feed problems on brand new Mossberg 590A1

[johnee]

Hi everybody,

Saturday, I bought a new 590A1 Special Purpose 6 shot 18.5" barrel (model 51411) with some 00 buck shells. Upon getting home, I put a few rounds into the magazine to get a feel for it.

Upon the first pump, the relatively short 00 shell comes out of the magazine, rattles around in the elevator, and falls through the elevator, dangling there suspended by the rim. ***??

I lift the shell so it's in the elevator and pump it into the chamber, then pull the pump back again to eject it and chamber the next shell.... same thing, a dangling 00 shell from the elevator.

This is my first shotgun. However after 5 years in the Marine Corps, I've been around a few weapons.

I continued to experiment with my technique of pulling the pump back and sliding it forward, but it seems I can't go more than one full magazine without getting a jam.

I'm very confused by this, I thought it would "just work". Is there a special technique to pump the gun? Do I seriously need a lesson in this? The manual doesn't say the pump action needs to be performed in a special manner.

I thought the short stature of the 00 shells was the problem, so I tried some longer Winchester target shot shells, they also produce an occational jam.

What is going on here?

I would appreciate any help in this matter. I bought this weapon after a VERY creepy situation involving a tresspassor on my property early sat. morning (which was the first time I ever chambered rounds in my only gun, a 30-30, for a REAL home defense situation). I tried to teach my wife about this shotgun today but the feed problem made it impossible.


Thanks!
John

 

[RedLion]

Well, I have a 500 which apparently is the same as your 590 but with a plastic trigger assembly and a lighter barrel. I've shot quite a few rounds through mine (2 3/4) and never had any problems like you described. The rounds should definitely NOT be able to fall through the elevator, no matter the length of the round. It sounds like you should have someone look at you elevator.

 

[Runningman]

Since it is new I would contact Mossberg and see what they will do for you. Sounds like your new 590 has issues.

 

[EMC45]

Buy one that says Remington on the side and all your problems will go away.

 

[throdgrain]

I suspect you have a problem with your cartridge stop or elevator.

I had the same with my 500 when I bought it some years ago. Once I replaced the two said items, the gun was fine, and has never jammed again since, in many thousands of rounds.

Ignore the "shoulda bought a Remington" comments, both are great guns.

 

[johnee]

hmmm, a bit disappointing after all the great things I read about the 500/590 series, but when it works, I love it. I still have to find a range to shoot (I live in Vermont and even though we have some of the most liberal gun laws, a firing range is hard to find).

I'll go back to the dealer that sold it to me and ask about it... but let me ask this:

I read a thread on this forum referring to the relatively weak spring(s) in the magazine causing feed problems. Any ideas on that?

Thanks for all the info, this is a great forum.

 

[Bababooey]

Have you added any accessories like a side shell holder ?

I did that to my new 870 and the pins from the sideshell carrier was impeding the carrier action and stopped when I remove the side shell holder.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Thank you for serving our country

 

[rcmodel]

You did get 12 ga shells?
Right?

rc

 

[kcmarine]

Thank you for serving in our country's Beloved Corps.

 

[Badger Arms]

You did get 12 ga shells?
Right?

+1, sounds like 16ga or 20ga shells

 

[jaholder1971]

Buy one that says Remington on the side and all your problems will go away.

Tell that to my friend who just bought an 870 HD. Remington was apparently afraid he might hurt someone with it as they powdercoated the firing pin and the hole in the bolt it sits in, making it unusable until a gunsmith tore down the bolt and cleaned it all out.

IMHO: return it to the shop and ask for help. If they're worth the money you paid them they should be able to see what's up.

 

[johnee]

yes, I did get 12 ga shells. I also did not add any accessories to it.

I also appreciate the support for military service. In fact, I'm smack dab in in the middle of the process to enter the Vermont Air National Guard. I've been out of the Marine Corps for almost 14 years (spent in college, a "normal" job, raising a family, etc), and I've been wanting to get back to military service for a while now, I just had to convince my wife this was the right thing for me to do. I have up until I'm 45 to join the Guard but, egad man, i don't want to be an old man when i retire!

I'm definitely keeping the shotgun, after I get this little hiccup figured out, I'm going to add the BLACKHAWK! KNOXX SPECOPS STOCK after I put a few rounds down range in it's original config to get a few battle scars.

Thanks folks,
John

 

[Badger Arms]

Absolutely should not be doing that. Could you snap a picture of the loading port with the bolt all the way back and a shell dangling from between the legs on the lifter?

 

[johnee]

will do shortly, grilling at the moment!

 

[Badger Arms]

... okay, on my 20ga Mossberg, the ONLY way that the 2 3/4" shell can possibly get in this position is if, and don't take this the wrong way, but if you load them backwards into the magazine.

Yes, I tried it. Not acusing you of loading them backwards into the magazine... but it is possible.

 

[jaholder1971]

will do shortly, grilling at the moment!

As in, burning of meat over fire, I hope?

 

[johnee]

Boy do I feel like a jerk... I didn't realize these are 2" shells (Centurion 2" "Law Enforcement" 00-Buck 6 pellet)! This might be the problem.... When the shell ejects from the magazine into the elevator, it rattles around like crazy. The shell is very light weight (top heavy too as the pellets are force to the top from plastic padding), I'm thinking too light. I took some pics, will upload in a few.

The dealer picked these rounds out, I figured he would have known a 2" round would cause these problems.

I could have sworn I had problems with the 2 3/4" rounds, but repeated cycling just a few minutes ago produced no jams whatsoever.

EDIT : Yes, grilling some burgers and brats

 

[johnee]

Here are some pics of my stupidity :








I'm making a correct assumption these have no place near this shotgun, correct?

 

[RandKL]

You said "longer target shells". That tells me you're trying some sort of shorter exotic round than the gun is designed for. Those short mini shells only work well in break action guns or guns modified for them.

You *can NOT* get a 2 3/4" shell to drop through the lifter if the shell is a 2 3/4" or 3" length. It simply cant be done. There's no possible way the shell can turn inside the receiver to get into that position.

If you're using Agila shorts as I suspect you are, you'll need to have your lifter modified a tad. That entails having the center prong of the lifter drilled and a 3/4" long extension screwed into place on the bottom of the lifter. The extension should be bent in such a way that it lies flush with the rear of the prong and rides in the bolt carrier cutout.

Other than modifying the gun, your only other choice is to go back to regular old 2 3/4" buck shells like everyone else. Leave the weird crap for the teenagers and the Rambo-wannabees.

Welp....upon reading to the bottom, I see you discovered your prob. Sorry for the waste of time and bandwidth.

rich

 

[Badger Arms]

You *can NOT* get a 2 3/4" shell to drop through the lifter if the shell is a 2 3/4" or 3" length. It simply cant be done. There's no possible way the shell can turn inside the receiver to get into that position.

Well, you can but you have to induce it. As I said earlier, you can load the cartridge backwards in the magazine...

... so I wouldn't be dredging this back up if I didn't have something to add. Uh, DON'T load your cartridges backwards in the magazine. I did this and it seemed to work the first time and I induced the cartridge nose down, rim hanging condition, yes, but the SECOND time I did it while John was grilling, it locked my action up solid. I had to take the trigger group and barrel off and use a punch to shove the cartridge back up into the magazine then hold it there with my finger inserted through the barrel opening at the front of the receiver while my third hand slid the slide forward.

It might have been easier with a 12ga or one without the longer bantam forend on it, but that wasn't the case. At any rate, I learned something today. The Mossberg carrier is flawed. I think it should come from the factory with the extended tang. I think I could rivet a tang extension on there. Looks pretty straight forward.

 

[Rshooter]

Any time somebody says that he was in the Corps you gotta excuse mistakes like that. (USMC Retired) I cheated, scrolled down looked at the picture and got a good laugh. As for that guy that said get a gun that says Remington on the side would fix your problem, my Remington does fire the 2 inch shells. I guess I am a Rambo-wannabee.

 

[kcmarine]

Other than modifying the gun, your only other choice is to go back to regular old 2 3/4" buck shells like everyone else. Leave the weird crap for the teenagers and the Rambo-wannabees.

Does this mean that as a 17 year old, I'm supposed to get a load of exotic shotgun ammunition for free?

Cause I want some. NOW.

 

[johnee]

Well, this has been a thoroughly frustrating experience and I apologize for taking all of your time.

What really steams me up is the dealer that sold me the shotgun also recommended those shells! I never questioned the shells since the "professionals" sold them to me, and I assumed they were compatible. I figured I was doing something wrong or the gun was flawed. I'm truly confused because that particular sport/gun shop is highly regarded in these parts.

I appreciate all the help and info (sorry Badger Arms, I didn't want to cause any probs on your side...). Since I have to question the gun shop that sold me this gun, I'll be around these boards alot more to learn from all of you.

Thanks again and this is a great forum with great folks!

John

 

[Dimis]

hmmm youve stumped me i too have a 590 and i just tried getting the 2-3/4 snap cap to fall out like your shell is showing and the only way i could do it was to insert it backwards as stated before i also thought that the "tongue on the lifter was missing as this is the piece that keeps the shells from falling through

is this tongue bent in any way?

other than that there is no way i could get mine to fail in this manner