Mossberg 500E...can't load more than one cartridge

M2 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:49 pm **Posts:** 104

Howdy everyone!

Sorry, this may seem like a dumb question, but I just acquired a Mossberg 500E .410 bore shotgun this afternoon. It is my first shotgun, but I do I own several pistols (SA-XD .45 ACP, Colt .357 Magnum, and a Taraus .38 Special). Please, no lecture on buying a .410 for a first shotgun, I know all about it and decided I would give it a try. Plus, I got a great deal on it!

I do have a question...I bought a box of Federal .410 gauge hi-brass lead ammo for it (3" and 11/16 oz shot), but I cannot get more than one cartridge in the magazine tube! I removed the wooden dowl (the previous owner had not done so...why, I don't know), but I still cannot load more than one cartridge. What could I be doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone may be able to provide.

Cheers! M2

M2 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:49 pm **Posts:** 104

No idea, eh? Neither did anyone in my office. I emailed Mossberg, and got this reply:

Quote:

Thank you for your e-mail. We recommend shipping your complete firearm to us for an examination. Please be sure to follow these steps when shipping your firearm. If there is a fee involved, we will contact you directly for form of payment.

· MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOUR FIREARM IS UNLOADED.

· DO NOT SEND AMMUNITION WITH YOUR FIREARM.

· Remove all accessories from your firearm such as scopes, slings, swivels, mounts etc.

· Package your gun securely in a suitable shipping container; be certain parts cannot shift during shipment.

· Include in the container a clear description of the problem or service you wish us to perform, your complete return shipping address (no P.O. Boxes) and your daytime telephone number.

· Ship via your chosen carrier, prepaid (we do not accept C.O.D. shipments) and insured to:

Mossberg Service Center
1001 Industrial Blvd, Industrial Park
Eagle Pass, TX. 78853

Please record your serial number in your personal records before you ship your firearm to us. Currently our turn-around time is approximately 10 – 15 working days. Please be advised that some repairs can take longer.

So, pretty much a canned answer but probably my best course of action. I took the magazine tube apart last night, and the .410 shells fit in the tube. They also will fit through the loader, so I have no idea where the hang-up is. Eagle Pass, TX is actually only a couple of hours from here, maybe I should just drive down...

Cheers! M2

M2 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:49 pm **Posts:** 104

OK, I kinda feel like I am talking to myself here, but just in case anyone is reading this thread...

The guy I bought the Mossberg from brought in a box of Remington .410 2½" shells in for me and they loaded up just fine. Now, why I can't get the Federal .410 gauge hi-brass lead ammo to work is beyond me, comparing the two it appears the Federal ammo is just slightly bigger--by a hair--at the base of the shell. Can that be the case or are we just seeing things?

Anyhow, now that I know the Remington ammo works, I will just buy that. But this has been a really strange experience...

Cheers! M2

Crack Shot · **Joined:** Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:59 pm **Posts:** 222

Well gee thats an odd problem there. Do you see anything blocking it?

M2 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:49 pm **Posts:** 104

Nope, and for the life of me I can't figure out why the Federal ammo I bought won't feed, but the Remington will. Both are .410 gauge, but the Federal were three inch cartridges versus the 2½ inch Remingtons. But according to the barrel (.410 bore, 24" full choke), it is chambered for both. It is quite the mystery...

Cheers! M2

Crack Shot · **Joined:** Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:59 pm **Posts:** 222

Will not even the tip go in, or it stops at the brass?

M2 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:49 pm **Posts:** 104

Stops at the end of the brass...

Cheers! M2

buckloco · **Joined:** Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:25 pm **Posts:** 53

So did you figure it out yet?

I was thinking(dangerous) maybe it's an odd box of Federals.Did you check out another box?
Just grasping at ideas here and kinda' interested in your progress.

Buck

wb · **Posted:** Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:18 am

M2 wrote:

Stops at the end of the brass...

Cheers! M2

Will it feed if you drop one in from the breech, going straight into the chamber?
In other words will it chamber a round?
:arrow:

Thats always been the way I've fed the first round into my pumps. first one directly into chamber then the next two into the mag.

M2 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:49 pm **Posts:** 104

Well, I did find one solution...I went and bought a Mossberg 500 .12 gauge Persuader... :wink:

As for my 500E, it will load 2½ inch Remingtons into the tube, but for some reason only one Federal 3 inch cartridge. It will chamber that one cartridge without a problem, so I can basically put one in the pipe and one in the magazine, but no more in the magazine. But, as I said, I don't have that problem with the 2½ inch Remingtons. Can't figure out why, but with the Persuader on hand it is not as big of a concern anymore. I am most likely going to hang on to the 500E for my son to use one day...

Cheers! M2

bdln · **Joined:** Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:50 am **Posts:** 1

I realize that this is an old post on the .410 loading problem but here is some extra info...

I mic'ed several shells at the rim after I found two that would not load into the magazine of my Mossberg 500 .410,
Federal #6 high brass (.532") and
Fiocchi #8 Game and Target low brass (.533").

Four other shells loaded with no problems.

Winchester SuperX 000B (.526)
Remington Max 1/2-#6 (.525)
Winchester PDX1 (.529)
Winchester AA HS (.526)

I haven't mic'ed the magazine yet as it is stored in another location but my guess is that the magazine opening is possibly smaller than it should be to run all shells. I also plan on mic'ing some other Federal and Fiocchi to see if I just need to stay away from them. For the time being I'll only buy Winchester and Remington to shoot through this shotgun.

On a side note, I've not found anything that won't run in my 500 12g.

Alexgarcia55 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 22, 2020 3:18 pm **Posts:** 1

14 years after the original post I have run into the EXACT same problem. Mossberg 500 410 bore NIB with federal hi-brass 3 inch rounds. 11/16 ounce of #6 shot. They wont go easily into the tube magazine or the action but i can force both in. Ill find some different ammo for it just as soon as the panic buying ends. Hopefully that will do the trick. Thanks all for posting. It makes a difference!

Side note, I have another shotgun the federal rounds work fine in....

Mossberg 500E...can't load more than one cartridge

Who is online