First Impressions

The new Remington Versa Max shotgun arrived on Friday! Just in time for Spring sporting clays, turkey hunting, and more.

I must say this gun created a solid first impression. The sturdy bright green case held all sorts of goodies. Five chokes, components to adjust length of pull, cast, and more. Even a full complement of HiViz site inserts. The potential to customize this gun without a costly trip to the gunsmith is almost overwhelming. Almost.

Tore it down on Sunday to clean all the protective factor lubricants out and get it ready for action. Clearly this is a well-engineered gun. Disassembly was quick and easy. With only a few simple steps, I'd stripped it down to the receiver. Everything seems straightforward and logically designed. Best of all re-assembly was just as simple. These are good signs for a long operating life.

Of course I had to get it out for a round of sporting clays, so it was off to Island Lakes in Brighton. As expected, first two stations weren't my shining moments. Haven't shot clays since last Fall, and that, plus a new gun didn't help my mount or target acquisition. It's hard to hit things you're not seeing. But the Versa Max performed flawlessly! Cycles very consistently, and recoil is really minimal. After a few stations I started to slow down and find my groove.

I did learn one less though. I think I need to have a more clear understanding of the real-world impact of different chokes. I'd put the stock Modified in, and I'm not positive that was the best choice. I'm sure as time passes and I shoot it with other chokes I'll be able to figure out what works best. I'm just not used to having options!

So, thus far, the new Swiss Army Knife of shotguns seems to be treating me very well! More reports will follow as I get this gun dialed in for me and my style of shooting. Looking forward to it.

-Sean-