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Remington V3 Wildfowl

Remington V3 Wildfowl

Having just tested the Remington 1100 and being impressed with this iconic brand, a new Remington semi dropped on my doorstep. This time, it’s the turn of the new semi-automatic shotgun from Remington; The V3 is Remington’s answer to the onslaught from the semi-automatic shotguns from Europe, namely cheap Turkish brands and high performing Italian models. To keep up with the Joneses and have a new look Remington introducing the new VersaPort gas operating system, which is a big departure from the old barrel vented method of cycling the Rem 1100 shotgun. It’s a design similar to one used on old Benellis, but Remington has made it their own on the V3.

You also have a choice of wood, synthetic black or synthetic camo clad finishes, all chambered for 3-inch shells and 28-inch length barrels. The new V3 is designed to be as ultra-reliable with target loads as it is with the heaviest magnum shells, yet felt recoil is less and still produces excellent patterns; let`s see how she gets on.

Stock

The entire V3 is covered with Mossy Oak Camo, befitting a wildfowl gun, and the stock beneath is a synthetic twopiece unit, design to take the rigours out in the field, as well as disguising the gun’s outline. The forend is 10-inches long and has a really good profile for grip, with longer finger grooves for extra grip. The underside is stippled but not very grippy and there are three vents each side at the top rear of the forend, to allow gases to escape on firing, being vented from the twin gas pistons. The rear stock section has a moulded in sling swivel to match that in the forend retaining cap. This stock has quite a slim pistol grip and a length of pull of just over 14-inches, a bit short for me. But it does have a good Supercell black recoil pad that grips well but also lets the V3 shoulder without snagging and really soaks up recoil. However, combine all these features and the V3 does have a very quick and natural hold to it that has the weight perfectly balanced between the two hands. This translates into good handling qualities, a small point but actually the essence of a great-handling semi-auto.

Action, trigger and safety

The heart of the V3 is actually a bit of technological wizardry that blends a compact design with a well-balanced shotgun, yet ultimately keep things simple, to maintain 100% reliability.

The system does not use the long springs that travel down the stock to reciprocate the bolt mechanism. Here, Remington use internal action springs, coiled to locate to a substructure that attaches to the barrels and not the forend. It therefore places all the gas operation system closer to the action itself and not half way or more up the barrel, this has many benefits, such as balance and quick bolt operation.

This means that the action is short at 8.65-inches long and the bolt locks into the barrel itself. It uses a separate rotating head that has four lugs that lock in to small abutments in the chamber end. There is a large single extractor claw and an ejector rod sited in the left inner action wall.

The action is aluminium and has a top drilled and tapped for a scope mount base if desired. The bolt handle is large and serrated enough for a firm pull and the bolt holds open after the last shot. You also have a magazine cut off, just behind the mag lifter. To operate this, just push down the follower and slide the mag cut off latch forward to keep the follower in the up position, so that a round can be extracted from the chamber without another being fed into the chamber. Handy for a quick un-load, without emptying a mag.

The trigger is a single, drop out unit, like the other Remington shotguns but has a wider trigger guard and a smooth, wide trigger blade. The safety is the usual cross bolt button sited in the trigger guard behind the trigger itself and just blocks the movement of the trigger.

Barrels/chokes

You have a 28-inch barrel that, as with the action and stock, has a complete wrap of Mossy Oak camo. It has a Rem choke system with five chokes supplied, to cover the myriad of uses the V3 will find itself in. They are steel proofed up to ½ choke. They fit flush to the barrel’s muzzle but annoyingly there is no visual indication on the choke when fitted to what the restriction is, i.e. no notches. The choke size is engraved to the choke wall that is hidden when fitted.

You also have a ventilated rib of 7mm width and steel bead half way down and a white bead up at the muzzle, nice and slim, so you can see rib and game at the same time.

The chambering is for 3-inch shells, so any 2¾- to 3-inch shells can be used. Any of these shells are loaded and ejected equally well, due to the V3`s gas operated system. You have a single unit, or cradle, two-inches from the chamber end that houses twin gas pushrods that in turn engage with the base of the bolt when the barrel is fitted.

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The barrel now has a series of ports drilled directly through the barrel, just in front of where the forcing cone starts. There are eight ports in total that direct the gases to the twin pistons on firing. To keep the V3 operating perfectly with a light target load or heavy magnum, it is simplisticty itself. With a heavy magnum 3-inch load, half the ports are covered when the cartridge is chambered, so just the right amount of gas is diverted; a shorter 2¾-inch shell has all eight gas ports open and directs all the gases to the bolt to function. A really simple and reliable system that will only use the correct amount of gas to operate the bolt, simples.

In the field test

The action, or cycling rate, of the V3 is very brisk, with a positive cartridge manipulation and reliable ejection of spent cases. Despite a slightly short stock, for me the V3 comes up very nicely in the shoulder and the eye naturally aligns perfectly down the rib and flat, so that the middle of the pattern is centrally dispersed on the pattern board – ideal.

Although the pistol grip is a little slim, the full forend grip is really steadying and the V3 swung very well. The recoil, or lack of it, is very noticeable with this Remmy; it does have a flat recoil to it and your eye is never that far off the game, so a quick second shot is easy.

I fitted the ½ choke and shot four differing brands at the pattern boards at 30-yards.

Hull Special Pigeon: This is becoming one of my favourite pigeon loads. It has a load of only 29-gram, No. 6 shot size (2.6mm).

At 30-yards, I had a total of 259 pellets on the board and an excellent spreads of the shot. With 118 pellets striking the 15-inch inner circle and evenly spread within this and the outer sectors had a further 141 pellets. Light recoiling and superbly evenly spread patterns, a real winner.

Hull Solway Steel: This is a high-performance wildfowl load befitting the V3 wildfowl purpose. It uses a 76mm case, loaded with 36-grams of Steel Fe1 shot size 4.0mm, which equates to 125 pellets.

More recoil is felt but is still light by comparison with some semis. I had 125 total pellets hit the board, with a 50/50 spread between the inner and outer sectors. There were 61 shot in the inner and 64 pellets in the outer portions. For those wanting a steel wildfowl load, this would be a good choice.

Eley VIP Game

This has always been a good all-rounder cartridge, despite its Game name. It uses a load of 28-gram and No. 6 shot. A really good, dense spread of shot, with the bias towards the inner sectors this time. There were 141 pellets within 15-inches; wow, total coverage and the outer sectors still had 96 pellet strikes. Considering the ½ choke, this is a tight pattern, really excellent.

Gamebore Buffalo

This is a lead shot loaded, large shot load containing 36-grams of BB shot, which is good for fox. Again, the Remington V3 barrels and chokes proved a really good spread of shot. I had another almost even spread of shot between inner and outer sectors. 40 BBs spread around the outer margins and 44 hitting the inner portions.

Conclusion

It’s amazing how first impressions can change, I did think when I first looked at the V3, here we go again another camo clad semi. But I was really surprised, or pleased, to find how well the Remmy handled and performed.

The V3`s gas equalising rear mounted port system does make for a really quick action and reliable function for light or heavy loads alike.

The patterns thrown too were superb, just look at those boards, that’s the proof. The more I used the V3, the more I liked it, Remington is back, hoorah to that.

  • Remington V3 Wildfowl - image {image:count}

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  • Remington V3 Wildfowl - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Remington V3 Wildfowl - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Remington V3 Wildfowl - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Remington V3 Wildfowl - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Remington V3 Wildfowl - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Model: Remington V3 Wildfowl
  • Type: Gas operated semi
  • Length: 49-inches
  • Barrel: 28-inches
  • Calibre: 12-gauge
  • Magazine: 3 shot
  • Finish: Mossy Oak Blades camo clad
  • Stock: Synthetic camo clad
  • Trigger: Single Stage
  • Safety: Cross bolt
  • Price: £1199
  • Contact: Raytrade www.raytradeuk.co.uk
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