New Mossberg 464 SPX

[Best4x4]

I've always wanted a lever action rifle ever since my dad bought a beautiful 44/40 rifle years and years ago.

I came across the Mossberg 464 SPX and I found it unique with the ATI stock and rail setup on the forward grip. I read the reviews and they seemed mixed. I went ahead and bought one locally and couldn't wait to get my hands on it and shoot it (it's the newer style with the smaller front rails).

I wiped it down and cleaned/lubed it before taking it out to shoot. First 3 rounds went smoothly, then it wouldn't chamber a round. Give the rifle a slap and it would feed a round to be chambered. I then got another 6 rounds through it with some fighting (like the reviews said), and I took it back inside to inspect.

I figured the feed tube might have some grease in it so I removed the end cap and removed the spring. To my surprise the follower would not just slide out..... I had to get a small piece of flexible wire and bang it out.

It was kinda rough so I smoothed it out, and I applied a small bit of lube into the feed tube. I loaded it back up, and took it shooting again. This time it was the exact same if not worse. So I went back inside and when I tried to remove the end cap on the feed tube I noticed the actual feed tube had moved forward by as much as 1/8 of an inch and it was sitting up against the muzzle break.

I gently tapped into back into position, and tightened down the barrel clamp, and the forward grip clamp (both of which were nearly finger tight). I then ran a 223 bore cleaner with a rag attached to it, and I got all kinds of goo and what appeared to be rust out of the feed tube. I then put it all back together and took it out to shoot again. This time I had no feed issues, and it cycled nice and smooth.

I love the 464 SPX, but Mossberg needs to step up their quality control. I have no problem with breaking in a gun, but it basically was falling apart after just 12 rounds.... I've also heard from several people that breaking down the rifle (as I did voids my warranty) and I find that to be nuts..

Has anyone else had issues with the feed tube coming loose like that? I'm pretty sure that will never happen again, but now my barrel/feed tube have lovely scratch marks on them from it sliding free on it's own.

Also I found a SS follower and I think it's a good idea vs that plastic follower that appears to be to tight in the feed tube and I can just see it swelling or sticking after the rifle gets warm.

Any tips/tricks on the 464 and getting it setup to operate smoothly/reliably would be truly appreciated.

 

[CaddmannQ]

So far my tube has not come loose, but I had exactly the same issue with my 464 Mariner carbine.

I took out the end cap and spring, and fed rounds into the loading port until they finally popped out the other end.

Also my new Henry .357 lever gun, (and another used tube fed gun that I bought) had rather rusty tubes inside.

The new ones both came from the factory with rust in the mag tube. In fact I have bought probably 10 guns in the past 12 months and almost every one that wasn't stainless had some rust in side it when I bought it.

My new Henry .22 lever gun was remarkably rust-free when I got it, but the little bit it had was (you guessed it) inside the mag tube.

I reamed them all out with oiled wire brushes and an electric drill motor, then I patched them out & coated them with anti-corrosion oil.

The Mossberg plastic follower is a problem because it swells up from Heat and solvent/oil, and gets stuck, even when the tube is perfectly clean

The stainless follower seems to be a good solution but for the time being I have taken my plastic follower and trimmed it down so that it doesn't swell. There was a notch molded into the plastic and I trimmed the skirt off until that notch was gone.

 

[Best4x4]

Yeah I saw that odd notch. I'm gonna grab that SS Follower as it's only 30.00 and it shouldn't swell up. I had some similar issues with my KelTec KSG and the followers, but they weren't nearly as sticky as the 464's.

If I dropped an empty shell casing thru the feed tube it was fine. Try to drop the follower into the feed tube and it would maybe go 1.5 inches either way before it refused to slide and it took some decent pressure to break it free (just like tapping the side of the rifle). I'm pretty sure all my issues with feeding are follower related. From what I've read everyone with the SS Follower reports no more issues.

Overall I like the 464 and the issues are small enough to address and correct. However Mossberg does need to learn how to torque down their screws and use plastic that doesn't swell up from heat/solvents or use at least an aluminum/SS follower. Once a round does make it into the chamber it goes bang every time.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Well I have a feeling that as you own this gun it's other warts will start to show themselves. They all seem to have some.

Mine had other issues because of the MarineCote finish, but most of that was solved by polishing the action.

I didn't buy the stainless follower because it's something I can make myself for free.

I haven't done it yet because, I've had other guns to work on and also other issues in daily life that have kept me busy.

I have a stainless bolt that's just the right size, and I might cut that up for a follower.