OscarMike Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Brief thoughts after shooting all 3 today... Reliability: All 3 had great reliability. (930JM had reliability issues prior to today but performed great today after some recent tweaks). Loading: All 3 load two out of the box. The 930 is the easiest to dual load for me, followed by the VM and then the Beretta. The beretta wasn't hard though by any means. The versamax took a few loads to loosen up enough to dual load. The Beretta has a deeper loading port which took a bit of getting used to. Quality: The quality and feel of the Beretta felt the best with the Remington verrrry close behind. The 930JM has crappy plastic furniture that feels really cheap. Controls: Versa Max has great controls and I LOVE the safety location. Very fast to disengage. Engaging is a lot slower though. The ability to rack, and load a single shell (ie slug) without the next round in the tube coming up... I like a lot. Not the biggest fan of the bolt handle. Beretta has a huge bolt release, and a great safety. The gate release at the back of the gate was kind of odd. 930 JM safety isn't my favorite location, and doesn't have a very solid feel to it. The bolt release is the smallest of the 3. It has my favorite bolt handle by far! Kick and cycling: The 930 felt the fastest but had a very snappy kick. 1301 had a great combo of lighter kick and fast cyclic rate. Versa Max was the softest recoiling by far. Odd thing... It felt like a very slow cycle, but I was back on target and squeezing the trigger much faster with the Versa Max than the other two. Sights: 930JM had a gold bead when I bought it. I hear they have a new FO. My JM has a HiViz which I love. No rear sight. VersaMax has a huuge green fiber optic which I love. I'm not the biggest fan of the V notch mid/rear sight. It obstructs the bead while shooting trap for me. I'll be trying the taller comb soon and might change my opinion. The Beretta has my favorite sight system. A Fiber optic with mid bead. The mid bead is very small and doesn't obstruct the fiber. The red fiber isn't as bright as the green and longer one on the VM and I'd like a bigger one. Weight, Balance, and Feel: 1301 was the most balanced and easiest to point by far. Very light and airy feeling in the hands. The forend felt great and very grippy. 930JM is also very light and fairly well balanced. It points okay, but I don't like how skinny the comb is. VersaMax feels very comfortable, but the forend is very thick and the rubber coating isn't as grippy as the factory stippling on the 1301. The soft comb felt amazing. I don't foresee issues with jaw pain that I've had in previous sessions with the 930JM. The Versa Max is a lot heavier than the other two, but the majority of the weight is behind the front hand, so the shotgun pointed well and felt balanced. Overall: I think I like the Versa Max the best, but wish it had a mid bead. The 1301 is very close behind. The 930JM is a great value, but I'd probably spend the extra 300-400 on the Beretta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducati Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Thanks, I am interested in picking up a shotgun, to start 3 gun. I am leaning towards the Beretta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledoc Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks, I am interested in picking up a shotgun, to start 3 gun. I am leaning towards the Beretta. Although I own a Beretta, I think the VM is a good choice too......I shot one (Tactical with TSS mods) during one stage at a match two weeks ago and I am very impresed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddKS Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I purchased a 1301 a few months ago. Have not had the chance to shoot it as much as I would like, but I am impressed with the performance so far. Gun runs 1oz reloads with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntenseImage Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) I have a JM and the Mrs has a 1301 ... Both have some C-Rums lovin and neither have had any issue. This afternoon we tried to run some Win AA shells that were "Minimum Dram Equivalent" and stated that they aren't to be used in semiautos. The Beretta didn't cycle them but the JM ate them up. I was surprised to say the least - was like shooting a 22! Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk Edited June 17, 2014 by IntenseImage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twardca Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Great review! That's funny because I have those same three shotguns and I pretty much agree with everything you said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bacus Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Sights: VersaMax has a huuge green fiber optic which I love. I'm not the biggest fan of the V notch mid/rear sight. It obstructs the bead while shooting trap for me. I'll be trying the taller comb soon and might change my opinion. ??? Maybe because it's not a Trap gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarMike Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Never shot a stage with aerial clays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bacus Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Never shot a stage with aerial clays? Yes, and they are very easy shots. I've shot a lot more stages with 70 - 100 yard slug targets. I see shooters having much more problems with long range slug targets as opposed to hitting aerials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarMike Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 That was not me at the PPSC. I hit all the slug steel with only 1 miss, but missed about 15% of the skeet targets. And there were a lot more of those than slug steel. You sound pretty set in your opinion, and I'm assuming you must use sights if you don't like a front bead. And I'm set in mine. I like seeing my rib and bead for trap targets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bacus Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 That was not me at the PPSC. I hit all the slug steel with only 1 miss, but missed about 15% of the skeet targets. And there were a lot more of those than slug steel. You sound pretty set in your opinion, and I'm assuming you must use sights if you don't like a front bead. And I'm set in mine. I like seeing my rib and bead for trap targets If by set in my opinion you mean that I believe hitting a slug target at 90 yards without sights is a harder shot than hitting an aerial target with sights on the gun then yes you are correct. My point is that most shooters will benefit from a rear sight on a shotgun meant for three gun. I shot fiber-optic and mid bead for years on my 1100 CM and had little trouble hitting steel out to 115 yards (longest slug shot I ever had to take in a match). But when I switched to the Versa I added a rear sight. My accuracy isn't really much greater, but the speed to which I can apply that accuracy is much faster. For true shotgun shots the sights aren't used. It's gun fit and both eyes open, looking at the targets that equal fast, accurate hits. On another note, your review was very informative and I liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarMike Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 Thanks. Appogize for getting defensive. Didn't see anyone else's comments until now... But I appreciate them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legion85 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I handled and shot both the Beretta and the Versamax. I ended up going with the Versamax because I liked how it shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarMike Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Bump. Liking the versa max more and more the more I shoot it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
co-exprs Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I own and like the Versamax too. At the risk of sounding critical of my own match... PPSC had 15 thrown birds and 9 birds pitched by kickers in 10 stages. This is considered excessive by most 3 gunners. Most 3gun matches don't have any thrown birds and only a few birds pitched up by kickers or flippers. Nearly every 3gun or tactical shotgun match has tough slug shots. In our sport it is generally more valuable to have the gun set up to shoot slugs well, than thrown birds. I don't run a rear sight on my Versamax simply because I can hit slugs better without it. Most people are the opposite however and hit slugs better with a rear sight. You gotta figure out what works for you but in the grand scheme of our game... being able to hit slugs well will put more points on the board than being able to hit birds. Just as a disclaimer... I knew we were throwing way more birds than usual... and it was intentional. There will be lots of thrown birds again next year and there will be moving slug targets. They will be repeating elements of what has already become the flavor of our shotgun challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulrick Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Just as a disclaimer... I knew we were throwing way more birds than usual... and it was intentional. There will be lots of thrown birds again next year and there will be moving slug targets. They will be repeating elements of what has already become the flavor of our shotgun challenge. Glad to hear this... I love thrown birds, maybe its cause I started out as a Trap shooter at a very young age. Most likely its cause most of the field tends to miss them and rack up penalties I really Hope to make it to Pikes Peak next year... already got the time off work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacticalCOWBOY Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I have the VM and love it. It is a great choice for any shotgun shooting sport. I run 23's shooting skeet. I just can't get past how soft it shoots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Bird Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I also shoot a VM, and during by Skeet Shooting career I was classified AAA in all four shells 12/20/28/410 while 23's are pretty good. Straight 100 is what it takes to get into the shoot off. My gun was K-80 Krieghoff with Briley tube for the smaller gauges. It is of course an over & under gun, so I was glad to have loaded some pretty soft shooting loads. After I turned 50 the 12ga. recoil on my O/U started pounding my ageing body so I had a Custom made Remington 11-87 Comp Skeet. This gun would only hold two shells, and was one of the sweetest lightest shooting guns I ever owned All that said is why, I shoot a VM. Just like my 11-87 though I had Benny Hill take it new from the box, work the proper modifications and make it a real sweet shooter. I still own my 11-87. Probably have more money in it then I could ever sell it for. My VM was much more conservative in price, but its still a very close second to my skeet gun. Oh! Yes I did win many championships across the country. My average when I quit was 99.50 AAA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarMike Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 ^^. Impressive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcs352 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Just the comparison I was looking for. Thanks brotha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 The VMs do need some shell stop massaging, but once you get that done, they load very smooth and fast. That softer, and more linear recoil let's you shoot faster, but the big thing for me is being able to see better. Both in terms of vibration and muzzle movement, the VM, at least for me, transitions faster than any other shotgun I have shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootsforfun Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I had a versa max tactical but sold it to buy the versa max competition and I think the vm is a great shotgun. I even duck hunt with it gust put a big plug in it and watch all the fish and game guys think they got a violator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cd0306 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Another vote for the VM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R107H Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I haven't owned the other two, but I liked my Versa Max so much I bought another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra99 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Thanks for this post. I've been wrestling with which gun to buy. I was leaning toward the Beretta, but I'll have to look closer at the Versa Max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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