Mossberg 930 JM Pro showing signs of usage?

I'm confused. Is this a shotgun or a work of art?

I imagine if you went over darn near any new firearm with a magnifying glass, you'd find some scratches and/or marks. So what? Are you planning on shooting this gun or putting it in a museum? It's a tool, amigo. It's going to get worn.

It's been five years since I bought my last new Mossberg, so I don't specifically remember whether there were signs of it being fired, but it is common practice for most firearms manufacturers to test fire their weapons before they leave the factory. Unless it looks like they put a lot of rounds/shells through it, I wouldn't be concerned.

Did it have a big oval sticker on its buttstock? A long, narrow sticker on the forend? They're the only stickers I remember being on new Mossberg shotguns.

I wouldn't worry about it. You have a fine shotgun there. I have a guy I shoot 3-gun with that has one and it has been 110%. Put some of your own scratches on it and shoot the crap out of it.

Honestly, I think you're ok and darn lucky too! I've been trying to get my hands on a JM Pro for quite a long time now and haven't seen hide nor hair of one!

No doubt! There's not a single one on Gunbroker currently and there hasn't been for weeks! Hopefully, this is a good sign that your FFL dealer got some in.

You are just witnessing Mossberg's poor attempt at anodizing and bluing, don't get steel wool any where near that gun otherwise you will be crying.

I don't understand how the bluing process has been around for a couple of centuries and yet Mossberg can't even get it in the ballpark on a matte finish weapon.

All is see is normal scuffing and brass rub off on the lifter from test firing it at the factory.

Clean it and oil the Parkerizing like you should have and I bet you can't even see the marks.

rc

Rem-oil works pretty good

Hunterdad said:

Rem-oil works pretty good

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That's all I've used since it came out.

BTW, don't think that Mossberg's is the only finish that could use improvement. My new Remington 870 Express Tactical #81198 shotgun's matte finish (I'm not sure what it is exactly) is in no way durable and it already looks like it's several years old. Fortunately, I don't get worked up over finish wear.

im leaning on used and sold as new. too many flaws

I picked up one on 10/06/12. I had looked at them at my LGS the week before. He had 3 then. When I went on 10/06 all the clerk found was the display model. For whatever reason someone had taken out the extra tubes and shims out of its box. I told him I didn't want it. He looked in the back and found one that had just came in. I bought that one. On inspection in the store, the extractor plunger had some lint and what I thought was brown grease around it. Also there was what appeared to be the same substance on top of the receiver in one spot. Anyway, I bought it for $600 OTD.

This morning I finally got around to stripping/cleaning it for a trip to the range today. I discovered the "grease" around the extractor plunger was actually some rust and there was rag lint around it also. Plus the plunger was stuck. I cleaned around the plunger and gave it a dose of CLP. After about 5 seconds it broke loose. The spot on top of the receiver was also rust but wiped off without leaving any discoloration or finish flaw. My feed lever had a couple of slight brass drag marks on it. Not as bad as yours though. My mag tube has a pretty bad gouge /scrape on it about 3 inches long right below the mag cap threads. Also there was some rust "dusting" on the inside of the bolt handle where the knob is hollow. It cleaned up without any trace of finish damage. The barrel was dirty from being shot at the factory.

Anyway, just got back from the range for a trial session. I ran 20 Federal high brass hunting loads thru it along with 20 Remington low brass game loads. No problems at all. I even mixed them in the tube and shot them without any issues. I bought it to use for 3 gun. In fact tomorrow night I am going to shoot a 3 gun Zombie shoot with it.

I am going to give Mossberg a call Monday about the issues I found. I feel that there shouldn't have been anything like that on the shotty. However, as of right now it seems like a keeper. I worry more about function than finish. Plus I figure that with use it will get wear and "character". Also there was noticeable kick difference beween the 2 loads.

I discovered the "grease" around the extractor plunger was actually some rust. Also there was some rust "dusting" on the inside of the bolt handle where the knob is hollow.

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That would indicate to me it is bluing salts residue or Parkerining chemical reside, not rust.

It's common stuff to see that right out of a bluing tank, and is only part of the bluing process someone failed to clean off.

rc

Thanks for that info rcmodel.

You might post your pictures on the 930 forum at Mossberg owners:

http://mossbergowners.com/viewforum.php?f=14

Hi.... new here.

I wanted to share my thoughts and fixes for the JM Pro.


I got mine about 2 months ago after looking and waiting for almost 6 months. 599 +20 ffl. Not too bad.

I got the 22 inch 8 round version.

First impression, Like HiccaBurp, seems either the shop or Mossberg gouged in and around the receiver screws a tiny bit as well as other slight blemishes. The Lifter marks are only brass rubbings from the test shells ( I hope) I noted that after just a few rounds, the brass rubs and marks the Matt finish like a chalk board...other than that, the gun looked good on the outside. Seems the Matte finish really is not very durable and marrs easily. Not a biggy but could be better.

Inside, like Sigma 40ve, my "Stainless" mag tube under the forend, had a 4 inch gouge on the bottom side right up into the threads for the Nordic extension.

Some sloppy assembly work from Mossberg I reckon.

I agree, no big deal for a shooter, but a NEW gun should be as near perfect out of the box as possible. Let me put the dings and scratches on her as it earns the scars of use...IMO. I called the retailer to ask if this was a used gun, they said it was new. I would normally send it back but since these are so hard to get and I waited 6 months, I decided to keep it.

Out to range, first rounds with a variety of ammo from heavy steel BB shot to light 1 oz dove loads... not a hick-up! Fed and ejected everything and after about 300 rds no failures of any sort. Nice.

The issue of the jamming bolt has been posted and has happened to me as well and as described it only seems to happen when unloaded and the lifter is free to bounce up too high (since there is no shell on it)

Never- the -less, I don't like that issue in case of trouble, so I modified the lifter as shown. Beveling the edge just enough to allow the bolt release bar to slide past. It will still have too much pressure from the bolt to simply allow you to press the button, but by pulling back the bolt a bit, this fix will let you now push the button (at the same time) and the lifter will slip back down, past the bar. I found that without this fix, the two parts really get tangled and jam tight.

I also smoothed and polished the top edge of the lifter bar where it contacts the bottom edge of the bolt release flat which I also polished with some emery to get rid of burrs so the bolt release is smooth as butter now to press and release the bolt.

The issue of the thumb getting caught by the lifter when loading has been addressed by "welding up" the front. If you do not have access to welding you can do as I did and simply soften the edge of the rounded notch by filing or grinding the notch to a softer curve as shown and rounding and polishing with emery the sharp edge. It is not as good a a weld job but better than factory.

I also noted, at least on my 22 inch 8 rounder, that if I unscrew the mag tube cap a just few turns, maybe 1/8 inch, I can fit an extra round easily making it a 9 round tube! I plan to get a spacer or a few 1 inch O rings to fill the gap.

Love this shotgun... FAST, LIGHT, RELIABLE, LOW RECOIL, Made in USA and Better trigger than my Walmart Beretta 390 ( I know, but same price point),,, and to think, I almost paid 1500+ for a Benelli! Go USA.

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