Preview – Remington Versa Max Tactical

Our Kind of Boom-Stick
Modified Or Bone Stock, Remington’s Versa Max Tactical Is A Winner

Many companies like to herald new products as being revolutionary, game changing, or heretofore unimaginable. But sometimes just taking existing, proven ideas and refining them results in a product that does everything you need it to do.

Enter the Remington Versa Max shotgun, shown here in its Tactical livery. It isn’t provocatively festooned with multiple tubes, a bullpup action, or a chainsaw handle on top. Rather, it is a pretty traditional looking semi-automatic shotgun that seems to have an answer for everything and will leave a smile on your face.

The heart of the Versa Max shotgun is its innovative gas operating system, with a grid of gas ports in the chamber that are either exposed or covered depending on the length of the shotshell. For example, with a typical 2¾-inch shell, all seven gas ports are exposed, whereas with a longer 3-inch shell, only four ports are exposed and route gasses to the two pistons below the barrel. This allows the Versa Max to self-regulate the amount of gas pressure without requiring the user to swap out gas pistons to match his ammo. It’s one of those simple ideas, like the intermittent windshield wiper, that makes you slap your forehead and say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

And that’s just the first of many refined features that you’ll find on this shotgun. The Versa Max Tactical features a 22-inch vent rib barrel with a bright HiViz fiber-optic front sight and a small mid bead. The barrel is nickel-plated and takes Remington’s ProBore choke tubes. The gun comes with a flush-fit Improved Cylinder choke and a Tactical Extended choke, which is designed to reduce recoil, but makes you look like you’re ready to breach a crack house to serve a warrant. Also included with the shotgun is a clamp that securely affixes to the barrel and extended magazine tube, featuring a sling stud and a small piece of Picatinny rail to attach accessories. The extended magazine tube accommodates eight 2¾-inch shells or seven 3-inch shells. With one more in the chamber and one “ghost loaded” on the carrier, you can rock out fully loaded with 10 rounds in the Versa Max.

Remington also listened to their customers and enhanced the controls on the Versa Max Tactical with a large cross bolt safety, oversized bolt release button, and extended charging handle. Combined with an enlarged trigger guard, it’s no problem to run the shotgun with gloves and easy to work the enlarged controls while in a hurry. The cross bolt safety can be reversed by the factory or authorized service centers for left-handed shooters. Finally, the receiver is drilled and tapped for optics and the Tactical model comes with a removable Picatinny top rail for this purpose.

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