VersaMax Tactical FTF issues - Need advice!

[lksyotas]

Modifications and accessories to gun are as follows:

· C Rums welded lifter, radius bevel on inside to aid in centering shell when lifting into chamber.

· Beveled and polished loading port on bottom of receiver.

· Removed small spring from shell catch assembly (large still installed.)

· Increased radius cutouts in shell catch to allow it to flex better with less resistance.

· Radiused extractor cutout on barrel.

· RCI XM2BE extended one piece magazine assembly. RCI mag spring left uncut (provides plenty of tension even with just one shell left in magazine.)

· Arrendondo bolt release lever.

· Radiused and polished underside of bolt carrier directly under rear of firing pin where hammer contacts.

· Polished top of hammer and filed down dented areas of hammer face from contact with rear of bolt carrier.

· Cerakoted bolt lever and trigger housing.

· New Remington factory barrel replaced under warranty due to original being bent. Extractor cutout also radiused as original was.

Description of problem:

As the title says, I have a VersaMax Tactical that was purchased 7/12. It has exactly 1579 rounds down range (almost entirely Federal Bulk #7.5 1 1/8oz loads.) This shotgun had run flawlessly up till two weeks ago right at the 1270 round mark. Since its first failure, it has had an additional 12 failures noted below out of 309 shots with the same Federal bulk pack loads.

The problem started after I noticed rust forming on the chamber section of the barrel the night before a local 3 gun match. I tried cleaning it best I could with solvent and a bronze brush but ultimately (stupidly) ended up getting it removed with 000 steel wool patch wrapped around a chamber brush and run with a cordless drill. This polished the chamber and removed the rust. I hosed the barrel out with brake cleaner and relubed lightly with Ballistol oil.

The next day at the match the gun seemed to be very sluggish and short stroking every few rounds fired. During the firing sequence, it would fire a few rounds and then I could “either” feel a click from the trigger releasing against the hammer and an empty chamber or feel the next shell releasing from the magazine and load underneath the bolt. I’d have to rack the charging handle and then I’d be back in business until the next failure event occurred. Now the weird thing is sometimes the shell would load into the chamber but the hammer would already be released from the disconnector or it wouldn’t load at all and get placed below the bolt (ghost load) on an empty chamber. Every time I experienced a failure the spent shell from the previous firing had ejected reliably about six feet @ 3 o’clock.

That evening after the lousy ending of my match I tore the gun completely down to diagnose the problem. Low and behold, I found ground up steel wool shavings totally clogging up the pistons below the barrel. I cleaned all the debris out of the piston pockets, gas holes in barrel, pistons, orings, and caps. I also detail cleaned the trigger components by removing them from their housing and other items within the receiver completely.

The next day, the gun ran better but it is still not functioning 100%. Just today I was practicing the load 12 challenge and had a live shell eject from the magazine tube below the lifter and hit the ground by my feet while I was firing. Thus when I pulled the trigger again, it acted as the previous failure mode and I could feel the next shell release from the magazine and load below the closed empty bolt. I then had two more instances where the next shell would either load completely into the chamber or below the bolt but the hammer would not be held back by the disconnector.

So with all this said, what do you experts out there think I might have going on? I’m wondering if I have a shell catch issue with only one spring, a worn hammer issue that isn’t allowing it to reset consistently, a lifter issue, or something else that I’m totally missing…

Thanks for any feedback and sorry for the long winded post…

Edited August 2, 2013 by lksyotas

[lksyotas]

So I took the gun completely down again last evening and studied the hammer a bit more closely. I found that the notch on the hammer that engages the disconnector has a chip of material missing about half its length. So now I'm wondering if the hammer is not resetting reliably and causing some of my issues with hammer drop or riding the bolt carrier home. I'm going to call Remington this morning to request a new hammer. It also shows significant denting around the bolt carrier contact area that I previously filed down to remove the burrs from the dents.

So I'm sure Remington will honor a new hammer but would it be in my best interest to just replace it with a Benelli M2 hammer?

Thanks for any advice you guys can share!...

[Ken_Bird]

Great question, the hammer is sure not right. I checked mine and it does not have the chipped metal on the hammer. My VM runs perfect.

[lksyotas]

So I called Remington and explained the hammer issue. They are sending me a whole new trigger plate assembly. Hopefully the issues I've been having will go away with all new components. +1 for great customer service!

With only 1579 rounds down range I'm concerned with the durability of the internal components on this shotgun considering its only eaten a diet of low power loads.

I'll report back after installing the new trigger group as to if it fixes the issues I've been having.

[amccallister]

So I took the gun completely down again last evening and studied the hammer a bit more closely. I found that the notch on the hammer that engages the disconnector has a chip of material missing about half its length. So now I'm wondering if the hammer is not resetting reliably and causing some of my issues with hammer drop or riding the bolt carrier home. I'm going to call Remington this morning to request a new hammer. It also shows significant denting around the bolt carrier contact area that I previously filed down to remove the burrs from the dents.

So I'm sure Remington will honor a new hammer but would it be in my best interest to just replace it with a Benelli M2 hammer?

Thanks for any advice you guys can share!...

Replace that piece of crap with an M2 hammer. It drops right in and you can tell by looking at it side by side with the Remington hammer that the Benelli part is made out of a much harder material. My VM hammer started to look a lot like yours after a few hundred rounds (the strike face, not the broken part) and after looking at my M2's hammer with way more rounds on it the choice was clear. I think the Benelli hammer was about $30.

[lksyotas]

Yeah, Brownells has them in stock. I think I'll install one in the new trigger plate assembly that Remington is sending me. Then I should be covered.

[lksyotas]

Update to the VersaMax saga:

I received the entire new trigger plate assembly from Remington customer service. The new set included the same rev and part number hammer that my gun originally came with so I swapped it out for a Benelli M2 hammer. I can't believe the hammer is almost identical in overall profile with the exception that its .007" thicker than the Benelli's. I swapped over the Benelli hammer and C-Rums welded lifter to the new trigger group and installed it back into the gun. Additional note is the Benelli polished finish on the hammer is way smoother in the action of racking the bolt than the stock Remington.

Took it to the range today hoping for a clean practice run. Gun was cleaned prior to installing the mentioned fire control group. I fired 75 Federal bulk pack #7.5 1 1/8oz rounds down range practicing the load 12 drill and had two failures similar to previous.

Series of events that lead to failure:

Gun loaded with one in chamber and one in magazine. Fired first round at first plate, fired shell is ejected, only round in magazine is released and lifted into chamber ready to fire. I perform the reload via quad load with weak hand and gun turned over in strong hand. Once loaded, gun flipped back over, shouldered, and aimed at 2nd target. As I pressed the trigger at the 2nd target the only thing that happened was the next shell in the magazine was released onto the lifter and occupied the space below the closed bolt. The loaded shell in the chamber does not ignite because the hammer is already released somehow, trigger is not reset.

So the saga continues...Any ideas as to this failure mode? I'm getting frustrated to say the least as its not repeatable every time as it only occurred twice out of 75 shells fired today.

This gun was flawless for the first 1200+ rounds and I was a very happy owner - now, not so sure...

Edited August 8, 2013 by lksyotas

[Odawgp]

My versa is doing the exact same thing. I'm tempted to borrow an entire trigger group from a buddy to see if it the gas system or trigger group

[Chriswakey]

I noticed you said you had rust forming in the chamber. If the gun has got wet or been stored wet or damp have you also checked that there is no rust in the main spring and action tube it runs in.

[Bigsampson]

Replace the mag spring.  90% of versamax ff are related to worn or too short mag springs

[mitommy]

My VM started to run sluggish and I thought it was just dirty. Eventually it became harder & harder to rack the bolt. It got to the point that when stuck, I had to "mortar"

the bolt. I finally found the cam pin was worn. It had a couple of flats worn. I replaced it with a Benelli M2 pin and now it's back to running smooth. 

 

While ordering parts I did get a new recoil spring too (extra power).