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My faithful workhorse Mossy 500 has finally given me her first problem in over 20 years.

The magazine spring has no pressure, and seemingly is "jammed" in the magazine somewhere. How can I get in there to check the problem and to rectify it?

Thanks in advance,
- Jimmy

Is the tube dented?

Try flushing the tube assembly with brake cleaner - a job for outdoors - while working the follower to try to loosen the spring.

No joy? then a new mag tube assmbly is required.

No, it's not dented.

Do you know how to take the tube end off so I can get the spring and "guts" out?

[quote="PastorJimmy"]No, it's not dented.

Do you know how to take the tube end off so I can get the spring and "guts" out?[/quote]

You don't, you will have to replace it. Try cleaning it first.

I have. It appears as if the plug somehow got caught in the spring about midway down the magazine tube.

Thanks for your help though. I'll have to take it to a gunsmith this week I guess.

The mag. tube unscrews from the receiver. With the barrel off you can usually unscrew one by hand. If not then a padded vice to hold the receiver and some thick leather or rubber to protect the tube and your favorite pliers will unscrew it. I use a strap wrench for oil filters on the solid end.
Take care not to crush or twist the aluminum receiver or crush the mag tube.
The spring and follower come out the end that threads into the receiver.
Remember; Lefty Loosy, Righty Tighty!

In addition to the above removal advice, I heat mine carefully with a small propane torch before I unscrew the tube, right where it meets the receiver. It screws out much easier the first time this way. Hand tighten it when you put it back together and it'll be easy to take apart next time. I remove mine every couple years to clean the tube well. On the New Haven and Westernfield models it is usually necessary to remove the tube to get the forearm off.

I use these http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog

If I have to use heat, then I opt for a variable heat gun - similar to a paint stripper gun.

had the same gun and the same problum,take the cap off the end take the spring out and spray it ,i had it happen a few times with mossberg

It's a Moss. 500-it is not made that way. You have to unscrew the magazine tube from the receiver. There is no other way to access the tube.

NOPE! The magazine tube has a fixed nut that the barrel bolt threads into. To remove that cap would ruin the tube. That's why you can't put a magazine extension directly on the end of the tube on a Mossberg 500 like you can a Remington 870.
Once PastorJimmy has done this one time he will more than likely make it part of a regular cleaning routine as it should be. I pull the tube on all I get in for cleaning and do it to mine about once a year.

Thanks for the help guys. A little pressure from a pair of Channel Lock pliers, and it's free.

The plug was pushed out of the spring midway, and back into the spring a few turns later. The spring was bent all up.

I'm picking up a new one tomorrow.

Got the spring Friday and installed it that evening. Works like a charm now!

My son used it Saturday morning for a goose hunt, and it was flawless.

Thanks for the help to all.

- Jimmy

Jimmy, here's another little hint that can help. My son owns my old 500 and couldn't find the plug for this years dove opener. I made him one out of a piece of 1/4" wooden dowel. But it didn't have the little rubber o-rings on it to keep it off the spring. It then did then same thing yours did. If you take some fine sandpaper and round the ends of the plug just a little it will slide off the sides of the spring coils. That keeps it in the spring and not trying to go through it.

Thanks!

One other tip. Wolff makes great replacement springs.