Alright so sometime this summer I'm planning to invest into a good semi-auto 12 guage.

I haven't posted on here much, so my story is, I'm a 20 year old that just got into waterfowl hunting this past season, and since day one it immediatly has become a big hobby of mine that I look forward to. With that being said, with me investing into college and other future plans of mine, I don't have just a boat load of money to throw around. However now that I'm working two jobs I'll have a good amount of cash this summer to put toward a good shotgun.

I started last season with 2 dozen decoys that were given to me, and since then I'm now up to around 10 dozen. So I'm slowly building up all my gear. I bought a used Winchester 1300 12 guage last season just to get by with. It shot plenty of ducks to make me happy, but now that I'm dead into this I'm ready to get a real deal shotgun.

Anyway... The main one I have my eyes on is a 12 gauge Versa Max. I have 3 friends that've used one since they came out and they can't talk enough good about them.

Bascially I'm just wondering from you folks that own one what y'all think about them.. The paticular one I'm looking at is the Sportsman model I believe...? It's like $1249.

I'm open to hearing your suggestions that I should consider a Benelli or Browning or whatever, but for now I'm more interested in hearing personal experiences with the Versa Max's and if it's a gun that'll do me good. I will for sure as well check out all the Benelli's that are mentioned (because I already know those replies are coming haha.) I can go ahead and say that the Remington defintely has the leading edge for me since they are made in the USA (I'm the type of person to buy American when possible,) but again, I'll take any advice on the Benelli's.

So go ahead and shoot.. What do y'all think of the Versa Max, what do I need to consider, what do I need to know. All I know is I want a semi-auto, camo, and 3 1/2 capability.. I know I'd probably never shoot 3 1/2 but it's just one of those things to have just in case.

Thanks

I guess I should also add where I hunt at..

99% of my waterfowl hunting takes place on the Texas coast from Galveston all the way down to Port O' Connor. So it will be a gun living it's life around saltwater. Very rarely will it see a freshwater lake/river.

I have not shot a Versa Max and don't know anyone who has one. I will say that on the whole, i think Remington today ain't what it used to be, and that's not a good thing.

My rule is if you buy a shotgun, it should start with a B. Browning, Benelli, Beretta.

In and around that price range you could get a Maxus, A5, M2, A300, etc.

I started waterfowl hunting around your age and I can promise you you're always going to want better than you got. It's an addiction. Buy once, cry once.

This is a heck of a deal if it's still available.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/beretta-a400-xtreme-unico-semi-auto-shotgun-with-kick-off

You dont have to tell me its an addiction.... Theres a reason I'm here asking about shotguns over $1000 LOL. I've grown up fishing, my dad used to fish tournaments all over Texas. So I've been in the fishing addiction since I was like 5. My dad never has been a big hunter and I always asked him why we never go hunting.. He said you gotta choose one or the other, because doing both ain't cheap. And here I am, dad was right, I'm learning my lesson lol. So I'm basically learning waterfowl hunting myself with assist from a few friends

Either way..This is just what I was told, but I've been told to stay away from the Maxus. I went and checked one out today and it felt like a nice gun to me. I havent went and held a Versamax yet, it's just the one on top of my list cause as I said, 3 of my friends shoot them and tell me everyday to get one.

Thanks for the info, keep em coming!

I’m with Gum....except for I’d buy the Benelli just because in the salt you’ll be (or you should be) cleaning often and there are less parts to fool with.

This is the only place I’d prefer a nelli over a Beretta.

That is a very good deal on the A400 with the kick off system. Gas operated is a little more effort to clean but that's a heck of a deal.

Rock n roll, thanks for the info. If I'm looking Benellis what model should I be after for around the price range of a Versamax

Still looking for people who use/own a Versamax by the way

M2. The end.

I don’t own a VM and don’t think I would buy one if I was spending $1250. The ones I’ve seen in 3 gun seem to be more finicky than a Benelli and are heavier than a Benelli.

VM for $850 https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/83752/redirect

Cabelas has the synthetic Versamax right now on sale for $699, but if I'm gonna put that kind of money away I want it to my specs, and that includes camo coating. How much would it cost generally to get one cerakoted?

I’m with TC....M2 or Vinci 3” guns are all ya need....the 3.5” shells don’t pattern as well and if you need more pellets, buy a 10ga.

I bought a Vinci only because it’s by far the ugliest shotgun ever built...I just had to have one.

Something you made me think of that I forgot is safety locations are not the same...another reason I like the Vinci, safety is in front of the trigger (like a Beretta 391) and the M2 will be behind. Don’t pass up a super Vinci or SBE if it’s a deal but don’t eliminate them just because they are 3.5” chambers....just shoot 2.75-3” for ducks and 3” for geese. They feel different because the action is slightly longer.

My suggestion though over all of this is go buy the one that feels the best....you’ll typically shoot it the best too. Then go shoot some 5 stand or sporting clays...go as much as you can because that will help ya.

Not mine

https://texashuntingforum.com/forum...gton-versa-max-sportsman-12g#Post7823042

If I was going Benelli, I’d go M2. Beretta’s fit me better, have A300 and 400 extreme +. Both fit me well but the A400 is on another level, can’t go wrong with either. Wouldn’t pay full price for Remington, think I’d buy a 930 and get it coated before I did that.

Why wouldn't you pay full price for a Remington?

The QA issues and reputation they’ve established in the past decade has kept me from buying any of their products. I own an older 870 that was part of an inheritance and a 5R rifle that I purchased about 12 years ago but wouldn’t buy anything else. IMO, theres just better options for the money including the A300. But, whoever said it earlier, said it best. Buy what fits you, that’s what you’ll shoot better.

I haven't shot either a Benelli or a Versamax, so until then I have no idea what fits best. I know Benellis are supposed to be made of gold, so I was just asking about experiences with the Versamax if it does fit me better than a M2 or any Benelli

Start by going to your LGS or cabelas and handling/shouldering all of the aforementioned shotguns. You’ll be able to narrow it down really quick. From there you can check your local ranges to see if they rent the ones your interested in. If all your buddies have a versamax I’m sure they’ll let you shoot theirs.

Yup shooting a Versamax is no issue at all, I know nobody with a Benelli. I also have access to a M3500 Stoeger

I don’t care for the versamax myself.

I went with the beretta outlander A300 and I like it a lot.

No 3 1/2” chamber but if your just shooting ducks it won’t matter. A 3” shell is plenty

I’m not sure I could recommend a 930. I had one for several years and put several thousand rounds through it, and it tended to run pretty well.


But I’ve seen a lot of guys have a lot of problems with them too.

Put a lot of miles on one in some harsh conditions with no failures of any kind. If I was looking for a budget duck gun, it’d be my first choice

Thanks guys! It seems no one here has any expereinces with the Versamax, but thank you all for the info on Benelli's and Berettas. I'm going to Cabelas today to check out all the ones mentioned

Don't at all think you need a 3 1/2" gun. My son killed the hell out of cranes and greaters this year with a 20 GA.

To me, Benelli's point much differently than any other gun out there. I can't hit the broad side of a barn with them, and that's from the inside. I would shoot one before you buy it. That said, they're as reliable as they get. I actually own a SBEII, just don't shoot it ever.

I'm an over/under guy so shoot a Cynergy.

Bass Pro has the camo versamax for 699 right now but the only ones are in Garland (I'm in Houston)

I went today and held all the guns mentioned.. A300, Affinity, Super Black Eagle, M2, Versamax, A5.

Out of all, the ones I really liked were the Versamax and the M2. The A300 felt cheap to me. I'd opt for a M3500 before an A300, or even the SBE. None of the Benellis felt right to me except the M2. I didnt care for any Brownings.

Maybe it's because I've actually shot a Stoeger m3500, but I think the Stoeger feels no different than that $1799 Benelli.

I'm gonna go shoot skeet this weekend with a Versamax and see if I can find a gun range with an M2. I think that's honestly what I've narrowed down to. But its hard to beat that Versamax for $699 right now

OP, it seems you keep talking yourself into the Versa and there is nothing wrong with that. It's almost as if one person would vote Versa, you would say Ok, that's what I'm getting.
I'm sure BPS can do a store to store transfer to get the $699 price.