I've been interested in Remington's Versa Max semi-auto shotgun for a couple of reasons. First, I have an 870 pump that I enjoy and, second, the Versa Max's gas regulation system is a pretty innovative way to solve a common problem for semi-auto shotguns.
That common problem is that ammo can vary widely in how much gas it produces. Soft-recoiling 2-¾" target loads produce much less gas than hard-bucking 3.5" magnum loads. If you regulate the gas system for 3.5" loads the gun won't cycle light target loads; conversely, if you tune for the light target loads the gun will beat itself apart if you fire the heavy loads. Remington's innovation with the Versa Max is to put the gas ports in the chamber, instead of the barrel, so that the larger shells cover more ports and let less gas into the system. It's a simple, elegant design that seems to be pretty robust.
I don't have any plans to be a duck hunter, but I would like a semi-auto shotgun for home defense and fun times at the range. With that purpose in mind, an 18" barrel is the most appropriate length. In an attempt to appeal to 3-gun competitors, though, Remington's "tactical" version only comes with a 22" barrel. OK, well surely they'll soon come out with a version with the common and popular 18" barrel, right?
Oh, they sure did, it's called the R12, but they won't sell it to you and me.
Yup, that's right—the most common and popular barrel length for home defense shotguns, the same length that Remington sells by the millions in the pump versions of their shotguns, is too cool for regular Joes. But, they'll sell them to the military and police agencies, no problem!
Remington isn't alone in restricting some sales to military and law enforcement, but it's a policy that bugs the heck outta me. Why? What's the purpose of the policy? Police are civilians, just like you and me. (If they weren't, then they'd be in the military and prohibited via the Posse Comitatus Act from enforcing civilian law. You're either a civilian or you're in the military; there's no other status.) There's nothing Secret Squirrel about the gun in that barrel length. They've just decided to draw some arbitrary distinction to make some customers feel special.
Well, I feel special about this policy, too. So special, in fact, that my first semi-auto shotgun isn't going to be a Remington. I hear good things about the Saiga 12-gauge shotguns, and the Kel-Tec GSG…
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