Uh oh, another Moss Mariner problem!

[Dee]

OK, I just got my Mariner back from the service center today. A few weeks back I had posted some concerns about the Mariner finish coming off inside of the receiver. I called the service center and was advised to send it in, I did so and they replaced the receiver, it was covered under warranty. Got it back and it looks great and everything.

However, when doing some basic function tests, I came across a few problems:

1) I tried loading a shell from the mag tube and the slide gets stuck half way when pulling the forearm back. I have to pull the forearm back very hard to get the shell to chamber.

2) Another thing that I noticed was that the trigger was getting stuck. I installed a Knoxx stock a little while back and the same thing happened. At the time I was advised to loosen the bolt that attaches to the receiver a little and then the trigger worked fine from then on. I loosened the bolt somewhat again and the trigger no longer gets stuck.

3) Finally when dry firing the gun, I realized that the safety switch no longer works. It will dry fire if the safety is on or off.

I am hoping this is simple to fix. I would hate to go through the hassel of sending it in again. Any advice about what I should do to take care of it is appreciated.

 

[Quoheleth]

Did those things all work smoothly before you sent it in? If so, call 'em back and politely demand a paid shipping label and return it to them.

Q

 

[RandKL]

Well, you have several all-related probs there, D. Pretty much user-caused, but let's ignore that for now.

When you switched your stock, the stock bolt you used didn't have enough washers on it to keep it from interfering with the safety....it was too long for the stock you chose and the bolt stuck forward into the path of the safety connector. You then hard stroked it and jerked the trigger to get it to function and that broke the safety connector pin off your trigger hense you no longer have a functioning safety. The trigger wasn't getting stuck, it was blocked by the bolt and you broke it.

You can see the broken part by pulling the trigger group and holding the hammer gently as you pull the trigger. As you pull the trigger, the safety connector, a Y shaped piece of metal, should rise upward behind the trigger. With the trigger pin broken off, the safety connector won't lift thus it can't hit the safety. the result is no working safety.

You'll need to replace the trigger in the trigger group so it connects to the safety connector once more....and it's NOT something you can do so don't even try....and back out your stock bolt and put washers on it. The stock bolt should extend no futher than approx 1/8" into the receiver when tight.

Mossberg does safety work free of charge, so call them again, pack the trigger group up and send it to them.

When you reassemble your gun, before putting the trigger group back in, work the slide and safety a few times and be SURE the parts all work smoothly without bolts blocking them. Only then should you put the trigger group back in.

rich

 

[Dee]

I just dissassembled and re- assembled it, I did not see anything that appeared broken, although I know I am not sure what I may be looking at. This is my first shotgun so I am still pretty unfamiliar with them.

About the Knoxx stock, they sent it back with out the washer. I tried to put a washer in-between the bolt that screws on and the reciver but it won't fit on there properly, there already is a washer on the back side of it.

Randy, are you saying that gettting another trigger assembley should solve the problem? That should solve the saftey problem I suppose. I still do not get why it is so hard to load a shell into the chamber, does that have something to do with the trigger function as well?

 

[52grain]

Take it to a smith. Don't mess around with safeties and triggers unless you know what you are doing.

 

[Dee]

Yea, I think that I may just take it to a local shop and have them check it out and possibly fix it. I really hate sending it out, paying for shipping and then waiting several weeks to get it back only to find something else screwed up with it. :banghead:

 

[RandKL]

That gun is almost indestructible. It has *ONE* easily broken part, the safety connector tab on the trigger, and even that part was supposed to be some sort of upgrade over the original. The original Mossy 500 trigger group used no safety connector. The safety connector was molded directly onto the trigger as a solid steel part of it. It couldn't break.

This is the trigger group. It's a Maverick 88 trigger group so it has the crossbolt safety, but you can see the parts I mentioned.

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=142213589

In pic #1, just right of the trigger, you see the action lock lever. That's the thingy you push to release the slide when it's cocked. To the right of that, you see a black slot extending to the top of the trigger group. In pic #2, you see that slot from the other side. That's the slot the "safety connector" on yours rides in. The safety connector is a Y shaped piece of steel that moves up and down as the trigger is pulled and either hits or misses the safety. The Mav 88 has no safety connector, but you get the idea.

In pic #3, all the way to the right again, you see the safety connector slot from the top....and you also see the tab attached to the trigger that extends into the safety connector slot. That's the part that you broke. That little tab.

On this one here, you see the safety connector sticking up. That part moves up and down as the trigger is pulled. Well, it *should*. Yours is broken.



On this one, you see the safety connector, the wishbone-shaped thing at the middle right, and the trigger with the tab still on it. If you look closely, yours is broken off.



When you stick a too long stock bolt into the gun, and you can pull your trigger group and follow this as we go along, the stock bolt will stick right into the path of the safety on the inside of the receiver. The safety will be forced on no matter where the safety button actually is. You then try to pull the trigger, it appears to be stuck and you give it a bit of extra force....and you get a tiny "click" sound as the safety connector tab on the trigger breaks. It's a common break....yours is a classic example of it. It's the #1, by far, Mossberg 500 repair.

Any good smith can fix it for you. It's trigger group work and on a Mossy, that's complicated, so I'd send it back to the factory if I were you. Be sure to ask your local smith if he knows how to reassemble a Mossy 500 trigger group before you let him have it.

Why Mossberg stopped using the old style trigger with the safety connector built onto it, I have no idea. That trigger never broke. I'm guessing it has something to do with everyone switching stocks starting in the mid 90's but no idea.

richard

 

[Dee]

Thanks Richard, I think I see what you are saying. Do you think that the whole trigger assembely needs to be replaced or just the saftey connector?

Also do you know why the action gets stuck when trying to load a shell into the chamber (from the mag tube)?

 

[Dee]

Also what should I do with the stock bolt? Should I cut it a little shorter? I tried adding a washer but it blocks it from connecting to the reciever. I bought the Knoxx stock that is supposed to fit that model gun, is it common for the bolt to be too long?

 

[RandKL]

Dee, only your trigger itself is bad. That little tab breaks off. But it's a complicated fix to replace the trigger itself in the trigger group. You need to strip the entire trigger group down to do it. It's not something many folks can do. Your best bet is to send it back to Mossberg. They'll send out a new one the same day, chances are. Call them again and just send the trigger group if they tell you.

If it were me on the sticking probem? I'd strip the gun down to the bare receiver, remove the stock completely, too. The only thing you don't need to remove is the ejector and the safety button. Start reassembling it from the ground up and make sure every part works smoothly before adding the next.

Hit youtube and watch a couple of the mossberg field stripping guides. That site is a lifesaver sometimes.

On your stock, with your trigger group removed, screw the stock bolt in til it's tight. Watch it inside the receiver. With it tight, it should stick out approx 1/8" into the receiver on the inside. If it's too long, you'll need to either add washers to it *inside the stock* or cut it down a bit.

Mossberg has two stock bolts, though. One is the long one that came with long, full stocked guns, and a short one designed for pistol grip guns. If your gun had both stocks, you have both bolts. Those two bolts, adjusted with washers, worked with pretty much all stocks. The long bolt won't work with pistol gripped guns, it's just too long, and the short one won't work with full stocked guns, needless to say.

Get your trigger group worked out. Get the stock worked out. Once you do, the gun will last for decades. You just happened to find the ONE flaw in the design early on. Most folks take months to find that.

richard

 

[Dee]

Thanks Richard, I will call Mossberg again on Monday, hopefully I can just send the trigger group in. I'll try and work with the stock a little on the bolt length.

You're right about the youtube vids that did help a lot on disassembly, it would have taken me a lot longer otherwise to get it back together I imagine. Everything seemed to fit back together pretty well and work smoothly, the action is really pretty smooth until you try to load a shell, it wants to get stuck halfway in the chamber but it is not quite as bad as it was at first, maybe it will loosen up a little when I get to shoot it. I do think it is a great gun, I was pretty impressed with how it handled up until now, I agree that once this issue is fixed it will be in good shape for a very long time.

 

[Dee]

I just wanted to pass along that I got my Mariner back this last Friday. They ended up replacing the safety mechanism and also the cartridge stop. I did the function test and the action is now smoother than it ever was when loading a shell, it used to always be a little stiff and sometimes hard to load. It's also nice that the safety works again. I fired 8 00 buck shot loads and 5 rifled slugs and it is working great. I wanted to fire a few more shots but I didn’t want to alarm my neighbors too much more. Mossberg also paid for the shipping both ways this time so that helps too.

On a separate note I was testing out a flashlight clamp and at first I had the light too close to the muzzle and it was blasted off. I later moved the light to be attached from the mag tube instead of from the barrel although I had to make the hole for the light bigger. I seems to work fine now.