atomicferret Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I am looking at building an "Open" shotgun out of a Versamax. Would it be worth it to buy the competition version, or save $500 and start with a base model? I am gonna have to do a little work either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Well, I hate to be that guy, but I think it is foolish to get anything but a Benelli in this app. Tried and true, runs and runs, don't break, got parts and support out the kazoo. Price about the same, did I mention it WORKS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Your a real heart breaker Kurt. But what I've seen at matches tends to favor your theory of Benelli's being the appropriate tool for the job, and for whatever reason they seem to function with x-rails better than other platforms too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Ahhh Tony, sad to say, it,s not a theory, it,s a PROOF.....IT IS KIND OF LIKE....182,000 MILES/SECOND......Not just a good idea, it,s the LAW!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EaZeNuTZ33 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Well, I hate to be that guy, but I think it is foolish to get anything but a Benelli in this app. Tried and true, runs and runs, don't break, got parts and support out the kazoo. Price about the same, did I mention it WORKS!!! You've got it allllll wrong Kurt. I LOVE when other people shoot a Versamax, especially after I get an FTN or something....they're malfunction clearing allows me time to catch back up and beat them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash74 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Well, I hate to be that guy, but I think it is foolish to get anything but a Benelli in this app. Tried and true, runs and runs, don't break, got parts and support out the kazoo. Price about the same, did I mention it WORKS!!!You've got it allllll wrong Kurt. I LOVE when other people shoot a Versamax, especially after I get an FTN or something....they're malfunction clearing allows me time to catch back up and beat them! I have never seen a Versamax malfunction during a match in the past 2 years. There always seem to be a couple on the squads I am on and nothing. No issues. I have seen plenty of Benellis and Mossberrgs malfunction. My one malfunction was a round that would not chamber. I have not used Rio shells since. Pick a sportsman model and go from there. You dont get some rubber stuck to your stock, or a fancy color and non functional welded lifter, but you do get a reliable shotgun for $750 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durtywrench Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 My Versa-Max is everything I'd hope it would be. Eats everything. Never have owned a benelli so I can't tell you which is better, but , my Versa-Max satisfies me immensely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EaZeNuTZ33 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 We've been at different matches. I've won multiple local matches and placed slightly higher at some big matches due simply to Versamax malfunctions. Strangely enough, I've had the same experience where I came out a smidge ahead due to Glock malfunctions and no one ever admits to malfunctions with them either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 to answer your question, get the base model, non sportsman one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash74 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 There are 5 models that I know of. The sportsman, turkey, base model, tactical and the competition model. All of the different models have variations. The sportsman is the cheapest of the bunch ($800). That is where I would start for an open gun. The lifter does bite, but C-Rums can take of that. A Versamax is a heavy gun compared to a Benelli. If you are thinking of an Xrail for open that is something to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradgsxr Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 (edited) Flash 74, you took the words right out of my mouth, in 2 years my VM has not had a gun-related malfunction but the last local match I saw a guy on my squad have issues with both an M2 and a super vinci. I had to loan ammo to a friend at the Nordic match because his super vinci wouldn't cycle anything less than 1300 fps shells. I have seen Mossberg's, FN's, Benelli's, Berettas, Winchesters all have issues but have yet to see a VM crap out in a match. Now there are fewer VM's being used around here so that accounts for some of it I'm sure. I have heard all the complaints from the Benelli guys about how heavy etc... but this is the first time I have heard them being called unreliable, not my experience at all - Edited November 21, 2014 by Bradgsxr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moltke Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 If you haven't ever had a shotgun mis-fire, mis-feed, or otherwise not cycle for some undefined reason then you either haven't shot enough or you have a bad memory. All guns can be made to run, some are better than others out of the box, some are better than others after fine tuning, and all guns can fail. Recently I saw a friends "flawless" Benelli cost him some time in the same major match where my "flawless" Versamax also hiccupped. It was a OMG WTF moment for us both. Nothing's perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradgsxr Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Oh I have had issues with shells not chambering, primers not going off etc... but it was all due to running cheap ammo. I learned not to run cheap bulk ammo at matches, I still run Federal bulk for practice and every once in a great while one won't chamber because of the crimp etc... but for matches if I run AA's or Remington sporting clays etc... I have never had an issue and I have over 10,000 rounds through my VM. Had to do the extractor cut again because at about 8,000 rounds it had gotten sharp on the edge again but no other issues. No gun is perfect and Remington has done some stupid things like the lifter on the Comp model but my VM has been super reliable, it was done by Triangle so that helps to have it done right from the start but I shot it stock ( tactical model ) for almost a season with no issues either- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Spot on Ken. I keep track of things (shocking I know) and the ONLY person I have shot more than a few majors matches with that I have NEVER seen have a gun related malfunction of any kind. is Patrick Kelley. I've shot with the Millers, Voight, Upchurch, the Miculeks, AMU, Noveske Shooting Team, Garcia, Strader, and a bunch of others. Not saying PK has never had a gun malfunction, nor that these other guys are running junk, but malfunctions do happen, with all platforms for a variety of reasons, most of which are ammo and lack of maintenance. Shotguns are machines that need some maintenance, some more than others, and some so much they are not worth it. However, the VersaMax does not fit into that camp. Sure, it needs some work and it has some issues that should be addressed and or understood by the user. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash74 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Moltke, bad memory is right, or maybe I just suppressed the occurance. Your post caused me to review how many cases of shells I went through in the past year in my head (5-by the way) and I remembered the biggest malfunction I have ever had in a match. At the Benelli shotgun championship at Rockcastle this spring on the biggest stage there out of 18 stages, I could not pull my trigger after 4-shots. The stage started with 3-slugs then to a jungle run. I think it was 39 targets total. I fired my 3 slugs then the first bird shot and suddenly it felt like my safety was on. It wasn't, the trigger was froze. I got the lowest raw time for the stage (14-seconds) but my overall time was in the 400 second rage with all of the FTE's. A tiny piece of metal broke off the bottom corner of the bolt and it just so happened to get stuck in my trigger. I didn't have any issues after that for the rest of the day or for the 9-stages the next day. This wasn't an ammo issue, this was strictly a gun issue. I even contacted Remington about it since the machining lead to an area with real thin metal (never heard back). If you have a Versamax, look at the front of your bolt. On the front of one of the "rails" is a hole drilled horizontally towards the back of the bolt. The areas to the side and bottom of this hole is very thin. This corner broke off and totally locked up my trigger. If I were to buy another Versamax, I would definitely round this corner off. Thanks for the bad memory, but your right, nothing is perfect. Now I have had 2-malfunctions since I have owned this gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Moltke ???? Is that you?? Do you feel ok?? You have exceeded the allowable limit of heracy for one post!!!! Everything can fail??? Well ceptin my "moss etta remneilli" it has been dead reliable for 87 giga rounds of 500 fps 1/4 ounce heavy field subsonic trap rounds! Mark, I would like to compare your records to mine. I always make a note of my weapon malfunctions after every stage, in my log book. I would be interested to know if I have missed any since 1997.... I've got 6 shotgun, 8 pistol and 5 rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPeel Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I don't know why the other gun makers even bother to sell their products when clearly the ONLY gun worth using is a Benelli. I guess I'll just trash mine and my son's versamax's that clearly are inferior products. Is it just me or does it seem harder and harder to get a question answered on here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadleyOwens Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 To the OP... I would start with the base sportsman model ... 26" and go from there... Are you thinking xrail or the long tube and speed chute option ? Hadley O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomicferret Posted November 30, 2014 Author Share Posted November 30, 2014 It will be with an xrail. But I am going to get mods done to which ever gun I get. Kurts got me thinking I should just go with benelli... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadleyOwens Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Benelli is a fine option but, you will have to run some 1300fps + loads to get that rig to cycle properly with a heavy xrail on it coupled with an inertia system. Just FYI... 1200fps 1oz slugs are a minimum. Unless someone out there has a better setup that will share info about it ... Hadley O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan45kim Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 So Mike why do you not recommend the sportsman? Thanks, Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tngunnut69 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Love my Versamax Tactical!! I run a Roulette Tactical +2 cap for Tac Ops and a +9 Nordic tube with +2 Roulette Cap for Open. Opened the loading port myself, had Jeff Cockrum weld the lifter and I installed competition spring package. I've ran about 4000 rounds through it and the only problem I've had has been the breaking of the carrier dog. 3 TIMES!! I finally replaced with Benelli parts and haven't had a problem since! Sure I've had the occasional failure to feed and/or failure to eject but I've seen the same problem with many other shotguns and I believe that it is either ammo or maintenance related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkynoch Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I have to admit I am fairly new to 3 gun. I had a JM that I had to send back to Mossberg 3 times for various problems. So last year I found a dealer on gunbroker selling Versamax Sportsmans for $680 shipped. I bought one and made my own 12 round magazine tube for it similar to the carbon arms one, I have a lathe. I have not looked back and I don't think I would consider anything else. I would get a Sportsman model, put a tube, and larger bolt release on it and just run it. I shot it in Ironman this year without any problems and never cleaned, since Ironman I have shot several small local matches and have still not cleaned it. I have shot about 200 slugs and 1000 rounds of shot and have done nothing but dump oil in the action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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