Remington VersaMax Coyote Gun - Questions

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EOPC

New member
Good Afternoon. I have a Remington VersaMax Waterfowl Pro that I am working on turning into a Coyote/Predator Gun for during the off season when I'm not Waterfowl/Upland Game Hunting. I just have a few questions that I'd like answered if possible.

As said, the gun is a VersaMax. I have Wicked Hunting Lights that I'm going to attach to the firearm, but don't have a good way to do it because the mount that comes with it is for a Picitanny Rail. I live in Oregon and didn't see any special firearm regulations for ammunition capacity, so this is my idea to mount the light. I am wanting to purchase a Nordic Components MXT Shotgun Magazine Extension Kit for the VersaMax, as well as the barre clamp to support the magazine extension. From there, Brownells sells a 3 Rail Picitanny Clamp that sides over the magazine tube allowing me to mount the light using its mounting system. The way I described would allow me to carry more shells for follow up shots and it also allows enough clearance for the lights lens size. Would this set-up work or should I do something different?

Secondly, I'm debating if I should run optics on my shotgun. I'm pretty comfortable with the open sights, but I feel that in some instances a scope like the Leupold VX-1 Shotgun/Muzzleloader Scope or an MRDS would help improve accuracy out to around 75 yards. That is the farthest range I would attempt a shot but have seen farther with a shotgun. Does anyone here run a scope or MRDS, and if so what would you say the advantages/disadvantages are? Are there any certain brands you would recommend?

Finally, I'm looking into getting a purpose built Predator Choke. My VersaMax came with a turkey/predator choke, but I'm thinking of getting a Carlsons Predator Choke Tube or the Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote Choke Tube. I will almost always be using #4 Buckshot or bigger depending on how I'm hunting and if I'm saving pelts or not. Does anybody use either of these chokes or recommend a different brand of Predator Choke?

Thank you all for the help, advice, and recommendations in advance.
EOPC
 
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You’ll love it for coyotes, hard to beat. I’ve always been a huge advocate for the Vmax.

I have the tactical model that comes with the Nordic extension and barrel clamp and have been very pleased with it. I’d check out that same kit however you’ll probably want a longer extension for the longer barrel that the waterfowl model has. The Nordic barrel clamp came with a picatiny rail that screws into one side & a swivel stud on the other, that should be perfect if you wanted to forward mount a light. I’d confirm with Nordic the rail comes with the clamp, it mighta just been thrown in with the versa-max tactical package.

I don’t have a closeup pic handy but if you look on mine below you can see the pic-rail on the barrel clamp.



Did that waterfowl version come with drilled and tapped holes for a receiver mounted picatinny rail? My tactical did and I put an Aimpoint T1 on it with a Larue mount so I can use either that or the field sights. If yours doesn’t have that you can look into getting it drilled & tapped, but forewarning the aluminum receiver only stands up to so much abuse. I’ve beat mine up for three years with 3” & 3-1/2” loads and the receiver screws finally clean stripped out the factory screw holes. It will be getting helicoils in the near future, in the meantime I tapped to the next size.

In regards to chokes you’ll have to hit the range for patterning, but a good place to start is with a turkey choke of your choice. I’ve patterned quite a bit with this gun and it likes tighter chokes, maybe in part to the overbored barrel. Theres some shotgun experts on here so maybe they'll chime in.

If I’m shooting hevi-shot T I’ll use a patternmaster code black turkey choke, which worked better for me than a carlsons turkey .665 or a Carlsons extra full .695 or a full/MOD/IC factory choke.

Currently I’m shooting Federal heavyweight BB that uses a flight control wad, so I shoot that through the factory flush improved cylinder. It patterns light out, way better and more consistent than anything I’ve seen with hevi-shot.

At first there weren’t many chokes for the pro-bore but now theres a good selection. I have a review of the patternmaster here: http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2544863

Good luck with it!
 
Originally Posted By: LARUEminatiYou’ll love it for coyotes, hard to beat. I’ve always been a huge advocate for the Vmax.

I have the tactical model that comes with the Nordic extension and barrel clamp and have been very pleased with it. I’d check out that same kit however you’ll probably want a longer extension for the longer barrel that the waterfowl model has. The Nordic barrel clamp came with a picatiny rail that screws into one side & a swivel stud on the other, that should be perfect if you wanted to forward mount a light. I’d confirm with Nordic the rail comes with the clamp, it mighta just been thrown in with the versa-max tactical package.

I don’t have a closeup pic handy but if you look on mine below you can see the pic-rail on the barrel clamp.



Did that waterfowl version come with drilled and tapped holes for a receiver mounted picatinny rail? My tactical did and I put an Aimpoint T1 on it with a Larue mount so I can use either that or the field sights. If yours doesn’t have that you can look into getting it drilled & tapped, but forewarning the aluminum receiver only stands up to so much abuse. I’ve beat mine up for three years with 3” & 3-1/2” loads and the receiver screws finally clean stripped out the factory screw holes. It will be getting helicoils in the near future, in the meantime I tapped to the next size.

In regards to chokes you’ll have to hit the range for patterning, but a good place to start is with a turkey choke of your choice. I’ve patterned quite a bit with this gun and it likes tighter chokes, maybe in part to the overbored barrel. Theres some shotgun experts on here so maybe they'll chime in.

If I’m shooting hevi-shot T I’ll use a patternmaster code black turkey choke, which worked better for me than a carlsons turkey .665 or a Carlsons extra full .695 or a full/MOD/IC factory choke.

Currently I’m shooting Federal heavyweight BB that uses a flight control wad, so I shoot that through the factory flush improved cylinder. It patterns light out, way better and more consistent than anything I’ve seen with hevi-shot.

At first there weren’t many chokes for the pro-bore but now theres a good selection. I have a review of the patternmaster here: http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2544863

Good luck with it!


Thank you so much for your response! Lots of helpful information which is what I was hoping for.

My VersaMax did in fact come with a drilled and tapped receiver for the possibility of adding a scope or MRDS. I looked into the helicoils as well, and do you think it would be wise to use those before my shotgun would ever get a chance to strip the threads?

I will definitely pattern some chokes as well to see what my gun likes best. Would you consider turkey chokes to be the same as predator chokes since they're almost identical?

I also am wanting to mount the light below my barrel and not to the side, just because I want the balance to be the same when I bring it up to my shoulder and not off to one side. I don't think it would cause much of an issue, but that is just how I orefer to have the light mounted. I also looked into it and I would have to purchase the support clamp separate from the kit. I don't know why the just don't include it, but it shouldn't be too much more expensive.

Do you shoot the T and BB loads for coyotes as well?
 
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My VersaMax did in fact come with a drilled and tapped receiver for the possibility of adding a scope or MRDS. I looked into the helicoils as well, and do you think it would be wise to use those before my shotgun would ever get a chance to strip the threads?
I'd use the factory holes and the picatinny rail that's supplied with the tactical model, you can probably order it from Remington or brownells. It took three years of hard use for that result. Keep an eye on the screws after you hit the range because they will loosen up and that's when they damage the threads from rocking back and forth.

I will definitely pattern some chokes as well to see what my gun likes best. Would you consider turkey chokes to be the same as predator chokes since they're almost identical?
I'm no choke professional, but like I said their are some on here. I started with less expensive chokes to figure out what constriction got me in the ballpark and then moved into premium chokes. Some of the "predator" chokes use a wide constriction which hasn't worked for my gun, but works great in an 870...

Do you shoot the T and BB loads for coyotes as well?
The hevi-shot is T, the Federal heavyweight's are BB. I can't use #4 buck where I live so i've never tested it but it should pattern the same or similar to the T's.
 
Alright thank you for all the information. I have one more question if you don't mind and since you have the Nordic Components Extension Tube I eventually want to have. Do you by chance know the diameter of the extension tube itself?
 
Originally Posted By: EOPCAlright thank you for all the information. I have one more question if you don't mind and since you have the Nordic Components Extension Tube I eventually want to have. Do you by chance know the diameter of the extension tube itself?

It mics at 1.07"
 
The Federal Heavyweight 3" 1-1/2 oz BB Coyote loads have 15g/cc density shot in them compared to Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote T shot that is 12g/cc density shot.

There are 50 pellets in the Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote T shot loads, there are 62 pellets in the Federal Heavyweight BB shot loads. Federal Heavyweight shot is 35% denser than lead, Hevi-Shot T shot is 10% denser than lead. I like the idea of having 12 more pellets per shell knowing that anyone of those 12 pellets could drop a coyote.

If you can find the Federal Heavyweight Coyote BB loads or even any Federal Heavyweight #2 shot waterfowl loads that are close to the same price as the Hevi-Shot I would get the Federal Heavyweight shot instead of the Hevi-Shot.

The Federal Heavyweight #2 shot will kill coyotes farther away than you should be shooting at coyotes and there is quite a few more pellets per shell. There are 78 #2 Heavyweight pellets in the Federal 3" 1-1/4 oz 1450 fps waterfowl loads. The Federal Heavyweight #2 shot waterfowl loads are no longer being made but it is a good idea to keep your eyes open for them.
 
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