I have a Maverick Model 88 All Purpose (made by Mossberg). When I load three shells into it and fire them all quickly, it occasionally ejects one of the shells unfired. I went dove hunting this weekend with it and had this problem approximately 2/3 of the times. I don't believe that it's my technique. I'm working the pump quickly and firmly, not short-stroking it. I have three other shotguns and have fired many, many others but have never had this problem with any of them. Is this a known issue or is there anything that I can check/adjust that might help this problem?
Maverick drops live shells on ground?
- Thread starter Odnar
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dfariswheel
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Not sure what you mean.
Do you mean that while your operating the gun a shell is ejected from the magazine, or you're ejecting an unfired shell from the CHAMBER?
Often, a symptom of worn, dirt impacted, loose, or defective shell stops is a condition where when you pump the action, two shells are fed instead of one, or a condition where one shell is properly fed, but when the action is closed a second shell is push out of the magazine.
The way a pump gun feeds is, on the back stroke of the pump, one shell is released from the magazine and pushed into the action to be fed.
When the pump is pushed forward, the next shell in the magazine is allowed to move back slightly and is caught by the stop so it will be fed next.
If the shell stops have a problem, the next shell in the magazine "skips" past the stop and is ejected out of the gun entirely.
Check the shell stops for impacted dirt, loose, wear, damage.
Here's a link to a Mossberg owner's manual that will help with disassembly and inspection of the feed system.
This is for the Mossberg 500 series but also works for the Maverick.
Mossberg calls the parts the "cartridge stop" and "cartridge interrupter".
Inspection is found on page 9 of the manual.
http://www.stevespages.com/pdf/mossberg_500.pdf
Do you mean that while your operating the gun a shell is ejected from the magazine, or you're ejecting an unfired shell from the CHAMBER?
Often, a symptom of worn, dirt impacted, loose, or defective shell stops is a condition where when you pump the action, two shells are fed instead of one, or a condition where one shell is properly fed, but when the action is closed a second shell is push out of the magazine.
The way a pump gun feeds is, on the back stroke of the pump, one shell is released from the magazine and pushed into the action to be fed.
When the pump is pushed forward, the next shell in the magazine is allowed to move back slightly and is caught by the stop so it will be fed next.
If the shell stops have a problem, the next shell in the magazine "skips" past the stop and is ejected out of the gun entirely.
Check the shell stops for impacted dirt, loose, wear, damage.
Here's a link to a Mossberg owner's manual that will help with disassembly and inspection of the feed system.
This is for the Mossberg 500 series but also works for the Maverick.
Mossberg calls the parts the "cartridge stop" and "cartridge interrupter".
Inspection is found on page 9 of the manual.
http://www.stevespages.com/pdf/mossberg_500.pdf
Sounds like the problem is the shell pushing past the shell stop as dfariswheel points out. As the slide moves forward to chamber a round it moves the interuptor out of the way allowing the next round out of the magazine to move rearward slightly until it is caught by the shell stop.
Many times it is adjustment needed ,but make sure there is no debris interfering with the shell stop action.
Many times it is adjustment needed ,but make sure there is no debris interfering with the shell stop action.
Sounds like the shell stop is the problem. Could be damaged, or just bent out of adjustment a bit.
IIRC, the shell stop has a 90-degree curve right at the end, where it 'stops' the shell.
I think the website
www.LifeLibertyEtc.com
has a downloadable video on field stripping the Mossberg 500 shotgun. It takes about 2 minutes to tear the Mossy down enough to get the shell stop & shell interupter parts out.
I am in the middle of a clean up/check out/test of a Mossberg 500, with what sounds like a similar problem. Major thing seems to be that the insides are gunked up beyond description. At first, I couldn't get the mag follower to move so I could load it. This shotgun sat in a closet for at least 25 years without moving.
IIRC, the shell stop has a 90-degree curve right at the end, where it 'stops' the shell.
I think the website
www.LifeLibertyEtc.com
has a downloadable video on field stripping the Mossberg 500 shotgun. It takes about 2 minutes to tear the Mossy down enough to get the shell stop & shell interupter parts out.
I am in the middle of a clean up/check out/test of a Mossberg 500, with what sounds like a similar problem. Major thing seems to be that the insides are gunked up beyond description. At first, I couldn't get the mag follower to move so I could load it. This shotgun sat in a closet for at least 25 years without moving.
Thanks for the responses. Now I have a starting point, at least.
Some clarification/further info: What I mean by "dropping a live round" was that I would be loaded with two in the mag tube, one in the chamber. I would shoot twice, pump twice, and the gun would be completely empty. Somewhere along the way the last shell would find its way onto the ground. I don't know if it was dropped during the first or second pump. It's a new shotgun (not just new to me, actually new). I'll look into the shell stop.
I wrote Mossberg (who I believe actually makes the Maverick 88) an email asking for more information and never got a response. Typical?
Some clarification/further info: What I mean by "dropping a live round" was that I would be loaded with two in the mag tube, one in the chamber. I would shoot twice, pump twice, and the gun would be completely empty. Somewhere along the way the last shell would find its way onto the ground. I don't know if it was dropped during the first or second pump. It's a new shotgun (not just new to me, actually new). I'll look into the shell stop.
I wrote Mossberg (who I believe actually makes the Maverick 88) an email asking for more information and never got a response. Typical?
I don't know if the customer service from Mossberg is typical, but Mavericks dropping shells on the ground sure seems to be. The guy that I hunt with and myself both bought, "boat" (ones that we wouldn't cry too much over having stolen) guns for hunting waterfowl while we're fishing on the river up here. His was an 88, and displayed the same problem as yours - after shot number one, racking the slide chambered one round, and ejected the remaining round in the mag into the bottom of the boat. I couldn't get it to duplicate the problem by just pumping the action, but every time he fired, it would happen. Only seemed to happen with 3" shells. As far as I know, he hasn't tried to fix it, so...
(not that this helps any)
Good luck.
(not that this helps any)
Good luck.
dfariswheel
Member
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- Dec 26, 2002
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- 6,656
Since you have a new gun, the correct course of action is have Mossberg make it right.
You paid for a working gun and didn't get it, so don't void the warranty by trying to fix it yourself or allowing a local gunsmith to do it.
Contact Mossberg AGAIN. Use the telephone if you have to.
Another option is to take it back where you got it.
You paid for a working gun and didn't get it, so don't void the warranty by trying to fix it yourself or allowing a local gunsmith to do it.
Contact Mossberg AGAIN. Use the telephone if you have to.
Another option is to take it back where you got it.
Grizzley Adams
Member
i have a maverick and it works just fine,but i have heard a lot of folks with this similar complaint so what i would do is call mossberg and just tell em hey i paid good money for a working gun and it aint doing it's job now i want to know is what your gonna do about it,most likely they will ask you how old it is and if you have done any work on it that would make the warenty no good.then when you tell them no and how long you have had it they will say just send it to us and we will take care of it for ya.if they can fix it right they should send you a new gun to try out.
confed sailor
Member
had same problem, cleaned shell stops, problem went away
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