Mossberg 500 spring change problem

mikenbarb · April 28, 2008, 07:30 AM

I have a 1985 Mossberg 500 and am trying to replace the magazine tube spring. I have heated the thread end a little with a heat gun but it wont seem to want to break loose. I inserted a wooden dowel so I wont crush the tube and I am getting a good amount of pressure with a strap wrench but it wont budge. Does anyone know any other trick to get this thing apart without damaging the tube?? If I hit it with a brass hammer with a piece of wood over the cap end will it damage the reciever tube threads. Or would it be better to put some dry ice in it to try to shrink a little?

Slopemeno · April 28, 2008, 09:17 AM

Heres how I did mine...

Clamp the receiver gently in some non-marring jaws in the vice. Wrap a piece of sheet brass or leather around the far end of the mag tube (the end with the threaded hole that the barrel retention screw goes into, since it has a solid piece of metal in it). Clamp a pair of vice grips around the end with the leather or brass sheet in the vice grip jaws, and twist- mine came right off.

If the tube is reluctant, use the heat gun on the junction of the receiver and mag tube. If the brass marks the blued steel, wipe it with a rag wet with Break-Free and the brass marks should come off. It's pretty easy- just avoid damaging the tube.

mikenbarb · April 28, 2008, 04:43 PM

I have tried both and it wont budge.

Dfariswheel · April 28, 2008, 08:14 PM

Double post.

Dfariswheel · April 28, 2008, 08:16 PM

The entire magazine tube unscrews from the receiver.
Later Model 500 tubes are Loctited in.

Try unscrewing the tube without heat first.
Grab the tube with a synthetic strap wrench AS close to the receiver as possible and unscrew it.

If the tube won't budge, heat the rear end and receiver area to NO MORE then about 300 degrees.
DO NOT OVER HEAT, you'll damage the plastic follower.
You just want to warm the metal until the Loctite starts to break down.

DO NOT start beating on the tube or trying to grab it with tools, you'll only ruin it.

Try putting some penetrating fluid like Kroil around the threads and letting it soak overnight, then warm it again.
If you simply can't get it to unscrew, send it in to Mossberg rather then ruin it.

mikenbarb · April 29, 2008, 07:19 AM

Dfarriswheel, I know i did a double post. The first was how to take it apart and this one is because it wont come apart. Im going to get out the heat gun and tempil sticks today and give it another go. If it dont break free im gonna have to da relief cut. But im also gonna try and shrink it with dry ice before I start cutting. Is there a way to delet your own post so I can remove the other one on same subject?

mikenbarb · May 3, 2008, 10:27 PM

I solved the problem with the sticky tube after beating my head on table a few times. I packed the reciever tube end with dry ice on inside and hit the reciever on the outside a little with a heat gun and the tube broke loose with little effort. The inside threads were caked with corrosion and locktite. Seems someone at the factory got locktite happy one day. I put a good corrosion cleaner on it and hit with brass brush and it cleaned up great and threaded in without a problem. I used 2 drops of blue locktite when I put back together. I didnt even mess up the tube at all.

Thanks everyone.

April 28, 2008, 07:30 AM	#1
mikenbarb Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 1,111	Mossberg 500 spring change problem I have a 1985 Mossberg 500 and am trying to replace the magazine tube spring. I have heated the thread end a little with a heat gun but it wont seem to want to break loose. I inserted a wooden dowel so I wont crush the tube and I am getting a good amount of pressure with a strap wrench but it wont budge. Does anyone know any other trick to get this thing apart without damaging the tube?? If I hit it with a brass hammer with a piece of wood over the cap end will it damage the reciever tube threads. Or would it be better to put some dry ice in it to try to shrink a little? __________________ Mike B. Gun control= Being able to hit your target. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pifinnercircle

April 28, 2008, 04:43 PM	#3
mikenbarb Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 1,111	I have tried both and it wont budge. __________________ Mike B. Gun control= Being able to hit your target. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pifinnercircle

April 29, 2008, 07:19 AM	#6
mikenbarb Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 1,111	Dfarriswheel, I know i did a double post. The first was how to take it apart and this one is because it wont come apart. Im going to get out the heat gun and tempil sticks today and give it another go. If it dont break free im gonna have to da relief cut. But im also gonna try and shrink it with dry ice before I start cutting. Is there a way to delet your own post so I can remove the other one on same subject? __________________ Mike B. Gun control= Being able to hit your target. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pifinnercircle

May 3, 2008, 10:27 PM	#7
mikenbarb Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2007 Location: N.J. Posts: 1,111	Problem solved! I solved the problem with the sticky tube after beating my head on table a few times. I packed the reciever tube end with dry ice on inside and hit the reciever on the outside a little with a heat gun and the tube broke loose with little effort. The inside threads were caked with corrosion and locktite. Seems someone at the factory got locktite happy one day. I put a good corrosion cleaner on it and hit with brass brush and it cleaned up great and threaded in without a problem. I used 2 drops of blue locktite when I put back together. I didnt even mess up the tube at all. Thanks everyone. __________________ Mike B. Gun control= Being able to hit your target. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pifinnercircle

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April 28, 2008, 09:17 AM	#2
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	Heres how I did mine... Clamp the receiver gently in some non-marring jaws in the vice. Wrap a piece of sheet brass or leather around the far end of the mag tube (the end with the threaded hole that the barrel retention screw goes into, since it has a solid piece of metal in it). Clamp a pair of vice grips around the end with the leather or brass sheet in the vice grip jaws, and twist- mine came right off. If the tube is reluctant, use the heat gun on the junction of the receiver and mag tube. If the brass marks the blued steel, wipe it with a rag wet with Break-Free and the brass marks should come off. It's pretty easy- just avoid damaging the tube.

April 28, 2008, 08:14 PM	#4
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Double post.

April 28, 2008, 08:16 PM	#5
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	The entire magazine tube unscrews from the receiver. Later Model 500 tubes are Loctited in. Try unscrewing the tube without heat first. Grab the tube with a synthetic strap wrench AS close to the receiver as possible and unscrew it. If the tube won't budge, heat the rear end and receiver area to NO MORE then about 300 degrees. DO NOT OVER HEAT, you'll damage the plastic follower. You just want to warm the metal until the Loctite starts to break down. DO NOT start beating on the tube or trying to grab it with tools, you'll only ruin it. Try putting some penetrating fluid like Kroil around the threads and letting it soak overnight, then warm it again. If you simply can't get it to unscrew, send it in to Mossberg rather then ruin it.