Versa Max - Feed Latch Modification

[Tcon260]

Have any of your Versa Max shooters modified your Feed Latch Assembly to make loading easier? Shot with a guy who had made the notches deeper to make it easier to get the rim of the case past the feed latch...can't seem to find much into online.

1 - How easy is the mod to do?

2 - How deep to go with the notches?

3 - Other words of advice?

[Ken_Bird]

With out a doubt mine loads as easy as any I have ever seen. Yes, it was modified.

Words of advice ? Call Benny Hill Triangle Shooting Sports Corpus, Texas last thing you will worry about.

[JPeel]

My Vmax has not been to Bennie Hill so it's probably not as good as Ken's but here's what I did:

I had the benefit of comparing my factory shell latch to James Darby's gun worked by 303 Arms. I saw that the bottom "leg" of the modified latch was concentric with the radius on the follower, where my factory latch stuck out much further, and offered a lot of resistance. So I ground down the latch a little at a time until I got the bottom leg radius just right. I made sure to keep the front side of the follower shell latch squared up to get a good square contact on the shell brass. My gun loads incredibly easier with that mod.

I feel like that mod is more functional than deepening the flex notches. IMHO of course.

Edited October 22, 2013 by JPeel

[Tcon260]

JPeel,

Can you post a pic showing the latch?

[JPeel]

here's the 303Arms

here's my less pretty, self performed work

[Tcon260]

JPeel,

Thanks for the pics. Here is mine. Can you describe the difference between your latch and mine?

[CmbtEngr]

I was dissatisfied with my VMT until I made this mod to the latch. It is pretty straight forward: removed the latch and used a small diameter Dremel grinding bit (about same size as the "u-notches") to make the u-notches about a 1/64th inch deeper. Also attempted a very slight bend away from the shell follower in the latch forward of the u-notches to ease the tension...difficult to do, not sure I actually bent it any. Re-installed - remarkable improvement in loading ease and no issues.

Post-mod reloading examples...still clinging to the strong hand method, but this mod would help in any instance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx4NrCnRieY&feature=youtu.be

[JPeel]

Tcon... if I could figure out how to attach a pdf I'd show it here. I marked up your photo showing where I ground on the latch.

Send me a pm with your email and I'll send you the pdf.

[Tcon260]

JPeel,

Sent you a PM with my email address.

CmbtEngr,

Thanks for the guidance on how far to extend the notches. Comparing how easily it looks like shells are to load in your video to mine (all the fumbling I do aside), I need to do a bit of work on my feed latch.

Maybe some combination of JPeel and CmbtEngr's mods and the shells will jump from my carriers right in to the tube!

[Therealkoop]

Ill have to try this to my versamax. It looks like you just made a shallow crecent in the shell latch that matches the follower in the pics, doesnt look like much removal. When I read it before the pics my brain thought there would be much more material missing. I also dont like the idea of cutting the U notches deeper.

[JPeel]

Ill have to try this to my versamax. It looks like you just made a shallow crecent in the shell latch that matches the follower in the pics, doesnt look like much removal. When I read it before the pics my brain thought there would be much more material missing. I also dont like the idea of cutting the U notches deeper.

Correct sir, it's just a little bit of shaping but it's a huge difference in resistance.

[MarkCO]

Yep, best way to do it. A little at a time until it loads slick and easy.

[Therealkoop]

Thanks guys, it looks like the crescent shape is closer to the loading port than the bolt. Not directly in the center of the shell latch, is this correct?

Edited October 23, 2013 by Therealkoop

[CmbtEngr]

Red arrows in this pic point to the notches we're talking about...

http://

[JPeel]

Thanks guys, it looks like the crescent shape is closer to the loading port than the bolt. Not directly in the center of the shell latch, is this correct?

Correct.

Thanks MarkCO! That little mod is spot on.

Here's a quick clip of a drill we were working on last weekend, loaded 4 in 3.5 secs +/-. But I know a guy or two who can quadload 8 in under 3 secs so I've got some work to do

http://youtu.be/tN72IfVjkEY

Edited October 23, 2013 by JPeel

[Tcon260]

Everyone thank you for your contributions to this thread. We are close to the completing the the Versa Max Feed Latch Modification discussion.

As I understand it, there are two mod’s being done to make it easier to get the shells past the feed latch. I will attempt to summarize my understanding. Please feel free to correct or add to my summary:

Mod A:

Increase the depth of the notch approximately 1/64” (sure seems like it would take more than this). Since the tip of the feed latch (at the curved end) has to flex out of the way towards the receiver to allow the shell rim to pass by, this mod reduces the force necessary as the feed latch flexes about the centerline of the notches (i.e. less cross sectional area at the flex line).

Mod B:

Relieve material from the tip of the feed latch on the loading port side of centerline along a radius. Since the tip of the feed latch has to essentially rest against the inside of the receiver to allow the shell rim to pass by, this mod removes material so that the shell can pass before the feed latch tip has flexed as far as it would have to if the material had not been removed, which make the force required to push the shell into the tube less. That is, shells slip right on in. Those of you that have done this, approximately how much material is removed…just to give those trying this an idea of how slow to go.

[MarkCO]

I have found that the Mod B works best for most VMs. I deepen the notch in the middle maybe taking off 0.08 inches radiused the same as the case rim and as measured perpendicular to the tube. I start with a small diameter burr and take off a little at a time testing after each pass. When I get to the point where it feels right, basically just a slight to no bend of the tip of the shell latch, I stop. Then I sand with wet sandpaper by hand and polish with a felt and rubbing compound.

But, unfortunately, it is a stamped piece and it is not universal. I have bent them and done the A and B mod depending on how it feels, looks stock. Open the loading port too much allowing the follower to sit proud or take too much off the shell latch...you will have a problem, so take it slow.

[JPeel]

Ted, like Therealkoop described above, and I tried to show in my crude sketch I sent, you're not removing much. How much? I really can't say because I didn't get before and after measurements, I just started shaping the latch a little, reassembled the gun, and tested; repeated a couple of times until it felt right. I suppose if you take off too much the shells won't stay in the tube, then you'd at least know how much not to take off on the next one

I don't think Mod A is needed if you go with Mod B. Personal opinion is that Mod B eliminates the need for Mod A.

[Tcon260]

MarkCO and JPeel,

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. With popularity of the Versa Max, this is going to be a useful thread. I have a new Feed Latch Assembly on the way...just in case I go too far. I'll update the thread with my results. Stay tuned.

[Bryan 45]

I won a VersaMax at the Pro/Am and I'm going to play with it over the winter. Mark, I did mod A to my Benelli because it was easy. Mod B doesn't look difficult, but it's a bit of unchartered territory for me. Do you recommend mod B because the results are more predictable?

[MarkCO]

Not really. On some, the mod A still requires considerable bending to feed the shells. They just are cut a tad long or bent inward a tad more from the factory.

[JPeel]

MarkCO and JPeel,

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Glad to help. Just know that my experience with this is limited to one gun (mine) and everything I did was from a conversation with Mark and me trying to mimic what I saw on the gun worked by 303Arms.

In short - listen to Mark

[Ken_Bird]

I was dissatisfied with my VMT until I made this mod to the latch. It is pretty straight forward: removed the latch and used a small diameter Dremel grinding bit (about same size as the "u-notches") to make the u-notches about a 1/64th inch deeper. Also attempted a very slight bend away from the shell follower in the latch forward of the u-notches to ease the tension...difficult to do, not sure I actually bent it any. Re-installed - remarkable improvement in loading ease and no issues.

Post-mod reloading examples...still clinging to the strong hand method, but this mod would help in any instance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx4NrCnRieY&feature=youtu.be

Boy it is sure cool to see a great shotgun run, and run, and run, you get the point.

[Therealkoop]

Just finished doing this mod (MOD to my versamax and its a day and night difference. My cut looks a little wider than the 303 arms picture, but the contact surface to the shell head is actually about the same as a stock shell catch. I havnt tried loading on the clock yet but its like the latch isnt even there anymore.

Thanks guys.

[rgvwheeler]

I did mod B only and it helped a lot. Maybe I'll mess around with mod A today to see if I can get it even a little smoother. Thanks guys this was a big help.