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Mossberg 464 Lever Action Troubleshooting

BTW, I have run over 100 rounds through the 464 since I bent that link, and so far only 2 FTF rounds. Both were Winchesters, and one fired on the second strike. One took 3 strikes to go off.
 
Ever see why it jams

I think the bolt lock can come up too soon and rubs hard under the bolt. That jams it up against the receiver and causes it to drag against both hammer and receiver.
Reducing spring pressure helped that.
Also I relieved the trap door or floor plate called (the "link" in the manual) a little on the surface where it lifts that lock, so it doesn't come up quite so soon.
Mine had some rough machine marks on that surface, which I dressed off smooth.

And mine likes short cartridges. Mine likes them about 2.530" long where standard is 2.550"

Also it jammed repeatedly with Fusion cartridges. American Whitetails run the best.
 
BTW, I have run over 100 rounds through the 464 since I bent that link, and so far only 2 FTF rounds. Both were Winchesters, and one fired on the second strike. One took 3 strikes to go off.

I suppose that you could check the firing pin protrusion, if FTF worried you.
 
No other brand had a FTF.
I shot Winchesters, Hornadays, Federals, Fusions, and Remingtons.
Plus I shot reloads of all the brass using Federal primers.

I had Winchesters FTF before and after the modifications No other brand did, and I blame their primers.
 
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Re: 464 brush gun loading problems

At times my 464 brush gun is a little finicky too.
If I do not push the round up into the tube.
I then have a round or two and it seams like the round moves back and it blocks the gate from opening...
I then need to push on the loading gate and with the nose of a round push the last round forward more... Then it's easy....
So the point I have to make is: that I load the round and make sure I push it up into the magazine.


Lateck

I know this is an old post, but Maybe it will help anyone who has had this problem. When you push in a cartridge just push it in and leave 1/2" of the base hanging out of the gate. Wrap your hand under the rifle receiver and use a finger to hold the cartridge right there. Then shove the round in using the next shell, and do this for each round until loaded. It took me a few times to realize that I need to hold the shell in place so it did not pop any farther out. If you shove the round in all the way that round pops back behind the gate and you almost have to pry it forward with something small and pointed.
 
Typically I push the round in with my thumbnail, until it touches the port too. At that point it will stay there & not pop in or out.
I just use the nail to get it aligned.

I will load one round in the chamber & close the action, then load the others through the port.
 
My guess about the trouble feeding is simply a weak spring in the tube. If yours likes short cartridges Cadd, it is probably because the spring is just not strong enough to push the long ones out that .020". Does anyone know if there is an aftermarket spring that is a little beefier? Here is another idea. Compress the spring from the top also, under the cap to shorten the spring by compressing it, thus making it stronger. I got a new follower the other day. When I get the new stainless steel follower, the original that I buffed down will go into the tube, either atop the spring for maximum compression or it will go over the spring for just a bit of a squeeze.

I noticed that the ammo will feed reliably even if there is no spring pressure pushing it. The cartridge will fall into the ramp of its own weight. When the follower on my rifle got gooped up this last range trip there was no pressure at all on the cartridges because the follower was stuck a few inches up inside the tube. I tipped the rifle with the muzzle up and the cartridge fell right in to place. But, the next one left in the tube also fell in prematurely. That was easily remedied...tilt the rifle down and let the cartridge run itself back up the tube and then cycle the shell in the feed ramp into the chamber. It was a PITA to get this thing to shoot with the stuck follower but it did work. Hopefully the stainless model will remedy the problem.

I am also going to do another sop and mop inside the tube. I think all I did when I cleaned it the first time is loosen up the glop from the factory and it flowed down to where the follower rests, causing the jam up.
 
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I think a longer follower would be beneficial as long as it doesn't drag. It would be less likely to cock in the tube.

This would be doubly important if the spring was weak or the tube was out-of-round.
 
I think a longer follower would be beneficial as long as it doesn't drag. It would be less likely to cock in the tube.

This would be doubly important if the spring was weak or the tube was out-of-round.

I think this is where an empty brass sitting with the base on the spring just under the cap will help. It will compress the spring and costs almost nothing to install...get an empty brass and stuff it in the tube, cap it and screw in the screw. If it has a base the size of the 3030 and is at least an inch or longer it will compress the spring. Keep using longer cases until the spring has the best compression and shells cycle properly.

That is logical to me...maybe not so to others. As I said, I "see" things differently from the way others see things.
 
I'm going to have a good look at that spring too.
The way I see it, if we play with the spring as I mentioned by doing something easy to compress it, we do not waste money and little time. If it works, it works and if not, try something else. Right?

Even a piece of wood dowel sitting on top of the spring is a cheap fix if it works.. The spring is pretty weak anyway so it should not take much more compression to make it work better. I do for sure believe the tube (in my rifle) is filthy. So that is where I will start next time I pull the plug on the feed tube.
 
I noticed that my follower was black, but had been painted orange to make it visible in the receiver.
The orange was not smooth, and is chipping off the face.
I should take the paint off of it to start.
 
I noticed that my follower was black, but had been painted orange to make it visible in the receiver.
The orange was not smooth, and is chipping off the face.
I should take the paint off of it to start.
This follower is all orange plastic. I have not even tried the new follower to see if it is a looser fit. I will wait until I get the stainless follower. I got the original follower smoothed down so it works but it is still gritty feelin inside. The inside of the tube is going to get another swabbing and I intend to get the gunk out this time.
 
Well I didn't buy the stainless follower yet but I did clean up the mag tube really well and I put anti-corrosion oil in it again so it wasn't rusty.

But the plastic follower was foul with powder debris, there was some residue in the tube, and the plastic follower was swollen at the open end.

I cleaned it all up and trimmed the follower bit shorter until I removed a square notch molded into the side.

That Notch created a thin spot and that thin spot swelled heavily (as did the entire open edge) causing follower to be heavily tapered and stick in the tube easily. I trimmed it off with the shop shears and cleaned it up with 320 sandpaper.

Now it fits OK & still plenty long to function, until it swells again. Spring pressure seems OK too.

That notch is just an artifact of the manufacturing process. There's a little finger that ejects it from the mold at that point.

Unfortunately it weakens the part at a critical point. I had no qualms about cutting it off. The end is also thicker since I trimmed it and so it's less likely to swell from the solvents.
 
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Hey guys so I got a problem with my rifle and unsure what to do as I can't find anyone else having this problem online. Recently bought this gun two months ago and I took it out to the range a few weeks after. Rounds cycled fine and loaded good but after every single shot I took my lever locked and wouldn't go down to cycle the new round. I have to dry fire the gun anywhere from 5 to 23 times before it unlocks and I can discharge the old round. I was using Winchester 170 Grain 30-30 Rounds if that helps any, but I shot 20 rounds and than gave up as the problem happened every time and I got very annoyed by it.

Any help is appreciated, this was my first gun that I've owned, just turned 18 so really hoping I can get this fixed.
 
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