Over the last couple months I picked up two brand new 500's and one brand new Maverick 88, all 12ga. On all three the elevator seems to bind, as the bolt moves forward the elevator pin on the left side of the frame gets pulled into the frame and then snaps back out when the elevator overcomes whatever it is sticking on. If I slowly close the action and stop with the bolt about an inch out of battery I can push the elevator down but it is not free to move, it clicks over something and then will not move back up against the bolt without being forced over whatever it is sticking on. I've called Mossberg and they sent out new elevators, shell stops and interruptors for both the 500's but it did not help (actually the new parts in one of the 500's made the action stick at the rear of it's travel).
On my 1980's vintage 500 & 1990's vintage 590 the elevator does not bind or stick at all, it is always free to move and the pins in the receiver do not move in & out as the action is cycled. I've cycled these new guns anywhere from 200-400 times each with no improvement (it actually seems to get worse but that might just be my being frustrated). The guns do seem to function OK, I've not noticed any failures to feed, etc., it just seems like the elevator should not be trying to pull one of the pins it pivots on out of the receiver every time the action is cycled. So, am I just unlucky to get three brand new problem guns from three different gun shops or is this how new 500's operate and I'm being overly picky?