My Mossberg shotgun stock broke like balsa wood!

[Hellbore]

I bought a Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag shotgun a couple years ago. I have only shot it on 2 outings ever, at skeet. I have put about 50 to 75 shells through it. It is in like-new condition.

I took it out of the gun cabinet today to clean it and set it down on the table while I got out my cleaning kit. When I went to pick it up, I picked it up with one hand on the grip of the stock, so the weight of the gun was on the stock. I heard a rather quiet cracking noise and piece of wood fell on the floor. See for yourselves.




I am baffled. I have barely used this gun and taken very good care of it. I have not done anything to the wood, not even cleaned it. The gun has been kept in a gun cabinet or in a padded plastic gun carrying case except for when being shot. It has never been dropped, run over by a car, or otherwise abused. It's like the stock is made out of balsa wood or something. How did it break so easily? :banghead:

Does anyone have any experience with Mossberg customer service? Is there any chance they will help me out here? I think this kind of breakage is utterly ridiculous and indicative of some kind of flaw in the wood of the stock. And I was gonna go skeet shooting Saturday morning

 

[esheato]

Sorry for your luck.

I'm pretty sure you're not going to shoot skeet in the next week or two.

Parts fail, stocks split....life happens. Call up Mossberg, almost guaranteed they'll send ya a new one.

Ed

 

[Hellbore]

I hope you are right. Stuff happens, but with such a new gun? Did I do something wrong?

I have to mention (because I forgot to before) that I have been shooting 3.5" high-power goose hunting shells. This is because I am practicing to go goose hunting. The gun says it is DESIGNED to shoot these shells and the manual says these shells are OK for use in this gun. The whole point of the Ulti-Mag is to be able to shoot 3.5" shells. I am just wondering if the extra recoil caused a fine crack in the stock that separated later.

I compared, and the recoil with 3.5" shells is WAY harder than with 2.75" shells!

 

[vesmcd]

As you noted the recoil of the Magnum shells is much more than the standard shells. It is probable that the stock was not fitted correctly at the factory, resulting in the stock making contact with the reciever only at the very top causing the break you have on yours.I have seen a lot of shotgun stocks cracked in that area. If Mossberg won't replace it, you can use Brownells' Accra-Glas to glue the piece back on, then, using a release agent, use Accra-Glas to bed the stock to the reciever. Bedding might not be a bad idea even if Mossberg does give you a new stock if you plan to feed it a steady diet of 3.5" mags.

 

[esheato]

Did I do something wrong?

I sincerely doubt it.

I have an 835 and I feed it a steady diet of 3" mags for waterfowl hunting and I've never had a problem with it. The gun was designed to handle the big stuff and while the stock split wasn't supposed to happen, it's an easy fix.

Before you jump to any concusions, give the manufacturer a call and then post the update here.

Ed

 

[sm]

Well Phooey, that sucks!

Well an old buddy of mine bought one of those, for waterfowl, granted he really likes running 100/100 at Trap or Skeet with it. Of course he could do that with a stick.

He / we have busted ice with it, it has been over by a Bronco, been swimmimg a few times...it is only a shotgun...

Couple of things if I may. Notice where it broke, see the bolt that runs thru there? Not just yours, the following is applicable to any firearm- Too much oil can and will run down into that area if the gun is stored muzzle up, weaken the wood, and therefore prone to break...even on a synthetic stock.

Use the proper tool that fits the bolt head ( screw or bolt) CAREFUL to NOT 'dig into" the wood. Use a pc of something to keep screwdriver or socket from strying off the bolt/ screw head. Slipping and digging can put a nick/ dent/ split into that area making it more prone to break ...even on synthetic, sometimes moreso.

On a new gun I take apart, I seal the end grain where stock meets receiver, under the recoil pad and inside the hole where bolt runs.

I make sure the lockwasher is there in the first place, and that it is the correct one in the second place...if it don't "lock" I get another one.

I use a very very light film of RIG on the bolt, and the reciever ends- a light film is all that is needed.

Depending on what is handy...I use Johnson Paste wax on metal and wood to protect, A Good Canuba CAr wax on the metal, Paste wax on the wood, or RIG on metal, paste wax on wood.

What I want to do is to make sure ends are sealed where meets metal, recoil pad and the hollow area. Sealing the outside as well. Change in temps, and around here it gets HUMID. Also I have some cushion if shooting in the rain,snow , sleet... let the gun go swimming, humidity... you name it.

I use guns in all weather, I used to really enjoy competiton in rain and bad weather...fair weather shooters stay home, I get the prize monies. Total pouring down rain, with sleet and snow, temps dropping from the 30's, wind at gusting - I'll take a 99/100 and the check...afterwards.I take apart a 870, SX1, Citori...sealed up and still protected.

Oh them 835's make great boat paddles too... my buddy and I have been known to get into some situations...that is where the ducks were tho...

His has not broken, he has been trying for some time now, I assist when can. , I really think the last time it was cleaned is when we did so at the car wash...I'm serious.

 

[rugerfreak]

I thought Mossberg had a 10 year guarantee(or was it Marlin???)----anyway---if it were me-----I'd just get a Speedfeed or Hogue replacement and be done with it.

 

[pete f]

point one the wood dried out and the stock bolt was no longer tight and there was enough play to change the loading on the stock from a compression type joint to a cross grain tension crack. easy fix.

pull off the butt pad, loosen the stock bolt and take off the stock.

using good car wax, wax the end of the receiver, reassemble the lower part with the stock bolt but do not tighten all the way.

go to the hardware store, buy some weldwood recorcinal glue. small can should be less than five bucks.

mix according to directions and apply to both pieces then place the chip on the stock and tighten the stock bolt, wrap the whole thing with a wrap of saran wrap and then using black plastic electrical tape to secure the chip onto the stock.

let dry for two days. then pull off tape and use it. I have fixed maybe fifty stocks that have broken that way, all from haveing the stockbolt tooo loose.

 

[chris in va]

Magnum shells? Here you go.

http://www.knoxx.com/NewStyleKnoxx/Products/Compstock.htm

 

[Fred Fuller]

Check your PM-

That's ugly, sorry it happened to you. It's caused by 'run-out' in the grain of the wood and the orientation of that piece of wood being such that the stock was easy to split where it joined the receiver. While it IS a relatively easy repair, I would vote for replacement. I say that because even if that stock is repaired the same thing on a smaller scale could happen again. Check with Mossberg and see what they say about giving you a new stock, if they won't then buy one on your own and chalk this up to bad luck.

Next time you pick out a firearm with a wooden stock- especially a hard kicking one- be sure the grain of the wood runs vertically through the wrist (pistol grip) area, and not horizontally as in this case. Or just stick to synthetics (sorry, Steve).

Stay safe,

lpl/nc

 

[Dave McCracken]

Lee beat me to it. The fibers in the wood were not continous through the grip area. This happens a lot.

A bit of Acraglass can fix it, but see what Mossberg does first.

On a dedicated Maggie Numb shotgun, one that goes through lots of barnburner loads, glassbedding the end of the stock can protect against just this happening.Ensure the stock bolt has lock washers and bring it up tight but do not overtighten.

 

[Hellbore]

I make custom fiberglass enclosures for car audio use. Can I just use the normal fiberglass I have on hand, or do I have to use this "accra-glass", whatever that is?

Also you guys keep saying "bedding"... Does that basically mean putting a cap of fiberglass on the mating surface of the wood and pressing it together, so the fiberglass molds perfectly to the shape of the receiver, filling any gaps there might be, to spread the recoil out evenly?

When you bed a stock or something like that, do you use fiberglass mat or just pure resin?

 

[Onmilo]

The stocks are Birchwood.
We don't know the conditions the gun was stored in.
High humidity can cause birch to swell and split very easily.

Mossberg will replace the stock.

You might want to request a newer synthetic stock if you can stand basic black.
These a far and away stronger than the birch and my recommendation for a 3.5" chambered gun.

 

[Hellbore]

I can tell you the conditions it was stored in

I have heard a lot of speculation about abuse, oil, wear, humidity, etc. causing this.

None of this applies because this gun was barely used, basically in brand-new condition. It was never taken apart, never oiled, basically I just bought it new and shot it 2 times. It was stored in a gun cabinet with dessicant (we keep dessicant in case any moisture got in the cabinet). However, dessicant is hardly necessary because we are in Arizona, where it is very dry and almost never is there any humidity here.

I think it had to have been a flaw. I didn't have TIME to do much of anything to cause this, the gun was so new.

 

[entropy]

Poor stock choice both on the individual piece of wood and the material chosen for the workload potential. Mossberg uses cheap wood to keep costs down. The fact that you're in AZ didn't help matters much, dry wood is easier to split, right? Couple that with the straight grain right behind the reciever, and it's not surprising that happened. They should take care of it for you, but I think I'd take rugerfreak's advice and get a SpeedFeed stock set, I have them on my 870, and I love 'em.

 

[Dave McCracken]

That's Bedding all right, Hellbore. They even do it on Purdeys now.

AZ is easy on gun metal, barring the odd sandstorm, and rough on gun wood, for the reasons you mention.I'd glass the front of the stock and probably seal the end under the pad to stop water migration and too much drying.

I've no idea if your glass can be used. You may want to post down in G&R.

 

[Hellbore]

OK I just talked to Mossberg and I am not very happy with the results.

First of all, I called the number listed on their web page. The lady was quite rude, when I politely told her I had an issue with a broken stock, she said "Hang on" and put me through to a recording that basically says "Call the following number for our product service center, goodbye".

I called the number and got someone with a thick accent who looked up my serial number and told me it was under full warranty. However, unfortunately I have to remove the stock and send it to their service center in Texas so that they can "evaluate whether it is covered under warranty". I thought he just said it was under warranty. If they decide it is covered, they will either repair the stock or send me a new one. I'm NOT cool with that. I sort of expected them to just send me a new stock, but I guess that was hoping too much. Instead I have to ship it to them at my own cost and hope they decide to replace it and not just glue it back together (I can do that myself!). Maybe I will just buy a synthetic stock instead from some other company and remember not to buy another Mossberg gun in the future.

When I have dealt with other companies about problems under warranty with guns and other expensive equipment, usually these companies have sent me free replacement parts, sight unseen. I am dissapointed that Mossberg wouldn't do this for me. They wouldn't even look at my pictures of the broken stock, they said I MUST send it in.

 

[Red_SC]

This exact same thing just happened to a friend's son's Mossburg. He thought the stock was synthetic because it was the camo turkey edition, until it broke. This was the youth 20 gauge model, and it broke within one box of birdshot. He sent the whole gun back, and they sent it back with a new stock with no hassle.

 

[entropy]

Maybe I will just buy a synthetic stock instead from some other company and remember not to buy another Mossberg gun in the future.

There you go. I can heartily recommend a Remington 870 Super Express Magnum SP Turkey or Goose. 3 1/2" chamber, synthetic stocks, (albeit not Speedfeed, but good, solid stocks), a safety that doesn't break (I fix about 6 a year on Mossys; the only time 870 safeties get replaced is for the oversized one, which I also recommend doing.), and just a good solid shotgun that will stand the test of time. The BPS 3 1/2" is nice, too, but make mine an 870. (I've own lots of different shotguns, but I have always owned either an 1100 or 870 since I was 16.)

 

[albanian]

If I were you, I would call Mossberg back and let them know how you are feeling. Tell them that you are a member at one of the biggest gunforums on the net and people will hear about how you are treated. Tell them that they may lose your business if they don't make it right.

It sounds like they are standing behind the warrenty and I am sure they would replace it if you sent it in. I think they only want to maek sure you didn't cause the break by doing something stupid like like cutting it down or something. I doubt they will waste time trying to fix it because I am sure they have dozens of buttstocks in a bin just waiting to be replaced. It is cheaper for them to replace it than do a quality job of fixing it.

They are doing the bare minium of what they have to do to stand behind the warrenty. It reminds me of the customer service I had with Taurus. Same thing, send it in, send it in, it gets pretty expensive to send a pistol in the mail twice. They couldn't fix it the first two times and I was not going to spend my own money to keep sending it back to them, I don't play that game anymore. Tell Mossberg to send you a new buttstock and send them the pics to prove what happend.

 

[Texian Pistolero]

If you want to be REALLY COOL, you can glue it as described above, and then back that up with the old wet leather thong "mountain man' trick.

Get some leather thongs (or one piece ), soak thoroughly in water till stretched, wrap/apply to stock, and when leather dies, you will have an UNBREAKABLE leather weld.

There's more to it than that, but ask around, and some "mountain man " will give you the finer points.

 

[Onmilo]

Any Texan worth his salt should know the warranty center is located in Eagle Pass Texas.
The accent was German or Mexican, lots of both in tejas,,,,

The synthetic stock would be my choice for a 3.5" chambered gun.
You can buy these from Brownells and while you are at it you may want to purchase a Kick-Eze recoil pad, just the thing for hard thumping scatterguns.

Just what is the connection between Texas and Tennessee anyway???

 

[Hellbore]

Just for fun I glued the broken chip back on, bedded the stock to the receiver, then used fiberglass to reinforce the weak area What do you think?

 

[MikeIsaj]

I was going to suggest writing to Mossberg. When you call a U.S company now, you are likely to be talking to a person in India who is reading from a script. Sending a letter keeps it in the company and gets better results. That is your reward for patience.

However, now that you have repaired the stock, I'd say don't bother Mossberg.