Help Needed w/Mossberg 500 Magazine Tube

KMO · February 15, 2008, 09:23 AM

I threaded a new, shorter magazine into my receiver on a Mossberg 500 that is usually equipped with an extended magazine. With this shorter mag, my slide will not fit over it properly. It fits over the end of the mag just fine, but this shorter magazine has two "collars" on it with a flat sliding spring that slides between the two collars. I'm wondering if these two collars are soldered on. My extended magazine has nothing like them, just one smooth tube, end to end. There must be a purpose for these two collars & spring, but I don't think they are needed with my slide. Ideas? ...Heat 'em up & remove? What do you think?

hogdogs · February 15, 2008, 09:55 AM

Mossberg has an email addy for tech work. I would ask them as well. I have the shorter 5 round tube and it is smooth as well...
Brent

KMO · February 15, 2008, 10:53 AM

I'll try them. Attached is a pdf photo that shows the problem...

Desert01 · February 15, 2008, 12:20 PM

Looks like it might be the mag tube off of a differant shotgun. None of the Mossberg pumps should have a set up like that on them.
It might be off of an old 5500 gas gun(pre-9200).

KMO · February 15, 2008, 01:08 PM

Now I'm being told (by someone at Mossberg) that my tube is from an earlier version of the 500. My next question to him was whether I could heat the silver solder beneath these 2 collars to remove them. He hesitated, and then said the heat might distort the tube and affect the way the gun shoots. Somehow, that didn't ring true with me since this is only the magazine, not the barrel. His tone also gave away his uncertainty, so he went with the old safe CYA line. Any more advice out there?

Desert01 · February 15, 2008, 01:55 PM

Get a new tube from Brownell's. They are cheap:

631-000-007 Magazine Tube $29.09

KMO · February 15, 2008, 03:21 PM

You're right. Why am I torturing myself?

plateshooter · February 15, 2008, 05:12 PM

That tube looks like it is off of one of the older 500s. You have to put the forearm assembly on it before you screw it into the receiver. (Reference AGI Mossberg 500 Armorer's course)

KMO · February 15, 2008, 07:10 PM

OK, before I put down the $30 to just buy the right one, how does one get the fore end assembly on this sort of magazine tube? I stared at it for awhile & could not see how to do that.

plateshooter · February 15, 2008, 08:58 PM

I haven't watched the dvd in a while, but I am guessing that the forearm is a different one that is used on the modern guns, so your forearm probably would not work with that mag tube.

"Why am I torturing myself?"

I would just buy the new tube and be happy knowing that it is properly put together.

KMO · February 16, 2008, 09:14 AM

Yeah, that's what Im going to do. While I wait on a new mag tube to arrive, though, I'm going to visit my old blacksmith friend (I'm in AZ after all), and see if he can't turn this older tube into a modern tube. I'll bet he can get those soldered collars off without overheating the tube itself. Maybe I can use it as a spare after the new tube shows up...

February 15, 2008, 09:23 AM	#1
KMO Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2008 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 949	Help Needed w/Mossberg 500 Magazine Tube I threaded a new, shorter magazine into my receiver on a Mossberg 500 that is usually equipped with an extended magazine. With this shorter mag, my slide will not fit over it properly. It fits over the end of the mag just fine, but this shorter magazine has two "collars" on it with a flat sliding spring that slides between the two collars. I'm wondering if these two collars are soldered on. My extended magazine has nothing like them, just one smooth tube, end to end. There must be a purpose for these two collars & spring, but I don't think they are needed with my slide. Ideas? ...Heat 'em up & remove? What do you think?

February 15, 2008, 12:20 PM	#4
Desert01 Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2005 Location: Castorland, NY Posts: 545	Looks like it might be the mag tube off of a differant shotgun. None of the Mossberg pumps should have a set up like that on them. It might be off of an old 5500 gas gun(pre-9200). __________________ Pro Patria "For Country" www.pro-patria.us (Material x Training)/Tactics = Mission Success

February 15, 2008, 01:55 PM	#6
Desert01 Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2005 Location: Castorland, NY Posts: 545	Get a new tube from Brownell's. They are cheap: 631-000-007 Magazine Tube $29.09 __________________ Pro Patria "For Country" www.pro-patria.us (Material x Training)/Tactics = Mission Success

February 15, 2008, 05:12 PM	#8
plateshooter Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 1999 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 522	That tube looks like it is off of one of the older 500s. You have to put the forearm assembly on it before you screw it into the receiver. (Reference AGI Mossberg 500 Armorer's course) __________________ Make a hole Last edited by plateshooter; February 15, 2008 at 08:52 PM. Reason: replaced magazine with receiver.

February 15, 2008, 08:58 PM	#10
plateshooter Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 1999 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 522	I haven't watched the dvd in a while, but I am guessing that the forearm is a different one that is used on the modern guns, so your forearm probably would not work with that mag tube. "Why am I torturing myself?" I would just buy the new tube and be happy knowing that it is properly put together. __________________ Make a hole

February 15, 2008, 09:55 AM	#2
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Mossberg has an email addy for tech work. I would ask them as well. I have the shorter 5 round tube and it is smooth as well... Brent

February 15, 2008, 01:08 PM	#5
KMO Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2008 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 949	Now I'm being told (by someone at Mossberg) that my tube is from an earlier version of the 500. My next question to him was whether I could heat the silver solder beneath these 2 collars to remove them. He hesitated, and then said the heat might distort the tube and affect the way the gun shoots. Somehow, that didn't ring true with me since this is only the magazine, not the barrel. His tone also gave away his uncertainty, so he went with the old safe CYA line. Any more advice out there?

February 15, 2008, 03:21 PM	#7
KMO Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2008 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 949	You're right. Why am I torturing myself?

February 15, 2008, 07:10 PM	#9
KMO Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2008 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 949	OK, before I put down the $30 to just buy the right one, how does one get the fore end assembly on this sort of magazine tube? I stared at it for awhile & could not see how to do that.

February 16, 2008, 09:14 AM	#11
KMO Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2008 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 949	Yeah, that's what Im going to do. While I wait on a new mag tube to arrive, though, I'm going to visit my old blacksmith friend (I'm in AZ after all), and see if he can't turn this older tube into a modern tube. I'll bet he can get those soldered collars off without overheating the tube itself. Maybe I can use it as a spare after the new tube shows up...