• Mossberg Owners is in the process of upgrading the software. Please bear with us while we transition to the new look and new upgraded software.

Anyone working on a better pusher assembly for the 930?

R

rpinkstn

Copper BB
Is anyone working on a better (stronger) pusher assembly for the 930?
There are a lot of posts on this and other sites about the factory pusher breaking or cracking. The only "solution" I've seen discussed is "buy a spare pusher assembly". Really? That may be an acceptable option for a competition gun, but it's not a very good solution for what sounds like a common failure on a shotgun people are using for home defense.
Does anyone have a better part in the works?
 
The topic has come up here a few times. A few machinists have looked at it but have yet to make a reliable replacement. At this point there is no alternative I am aware of. I had asked OR3GUN of they were going to make one and they said possibly in the future but there were more pertinent parts that they felt needed addressing first.

Have you actually had your's break?
 
MikeD said:
The topic has come up here a few times. A few machinists have looked at it but have yet to make a reliable replacement. At this point there is no alternative I am aware of. I had asked OR3GUN of they were going to make one and they said possibly in the future but there were more pertinent parts that they felt needed addressing first.

Have you actually had your's break?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply MikeD. I have not had an issue with mine yet, but I just purchased my shotgun (930 SPX) a few weeks ago. I have less than 300 rounds through it as of this post. When I researched the 930 I missed the issue with broken pusher assemblies. When I cleaned mine for the first time I noticed how the pusher assembly was made and was concerned about the reliability. I researched it online and found a lot of posts about this part failing. I bought the shotgun primarily for home defense, but I just dont have much confidence in it with the plastic pusher assembly. Its not a very complex part so I am very surprised nobody has developed and marketed a better replacement part.
 
While it seems like a simple part I think there is a weight /friction issue with making it aluminum, else we would be seeing upgrades. Just my hypothesis.
 
MikeD said:
While it seems like a simple part I think there is a weight /friction issue with making it aluminum, else we would be seeing upgrades. Just my hypothesis.
Click to expand...
Very true. The weight of the replacement part would have to match the original otherwise you would have to change spring rates to compensate for the difference in inertia of the new part. And that would possibly cause other issues.

Aluminum has a relatively high strength-to-weight ratio so it should be pretty simple to match the weight of the original plastic and steel combination. I have not weighed the factory parts yet, but its on my "to do" list.
 
I was working on and gave up as the PA does not appear to be weak for the operation, but is for the assembly / process. I think I was stressing the PA when reassmbling my 930 by not paying enough attention to the alignment of the barrel when placing it into the receiver. I had one PA break at ~4000 round mark and another after ~1000 rounds. I have not broken a third as I moved to a Benelli to get away from the other issues I was forced to resolve on my 930.
 
MikeT said:
I was working on and gave up as the PA does not appear to be weak for the operation, but is for the assembly / process. I think I was stressing the PA when reassmbling my 930 by not paying enough attention to the alignment of the barrel when placing it into the receiver. I had one PA break at ~4000 round mark and another after ~1000 rounds. I have not broken a third as I moved to a Benelli to get away from the other issues I was forced to resolve on my 930.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply MikeT. That's interesting. What other issues did you have with the 930?

I've been reading up on and studying the gas systems of other semi-auto shotguns lately. One thing I noticed is that the Mossberg 930 and FN SLP are *remarkably* similar. It appears the 930 is better at regulating gas pressure however the SLP has a better method of transferring the energy from the gas piston to the bolt. Specifically, the spacer and pusher assembly in an SLP are one piece. This eliminates one wear point and allowes the use of longer pusher rods which distributes the forces between the rods and the pusher tube over a larger area. That's a better design.

Overall, I really like the 930 SPX. However, I'm getting the impression thats its better suited as an entry level competition gun than a serious home defense shotgun with longterm reliability. That's not to imply the FN SLP has any better (or worse) longterm reliability. Ideally, the gun would use a piston setup like the 930 with steel action bars like a Rem. 1100.
 
I have ended up replacing almost everything to do with the fire control group (Trigger assembly, bolt, recoil / buffer spring), piston and rings, barrel, front sight fiber (Barrel got warm enough it disappeared), front sight (Fell out), screws on top of the receiver, and two pusher assemblies. I still believe the SPX's gas system is not setup for the shorter barrels. I was having reliability issues and switched to the 22" vented rib barrel and that issue was reduced to just ammunition choice. I like how the shotgun shoots and how it dampens recoil, but, IMHO, it's a cheap attempt at a good design.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top