Mossberg 500 magazine tube removal trouble.

[Obturation]

Hey all,

Hope everyone's feeling good.

I have a 90s era Mossberg 500 that I bought as new old stock around 2007. I rarely shoot that particular shotgun, it just sits ready for home defense loaded in my room . this shotgun has literally been fully loaded for almost 15 years, the magazine spring is so weak it can barely push out the last 2 shells. Not going down the rabbit hole of springs losing tension due to compression (this spring has only been cycled less than 100 times in its entire life but has almost no power left- so yes, compression alone weakens springs with no doubt in my mind).

I ordered a new spring and figured it would be no trouble to change out. Not the case. That tube is stuck tight. Before I go caveman on this thing I was hoping one of you experts had a suggestion.

What I've done so far:
Grab the tube with both hands and the stock between my legs and gave it all I had (I'm an auto mechanic and have a respectable grip strength), no go.

Soaked in some kroil, this has never worked for anything in my realm in the past but figured I'd try it even though there is zero corrosion anywhere on this shotgun and it's never been out in the elements. Nope.

Got a 7/16 bolt and nut that threaded into the end, ran the nut up tight and had my wife pull on the wrench while I used both hand on the tube. All that happened was the threaded insert at the end spun . no luck.

I know sometimes there's loctite on the threads and some heat will help, I'm reluctant to do it because I don't have a replacement follower and don't want to do any damage . it's a last resort.

I know I can buy a new tube and just crush this one and turn it out with brute force but before I go down that road I'd prefer to do it like a civilized human.

Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[dfariswheel]

You don't need a lot of heat, not enough to melt the follower. Really warm should be enough.
Get a plumber's strap wrench, one with a synthetic strap and grip the mag tube as close to the receiver as possible.

 

[Obturation]

You don't need a lot of heat, not enough to melt the follower. Really warm should be enough.
Get a plumber's strap wrench, one with a synthetic strap and grip the mag tube as close to the receiver as possible.

I assume heat the receiver from the outside, any concern with the anodizing being damaged from flame or would I need a heat gun?

 

[Jenrick]

Second the strap wrench. If it came installed from the factory they torque them down tight.

 

[Double_J]

I would use a heat gun or small torch and GENTLY warm the magazine tube where it meets the receiver until just too warm to touch comfortably, then use a strap wrench for removal. I take the mag tube off my mossberg every couple years and scrub it out with a bore brush to ensure no gunk clogs it up, in addition to ensuring functionality of the spring.

 

[Kp321]

You WILL crush the tube if you get too aggressive with it, even with a strap wrench. Ask me how I know. All of the suggestions about Kroil and moderate heat are good. The proper place to grip the tube is the far end, it is solid for about 3/4” and will not crush. The last one I removed required a pipe wrench to break loose. I was able to polish out the wrench tracks and cold blue it when it finally came off.

 

[herrwalther]

I had trouble getting the magazine tube off my Maverick 88 (budget model Moss 500). It was being held on with RED Loctite as I found out after I got it off. I didn't have any Kroil on hand so I soaked down the mating surfaces with a more readily available penetrating oil. Strap wrench, receiver in a padded vice, high temp heat gun, and a whole stream of cuss words is the rest of how I got it off. The most important part comes after you put the tube back on after whatever you take it off for. Run the magazine follower a few dozen times empty and with snap cap shells if you have them. Check for binding that could be caused by a pinched or crushed tube.

 

[natman]

Get a rubber strap wrench. They're not expensive. Put the receiver in a PADDED vise. Put the strap wrench on the FAR end of the tube, where the threads for the barrel bolt are. It's supported there, anywhere else is a thin walled, easily crushed tube. If the tube is blued and you can't get enough grip, put a thin coat of rubber cement on the outside of the tube and let it dry. That will give plenty of traction. Remove the rubber cement with carb cleaner. Don't try this on a camo finish.

 

[vkeith]

I have a Revelation pump shotgun (Mossberg 500) that had Loctite black on the magazine tube threads.

I was finally able to remove the magazine tube by heating the receiver where the tube threads in with a propane torch and then using a strap wrench to unscrew it.

Keep moving the heat around and the thread-locker should give a poof of smoke and possibly bubble up at its release temperature.

For Loctite black that temp is ~500°F but it can vary with the type of thread-locker that was used.

500°F sounds like a high temp that could cause damage but in reality as far as steel and aluminum go, it is just getting them slightly warmed up.

There were no signs of any damage done to any of the parts of my gun.

 

[Obturation]

Had a chance to get to harbor freight (horror fright) this morning. Got a cheap heat gun and a pair of rubber strap wrenches . after my weekend shuffle I had at it. In the kitchen under the judgmental eye of my better 3/4s.

I'm into a second issue with this shotgun, I've got a stock on it that I no longer want but the super long Allen wrench required for removal eludes me for now. That stock prevents trigger group removal while installed so I can't take it down...sigh. Symptom of being setup for use over a decade ago and not shooting it much since.

This spring replacent is being attempted with only the barrel removed until I can find the Allen wrench or get another one - sockets won't work as the tunnel for the tool is pretty narrow.

Long story longer, the heat gun worked . it was $16 and a total pos. The cord has to held in a specific position or it won't work- I'll be returning it.

Found a clearish type of thread locker on the threads . had to get the receiver about 180°-200° F
before it came loose . I could still touch it briefly but was uncomfortable, that temperature is an estimate but not smoking or giving off any smells.
Turns out my grip was more than I could get from a rubber strap wrench with the tube wrapped in electrical tape. I'm auto mechanic and have a pretty respectable amount of hand strength.

What did it look like?

Look at that spring!

The old spring is smooshed up and exhausted.
Cleaned the gak out of the tube and cleaned the follower. I expected a plastic follower, thought they were plastic - this one was steel. I bought this gun around 2007 or 2008 used but new in box with pistol grip only. Don't know how old it is but maybe the follower changed over the years.

In any case, the spring is changed with the help of some heat and it's part of the way to being put back into HD use.

Thanks folks.

 

[Alex Clayton]

Glad you were finally able to get it apart. The spring was defective from manufacture. Like ALL mass manufactured items bad ones get past the door. Things like that spring are made in large lots and someone let some slip past the QA. At least now you can make sure its easy to take it down again and see if the replacement starts to take a set.

 

[Obturation]

Glad you were finally able to get it apart. The spring was defective from manufacture. Like ALL mass manufactured items bad ones get past the door. Things like that spring are made in large lots and someone let some slip past the QA. At least now you can make sure its easy to take it down again and see if the replacement starts to take a set.

I'll report back in 15 years on the condition of the spring.
Why do you say it was defective from the start?

 

[Alex Clayton]

I'll report back in 15 years on the condition of the spring.
Why do you say it was defective from the start?

If it is made correctly it can sit loaded for your life and not end up looking like it did. Its a fairly simple processes they use to make a spring like that but, with mass manufacturing bad stuff slips past the QA some times. I have an old 1300 Police model that has sat loaded since 93 when it was gifted to me. Its a safe queen now. Once a year or so I will strip it down to give it a good wipe down and the spring does not look like that bad one did. When I had a couple old 500's they sat decades always loaded and were fine, which is how it is supposed to work. If a spring is made right the only thing that will make it take a set like that is a LOT of use. In any case now its going to be easy for you to check it every so often and make sure. Don't want to need the thing one day and then find out its lost its hold. I have heard of a 500 getting "worn out" from use but never actually seen one. Few will shoot one of these old workhorses long enough to actually wear anything out on them.

 

[Obturation]

If it is made correctly it can sit loaded for your life and not end up looking like it did. Its a fairly simple processes they use to make a spring like that but, with mass manufacturing bad stuff slips past the QA some times. I have an old 1300 Police model that has sat loaded since 93 when it was gifted to me. Its a safe queen now. Once a year or so I will strip it down to give it a good wipe down and the spring does not look like that bad one did. When I had a couple old 500's they sat decades always loaded and were fine, which is how it is supposed to work. If a spring is made right the only thing that will make it take a set like that is a LOT of use. In any case now its going to be easy for you to check it every so often and make sure. Don't want to need the thing one day and then find out its lost its hold. I have heard of a 500 getting "worn out" from use but never actually seen one. Few will shoot one of these old workhorses long enough to actually wear anything out on them.

We keep running over this spring theory, in my universe I've never seen a spring that didn't weaken significantly from just sitting compressed . while there are folks like yourself that are certain that doesn't happen. No need to rehash the topic but suffice to say I've noticed significant losses to every single spring I've ever left compressed . I expect it and simply change them when they get too weak to operate, this one specifically took a little over 10 years before I could actually detect any loss but then it was only another couple years before it was very obvious it had given up.

I think it's interesting that so many folks have such different experiences that influence their thoughts on certain things like this- you seem confident in the thought that springs must cycle to weaken (assuming proper manufacture ) and I sit firmly on the other side as I'm certain they degrade from compression alone - regardless of proper manufacture .

It's a debate that'll likely continue forever, cheers.

 

[Obturation]

I got serious on the search for the annoyingly long Allen wrench to remove the stock.
It was looking like this
That's a blackhawk knoxx stock, it's got a spring in it to absorb some recoil. I thought this thing was the greatest when I bought it over a decade ago. Since then I've matured and find it obnoxious and unnecessary. Beyond that, the trigger group can't be removed without stock removal and it in a way increases felt recoil when compared to a stock with a straighter grip. Kind of counterintuitive but that more vertical pistol grip puts the recoil into your palm . I don't know, the tacticool plastic doodads have lost all appeal to me over the years and I don't want to fiddle with the goofy thing any more.

Dug out the black plastic factory stock I bought separate years ago from a used bin at my lgs. Never installed it but I think it was $10 , too cheap to pass up.
Now it looks like this

Took the opportunity to disassemble the internals and get everything cleaned up.

Took it down the road and fired off 20 bird shot and 20 buckshot to make sure it's all still working and all is well. Finally back to HD duty, I missed having this shotgun at the ready, to me it's still the best HD tool at any price point. Now I've just got to find a tacticool hipster to buy the knoxx stock, I don't even want it hanging around as I'm confident I'll never have the urge to use it again.

 

[Alex Clayton]

I got serious on the search for the annoyingly long Allen wrench to remove the stock.
It was looking like this View attachment 1046020
That's a blackhawk knoxx stock, it's got a spring in it to absorb some recoil. I thought this thing was the greatest when I bought it over a decade ago. Since then I've matured and find it obnoxious and unnecessary. Beyond that, the trigger group can't be removed without stock removal and it in a way increases felt recoil when compared to a stock with a straighter grip. Kind of counterintuitive but that more vertical pistol grip puts the recoil into your palm . I don't know, the tacticool plastic doodads have lost all appeal to me over the years and I don't want to fiddle with the goofy thing any more.

Dug out the black plastic factory stock I bought separate years ago from a used bin at my lgs. Never installed it but I think it was $10 , too cheap to pass up.
Now it looks like this
View attachment 1046029
Took the opportunity to disassemble the internals and get everything cleaned up.

Took it down the road and fired off 20 bird shot and 20 buckshot to make sure it's all still working and all is well. Finally back to HD duty, I missed having this shotgun at the ready, to me it's still the best HD tool at any price point. Now I've just got to find a tacticool hipster to buy the knoxx stock, I don't even want it hanging around as I'm confident I'll never have the urge to use it again.

NICE! That design has lasted the test of time. Still a LOT of them floating around in use which says a lot. Nice old workhorse that works. The stock you took off should be an easy sell on Ebay. Someone always seems to be looking for stuff like that for a 500 as there are so many floating around.

 

[entropy]

Next time, try turning it tighter a little first, the trying to loosen. Placing the action in a padded vise helps with leverage, and you now know about a strap wrench and heat. magnetized screwdrivers with extensions usually work for getting to Allen heads down deep in a stock.

I change the springs on my Ithaca 37 HD shotgun every 2-3 years. I test fire the gun every August at the end of the Trap season, after I'm shot out for the year for leagues. My average score with it is @16; 18" and cylinder bore, I have to hit 'em right out of the house, and my eyes aren't what they used to be.