Please Help!! I have blisters, and no more energy!!!

[andrewd523]

My friend just got a Mossberg 535, and we brought it home, cleaned out all the factory lubricant and put it back together. Then he shook the gun and heard a rattle. I figured it was the limiting plug so we decided to take the plug out considering we are going to be shooting clays soon. We read on TFL how to take the magazine off, but it seems impossible. We have used a strapping wrench and that didn't work, and now our hands have blisters and we have gotten nowhere. I am not a little guy, I have a decent amount of strength so for all the comments that would say "go to the gym first", that wont help ;). Please let me know, every bit of advice will help!!! Thanks Andrew

[ebutler462]

FWIW, did you read the owner's manual? There is a phone number that you can call and they may give you relief through a local gunsmith. Won't hurt to try. These tubes are generally fairly easy to remove. Try some penetration oil and let it set for a day or two. Then try again. If that doesn't work, call their cs number.

[paul salchow]

I do it this way, but be carefull.
Put the solid end of the mag tube in a vise, not a padded vise. Smothe face is good but if there is a "v" groove that's better.
Unscrew the receiver from the mag tube, if it does not move use heat on the mag tube only, it could be loc-tited.
Mossburg tubes are not normaly loc-tited but it could have been done at some point.

[Smitty in CT]

you shouldn't need to remove the mag tube to get the plug out....

1) Take the barrel off

2) Point the gun towards the ground

3) Shake the gun around and it should just fall out....

If you have to take off the mag tube, you're going to need to use heat (to melt the loc-tite), if you have access to an industrial strength heat gun, that will work best (be careful if you have a camo finish, though)

good luck,

[Wolf Lies Down]

-
--DON'T PUT THE GUN IN A VISE!

If you can't get the gun apart, do not use terminal force. Take it to a local gunsmith and tell him you're bringing it to him because you don't want to get the gun all markled up trying to disassemble it.

He may or may not charge you anything, but it won't be much.

Wolf Lies Down

[ebutler462]

Never use force when working on a gun. I agree with the advice to take it to a smith. Most smiths will do this for a minimal charge or no fee at all.

Personally, I never take my plug out. If I can't hit with three shots, I sure won't hit with the rest of the magazine. It surely saves the magazine spring from taking a set.

[andrewd523]

Thanks for the great advice thus far. I do not have a camo finish, it is just the basic matte. I will try using heat, and if that doesn't work, it looks the local smith will be the next option. "just shake it", I don't think there is any hole for the rod to fall through it is closed, so I don't think that will work. And the last comment, "If I can't hit the clay with three shots I shouldn't do it at all". 100% AGREED!!! However when there are five targets in the air, and I only have 3 rounds, I am guaranteed to miss two. That makes my stats lower. Keep the advice coming, thanks. Andrew

[Smitty in CT]

..."just shake it", I don't think there is any hole for the rod to fall through it is closed, so I don't think that will work.

The "hole" is where the barrel attaches, when you take the barrel off there is a threaded hole where the barrel "screw" goes into at the end of the mag tube.... That's the hole where the dowel plug will fall out.

[andrewd523]

I gotta hand it to you Smitty, your idea out of everyone else's worked!!! Thanks for the advice. Andrew