JCinPA
.270 WIN
Wow! so much information here! I've spent a couple of days reading this forum, and have a couple of questions if you wouldn't mind--I'm sure it's in here somewhere. It is just so voluminous. Thanks in advance. And sorry for the length of this screed--I figure it will help you answer if you understand what my goals are.
I bought this because I had (still do) a Mossberg 500 Field Pump shotgun, and I had owned (later sold) a tricked out 500 security with SureFire forend, Ghost Ring sights, TacStar sidesaddle, etc. Decided I'm more of a bare bones guy, and didn't like all the gimcracks and geegaws, so I sold that, but kept my 500 field gun with 28" barrel.
I bought the 930 Field/Security combo (SN: AF016xxx, so probably made around 2007-ish) because I love my 500 and I thought I might start shooting trap regularly. Since I had sold the tricked out 500 security, I got the combo. I promptly got a job in Chicago, and for the last 8-9 years, have not fired a shotgun at all.
Based on what I have sitting in the basement after a long hiatus from the shotty, I believe it has has had three boxes of target shells through it with the long barrel, and about ten shells of Federal LE 132 00 Flite Control Wad low recoil 00-buckshot with the short barrel. I do not recall any problems with it, but it was a long time ago, and my memory ... well ...
So, I joined this forum, cleaned up my shotguns really good (Jerry Miculek video on the 930 is a life saver), and start reading. I realize I went through a 70-page thread on troubleshooting, and a lot of folks have had terrific luck with this gun so it was a lopsided view--but boy, oh boy, it's not a Mossberg 500 in terms of reliability, evidently. I also garnered that my field/security combo may be more reliable than the SPX variants (not sure why, though). Frankly, I am not a competitor so I could not care less if I cannot shoot target loads with the 18.5" barrel, and I'm not going to buy accessories to make it do so. I understand the issue is with dwell time--the 18.5" barrel may not have enough to work the piston fully with light loads.
However, I DO expect it to run flawlessly with target loads with the 28" barrel and I am more than a little disappointed to read that some folks have had only 80-85% reliability with that Federal LE 132 00. I don't care if it is "low recoil", it is premium (and expensive) defensive ammo, and IMO this gun should run it like buttered ice even with the 18.5" barrel, and without customized spacer tubes or pistons! I love Mossberg because (I thought) they are both economical and reliable. So, a few questions, if you'll help a noobie out. I'll number them so you can reply to one or two, not the whole list. Again, thanks in advance.
1. I've been reading primarily about the 930 SPX variants in here, I believe. I have not read a lot about the field configuration. Am I correct in assuming that with the 28" barrel and proper maintenance on my part, I can expect flawless performance with the ammo shown below? I think the Winchester stuff is discontinued but it's #8 shot stuff.
2. Are there any of you who have had 100% reliability with that Federal LE132 00 load with the 18.5" barrel without any modifications? If you have the SBE piston and/or the OR3GUN spacer tube, that's no good to me, as I'm trying to avoid putting over $100 of custom parts in this thing if I can avoid it. I've read enough to know that that load will run 100% usually with either modification, and definitely with both of those mods. I want to know what the odds are I can get away without them. Again, only for that load as I have about 175 shells of it lying around and I love the stuff.
3. If the answer to the above is probably not, and knowing I am not looking to make the damn thing a hobby (I have a motorcycle for that ), if I must spend money, I'm going to do it one thing at a time, and my primary goal is to make the Federal load run with the 18.5" barrel. So if I do need parts, should I get the OR3GUN spacer tube first, or the SBE stainless piston first? And which OR3GUN tube to optimize the short barrel with the Federal load? They have a half dozen or more and like I said, I'm not interested in shooting 3-gun. Just making a reliable defender out of it. I have no idea what the variants of their tube are designed for.
4. Breaking in just consists of shooting it and cleaning it a bunch, right? No real difference if I do that with the long barrel and target loads to save some dough, right? Shooting $500 worth of the Federal doesn't appeal to me. Just make it go bang a lot and clean and it will work itself in?
Thanks again! I'm looking forward to playing with this a lot now that I'm back in PA!
Cheers,
John
EDIT: Forgot the ammo ... this is the target stuff I have
I bought this because I had (still do) a Mossberg 500 Field Pump shotgun, and I had owned (later sold) a tricked out 500 security with SureFire forend, Ghost Ring sights, TacStar sidesaddle, etc. Decided I'm more of a bare bones guy, and didn't like all the gimcracks and geegaws, so I sold that, but kept my 500 field gun with 28" barrel.
I bought the 930 Field/Security combo (SN: AF016xxx, so probably made around 2007-ish) because I love my 500 and I thought I might start shooting trap regularly. Since I had sold the tricked out 500 security, I got the combo. I promptly got a job in Chicago, and for the last 8-9 years, have not fired a shotgun at all.
Based on what I have sitting in the basement after a long hiatus from the shotty, I believe it has has had three boxes of target shells through it with the long barrel, and about ten shells of Federal LE 132 00 Flite Control Wad low recoil 00-buckshot with the short barrel. I do not recall any problems with it, but it was a long time ago, and my memory ... well ...
So, I joined this forum, cleaned up my shotguns really good (Jerry Miculek video on the 930 is a life saver), and start reading. I realize I went through a 70-page thread on troubleshooting, and a lot of folks have had terrific luck with this gun so it was a lopsided view--but boy, oh boy, it's not a Mossberg 500 in terms of reliability, evidently. I also garnered that my field/security combo may be more reliable than the SPX variants (not sure why, though). Frankly, I am not a competitor so I could not care less if I cannot shoot target loads with the 18.5" barrel, and I'm not going to buy accessories to make it do so. I understand the issue is with dwell time--the 18.5" barrel may not have enough to work the piston fully with light loads.
However, I DO expect it to run flawlessly with target loads with the 28" barrel and I am more than a little disappointed to read that some folks have had only 80-85% reliability with that Federal LE 132 00. I don't care if it is "low recoil", it is premium (and expensive) defensive ammo, and IMO this gun should run it like buttered ice even with the 18.5" barrel, and without customized spacer tubes or pistons! I love Mossberg because (I thought) they are both economical and reliable. So, a few questions, if you'll help a noobie out. I'll number them so you can reply to one or two, not the whole list. Again, thanks in advance.
1. I've been reading primarily about the 930 SPX variants in here, I believe. I have not read a lot about the field configuration. Am I correct in assuming that with the 28" barrel and proper maintenance on my part, I can expect flawless performance with the ammo shown below? I think the Winchester stuff is discontinued but it's #8 shot stuff.
2. Are there any of you who have had 100% reliability with that Federal LE132 00 load with the 18.5" barrel without any modifications? If you have the SBE piston and/or the OR3GUN spacer tube, that's no good to me, as I'm trying to avoid putting over $100 of custom parts in this thing if I can avoid it. I've read enough to know that that load will run 100% usually with either modification, and definitely with both of those mods. I want to know what the odds are I can get away without them. Again, only for that load as I have about 175 shells of it lying around and I love the stuff.
3. If the answer to the above is probably not, and knowing I am not looking to make the damn thing a hobby (I have a motorcycle for that ), if I must spend money, I'm going to do it one thing at a time, and my primary goal is to make the Federal load run with the 18.5" barrel. So if I do need parts, should I get the OR3GUN spacer tube first, or the SBE stainless piston first? And which OR3GUN tube to optimize the short barrel with the Federal load? They have a half dozen or more and like I said, I'm not interested in shooting 3-gun. Just making a reliable defender out of it. I have no idea what the variants of their tube are designed for.
4. Breaking in just consists of shooting it and cleaning it a bunch, right? No real difference if I do that with the long barrel and target loads to save some dough, right? Shooting $500 worth of the Federal doesn't appeal to me. Just make it go bang a lot and clean and it will work itself in?
Thanks again! I'm looking forward to playing with this a lot now that I'm back in PA!
Cheers,
John
EDIT: Forgot the ammo ... this is the target stuff I have
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