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Mossberg 930 Autoloader Troubleshooting

Re: Scratch Marks on Magazine Tube*more pics added*

After a seemingly endless quest to get a new spring, Mossburg / Maverick Arms finally sent me the correct replacement spring I was hoping to get. Unfortunately it was no better than the original spring that came with the gun. The mag tube is still getting hammered by the gas system spring, just like before. Long story short, $639.95 will not get you a well designed, well manufactured semi-automatic 12 gauge shotgun from Mossburg. If you want a quality firearm, look to another brand. I'm leery of using my 930 unnecessarily, so it's probably best to let it sit and collect dust until the zombie apocalypse (or Red Dawn) comes to my neighborhood.
 
Should I be concerned?

Greetings, new member here, recently purchased my first shotgun, a 930 SPX Tactical 8 shot. Got it home and did the field strip and cleaned it up. I used a laser bore sight tool and had to move the ghost ring to the extreme left side, within a click or two from end of the adjustment range. Hmmph.

Took it out to the range last weekend, and had some problems with certain ammo's, so after doing a second strip down, clean, and reassembly, I noticed the barrel isn't quite aligned with the receiver, which explains the extreme adjustment on the ghost ring. It's pointed a degree or two to the right.

Although I didn't get to sight it in properly, the ammo that I was able to send down range seemed to shoot okay, given my quick bore siting. I sent some slugs out offhand to a 200 yard steel target, and although I didn't quite hit it, shots were kicking up dirt both left and right of it.

Not sure if this is related, but I also have the scratched up magazine tube that many have mentioned here, and found a burr on the gas piston spring, which has since been dremeled and filed as smooth as I dare to get it. The extended magazine tube, when reassembled, is also somewhat cockeyed in relation to the barrel and receiver. I seem to be able to chamber a full 7 of every 2 3/4 inch shell that I have, and they cycle by hand.

I've tried to photograph this but the pic doesn't quite do it justice.



So as the title states, should I be concerned about the barrel and extended magazine tube misalignment, or just chalk it up to being a bit OCD? I was hoping to get out to the range this weekend to do an actual site in, and to also see if I can get it to cycle through more of my ammo, but it's been raining, and you know how us California city folk are. :roll:

Thanks,
Kevin
 

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Re: Should I be concerned?

I don't own one so I cannot say for sure, but I personally would be concerned... I as well have some minor Firearms OCD however. There are a few members here that have 930's and a good bit of experience with them. Give it a day or two for them to pick it up and see what they can figure!

EDIT: Allow me to elaborate on my concern of this issue. If the barrel is mis-aligned I would worry that the chamber is not sealing up with the bolt face correctly and that hot, high pressure gasses are leaking out into the receiver, causing damage and potential harm. That is my evaluation.
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Hello Kevin,

The barrel is aligned just fine, it's the front sight base that's been soldered on incorrectly. Unfortunately, canted front sights on the SPX models are a common issue. The Choate mag extensions also leave a lot to be desired and mis-alignment with the mag tube is common as well.

My suggestion would be to call Mossberg and make them aware that your new SPX has a canted front sight and a mis-aligned mag tube extension. Have them send you a shipping label and send the weapon in for a replacement barrel with a properly aligned sight base and inspection of your mag extension. Poor workmanship and sloppy QC are responsible for your issues, so there's no reason for you to have to deal with the results. Push Mossberg to make it right. They are more than aware of these lingering production issues and they need to make it right...
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

LAZY EYED SNIPER said:
Hello Kevin,

The barrel is aligned just fine, it's the front sight base that's been soldered on incorrectly. Unfortunately, canted front sights on the SPX models are a common issue. The Choate mag extensions also leave a lot to be desired and mis-alignment with the mag tube is common as well.

My suggestion would be to call Mossberg and make them aware that your new SPX has a canted front sight and a mis-aligned mag tube extension. Have them send you a shipping label and send the weapon in for a replacement barrel with a properly aligned sight base and inspection of your mag extension. Poor workmanship and sloppy QC are responsible for your issues, so there's no reason for you to have to deal with the results. Push Mossberg to make it right. They are more than aware of these lingering production issues and they need to make it right...


Thanks for solving this LES! Experience speaks a lot! :D
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Thanks for the replies L.E.S. and Itsricmo.

LES, I was under the impression that the problem with the canted sites is that it is attached improperly, and one could see the wings leaning a little left or right when sighting in. In my case, it looks like the front sight sits perfectly vertical, so I'm not sure if it is actually canted or not. Another forum member here posted a while ago about checking this on a counter top, by flipping the gun upside down and resting the gun on the sights. According to him, if it can rock back and forth easily it indicates a canted front site. I just checked mine in this manner, and it seems to sit pretty square. To my eye it just seems like the barrel is pointing a few degrees to the right in relation to the stock, receiver, and the picatinny rail. Along with this, the extended mag tube is even more crooked, pointing even farther to the right (not shown in my pic).

Regardless, I think I will end up contacting customer service for a looksee, especially because of the mag tube tweak. Aside from some downtime, I guess it can't hurt, and would put my mind at ease.

((edit), I just realized by opening up the pic in a another window and holding up a straight edge along the molding line of the stock, the safety screw, and the center of the rear sight wings, one can more easily see what I'm talking about.)
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Hmm, yeah that's definitely not good.

Let us know how it goes with Mossberg...
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Well, got a chance to hit the range early yesterday morning, as I've been switched to over this week to a night shift. Unfortunately I think I had even more problems this session than the first. I started out with more slugs, high brass, and buck, which, as before, cycled fine, and got it sighted in at around 13 yards.

However moving on to less powerful loads (still rated over 1200 FPS), it just turned into a big FTE and double feed jam machine. I relubed the bolt and ran it wet. No change. A couple times it felt like I couldn't fully load the extended mag tube, so I unloaded and reloaded, and managed to get all 7 in the tube.

After the range session, I went back to the place where I got it, and checked out the floor model. The extended mag tube does look straighter than mine. So I called customer service, got a hold of a representative named Roger, explained my issues, and was told to send it back, on my dime. I asked if they would recoup my shipping costs, and was denied. I didn't feel like arguing, so I'll send it back and see what happens.

At this point I'm pretty frustrated, and if doesn't shoot like a gem when it gets back, I'll dump it. Sad to say, but I don't feel like I should have to mod it with polishing, shorter springs, Nordic extension tubes, yadah yadah, to get it to work as it should out of the box. I've had a couple of other guns that don't like certain cheap ammo, but this is kind of off the charts in terms of unreliability. Grrr.

Sorry I didn't have better news to report.
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Sorry to see your issues continue.

I don't blame you one bit for being frustrated. Nobody should have to mod a weapon out of the box to make it reliable. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to see these issues repeated over and over here on the forum. Keep us posted once you get it back and we'll keep our fingers crossed...
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Wow.. this is really, REALLY depressing! Makes me rethink about putting money down on an MVP Predator... I would hate to have problems with another rifle. My .308 savage was a bit deal for me... I really loved it but nothing worked as far as optics... They either broke or the rifle shot all over the place...

KevinK2, I am truly sorry you have to deal with all this crap. I can speak from personal experience that my 500 is a Diamond! Flawless and awesome, I used to speak highly of Mossberg and their craftsmanship... Unfortunately, they seem to be lacking lately with multiple firearms. I will be contacting Mossberg too fill them in on the many problems being discussed not only here, or on the forum but what seems to be Firearms Community Wide. It may fall upon deaf ears from just me, but if enough of us here, where MANY Mossberg buyers come to find help, perhaps we can get something changed? :) That is my motivation for the night :D haha


LES, any chance we could forward this, through Dan, to Mossberg via SHOT?
 
Re: GG&G forward sling mount causes loading issue

Get a Nordic barrel clamp and mount a sling swivel stud in the threaded hole used for their short rail.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Once again thank you for the kind words gentleman, I will definitely report back with the outcome. Sad thing is, I was also looking at an MVP, but am definitely having second thoughts now (btw interesting bit of info on the Savage, Itsricmo!).

Fingers crossed.
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Itsricmo said:
LES, any chance we could forward this, through Dan, to Mossberg via SHOT?

I'm sure Dan will be highlighting issues like this from the forum during the conversation as well...
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

I would like too see their reply to, what seems to be, reduced Quality Control :/
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Kev,

See my thread here- viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5559

I spoke to "Roger" too. I was very polite and calm. He was a "TOOL". In a very abrupt, condescending tone He told me that they had fixed the canted front sight problem on the 930's a while ago. I calmly told him "Well, I guess not all of them". I told them that this is a Manufacturing QC issue and demanded a return shipping label. I sent her back and have not heard a thing yet. I have it on my 'notes to self" to call Javier on Monday. I am really starting to think I/we made a mistake. Mossberg should recognise this is a problem and correct it without any grief to the customer! Good luck my friend.
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

BTW- I am already looking at the "B" word M2 and M4 shotguns. The PD that I retired from had them. They were nice. I don't remember these types of problems with them. I do recall they didn't like light loads. Plus they have a better warranty. I really want to like my 930. Hope she comes back like a beautiful, fine tuned piece of machinery!
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

I wonder if Mossberg should have just stuck too Pump Action models lol... I don't see nearly half the complaints on any pump action subsection. I could be wrong but it looks too me like they can't make any Semi-auto shottys to save their butts!
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Itsricmo said:
I wonder if Mossberg should have just stuck too Pump Action models lol... I don't see nearly half the complaints on any pump action subsection. I could be wrong but it looks too me like they can't make any Semi-auto shottys to save their butts!

FWIW my 930spx is basically flawless.

Mossberg seems to have an issue with the quality control of the barrels regarding the ghost ring sights (this issue seems to stand out above all others). Why they haven't addressed it more aggressively is probably due to the fact that sales are still through the roof so they are not feeling the economic impact of their decisions which is the primary driver in the final decision making process with manufacturing.

As far as reliability I've had my 590A1 fail and fail big time due to the cartridge stopper being bent too far inwards which caused excessive wear on the action slide rod and the cartridge stopper. End result was in 400 rounds the shotgun wouldn't load another round from the magazine tube.

Would I consider the 590A1 series crap based on my experience. No. QC issue most definitely. Plus it's a machine and will eventually break down. But I was able to fix it and have no issues going forward.

If your shotgun is not made correctly get a new one from Mossberg and stay on their ass if you can't fix the problem yourself.
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

Valid Argument! :)
I'm glad to see that someone hasn't had a problem with their sights!

(Not to steal from the OP just a question)
Have you considered changing out the cartridge stopper?
 
Re: Should I be concerned?

I replaced the action slide and cartridge stopper from havlin sales. After almost an additional 800 rounds later she is running like a dream.
 
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