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Hi there - LONG time lurker - first real post - hoping you folks might be able to point me in the direction of a good gunsmith in the metro area? (bonus points if it is in the northern metro area!)

I have two Mossberg shotguns (one a Maverick 88 and one a 500). I've never been able to take the magazine tubes off either. I would like to replace the spring in one and just give the other a good cleaning. I degreased the mag's with gun scrubber, I let Kroil penetrating oil sit on the threads for 24 hours. I made a "wrench" by drilling a 1.25" hole (tubes are 1") in a length of 2x4, split the 2x4 on the table saw and put 4 screws through it to put it back together. I wrapped an old innertube as tight as I could around the mag until I had built up a 1.25" diameter, put the 2 halves of 2x4 around it and "clamped" it back together with the screws. I clamped the receiver in a padded vise, heated the receiver with a hair dryer until it was way too hot to touch / hold with the bare hands and put significant torque on it with the 24+" 2x4 "wrench" and it still wouldn't budge.

The guns are cheap but sentimental so I figure before I disfigure the receiver or mag I should just pay someone else to pull them off. Hopefully, they wont charge more than the guns are worth!! Any suggested gunsmiths?

Thanks!

Talk to Kevin. https://www.villagepinecustom.com/

Mossbergs use a thread locker that requires a bit of heat to release.

I've never owned a Mossberg, but my 870's you can remove the spring through the front of the tube once the nut is removed.

Same as above.

The Mossbergs I’ve had you could access the inside of the tube just fine for cleaning and maintenance.

Not sure why you would want to pull the mag tube unless it’s damaged and needs replacement.

crbutler wrote:Same as above.

The Mossbergs I’ve had you could access the inside of the tube just fine for cleaning and maintenance.

Not sure why you would want to pull the mag tube unless it’s damaged and needs replacement.

older style mossbergs, you have to un-screw the mag tube to access the spring etc

Thanks for the replies.

Mine are older Mossbergs and although you can insert / remove from he plugs from the muzzle end (after removing the barrel) - you can’t remove the spring or clean it very well without pulling the entire magazine.

870TC - thank you for the recommendation. I reached out to them and was quoted $75 - 150 per gun - which is more than I paid for either. Maybe it is more involved than I thought but I was hoping that someone who had done it before could crack them both loose in 30-60 minutes for less.

I put a call into Osseo. Any other recommendations?

Maybe a little gentle heat and your home made wrench method again?

Or just spray some crap in there, let it drain out and call it good enough at that price point.

Check youtube. There's always someone out there showing you how to do anything you'd think of doing.

BigBlue wrote:Check youtube. There's always someone out there showing you how to do anything you'd think of doing.

Hold my beer and watch this….

Holland&Holland wrote:

BigBlue wrote:Check youtube. There's always someone out there showing you how to do anything you'd think of doing.

Hold my beer and watch this….

HEY - don't badmouth beer drinkers from Wisconsin (where the saying "Hold my beer and watch this…" originated). There was no beer involved when I jumped my dirtbike over a semi-truck at age 65 ............. a little tequilla yes, but no beer.

NOT ME - but similar in a ?controlled? environment.

https://abc7.com/motorcycle-jump-over-6 ... s/1788256/


SORRY - back to original topic.

your removal method is fine, just needs more heat= a propane torch is what I used in the past. Just make sure you don't have a plastic magazine follower or duck plug...if you do- push them up and out of the way with a screw driver or cleaning rod end etc while heating the threads. Sorry, I cant remember what temp the thread locker releases at.

If it is high strength red threadlocker it would be 500*F. "Heat for a minute or two to 500*F to soften the threadlocker".

OldmanFCSA wrote:NOT ME - but similar in a ?controlled? environment.

https://abc7.com/motorcycle-jump-over-6 ... s/1788256/


SORRY - back to original topic.

So the showed the jump but not the landing. Now I have never done anything like this but I would guess the jump portion is not the tricky part.