Mossberg 9200 Jungle Gun

[fearless leader]

I bought a Jungle Gun a few years ago. I don't know why, I had a 590 and a Benelli Super 90, but it patterned well, for what it was (all pellets in a 25 or 27" circle at 25 yds). My Benelli would put 1/3 of pellets on the same target.

I couldn't help but notice that the front bead is not on the top of the bore, causing those who can't properly aim a shotgun to miss.
I called Mossberg and they recommended sending them the barrel, but I'm affraid they might replace it with one that doesn't pattern as well.

My options seem to be:
1) Live with it
2) send it in and risk getting a lesser barrel
3) putting an alternate sight on it (may screw up the value as not stock).

I considered putting a Ghost Ring sight that would relpace the bead completely, or a reflex "dot" sight on it.

What do you think you would do if it were your gun?

 

[strat81]

No good gunsmiths nearby?

 

[asiparks]

If no one other than yourself is likely to shoot it and you can shoot it ok, then I'd live with it. As far as screwing up the value, I'm not sure that adding a better sight would hurt it, it's not the amongst the most sought after shotguns....

 

[fearless leader]

No good gunsmiths nearby?

Not that I am aware of. There is a fellow that loves to repair guns in my area, but he has health issues dating back to Vietnam that prevent him from handling small parts an the like anymore.

 

[fearless leader]

it's not the amongst the most sought after shotguns....

I noticed that everytime I went to Gunbroker to see what they were going for, no one ever has one for sale.

Do you think I bought a turkey?

 

[Hoppy590]

I noticed that everytime I went to Gunbroker to see what they were going for, no one ever has one for sale.

real jungle guns are kinda rare and pricey. the came out durin the AWB and few made it to civilian market iirc

 

[fearless leader]

Are you refering to the Model 12 Winchester with the flaming bomb on the side?

The one I was talking about was manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons for hopeful market to the Military.
The reloading system was overly complex and so was the gas mechanism.
Neither of which mean it isn't easy to shoot well.
I wouldn't trust one on an extended combat mission. Why couldn't they just make it a little easier to load? It is a pain to replenish the magazine tube.
I think they copied the just as hard Benelli/Franchi system.
You have to push some stupid button to get the loading gate into position, not like you have time for more encumberments in battle.

 

[Hoppy590]

what? where did you get model 12 from?

the TRUE jungle gun, not just any old 9200, the 9200a1 was a pistol griped autoloader used by the DEA in south america. and my understanding is parts are not interchangable.

 

[fearless leader]

Figures. I guess I bought a turkey. Well, it ain't eatin' anything in the safe, except room.

Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant

 

[Smitty in CT]

You could always buy a new barrel form www.havlinsales.com, go to "CLOSE-OUT BARRELS", they have a large selection of 9200 barrels. If it is a "real" jungle gun, 9200A1, they only made the 18.5" barrel, they have them for $49.99!!!

 

[fearless leader]

Thanks, Smitty.
I looked in some catalogs and hadn't seen them listed. I had no idea where I could get a barrel. I don't know if mine is an A-1 or not. I'll have to wait till I get back in town to verify it. I do know it say JUNGLE GUN on the side, and it has a phosphate finish, but I don't remember seeing A-1 on it.

 

[asiparks]

Couple of things, the 9200 semi series and the 9200 a1 jungle gun do not share identical gas systems, the JG has a simplified version that is supposedly easier to maintain and is less ammo sensitive than the rest of the 9200 line. It was available with a pistol grip and side folding stock pre '94, but it also came with a regular stock. Both stock variants are true "Jungle guns", the Mil spec version used by the DEA will not take 3" shells though.
It was available only with the 18 1/2" barrel and in a manganese phosphate finish.

By "not sought after" I meant that a) not a lot of people know they even exist and b) they don't have any real collector value based on people craving them....They are in no way a bad gun.

Mine is fantastically reliable, points well and shoots well with very manageable recoil, but I hate the button release on the gate. I think you don't see them for sale regularly because there just weren't that many of them sold in the first place. Either way, if yours shoots well, get a gun smith to pop on a ghost ring / optic fiber frontsight and enjoy it. Here's mine next to my AR a few Sundays ago and my lovely self shooting it.

 

[fearless leader]

Thanks, Asiparks.
The one in your picture is identical to mine sans the extension on the magazine tube. I was just in town yesterday and I forgot to read mine.
I rather like the factory Mossberg Ghost Ring sight. I have one on my Marine coat 590, and it is a breeze to shoot with slugs, or buckshot. I rather wish it had a bayonet lug though. The factory ghost ring is the fastest I have ever seen on a shotgun.

 

[Onmilo]

Jungle guns are in no way a turkey but they are not terribly common on the market either.
I bought mine in late 1993 just before the ban went into effect.
The 2 3/4 " chamber guns are specifically designed to function with full power 00 Buckshot loads and these pressures are similar to 1 1/4 ounce and 1 1/2 ounce field loads and these work fine too.
The cylinder choke barrel should pattern well to forty yards.
If you have a 2 3/4" version stick with these loads and avoid trap shell and promo dove and quail loads and you gun will function 100%.

If you have a 9200 "riot" version it will be chambered for 2 3/4" and 3" shells, have an 18" barrel choked either modified or cylinder bore, and any loads can be loaded and fed interchangeably with very good reliability but the trade off is a slightly more complicated gas system and a plastic trigger housing and safety button verses the Jungle Guns all metal parts.

Choate Machine and Tool still makes the magazine extension for these guns, it is a two shot extender and will give you a total of six shots in the gun.

These are still excellent heavy duty guns, they will work reliably even when subjected to severe use.

The only other semi auto that I prefer to the Mossberg is the now defunct Winchester Super X2 which has a simpler gas system but also has a reputation of shearing bolt handles which the Mossbergs do not.
Havlin Sales down in Missouri still have some parts for the 9200A1 jungle guns and 9200 standard shotguns, they have some very good deals on replacement barrels too.
http://www.havlinsales.comHTH

 

[Kestrel]

the now defunct Winchester Super X2 which has a simpler gas system but also has a reputation of shearing bolt handles

I didn't know about this. Can you elaborate any further?

Thanks.

 

[Jack2427]

I have an extensive military/tactical SG collection, the earliest dating from 1887. I have a Jungle Gun, came with the side folding stock that I replaced with a standard model. It may be my favorite semi auto, it shoots most everything in the full load catagory that I have run through it. The button loading is easy to get used to, it carries enough weight so it is comfortable to shoot hot loads through, and has bobbled only with really light field loads when I tried them.
It is somewhat scarce on the market not because it is a turkey, but because of the bad marketing/production dates, and Mossberg never really pushed it after they only made a few thousand, and then stuck with the pump for their bread and butter tactical gun.
I am thinking about putting ghost ring sights on it, which would solve your front sight problem, and make it one of the pre,mium semi auto tactical guns as far as I am concerned. I did put a choate mag extension on it, works great.

 

[artech]

I flat out love my 9200a1, for several different reasons.

1. Autoloader with an ambi safety. This is hard to beat.
2. From 'cruiser ready', just yank the charging handle and yer in business.
3. Mine has gone through 1500 rounds so far and been completely reliable.
4. I can rip off 7 rounds of 00 buck in a hair over 3 seconds.

Mine is fitted with an extended magazine, a 6 round sidesaddle, and a forward rail for my M3 light. It's my 'bump in the night' gun, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The only thing that annoys me is the loading button, but I've gotten used to that now.

The only other thing that annoys me is how few accessories there are for these guns. I had to modify my receiver to mount the sidesaddle, and I hate doing mods like that. I'd really like to put a speedfeed stock on it but there isn't one made for it. Still, it's quite a rig!

 

[Onmilo]

Super X2 shotguns have a charging handle with a truncated shaft.
this shaft extends from the left side of the bolt assembly and if the gun is not regularly cleaned carbon build-up begins to impart excessive force on the handle shaft and will eventually cause the charging handle to shear.

I might also add that the charging handles are MiM castings but I don't want to get into that debate.

Just before Winchester went out of business they found a fix for this issue by slightly shortening the charging handle shaft and replacing the truncated end with a single angled radius.
Some of these newer charging handles are available through part sources and I do believe that FN uses the newer handles in the current production SX2 shotguns made by them.HTH

 

[vincentbs1]

9200A1s not for sale

There is at least one other reason you're not seeing many Mossberg 9200A1s on gunbroker.

It could be that people do not want to part with them......

 

[Onmilo]

2 1/2 years later and I still own mine!

 

[TylerPearce]

My standard 9200 is great! I have never had a single problem with it. It shoots anything I put in it.