mossberg maverick stuck dowel HELP!!

gear_head_engineer · July 4, 2005, 02:21 PM

I bought a mossberg maverick 88 to use for fun and home defense. Anyway, the restrictor dowel that is supposed to be inside the spring is between the side of the spring and the cartridge tube holder, making it impossible to remove, and causing the spring to bind up.

Do I have any options besides sending it back to Mossberg? Is it possible to take the tube off? The exploded views look like it is threaded into the reciever but I couldn't budge it. Maybe its pressed in?? Thanks in advance for any help!!

mikikanazawa · July 6, 2005, 12:33 AM

The magazine tube unscrews. It's really hard to remove. On the first attempt removing the mag tube from mine I ended up scratching it. I have since come up with a better method.

Get two short lengths of 2x4 or even 1x1 wood. Stack them up (like cards) and drill through them so you can put bolts through and bolt them together tight. Drill another hole between the two pieces of wood so that you have half the hole in one piece and the other half in the other piece. That's your barrel/mag tube wrench.

If the description's not clear, go to brownells.com and search for a barrel vise, then recreate in wood.

foghornl · July 7, 2005, 01:45 PM

Another option for the barrel wrench is to buy a "strap wrench" from Ridgid Tools or Craftsman (Sears).

Also, the first time you take out the mag tube, it is really tight...may have some bonding agent like lok-tite in the threads.

You can use a hot-air gun/blow dryer to help out. One word of caution, you CAN use a propane/MAPP-Gas torch to GENTLY heat the threaded area. DO NOT HEAT TO GLOWING CHERRY RED. You WILL wreck the mag tube if you get it that hot. Never mind HOW I know, I just know . . .

Also, if you use the strap wrench method, just grip the mag tube near the end where the barrel attachment bolt goes in, or you may bend the mag tube.

How I finally got mine loose was by the thermal cycle method...heated up with hot-air gun [used for heat-shrink tubing & stuff], then spraying the mag-tube receiver junction with a bunch of penetrating oil...wipe off excess oil, re-heat, more Pen-oil repeat finally got it loose with the strap-wrench.

gear_head_engineer · July 9, 2005, 01:09 AM

thanks for the replies gentlemen, I was thinking about those strap wrenches too...
No special tool or gunsmith required..
I just clamped it between 2 2X4 blocks and gently clamped down until I got enough torque to break it loose. No damage to the tube whatsoever. Anyway, ordered a new spring since mine binds a little. $5 is better than giving my gun back to mossberg for a month or more!!

TheCaptain · June 6, 2007, 03:49 AM

I could have posted this exact thing about my brand new Mossberg Model 88. The internet rocks... Sad though that this thread is almost 2 years old and they're still screwing up the insertion of a wooden dowel???

1) My spring is also damaged and binding... Where did you get the spring? I'm sure I can get it through Mossberg (and it better be free if I have to work on a brand new gun that's never even been fired...) but if it's something I can get locally I'd rather just pick one up.

2) Are you talking about the 'Chain Style' clamp wrenches? I have one (I'm a car guy) and was afraid I would damage the tube with it. Is this the kind of clamp wrench you are talking about?

Thanks,
The Captain

SCREAMIII2006 · June 6, 2007, 01:39 PM

el capitan:

2*I dont think they were talking about the chain wrench you mentioned-
There is one with fabric that should not damage the tube.
I think the easiest is to put it in a vise with wood as thick as will fit in your vise.

TheCaptain · June 6, 2007, 06:43 PM

Thanks Man!

I happened to be at the mall today and spent the whopping $5 on a strap wrench with a rubber strap, and I would have never believed it if I hadn't done it myself, but it certainly did work. I was more confident in the wood and vise method, but burned all my scrap wood to stay warm this winter when I lost my furnace!!!

I'm sure either way would work fine. Generally when something gets in my vise though, it ends up destroyed. (I have a problem with abusing power...

)

I was also, very slowly and carefully, able to straighten out my spring... luckily it hasn't been that long since I untangled a Slinky!!!

Cheers,
The Captain

cloudcroft · June 6, 2007, 09:21 PM

I bent my mag tube taking it off, but once I got the new one I did NOT put any epoxy on the tube threads as the factory did so I could EASILY remove the tube for cleaning in the future. I really hate it when parts don't come off so you can do a thorough cleaning...and you don't know how they are held on. You really can't clean the mag tube very completely when it is on the gun and the spring is in it.

I should have tried heating it but didn't know what they used to lock it in with.

-- John D.

July 4, 2005, 02:21 PM	#1
gear_head_engineer Junior Member Join Date: July 4, 2005 Posts: 2	mossberg maverick stuck dowel HELP!! I bought a mossberg maverick 88 to use for fun and home defense. Anyway, the restrictor dowel that is supposed to be inside the spring is between the side of the spring and the cartridge tube holder, making it impossible to remove, and causing the spring to bind up. Do I have any options besides sending it back to Mossberg? Is it possible to take the tube off? The exploded views look like it is threaded into the reciever but I couldn't budge it. Maybe its pressed in?? Thanks in advance for any help!!

July 7, 2005, 01:45 PM	#3
foghornl Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,354	Another option for the barrel wrench is to buy a "strap wrench" from Ridgid Tools or Craftsman (Sears). Also, the first time you take out the mag tube, it is really tight...may have some bonding agent like lok-tite in the threads. You can use a hot-air gun/blow dryer to help out. One word of caution, you CAN use a propane/MAPP-Gas torch to GENTLY heat the threaded area. DO NOT HEAT TO GLOWING CHERRY RED. You WILL wreck the mag tube if you get it that hot. Never mind HOW I know, I just know . . . Also, if you use the strap wrench method, just grip the mag tube near the end where the barrel attachment bolt goes in, or you may bend the mag tube. How I finally got mine loose was by the thermal cycle method...heated up with hot-air gun [used for heat-shrink tubing & stuff], then spraying the mag-tube receiver junction with a bunch of penetrating oil...wipe off excess oil, re-heat, more Pen-oil repeat finally got it loose with the strap-wrench. __________________ Load your weapons and 'Stand Ready'. It will be a bumpy ride.

July 9, 2005, 01:09 AM	#4
gear_head_engineer Junior Member Join Date: July 4, 2005 Posts: 2	thanks thanks for the replies gentlemen, I was thinking about those strap wrenches too... No special tool or gunsmith required.. I just clamped it between 2 2X4 blocks and gently clamped down until I got enough torque to break it loose. No damage to the tube whatsoever. Anyway, ordered a new spring since mine binds a little. $5 is better than giving my gun back to mossberg for a month or more!!

June 6, 2007, 01:39 PM	#6
SCREAMIII2006 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2007 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 201	el capitan: 2*I dont think they were talking about the chain wrench you mentioned- There is one with fabric that should not damage the tube. I think the easiest is to put it in a vise with wood as thick as will fit in your vise. __________________ Better to be judged by 12,then carried by 6...

July 6, 2005, 12:33 AM	#2
mikikanazawa Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2004 Posts: 449	The magazine tube unscrews. It's really hard to remove. On the first attempt removing the mag tube from mine I ended up scratching it. I have since come up with a better method. Get two short lengths of 2x4 or even 1x1 wood. Stack them up (like cards) and drill through them so you can put bolts through and bolt them together tight. Drill another hole between the two pieces of wood so that you have half the hole in one piece and the other half in the other piece. That's your barrel/mag tube wrench. If the description's not clear, go to brownells.com and search for a barrel vise, then recreate in wood.

June 6, 2007, 03:49 AM	#5
TheCaptain Junior Member Join Date: June 6, 2007 Posts: 2	I could have posted this exact thing about my brand new Mossberg Model 88. The internet rocks... Sad though that this thread is almost 2 years old and they're still screwing up the insertion of a wooden dowel??? 1) My spring is also damaged and binding... Where did you get the spring? I'm sure I can get it through Mossberg (and it better be free if I have to work on a brand new gun that's never even been fired...) but if it's something I can get locally I'd rather just pick one up. 2) Are you talking about the 'Chain Style' clamp wrenches? I have one (I'm a car guy) and was afraid I would damage the tube with it. Is this the kind of clamp wrench you are talking about? Thanks, The Captain

June 6, 2007, 06:43 PM	#7
TheCaptain Junior Member Join Date: June 6, 2007 Posts: 2	Thanks Man! I happened to be at the mall today and spent the whopping $5 on a strap wrench with a rubber strap, and I would have never believed it if I hadn't done it myself, but it certainly did work. I was more confident in the wood and vise method, but burned all my scrap wood to stay warm this winter when I lost my furnace!!! I'm sure either way would work fine. Generally when something gets in my vise though, it ends up destroyed. (I have a problem with abusing power... ) I was also, very slowly and carefully, able to straighten out my spring... luckily it hasn't been that long since I untangled a Slinky!!! Cheers, The Captain

June 6, 2007, 09:21 PM	#8
cloudcroft Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2006 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 565	I bent my mag tube taking it off, but once I got the new one I did NOT put any epoxy on the tube threads as the factory did so I could EASILY remove the tube for cleaning in the future. I really hate it when parts don't come off so you can do a thorough cleaning...and you don't know how they are held on. You really can't clean the mag tube very completely when it is on the gun and the spring is in it. I should have tried heating it but didn't know what they used to lock it in with. -- John D.