Last fall I wrote about a hunt I attended in Minnesota with Remington Outdoors Company. What I wasn’t able to share at the time, due to a media embargo, was a shotgun I field-tested while I was there. On that writers’ hunt I demoed the Remington V3 Field Sport, 12 gauge auto-load shotgun.
Mia & the Little Gal is sponsored by Girls with Guns Clothing.
I headed to the event during the beginning of what is now referred to as the “Arctic Blast” of 2015. As you might guess, traveling from southwest Colorado to anywhere during inclement weather leads to travel delays. I missed the opening day of field-testing. I was disappointed because I really wanted to knock some waterfowl out of the air.
I arrived at Kruger Farms, in Starbuck, Minn., in the middle of the following day, and shortly thereafter a group of writers came in, shivering from a frigid morning hunt and talking about frostbitten cheeks and frozen toes. It’s a rare occasion, but for a moment, I felt thankful to have had a delay that kept me out of the 30-mile-per-hour winds and below-zero temperatures – especially since I learned I would still have a chance to shoot the not-yet-released shotgun the next morning.
After a cozy night’s sleep, in a warm lodge, I bundled up in anticipation of a freezing morning in a layout blind.
(Sam Soholt photo)
We spent the morning watching as flocks of geese and ducks flew by at Mach 10 speeds. It seems with the onset of the frigid storm, the roosts had frozen, as had pretty much all of the open water. I sat in the blind and shouldered and swung the V3.
My initial thoughts? It felt nice. At 7.2 pounds, it was lightweight compared to the older Remington models. It had a nice balance to it. The American-style stock suited the layout-blind hunting position well.
More birds zinged by, a mile above us. We packed it in and headed back to the lodge. Some people would be happy to be going indoors, out of the frigid weather, but I felt pangs of disappointment. I still hadn’t gotten to test out this new little beauty of a shotgun.
A bit of history
The development of the V3 essentially started in 1963 when Remington released the model 1100. A huge success, this gun catapulted Remington into becoming the market leader in semi-automatics within 2 or 3 years of releasing it. It is reputed as the first successful gas-operated semi-auto in the market.
About 25 years later, in 1987, Remington released the 1187 model, a 3-inch gun. Twenty-three years later, it introduced the Versa Max, a 3-1/2-inch gun.
At more than 8 pounds, the 1100 weighed in slightly on the heavy side compared to its 1963 contemporaries, which tipped scales at about 7 pounds. Weight is continually an issue in shotgun sports, so it’s a key point in the development of the V3. After the Versa Max’s release, Remington focused on making a lightweight field gun.
The V3 is not a shrunken down Versa Max. It’s a brand new, 3-inch platform from the ground up. It utilizes the Versa Port system, found in the Versa Max, which regulates the gas with the length of the shell. It has 2 gas pistons, and the simple design makes it very reliable. There are not a lot of moving parts, so the possibility of malfunction is reduced. More importantly, to you and me, the gas system greatly reduces recoil.
Recoil! Wait. Wait. I still needed to field-test it to feel the recoil for myself. If you’re a shooter, and you’ve ever picked up a lightweight gun, your first thought may be like mine: “How much is this one going to thump?”
(Sam Soholt photo)
The ‘THUMP’ Factor: Finally shooting the V3
The WONderful thing about Kruger Farms is there’s more than one hunt you can enjoy. The guides changed gears for us; we headed out on a pheasant hunt, and I finally got to shoot the little black beauty.
On the first shout—“ROOSTER!”—I shouldered the V3, swung and pulled the trigger. The recoil felt – unimaginable … in a good way. May I remind you. The V3 is a 7.2-pound shotgun and I shot 3-inch magnum loads. The Versa Port gas system creates tremendous recoil reduction. Impressed by the gun, I now turned my attention toward hitting a rooster.
(Sam Soholt photo)
The Arctic Blast didn’t stop us. The hunt came off successfully and so did the V3.
The Remington V3 Field Sport is made in the U.S. and will be available in 26-inch and 28-inch barrel lengths. Ladies, you’ll also like to know that a reduced-length stock is said to be available in fall of 2015.
V3 Field Sport, Black Synthetic MSRP: $895
V3 Field Sport, Wood or Camo MSRP: $850
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
