, and is equipped with an optional
turkey choke.
The Versa Max has several features to
accommodate any shooter’s needs, such as the aforementioned
butt pad spacers and different comb heights. In addition, there
is a stock shim system, to change the cast of the buttstock. The
crossbolt safety button is huge, for easy use when wearing
gloves. As far as I can tell by taking it apart and looking, the
safety is not reversible for left-handed shooters. Likewise, the
trigger guard is large enough to accommodate a gloved finger.
The tapered ventilated rib has a silver mid-bead, and a HiViz
fiber optic front bead, and comes with several different light
pipes for the front. The shotgun featured here wears a RealTree
camouflaged finish, but matte black is offered as well. The
Versa Max comes supplied with four interchangeable Pro-Bore
choke tubes in constrictions of improved cylinder, modified,
full, and extra full, all packed in a really nice hard plastic
case.
As stated above, I fired the Versa Max with
every type of 12 gauge shell available, including reloads, and
the weapon functioned perfectly, feeding, firing, and ejecting
every shell without a problem. Remington claims that the Versa
Max reduces the felt recoil to that of a twenty gauge, and I
believe them. I remember back when the 3 ½ inch magnum 12 gauge
shell was first introduced, I fired some through a Mossberg 835
pump gun. Upon firing the first shell, it knocked off my
glasses, and I lost my grip on the fore arm. Firing this Versa
Max was nothing like that first 3 ½ inch experience. The Versa
Max is very controllable, and there is no pain involved at all.
With that long shell throwing two full ounces of lead shot, the
Versa Max gives the shooter a shove, but it is not a sharp,
painful kick. The light target loads are powder-puffs in the
Versa Max.
The Versa Max is the softest-shooting,
easiest -to-clean, most versatile semi-auto shotgun that I have
ever fired. At a suggested retail price starting at $1399 US as
of the date of this writing, the Versa Max is not cheap, but it
replaces a closet full of shotguns. You can use the Versa Max
one day with light target loads at the shooting range, and use
it for long-range waterfowl the next. Change the comb and add an
optical sight and it is perfect for turkey hunting. The Versa
Max costs more than an 1187, but it is more versatile, and is a
better gun. The Versa Max costs less than some famous imported
autoloading shotguns, and it runs better, stays cleaner, shoots
softer, and is a lot more versatile. The Versa Max is made
completely in the USA, and comes with Remington’s two-year
warranty and Platinum Service Plan.
Check out the Versa Max and other Remington
products online at www.remington.com.
To order the Versa Max online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.
For good prices on quality 12 gauge
ammunition, go to www.luckygunner.com.
Jeff Quinn