Ando

I've used the TT Lifter in my VM for several hundred rounds. Saw it was too short when I got it, but figured I'd try it out anyways. I have experienced only one failure with estate target birdshot. A shell did not fully chamber due to poor sizing I think. The first failure in the gun after ~4000 rounds I have also replaced a few of the trigger group springs with the Benelli equivalent.

Sorry, didn't check back sooner. Yeah there is rubber under the speedbead mount area where the mount's adjustment bolt is. I had to place a cut piece of aluminum in there to provide for a solid spot for the adjustment bolt to fit. Works very nicely now, but the rubber is chewed up and doesn't look pretty anymore. If you pull the stock off gonna have to rezero.

I modified a M2 (I think) speedbead mount for my VM. Needed a bit of work to get everything going properly. Very much worth it though for me. Things to keep in mind. You either have to run a speedbead to keep the sight in line with the rail, or run a high comb stock like stealthyblagga to account for the high sight height over the receiver.

Thanks, will check that out

Does anybody know, is the A400Xplor the correct Burris Speedbead mount for the 1301? I've been searching around for a while and can't quite find definitive info if that is the one.... Are there still any killer deals on chokes around? I just convinced my friend to buy a 1301, and everyone who has put hands on it has been real impressed, though mostly they have SLPs, so what do they know.... ;p

I was assuming you were talking about both the pad and the stock cut for the length reduction. Were you talking about a Sportsman stock? 1.7" is to the cheek pad area, and the part that the upper screw threads into would be almost or entirely gone. I'll clarify what I meant. I cut ~.75 off the my stock, as that leaves enough plastic to still fit the recoil pad and thread both screws into the stock. In my opinion, any more would likely require rework of the stock going beyond a simple cut.

This is much of what I have been looking at in my other thread http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?s=24d577b5494b3ab1c80d455daff8675b&showtopic=214170 You can cut only about .5 -.75 off of the VM Synthetic stock (the one with the removable cheek piece) while keeping enough structure in there. However the sorbathane style but pad is huge and can be replaced with a much shorter one or just cut. I also cut down one of the barrels on my gun and it make the gun much more lively. I've been considering removing the vent rib to pull more weight off the front, but I don't think either of these mods would be the best way to go for a 3G competition gun. The VM is just a nose heavy, soft shooting, well designed, poorly executed, shotgun. I'm sure when the Remington V3 is available, all these problems will be completely solved.

WTF? How did the link break? That is as simple a part as is possible. Flat sheet steel riveted together. How did Remington screw that up?

I got one of the cut down barrels and put it on the VM. I also cut ~.75 inches off the stock and drilled a lower hole in one of the cast plates to raise the stock way up high so it is almost parallel to the barrel. Compared to a 22" gun and the original gangsta The balance point of the gun is moved back 2-3 inches, combined with the shortened stock, makes for a nice lively gun in the hand. Now when I get my hands on a M2 I've got a good basis for comparison. As a side note, the cast plate steel is some of the hardest that I have ever worked with. I dulled 2 high speed steel bits, and had to break out the Cobalt bit. I think Remington got this steel and the steel for the hammer mixed up. Soft hammer and cam pin, hardened cast plate

Forgot about the extractor.... Guess I should get one of those ordered up....

That's what I had to do to mine after only 2000 rds. Cam pin and hammer were definitely getting battered. I wonder where the failure is..... The Benelli design is obviously solid, with years of production and a history of high round count guns. Did Remington specify a softer part and fail to test or consider the repercussions? Or is there just a lack of QC that allows softer parts into guns?

This is the balance point of my 26" VM with carbon tube and Nordic extension. The gun is balanced way forward on the rubber line in the handguard. This is why it feels so slow in my hands. I guess I gotta try one of those benellis... or at least a 1301

Been thinking a bit a bit about shotgun weight and balance. Noticed there isn't really any good easily referenced thread, so thought I'd collect some data for discussion. From http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202118&p=2244785 24" on all except the VM which is a 26". All have been modified, so there is material removed from the Handguards, loading ports, etc. from http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=81711&p=945427 My Benelli M2 field w/21" bbl, tube for 8+1, no bbl clamp = 6lbs. 15.5oz. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202118&p=2244843 26" barrel A5 with 12 round tube and opened loading port (I dont know how much weight that takes off) is 7.18 #'s Stock its 7.05 w/ 26" barrel Any other useful data points out there? Lately my VM has been feeling very heavy to me, but the numbers show it's really right in there compared to the other guns. I suspect the very long length of pull is putting a lot of weight out front. I think I will cut the stock back an inch and space it to where it feels best.

I was thinking about the OP. Something to keep in mind when you start shooting slugs.

Do you have the Carbon Arms Mag tube? I only ask because of the whole poa/poi slug VM issue....

Does anybody know what the 21" 1301 weighs? The 1919 is about 6.75 and the recoil for me is very nice on that gun, I think due to the straight line AR style stock.

I have one of the first Versamax synthetics that came out. It came with the original Remington quality bent barrel. Remington sent me a free replacement and let me keep the bent one. I chopped the bendy barrel down to the straight part at 22" and sent it out to Carlson for thread in choke install. Got the Carbon full length tube and Nordic extension. Taran Tact Lifter, Redneck Tact bolt release extension, Benelli hammer, cam pin, and springs to replace the battered originals. I even installed a Fast Fire Speed Bead. I love how reliable this gun is. I've shot about 2500 shells through this thing without a single failure. RIo, Estate, Cheepo Win, Roll crimp, star crimp, shells that have jammed and deformed in other guns, it shoots them all. I know that is not very many, but my peers all shoot 930JMs, SLPs, and SX3s. So the VM's reliability has been a real point of pride for me. I treat it just like my ARs. No cleaning, just shoot some more oil on occasionally. I only shoot in local club matches, and we are not real shotgun heavy, usually only a shotgun pistol stage with 5 or 6 steels to knock down then transition to a lot more pistol targets. I recently got an MKA 1919, and I have come to find out I really enjoy shooting this gun way more then the VM. It is so light, it is very easy for me to get on target and, more important, to transition between targets rapidly. How I use the gun, the 1919 is just way faster and more intuitive for me then the VM. This is especially pronounced with clay shooting. With red dots on both guns I am much better getting on target and tracking clays with the lighter gun. So, I will probably sell the VM and all its cool extras and have to find a traditional pattern, tube mag, light shotgun. I really like the looks of the Benelli tactical 18". I don't need a lot of capacity, so the 5-6 +1 is enough. Is the M2 really as light as it says? What other good, light, fast handling, reliable choices are out there?

My VM would loosen up all the time with both the factory magazine and Nordic extension and the carbon tube with Nordic extension. Threading the carbon arms tube fully into the frame and applying a little extra torque to the Nordic nut with pliers and a rag buffer completely cured this. I didn't want to use Loctite so as to preserve the easy complete disassembly. My gun has somewhere between 1500-2000 rounds through it now, and given that it is a quality Remington product, I assume I will never again have to dissemble it....... once I replace my battered hammer and cam pin and springs with the Benelli parts I ordered anyways.....