Mossberg 500 issue with snap caps.

Superchief117 · April 20, 2017, 05:29 AM

Hi i just received a brand new mossberg 500 field with the 28in barrel. Everything was working fine out of the box so i tried a snap cap that i have bought and the bolt won't completely close. So i can't even dry fire with the snap cap in but when i take it out and close the bolt everything is fine. I disassembled the whole gun and cleaned it and after puting it back together still the same thing. Im at the point that i think that its the snap caps the problem but i haven't tried with a real round yet so i can't what do you think it could be? i really want to like my new shotgun but right now im more frustrated about it.

Thanks
Eric Dubois.

g.willikers · April 20, 2017, 08:22 AM

Maybe try a deactived round.
Open the crimp, empty the hull of all shot, wads and powder and try that.
The live primer will make some noise, but done correctly it should be safe.
You might want to use ear protection.
Be careful where you aim it, too..
Just a thought.
If that idea isn't agreeable, just dry fire it.
It won't hurt anything.

Superchief117 · April 20, 2017, 08:52 AM

Yeah i figured i would try a spent shell or a deactivated one but i dont have live shells i have to buy some. And dry firing works just fine the problem is when i put something in there because when empty everything works just fine. I contacted cabelas and they told me to ship them the gun back and that they will exchange it for another one because they think its DOA. So i gues im in for a 3 weeks-1 month of waiting to see if the next one is ok.

natman · April 20, 2017, 09:37 AM

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the gun is defective because a snap cap won't chamber. Try chambering a fired shell before you send it back.

**4V50 Gary** · April 20, 2017, 10:01 AM

Take your micrometer to the snap cap and compare it to SAAMI specs. Gunsmiths also use dummy rounds to safetly test the feeding, extraction and ejection of a piece.

T. O'Heir · April 20, 2017, 11:50 AM

You really don't need a snap cap with an M500 for dry fire practice. However, snap caps are not all created equal.
It's highly unlikely there's any problem with the firearm. Go to a range and try it.

Superchief117 · April 20, 2017, 01:12 PM

Thanks for your answers guys im gonna try it with a spent shell after work and mabe try to sand the snap cap a little.

Superchief117 · April 20, 2017, 01:14 PM

T O'Heir so you mean that the firing pin wont be damaged by dry firing it i thought that it wasnt good to dry fire any gun.

g.willikers · April 20, 2017, 02:14 PM

Old news dies hard.
Dry firing only harms a few firing pin designs.
Like hammers with integral firing pins and rimfires.
Most others aren't a problem.
Go ahead and dry fire your 500 away.

MosinNOUGAT · April 20, 2017, 03:04 PM

Maybe it is just a bad brand of snap cap or maybe a defective product? What if it's the wrong gauge/just a mislabeled box? If none of these are the problem, then just try what others suggested and use spent cartridges. Hope this helps.

Targa · April 20, 2017, 05:34 PM

Chamber a live round and see if the bolt closes fully.....don't pull the trigger or your dry fire will turn wet quickly...

Superchief117 · April 20, 2017, 05:41 PM

Haha dont worry i wouldnt pull the trigger with a round in unless its wanted. So i got a box of shells after work winchester super x target load in 2 3/4in and compared it with the snap caps and guess what the part that would be the base of the brass was obviously too thick. So i chambered a live round and slowly closed the bolt and everything went fine. Gonna go try get those snap caps refunded tomorrow. Anwyay a big thanks to everyone here glad to see an active community.

Targa · April 20, 2017, 05:50 PM

Very nice!!

**4V50 Gary** · April 20, 2017, 05:59 PM

Never mind the micrometer. We know it partially chambers. Take you caliper and measure the length or if you don't have one, put the snap cap on a flat surface and an unshot shotshell next to it. If the snap cap is taller, therein lies the problem.

g.willikers · April 20, 2017, 09:57 PM

The cure to the snap cap is obvious.
It's Dremel Time.

arquebus357 · April 21, 2017, 02:44 AM

My take on dry firing is never ever for a .22 rimfire. Never ever dry fire hand guns with an inertia type firing pin.

I have some 30-06 snap caps that are way off. I only use my own dummy rounds ( holes drilled in case) for checking function.

g.willikers · April 21, 2017, 08:34 AM

Ruger rimfires are ok to dry fire.
The firing pins are prevented from hitting the chamber.
Others are, too.
There's no fast rule for dry firing, it depends on the design.

dakota.potts · April 21, 2017, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Ruger rimfires are ok to dry fire.

Maybe new ones are. But I know from experience that it is an absolute pain finding any kind of tool that will fit into the chamber of a 1976 Ruger Standard Auto to remove a massive burr from the chamber due to dry firing.

John 242 · April 21, 2017, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Ruger rimfires are ok to dry fire.
The firing pins are prevented from hitting the chamber.
Others are, too.
There's no fast rule for dry firing, it depends on the design.

... because some Rugers have a recessed bolt face. The bolt face is cut for the rim of the cartridge to sit below the face of the bolt. In theory, the firing pin shouldn't be long enough to touch the chamber area of the barrel.

The reality is that sometimes the factory (or Bubba) installs firing pins that are too long or there's another issue that allows the firing pin to go too far forward. It's not hard to check. Push the firing pin forward, look at the bolt face and see if the firing protrudes beyond the face of the bolt. If it does, depending upon the design, it could strike the rear of the barrel/chamber area.
Here's a cool picture of said problem occurring to a Ruger 10/22 breach face on Rimfire Central.
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=466716

Wow, I haven't been here in a long time. Hello everybody from lovely southern Oklahoma.

April 20, 2017, 05:29 AM	#1
Superchief117 Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2017 Posts: 5	Mossberg 500 issue with snap caps. Hi i just received a brand new mossberg 500 field with the 28in barrel. Everything was working fine out of the box so i tried a snap cap that i have bought and the bolt won't completely close. So i can't even dry fire with the snap cap in but when i take it out and close the bolt everything is fine. I disassembled the whole gun and cleaned it and after puting it back together still the same thing. Im at the point that i think that its the snap caps the problem but i haven't tried with a real round yet so i can't what do you think it could be? i really want to like my new shotgun but right now im more frustrated about it. Thanks Eric Dubois.

April 20, 2017, 08:22 AM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Maybe try a deactived round. Open the crimp, empty the hull of all shot, wads and powder and try that. The live primer will make some noise, but done correctly it should be safe. You might want to use ear protection. Be careful where you aim it, too.. Just a thought. If that idea isn't agreeable, just dry fire it. It won't hurt anything. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 20, 2017, 10:01 AM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,840	Take your micrometer to the snap cap and compare it to SAAMI specs. Gunsmiths also use dummy rounds to safetly test the feeding, extraction and ejection of a piece. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 20, 2017, 11:50 AM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	You really don't need a snap cap with an M500 for dry fire practice. However, snap caps are not all created equal. It's highly unlikely there's any problem with the firearm. Go to a range and try it. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

April 20, 2017, 02:14 PM	#9
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Old news dies hard. Dry firing only harms a few firing pin designs. Like hammers with integral firing pins and rimfires. Most others aren't a problem. Go ahead and dry fire your 500 away. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 20, 2017, 08:52 AM	#3
Superchief117 Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2017 Posts: 5	Yeah i figured i would try a spent shell or a deactivated one but i dont have live shells i have to buy some. And dry firing works just fine the problem is when i put something in there because when empty everything works just fine. I contacted cabelas and they told me to ship them the gun back and that they will exchange it for another one because they think its DOA. So i gues im in for a 3 weeks-1 month of waiting to see if the next one is ok.

April 20, 2017, 09:37 AM	#4
natman Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2008 Posts: 2,607	I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the gun is defective because a snap cap won't chamber. Try chambering a fired shell before you send it back.

April 20, 2017, 01:12 PM	#7
Superchief117 Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2017 Posts: 5	Thanks for your answers guys im gonna try it with a spent shell after work and mabe try to sand the snap cap a little.

April 20, 2017, 01:14 PM	#8
Superchief117 Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2017 Posts: 5	T O'Heir so you mean that the firing pin wont be damaged by dry firing it i thought that it wasnt good to dry fire any gun.

April 20, 2017, 03:04 PM	#10
MosinNOUGAT Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2017 Location: Southwest US Posts: 148	Maybe it is just a bad brand of snap cap or maybe a defective product? What if it's the wrong gauge/just a mislabeled box? If none of these are the problem, then just try what others suggested and use spent cartridges. Hope this helps. __________________ O LA VITTORIA, O TUTTI ACCOPPATI!

April 20, 2017, 05:34 PM	#11
Targa Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Posts: 2,084	Chamber a live round and see if the bolt closes fully.....don't pull the trigger or your dry fire will turn wet quickly...

April 20, 2017, 05:41 PM	#12
Superchief117 Junior Member Join Date: April 19, 2017 Posts: 5	Haha dont worry i wouldnt pull the trigger with a round in unless its wanted. So i got a box of shells after work winchester super x target load in 2 3/4in and compared it with the snap caps and guess what the part that would be the base of the brass was obviously too thick. So i chambered a live round and slowly closed the bolt and everything went fine. Gonna go try get those snap caps refunded tomorrow. Anwyay a big thanks to everyone here glad to see an active community.

April 20, 2017, 05:50 PM	#13
Targa Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Posts: 2,084	Very nice!!

April 20, 2017, 05:59 PM	#14
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,840	Duh! Never mind the micrometer. We know it partially chambers. Take you caliper and measure the length or if you don't have one, put the snap cap on a flat surface and an unshot shotshell next to it. If the snap cap is taller, therein lies the problem. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 20, 2017, 09:57 PM	#15
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	The cure to the snap cap is obvious. It's Dremel Time. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

April 21, 2017, 02:44 AM	#16
arquebus357 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2016 Location: Atlanta, Georgia area Posts: 455	My take on dry firing is never ever for a .22 rimfire. Never ever dry fire hand guns with an inertia type firing pin. I have some 30-06 snap caps that are way off. I only use my own dummy rounds ( holes drilled in case) for checking function.

April 21, 2017, 08:34 AM	#17
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Ruger rimfires are ok to dry fire. The firing pins are prevented from hitting the chamber. Others are, too. There's no fast rule for dry firing, it depends on the design. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”