Wild Gene

I noticed my stock wanted to come loose too. I am wondering if this is why there have been problems with the link thingy? Anyone try some blue Loctite, nylon lock nut or a lock washer? Other than that, all I've been told you really should do is replace the extractor, cam pin and hammer. WG

Will be interested to see. I have a HD Gen II 3-18x50 on order.

My Kestrel will not interface, but my phone will, and I understand it is able to link with that and do calculations, but I don't mind just using my DOPE sheet with a good range reading. I also noticed the lack of a MILRAD reading. wg

Wow, at over a grand less than the G7BR2 and do pretty much everything I need it should more than suffice. I know the onboard pressure and firing solutions would be nice, but it looks like Bushnell has that covered using the tools I already have. Appreciated. WG

How far will it work on a non reflective target (like black steel, deer or coyote)? I see the advertised specs say 500 yards, but were you able to range farther? I would not want any less.

Gunwerks G7 BR2 anyone?

It was just weird. I've never done anything like it before that I can recall. Like I said, I've been part of different shooting sports for many years, and have been reasonably successful at anything I've tried (except my transition from Trap to Sporting Clays, my Trap sight picture always seems to trump the shot and I end up shooting under a lot of birds in five stand and sporting clays). Lanny Bassham has been part of my arsenal for years and I know exactly what you are talking about GetAway. Benos, I don't know how to avoid this. That is what is going to be tough. Negative never enters my mind, I'm able to plan my stage and make it happen, but I've never had to try to avoid thinking about things. I am suspect that if I spend time trying to avoid positive thoughts something could happen. I will not dwell on it and see how my next match goes. Your thoughts please. Maybe I was just having too much fun? haha. BTW, I ended up placing in the middle of the pack, I think 18 out of 40, and had I not had one stage with 60 seconds in penalties (my mind saw hits, but the paper said otherwise), I possibly would have finished in the top 10 at the match ("what if'ing" serves no purpose). It seemed like over half the people there had there Techware on, and my buddy I shot with had won his division at Ironman a couple years ago (we were close on raw time on the stages).

When I started shooting sports (cowboy action, USPSA and now 3 Gun) my mind was always thinking "What's next, what's next". Next it became "Hit the targets, hit the targets". I went from that point to picking spots and shooting positions, my stage plan. Later it became "move and shoot, move and shoot, 3 things all the time". As I've progressed, the conscious thoughts have started to fade, until the buzzer goes off and the stage just happens. But something new has popped into the progression (or is it a regression). At my first real 3 gun match, I noticed that I was complementing myself in the back of my mind. As I was automatically moving from position to position and/or gun to gun and target to target, I was actually complementing myself of a prior reload, string of fire or shot.... A missed position, bad shot or bumbled task never entered my mind, but I do remember thinking things like "that was a great quad load" or "man, I smoked those". Those functions just happened, and negativity never entered my mind, I had full focus every time I pulled the trigger, yet sometime in there my mind was complementing myself..... Weird.... Anyone else ever have this happen? I'm not sure it's a good thing. wg

RWatts, if you want to load your own, make sure you inspect your loads very carefully for proper crimp and any hull bulges. It isn't like running a break action shotgun on a trap skeet or other clays range. You are jamming shells in and pumping them out as fast as you can. You are grabbing shells four at a time. In this instance I personally don't feel reloads are worth taking the chance on. like others above have indicated, I no longer reload my shotgun ammo either. wg

For a new shooter, between those two, 24" and what ever tube it comes with, most likely 8 round. Optimum consensus, 21-22" barrel, but tube length seems to really depend on what your local shoots tend to be like. Lots of good threads on this. wg

Even if you are limited to only 8+1 rounds in your gun period, there is advantage to at least a 10 round tube. It is easier to stuff those 8 rounds into your shotgun at speed. With a tuned spring if you are loading 8 in an 8 round tube you still seem to run into more resistance getting #8 into the gun than you do loading #8 into a 10 round tube. wg

If you wear anything under your Kilt besides socks and shoes, they it could be called a skirt, but they have been worn at a match or two. Caleb Giddings may have been one of those people, and I've seen them at cowboy action matches too. I have three of them myself. wg

Well Derek, I don't know exactly what all you guys did to my Versa Max, but I love it! Had its first real match today and it was flawless. It was a joy to shoot compared to my FN. Bigger safety, bolt release, trigger guard. Good trigger, WAY easier to load, and a better center of balance. That said, Ando, if you want a Benelli, get it. Hell, I admit, even with this great VM, I get M2 envy. They are very light, and very dependable. You can't go wrong! wg

Holy Smokes Derek, your dad just told me it was the Versa Max two weeks and $1,700 ago!

That is exactly what I was asking. I was playing with a new shotgun. I patterned it with birdshot. After that, I went and checked the zero with slugs and an IC choke tube. When I was finished and back in the shop doing a take down and clean/re-lube I was horrified at how much lead was in the choke tube. I peeled out what looked like an un even layer of aluminum foil. I never even thought to check the pattern again, but did try to mic it and there was a layer that was almost around a couple thousandths thick. I did not have the correct tool to accurately measure the internal dimension, but if an IC is .720 and a Mod is .710, then I effectively had a different choke tube in my gun. In a mixed stage, there is not too much you can do about it, but in a slug only stage, I'm thinking it would actually be worth it to have a dedicated tube for slugs. I'm going to actually check this next time I run a lot of slugs through my barrel. wg

Isn't one of these, Franchi, almost identical to the M2? wg

I like that idea. ^^^^^^^^ It would be less obtrusive than a big thing sticking up in back, and only come into play when you are actually taking the time to aim a shot vs point.

Very sorry for your loss. wg

Well I'll be dang Taran! That's even a couple month old post. BTW, I would never hesitate to send my shotgun to Taran either. Great guy that takes time to answer questions and is a great ambassador for the sport. I talk to Burton Thompson every so often and he loves his TTI Benelli. wg

Call Benny Hill at Triangle Shooting Center and see what he thinks. He works on Benelli and Versa Max shotguns.

I was out with my shotgun to double check my 50 yard zero with slugs. After I did a wipe down of my shotgun, I noticed a lot of lead built up in the choke tube. It is an IC tube. I was curious if anyone has ever patterned their shotgun with birdshot, then fired a bunch of slugs, then patterned with birdshot again to see if it shrank the pattern much? wg

MarkCO, WOW! That is very interesting! wg

Thanks Patrick, it reinforces my point, lots of guns out there, lots of great gunsmiths and parts and mods he can do on his own, he has two great platforms to choose from, pick the one he likes best of the two and shoot the crap out of it! Never intended to suggest the FN, just that while it is a good shotgun the Benelli or VMAX are probably better options. wg

I have a Benelli Super Black Eagle and a Versa Max. I know the SBE is a different beast than the Vinci, but for me, the VM is much nicer to shoot. My SBE seems to have more recoil than my '97 cowboy gun. I'm going to throw this out too, I also have an FN SLP. The VM feels better in hand than the SLP and shoots just as soft. I know a lot of guys are going the Benelli route, but so far, I really like the VM. There are lots of aftermarket parts available for both of your platforms, and both are excellent choices. Currently, the FN seems to have what it has, and there is not a lot sense putting a lot of money into one. Daniel Horner uses a Versa Max Tactical that went through the Triangle shooting Sports shop. He seems to do pretty well with it. A lot of the other guys use a TTI M2. I don't know if this is because of the excellent job Taran does marketing in addition to being an older proven platform or what. I would pick the one you would be most willing to take out and put a hundred rounds through, and don't look back. Learn to load it fast and hit what you're pointing at and have fun. wg

What Tony said. Put your money in something that is worth the time and effort. When it is all said and done, you'll still just have an 1100. No one will want it after you start grinding on it. Get something that you can get all the nifty stuff for. Sounds corny, but a lot of those add on parts really can enhance function. They can't overcome superior skill, but it can help you keep from choking on the dust. I also believe that if you have good equipment, and practice (correctly) you can't help but benefit from properly tuned and set up gear. I can shoot my Seekins SPR3G way quicker and more accurately than I can run my LWRC (and they are both excellent rifles). Same goes for my shotguns. I can shoot my Stock FN SLP way faster than my Beretta 391 or Super Black Eagle, but I picked up a buddy's gun that had all the options (Stoeger or Mossberg, don't recall), and could load way faster and shoot as fast as the FN. If you can swing it, keep the 1100 for the field and build yourself a racegun. wg