problem with my "Maverick"

[inthemoss]

I was at the range when a problem arose with me Mossberg Maverick 88. when i would go to load the magazine tube, the Magazine tube follower wouldnt budge. i pressed it with my finger, no luck. so i got my cleaning rod with the fuzzy cleaner thing and tapped it until it would move. after that i got a little weary and set the gun down.

so whats the problem?

i had just cleaned the whole gun about two days earlier and it worked just fine. i cannot take the tube off to take it apart to see what it is. any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Was the follower stuck at the receiver end of the magazine tube, or at the muzzle end?

My constant harping on the major shortcoming of the Model 500 design is due to its lack of easy through-and-through access to the magazine tube for cleaning and maintenance. It is a design flaw that was corrected for the mil-spec'ed 590- and for good reason too.

The magazine tube has to be unscrewed from the receiver to get to its interior. This is not an easy thing to do, and given the receiver is aluminum and the magazine tube is steel, should not be done regularly. Many of those shotguns have their magazine tubes LocTited in place as well, making them even more difficult to get off should the need arise. It may take a strap wrench to budge it, the mag tube is pretty thin and relatively easy to damage- be careful mucking around with it. Damaging the magazine tube turns your repeater into an expensive single shot.

But it sounds to me as if the magazine tube on your gun needs to be cleaned out inside, and properly lubricated. It might not be a DIY job unless you have the skills and tools to do it. If it's under warranty still, that might be a reasonable call.

But if you need a genuinely serious shotgun, and want to stay with the marque, I'd suggest you trade up to a 590...

Hope it works out for you,

lpl/nc

 

[wildfowl]

While you have the mag tube off the gun, replace the plastic mag follower with an aluminum or stainless steel one. They are about $20 and will prevent the problem from happening as easy in the future. There is a plastic mag follower in there now I would bet and they bend and get deformed very easy.

 

[Blue .45]

How many rounds have you put through this gun? I ask because I just bought a new Mossberg 500 and would like to know often I should expect to clean the magazine tube.

 

[inthemoss]

wildfowl- does mossbergs site sell 'em, a website, or do i have to go to a gun shop?

tech4061-This particular one was sitting in a friends closet for a while. i bought it,cleaned it and have put about 150 rounds through it of various sizes. i personally break each gun down after every shot, but 100 would be my limit if i had one.

 

[Texoma]

I have a Mossberg 500 3'' turkey gun.It has had close to 400 rounds of
every thing from 3'' to 2 3/4'' and I have never cleaned it.Works perfect
I oil the inards every now and again but thats it.

 

[Wannagohunting]

I have used Mossberg 500's for years and years.
Contrary to what everyone saysabout damaging something, remove the barrel and place the end of the mag tube(it is thick on the end) in a smooth jawed bench vice and tighten it down,hold by the receiver and turn to loosen. Do not hold by the buttstock,as it will turn.
This is how it is taught by the AGI American Gunsmithing Institute Armorers
Course for the Mossberg 500. I have been doing this for years and never had a problem.
Once loose you can easily remove it for regular cleaning.

 

[inthemoss]

If the tube is locktited, should i use something of the same nature when i put it back together?

 

[darkwing]

I would advise against loc-tite. I use anti-sieze on mine. Personally its safer and easier for me to unscrew the mag tube than prying off the keeper on a Remington. My 1100 shot the sping out while changing barrels.

 

[foghornl]

I had to take the mag tube off of my Maverick 88 years ago after getting "dunked in the drink" on a duck hunt several years back.

Long story short "...Oh, yeah Foggy, right over there somewhere, the creek drops off real fast to about 6' deep..."

Anyway, heat the receiver some right at the point where the mag tube/receiver threads join up. DO NOT OVERHEAT BY USING A GAS TORCH. I use a hair dryer/heat-shrink tubing blower, then soak the threads with penetrating oil...your choice. Repeat. Then use the strap wrench method.

There was more gunk in there than I would have expected, but my Maverick works great after that.