Bent Shell Retaining Rod

[MO_Soldier]

So some of you know of me from my recent mossy 500 mods.
I never had any issues with it before, but now when I cycle Federal Vital Shock slugs, and Power Shock Buckshot, they eject fine, but don't get chambered every pump. It consistently takes 2 pumps to chamber the next round, and a few times it has taken 3. The slugs are loaded shots 5&6 and I've mainly noted this occurring in the first several rounds. But I'm assuming it to be the slugs too.

After cycling through all rounds and inspecting the chamber, there are little shreds of the red shotgun shell left in the chamber. I dont know why this would happen, if its indicative of the problem, or if it IS even a problem.

Has anyome experienced this with these rounds, or any others for that matter?

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Well, not chambering is a problem.

Have you tried with other manufacturers loads? I'd try that first, maybe get some Winchester and Remington, even just try other Federal types of shells too. Could be a defect in the manufacturing though I can imagine what.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

I have some federal target loads to try out when I have some time later. Other than that, Remington always ran well through it. If it is faulty manufacturing, it'd have to be the bbl since that is what I added, but that shouldn't affect chambering as far as I can imagine.

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

No, youre right, it shouldnt.

Try out other loads and see if the problem persists. If so you can probably rule out faulty manufacturing in the shells. If it doesnt, you can most likely point at the Federal loads.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Oh I didn't quite understand. I wasn't thinking of faulty manufacturing of the shells. I was thinking in terms of the gun.
Man, I hope they are just bum rounds, and not the gun, OR this type of load. I really want to run them in my gun.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

More bad news...

I tried the Federal Target loads, same results.
THEN I tried my Remington rounds that I've never experience problems with before, although, I've never taken this shotgun through to ringer like my SD weapons go through to prove themselves. It has always just sat there waiting to go hunting and may have 20 rounds through it. I'm uploading a picture.
I know the mechanisms of my M16, and of my Kahr pistol, but I have yet to learn these.
But upon inspection, it seems that the bar that retains the rounds in the magazine is not being depressed when I pump the gun, causing the round to stay in the magazine.

The last 3 times I tested this, the last round got COMPLETELY stuck and would not come out until I released that bar myself.

It should also be noted that when pumping the forearm FORWARD, I am met with much resistance that I have to overcome. Once it breaks free though, the rest of the pump is smooth and natural.

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Have you taken the gun completely apart yet?

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

I googled it.
Hopefully some videos I uncovered will be helpful.

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Ahhh, youve not yet broken it all down?

That may be a small part of the issue, but not necessarily the wierd chambering problems.

You can go on youtube and type "mossberg 500 disassembly" and several vids will come up. The one from "Life, Liberty, Etc." is one that is posted on here somewhere in a few places.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Completely disassembled the weapon.
It is still jamming! There wasn't much crud to clean out, just "old" you know? Considering it has very few rounds through it, but has never been cleaned like that since 2001 when I got it.

I'm including a picture. It almost looks like the (elevator) is not depressing the round retainer. Is that its function? I'm just having a hard time determining exactly what disengages that round retainer. If I can figure out what is SUPPOSED to depress that, I can see if it's doing its job, and go from there.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Ok, so I had a brainstorm.
Everyone PLEASE look at your model 500s for me. Does your's look like this:



I think it SHOULD! The slide bars should push the shell retainer to the side when you pull the forearm fully rearward. I discovered that without FORCING mine to do this, the slide bar is just hitting the shell retainer, or going on the wrong side of it like it pictured in my last post. That explains the difficulty returning the pump forward at first: I'm having to get it unpinched out of there!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEASE tell me you guys agree and that someone has a fix for this!
My only idea so far is to bend that shell retaining rod to where it dives under that slide bar like it is supposed to. I apologize for all of the frequent posts, I'm really talking myself through this as I go, vs. as I complete things.

Thanks Ross for your help so far! You've gotten me further than I could have, just knowing you're there in case i get myself stuck somehow lol

Thanks guys!

Kipp

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

In that last picture, youre right, the action bar sliding back activates that stop and should be goin over top of it.

I know its frustrating, but well done with the diagnosis. Thats exactly what you have goin on!

The fix? You may be able to tweek it, take it out and carefully work it a little at a time, fittin it back in place with each adjustment. You could try somethin like a small hammer with poly heads on it... I'm not sure. If I were doin it, I'd do a small ball peen, but dont take that as sound advice.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

I don't have all of those fancy tools you speak of. I will get it done with pliers lol

 

[MikeD]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

I don't have all of those fancy tools you speak of. I will get it done with pliers lol

Just use some rubber like a cut innertube or something to cushon it so you don't gouge the metal.

 

[MO_Soldier]

Re: Bad News - Federal Vital Shock

Problem solved! I just bent that rod by hand to get it to fit properly. The places where those rods were making contact are chewed up, but hopefully that won't cause any future problems. If it does, I just know I need to grind those small ramps down, or just buy those 2 rods new.

Thanks again for your help Ross!

 

[Water Monkey]

I had the exact same issue with my 590a1. The cartridge stopper and the action slide rod weren't working together. Made a nasty wear down on the action slide and the cartridge stopper. I ended up fixing it as you did just bending it by hand and then filing down the wearing. In the end I eventually picked up a new cartridge stopper and action slide. Better than handing it over to Mossberg for 4-6 weeks.