Mossberg 590A1--Froze Up Solid

[MK11]

After finally coming across an indoor range that allows shotgun, I took my new 590A1 for it's first good work out this weekend. I'd put one box of shells through it before, with no problems.

This time, however, I had a serious malfunction. About 3/4s of the way through a box of Winchester #7s (lead shot--the only kind allowed on the range) the pump froze up solid. I could not budge the pump to eject the spent shell. After a few minutes of struggling with the pump and the action release, I got it open and emptied the gun. Loaded it up again with three shells and had the same malfunction after firing the second one. Same process: a few minutes of working the pump and action release finally freed up the shell, at which point I packed up, took it home, and gave it a cleaning.

Nothing appeared wrong and I couldn't replicate the malfunction by just cycling shells through without firing. Could this be an ammo problem? Is it possible for the spent shell to swell from the heat? I've heard that Mossbergs come packed with grease that you can't get out with a normal dissassembly. Could that be fouling the action somehow?

Any tips are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[grimlock]

My brother-in-law has a Mossy 500 with the same problem. With some ammo, it takes a serious cranking on the forend to eject. I forget which manufacturer gives his problems.

 

[Silent Bob]

I have noticed this with my 590A1 when shooting S&B OO buckshot, and Remington Value Pack OO buckshot. I think I remember it happening once or twice when shooting Winchester 2 3/4 rifled slugs. I don't have to manipulate the slide release with mine when this occurs, it just requires an extra-heavy yank of the forearm, and the shell extracts and ejects. I don't really consider it a jam, more of a sticking-type situation. I have never noticed any problems of any kind while shooting Federal shotshells, and it seems to love the Federal 2 3/4 Powershok OO buckshot loads. But the problems with other stuff kind of concern me.

At the next gun show I think I'm going to try and find a synthetic Remington 870 Police Model.

 

[MK11]

Thanks for the responses.

Oh man, so this a quirk of the design? I don't like that at all. I can live with it not liking a certain type of ammo but if it happens with multiple loads, I'll be looking for a different brand of shottie myself.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

polish the chamber. mossberg chambers are rather rough from the factory, and can cause sticking problems with some ammo. (for me, the only problem i've has was with aguila minishells)

 

[Silent Bob]

Actually I suspected a rough chamber as being the culprit. Mr. Wyatt, how do you go about polishing the chamber?

Also, and I realize this may sound dumb, but is it possible to smooth out a chamber by firing? I have about 500 rounds approximately through my Mossberg, maybe 600.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

Dave mcC is the guy you should ask about that. I've not undertaken to do that particular modification to my 500 yet. (i'm either going to have a smith do it if i have one lengthen the forcing cone, or do it myself if i lengthen it myself.)

 

[Dave McCracken]

IME, a rough and/or oversized chamber can cause what you report. I suggest contacting Mossberg and see what they say.

Also, check and see if there's any debris in the receiver. Deep cleaning may help.

HTH...

 

[Badger Arms]

polish the chamber. mossberg chambers are rather rough from the factory, and can cause sticking problems with some ammo.

THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE MADE IN MEXICO!!!!

Couldn't help it. They are bored in Mexico. I'd suggest contacting Mossberg and making THEM polish the chamber. You bought what you thought was a serviceable weapon and it can't reliably extract factory shells? That's a big no-no.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

Give it a rest already. Where it was bored means exactly nothing.

Besides, if you're so anti-mexico,should probably stop driving chevys or drop drinking dos equis.

 

[Badger Arms]

I don't own a Chevy but I do enjoy a good stiff Mexican drink every once in a while. I think it does mean something that the barrels are bored in Mexico... he's having a problem with a rough chamber. Those two are intrinsically linked unless the chamber is cut at Mossberg. Don't know. Who said I was anti-Mexico? You can reread my posts, but I don't think I ever said anything negative about Mexico. Canada is a different story.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

I'll ask the mossberg rep about the barrels at the shot show.

Anyway, why go through the hassle of shipping it to mossberg? It's an easy fix.

I'm willing to bet that he didn't field strip it first thing. I do that every time, and i've never had a problem that wasn't dealt with right then.

 

[sm]

See what Mossy rep says before anything.

For future reference...
Chamber polishing

Old cleaning rod, 0000 ( 4 aught) steel wool, or the finest grit of Scotchbright [tm] cleaing pad.

Hand : Barrel removed , wisps of 0000 ( or Scotchbright) on a bronze brush and twist and turn, clean residue - done.

One can also "bend" a rod that will allow this to be done with bbl still on gun, for quickie jobs at the range. Just enough "angle"to allow getting into chamber with bolt back on receiver Comes in handy with a newbie and plastic fouling. Finally figured what Aluminum rods in pistol/rifles calibers were good for...this is it.

Battery operated drill: Same deal, old rod, chuck in drill and clean the chamber and the whole bbl. This is what one sees the guys with tube sets doing before inserting new tubes.

Your ARE NOT removing metal. ( You don't want to remove metal)
YOU ARE removing plastic , carbon fouling. Blast if you want with CRC Brakleen.

ALWAYS have choke tubes in place to keep from hurting threads.

Chambers that are smooth less apt for the plastic fouling to accumulate.

Forcing Cones Yes this does more than most folks realize. ALWAYS check POA/POI BEFORE the work is done. [baseline]

Always check POA/POI before any bbl work is done, be it getting ing the bbl to shoot POA/POI, raising to 60/40 or 70/30. Forcing cone, Chokes., ribs...have a baseline.

I have seen TOO MANY home smith'd bbls....ruined. There is a touch, talent,and proper tool usage. Not every bbl req's the same, even amongst same make, model, gauge, and bbl length.

A good smith will know what he is doing,have the proper way to test and will "argue" in a polite way to keep someone from ruining a bbl. Bad enough in the old days with just gossip and mag articles...internet really gets things stirring...

 

[Badger Arms]

Thank you for your e-mail. The barrel bore is drilled in Mexico however the steel is from the US and is assembled in the US.

This was the email response from Mossberg. Email sent on the 4th of Jan, reply sent on the 9th.

 

[sm]

Hey Badger, speaking of "freezing up", you run into problems unique to your temps in regard to chambers being fired and any condensation freezing up? Freezing in general causing a problem.

Just curious, even tho' we get cold / freezing and wet...not anywhere in the same context as you folks.

 

[Badger Arms]

Just popped above zero for the first time in a week. No, actually. Once outside, you don't get condensation on the guns. Being as cold as it is, it's a dry cold. Humidity is zip. The worst thing that can happen is dropping something warm into the snow... like a shell. If it's warm, it will melt the snow around it and quickly refreeze. Just a whack or two on your jacket will take the most of that off. Heat is worse for guns and reliability than is cold, IMO so long as you use a good lube.

Break-free and other teflon based lubes gum up when it's this cold out, but the trick is to use very little lube or none at all if you can get away with it. The only guns that I've found unreliable in the cold are rimfires and the AR-15 when overlubed with CLP. Learned that lesson early on. I only use EEZOX on my AR's now.

It's "Cold-Dry" here, I don't know about a "Cold-Wet" environment like I might expect in the northeast. Lived in Seattle for a while. I hated doing anything outside there. Had many guns that never had a spot of rust got spots all over them down there. I've only got 10 years of experience up here. There are others on the board with much more Alaskan experience than I. The biggest problem I've noticed is when coming in from the cold, you have to be careful or your guns will grow a layer of frost really quick. Inside air hovers around 25% humidity, though, so it goes nearly as quickly as it appears, just don't put the gun in a case right away and you're fine.

 

[sm]

Badger, Thanks!
I'm in the South, gonna hit 18* F tonight, coldest temp yet. We have that "wet cold" ...once in a while the "dry cold" ...a wee bit different than yours

Yep, no lube or very little at all. Keep them Firing pins clean and dry...lighter fluid works . Leave guns outside if gonna head back out,( safe area as in hunt club) ,otherwise take care of condensation...case a gun and uncase a rusty one.

Thanks, just curious.

One of the loudest sounds heard in the freezing cold temp out hunting, when the ducks were coming in over dekes a fellas gun going "click". ( I heard this being in the other blind) Firing pin froze up. Kept lighter fluid in the blind...think maybe I'd seen /heard that before - huh?