Versamax or Maxus

[oak86]

I'm in the market for a new shotgun, but I cant decide which one to go with. I've been a life long browning fan but I really like the versamax. So, I was curious to what your opinions are(good or bad)....

[buckshotbarlow]

i picked up an a400, sweet shooter. don't forget about the sx3 also. I like the versamax, but when you compare all the guns, the a400 knocks em all out with less weight.

[oak86]

I haven't looked at a400 yet. I"ve heard the a400 had some reliability issues with light loads but that might be just hear say....

[nontactical]

I just picked up an a400 "action." I took it to the range without stripping it down first, and fired 100 handloaded 7/8oz rounds through it without a single hiccup. It handles like a dream, and swings way better than it should considering it weighs about as much as a wooden dowel of the same length. I got a smokin' deal on it, so it came with some rather humiliating options that I am going to take a lot of crap for: the "gunpod" which records the shots fired, has a thermometer, and compares the relative power of the loads you are shooting (it might do my taxes too, I'm not sure) and the kickoff 3 recoil reduction gimmick. I would never have gotten these silly things on purpose, but I couldn't turn down the deal. I shoot A LOT of different guns, and you really can't go wrong with a Beretta 391 or a400.

Of the other two guns that you mentioned, my personal opinion is that Remington still hasn't caught up to Browning (or Beretta). I don't think the Versamax is as well finished as the Browning, and I don't think the longevity is known yet. That being said, the Versamax is probably Remington's best effort to date.

The Maxus is a great gun, and as someone else pointed out it is mechanically the same as the SX3. The Maxus is nicer looking IMO, and I think the level of finish is superior to the SX3. You do pay a bit more as a result. If it were me, I would strongly consider either a Browning Gold or a Beretta 391. While they are not the "latest and greatest," you can get a real bargain as a result. I paid $500 for the last Browning Gold I bought, and I have seen 391s for as little as $600. To be honest, I wouldn't give a nickel for the difference between a Maxus and a Gold, nor for an a400 vs. a 391. The Gold and the 391 were almost too good to improve on IMO. The 391 has a stellar reputation (more so than the gold) but my Browning is the only gun that I have ever owned that I would almost call "abused." It rarely gets cleaned, gets loaned out to friends, and fires everything from 3.5" goose loads to the same 7/8oz target loads (when my daughter wants to shoot).

Honestly though, all of the modern autoloaders are great guns, and Remington is no exception. If you can locate all four of these guns side by side, I would shoulder them all and choose from there (even this is nearly moot since most of them come with shims and allow you to adjust just about everything.

One last thing to consider, the 391 series is BY FAR the dominant auto among clays competitors. They embraced it to the point that there was a noticeable shift from over-unders to 391s. Before the 391 came out, 95% of the guns in the racks at a sporting clays tournament were twin tubers, now about 80% are over-unders and the other 20% are nearly all 391s. These are guys that fire their guns thousands of times per year, so this is a pretty good indicator of the gun's quality. They really haven't embraced the a400 to that extent, and the target model 391s haven't dropped in value at all. This could be because the target model a400s have a smurf-blue receiver.

You live in Greeley; I'm in Fort Lupton and have a Gold, a 391 and an a400 you can look at if you feel like dropping by.

[MarkCO]

I received a new VersaMax and shot just over 2000 rounds through it out of the box, 3.5" to 2.5 dram 2 3/4" without a single bobble. I switched from SLPs to the VersaMax for 3 reasons, longevity, recoil and reliability. The FNH (SLP), Winchesters (SXP), and Brownings (Maxus, Golds, etc.) all share the same basic piston design and while it IS the fastest cycling, the VersaMax has softer recoil and it IS more durable. When the piston's break on the piston guns, well they are not cheap and they do break at times. While I am not giving up my Browning Golden Clays, it is just too nice, the ruggedness of the VersaMax is well beyond the Browning/SLP/SXP system.

Let's get one thing out of the way, the VersaMax is actually an improved version of the Benelli M4, THE gold standard in autoloader reliability and longevity. The VM cycles even the reduced recoil loads which the others DO NOT and it is so much softer that every person that is not a top 15 3Gunner I have put on the clock can double faster than any other platform.

BUT, what are you going to use if for and what do you like? Does US made influence your choice?

If you are shooting upland birds and envision days in the field, look at weight first. If you are looking at Clay sports, recoil and fit are big. Turkey and waterfowl, reliability. If you want one that can do it all, the VersaMax is the clear choice. I have personally shot VMs with over 30K rounds on them and they were doing very well. Some factory guns have many more rounds than that. Reliability and longevity of the simple short piston (no seals, rings or springs to wear out) is simply beyond anything on the market sans the actual M4.

I will admit I did not like a few things about the VersaMax in the Tactical dress, so I designed the VersaTube (http://www.carbonarms.us/Shotgun-Accessories/Carbon-Arms-VersaTube.html)to fix those issues. Remington called me for design input on the new 3Gun version out in a few months which have my improvements on it including Remington's version of the VersaTube and an improved lifter that might end up across the whole line. The VM is named right in that its versatility and ability are above the others. Only question is, do you need it, or want it. No deep bluing or fancy scroll work, no wood either.

My Browning Gold is pretty and a dream to shoot and I own several shotguns that fill specific roles, the VM does just about everything as well in one shotgun.

[oak86]

Wow, that's a lot to consider. I'm really trying to find a shot gun that can fill a number of roles. I want something that's durable and reliable with wide range of 12ga loads and It needs to be something that I can beat up and not worry about the occasional scratch. I initially picked the the versamax and maxus because they're around the same price point (1300ish in the camo finish) and the reviews are pretty good for both guns. Although I did make it to the gun shop to see the a400 and that was a dream to shoulder.....I can only imagine how it shoots. I'm going to have to take you up on your offer nontactical. It's just at 1500 dollars its a bit out of the price range. I'm trying to find a gun that's going to just as well as in the goose field as as it will blasting clays. Although, I think I'm going to have to go back to gun store and see if they have a browning gold in stock and compare it to the vmax. Thanks for the awesome responses you guys.

[backcountry800]

Went from a gold to a maxus, mostly because I use for upland and walk a bunch. Weight difference was very noticeable and I love the magazine cut off switch (which the gold has also)

[mikeh1911]

I got a Versamax a year ago and love the gun. It just shoot. Not one malfunction out of approximately 1K rounds through the gun. The only problem is finding more choke tubes as the VersaMax is different than the Rem chokes on my 1100 and 870.

[MarkCO]

I got a Versamax a year ago and love the gun. It just shoot. Not one malfunction out of approximately 1K rounds through the gun. The only problem is finding more choke tubes as the VersaMax is different than the Rem chokes on my 1100 and 870.

VersaMax uses the ProBore. They are all made by Briley, but the overruns form Remington are at CDNN for $10 each.

[babirl]

VersaMax uses the ProBore. They are all made by Briley, but the overruns form Remington are at CDNN for $10 each.

Thanks for the intel!

I have VERSA MAX Tactical, SADLY, minus your VersaTube, but it's still one heck of a shotgun... In spite of all the BS, Remington overall got the VM series right at a very competitive price. I immediately removed the silly breaching choke as I tend to be "last in/first out" and not an "operator" but was looking to add a few other choke options.

B2