Changing mossberg 500 mag tube

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Exmasonite

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Hey all...

so i have a mossberg 500 12 ga 8 shot model. as i'm getting into hunting, i've been looking into my options for getting other barrels. the limiting factor is that there aren't too many barrels made for the extended mag tube. i realize that maverick has a few for the 8 shot but they are unfortunately missing any sort of rifled slug barrel, which is a priority for me.

I've even gone so far as to put my gun up for trade on the forum.

Luckily, a forum member PM'd me about just switching out the magazine tube.

I found this on brownell's site.

is this all i'll need to change the mag tube? (that and the appropriate barrel, of course).

Thank you very much for the info guys. sorry to beat the dead horse with this one.
 
You'll need a torch to break out the loc-tite thats usually on the tube and some kind of tube wrench so you don't mangle your mag tube with channel locks or something.
Cover the tube in electrical tape or something similar and give it a short brisk twist to break it free and then it just unscrews by hand.
Make sure it isn't pinned into the receiver or something weird like that. I have seen major gun makers do random stuff like that for no apparent reason.

Its pretty straight forward.
 
Yes, that is all you will need to replace the mag tube. I had a heck of a time removing mine. I am sure having the proper tools would help. I had to put the receiver in a bench vise, use penetrating oil, and apply heat. In order to get a grip on the mag tube, I wrapped the tube in a strip of rubber and then clamped a c-clamp down over it.
 
if they attach the original mag tube so well is there a need to attach the replacement just as well? i'd be willing to go down this road if the swapping was a pretty quick job but i don't think repeated trips to a vise is good for either tube.
 
Your going to need the shorter magazine spring also or you could probably cut yours. And whatever you use to grab on to the tubes to unscrew them, grip them out on the end where the barrel screws into them, less chance of crushing the tube.
 
I've got an 8 shot that I bought new in 1999. Not sure if mine was the exception, but it only took hand pressure to take the tube off. Actually it suprised me a little but no big deal.

if they attach the original mag tube so well is there a need to attach the replacement just as well?

The barrel should be enough to hold the tube stationary. Tension from barrel nut secures fore end of tube. The chamber extension from the barrel into the receiver will prevent barrel from twisting so the tube should be held tightly enough.

My advice, for as much as you paid for it, hand tighten then give a quarter turn with padded pliers of your choice. Then attach barrel.
 
Not all the tubes are that tight and once you get yours off you need only hand tighten them . The only reason the factory seals them is that for a lot of people they don't understand that if the tube loosens all they got to do is re-hand tighten them.

If the tube threads are sealed, some penitrating oil, and some moderate heat applied to the receiver in the area will help break the sealant loose. A piece of leather or something akin to it will help protect the tube from getting messed up when you crack it loose . All the tube pliers is a curved channel lock with pads - not much different than using a regular channel lock plier with some leather .

A shorter magzine spring is used in the shorter tube.
 
A strap wrench will save you alot of grief down the road. When I was younger I tried to remove the mag tube with a pair of padded vicegrips. The result was I bent the tube trying to get a grip that would not slip.

Try your local hardware or plumbing supply store for a leather strapped strap wrench. It won't scar or bend your tube.
 
I would reccomend just buying another shotgun. You could probably find a good used one for $200 or less.

If you wind up trashing the tube, drill a hole through it, stick a screwdriver though it, and with the use of elbow grease (and optional four letter words) it will come right off.
 
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