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Pinned Forend on 500?

GT_80

.270 WIN
I have a circa 1973 Mossberg 500 AB 12 gauge that I cannot get the forend off. It seems like there is a pin under the grip with a spring or something holding it on. Nothing is hangin up on the bars, it is something in the fore grip... Anyone else ever encountered this? How does it come off? I don't have the wrench to get the grip off, but may buy one anyway because I want to change the grip either to a corncob one or maybe make this shotty a tacticool model.
 
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I did some reading online on other forums, and it seems somewhere in the 70’s mossberg did some sort of dampening on the forgrip/mag tube to reduce rattling... it was something like 2 brass pins or something in the mag tube with a spring of some sort... I guess In those models, you have to unscrew the mag tube to get the fore grip off. If that’s the case, I may just replace the mag tube and the foregrip at the same time... I don’t know, hoping others have more experience.

If I get it apart, can I grind those pins off so it’s easier to disassemble? Both my other Mossberg 500’s (a 1970’s vintage 20 gauge and a 1983 or 84 ATP 12 gauge) both have forends thatbslide right out...
 
Yes on early 500's Mossberg used a different mag tube as you mentioned where the mag tube needs to be removed to get the forend off.

Here's a pic of the old style. If you look you can see the rings on the tube.

I would give Havlin a call and buy a new type tube. Havlin (636) 937-6401

old type mag tube.jpg
 
The forend slides onto the action slide this will go onto the mag tube. They should fit.
 
Yours will have a plastic ring inside the crown nut on the front of the slide tube....that keeps the front centered. The back is done with those two spiral rings. Those are called standoff bushings, btw. Without those, your current tube will be a bit loose but it'll work perfectly. OM is right. You can cut the front bushing off and you'll be ok on the disassembly steps. Only probs you might have are rust around the bushing spot but it'll be hidden. A new slide action tube will be dimpled which eliminates those bushings.

Pop your barrel off and see if you can unscrew the mag tube out of the receiver by hand. You'll need to remove the mag tube before you can pull the slide action tube. You can remove the forearm wood without removing the slide action tube, though. It'll fit a standard corncob.
 
Yours will have a plastic ring inside the crown nut on the front of the slide tube....that keeps the front centered. The back is done with those two spiral rings. Those are called standoff bushings, btw. Without those, your current tube will be a bit loose but it'll work perfectly. OM is right. You can cut the front bushing off and you'll be ok on the disassembly steps. Only probs you might have are rust around the bushing spot but it'll be hidden. A new slide action tube will be dimpled which eliminates those bushings.

Pop your barrel off and see if you can unscrew the mag tube out of the receiver by hand. You'll need to remove the mag tube before you can pull the slide action tube. You can remove the forearm wood without removing the slide action tube, though. It'll fit a standard corncob.
I am gonna try unscrewing the Magazine tube tonight. I am thinking though, if I end up replacing it, I may opt for an 8 shot tube and 20" barrel to make it a Pursuader. I wanted to buy one of those originally, but opted for this one because the price was right. Now that I have a 500 ATP (pre-590 or pursuader police model) I may make this one an 8 shot. But, the cheapest I found the mag tube and barrel was like $179. Thats almost what I paid for this whole gun. Maybe I'll just go with a corncob forgrip, and keep the rest the same. I really don'r need to take the grip off every time I clean it.
 
I think the for grip is much longer on the gun and wont accomodate a standard corn cob... I may need to change the mag tube :(
 

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Well, I got it apart tonight. Had to warm up the receiver on the stove burner till the threadlocker melted, then worked it back and forth till it threaded out.

After I got it apart, first thing I noticed the mag spring and follower were very rusty, and the mag tube inside was dry dry dry.

So I’m at a crossroad- do I just buy a new spring and follower, and get my corncob grip and keep it as is, or should I spring for a little more, and get a new mag tube, or go all out and make it a persuader with a 7 shot mag tube and a 20” barrel?

Or do I take my 500 ATP apart, put the 7shot tube and 20 inch barrel on that and make it an ATP8 and use the mag tube from the ATP to fix this one.

Many options...


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I ended up buying a new mag spring, and follower, and the corn cob fore grip I wanted. Since I can take the mag tube off, I will just keep it as is for now, and clean it better. I will watch for a 20" barrel/8shot mag tube combo for a future project :)
 
My parts should be in tomorrow, so I will most likely be doing some cleaning tomorrow night. Numrich had the parts I wanted in stock, for very good price. The best I have found.
 
I've had both good and bad experiences from numrich.

The worst was some FAL magazines.

They looked like the inside of your mag tube. Wet and rusty and the package was dry. I was not pleased.

But most of the time, it's good stuff.
 
I eded up replacing the mag tube on this gun because I put the fore grip from the Maverick 88 on it, and I was rather disappointed when I got the mag tube I purchased off ebay- The ad said "Very good used condition" and had a picture of a mag tube with no bluing wear or any visible damage... What I received was a mag tube with a ton of bluing wear, and was very greasy... I usually have pretty good luck with stuff off ebay.

I emailed the seller, showed pics of what the one I received looked like, and haven't seen a response yet- I plan to follow up with a "item not as described" claim if I don't hear back.

In the meantime, I wanted to get my gun back together, and decided to try my hand at re-bluing something, and the mag tube seemed a good place to start. And regardless of whether or not I did a good job rebluing it, I am still rather unhappy about the amount of wear in this tube, and feel that issue needs to be rectified...

So here is what I received...

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In my opinion, this should never be described as "Good used condition" Is it just me, or does this look like it was misrepresented???? FInish is severely worn, and there is actually a ridge in the tube where the fore grip ended motion when in forward position.


After I reblued it, this is what I have... It looks better after I oiled it with my CLP, and I am still not 100% happy with it, but, we'll see what happens. . I forgot to get assembled pics with the Maverick 88 stock and grip on it, but holy buttery smooth action Batman! This gun runs so fast and smooth now! It was good before, but now, wow!!

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Mechanically, it looks to be in good condition. Doesn't look bent. Threads don't look jinked up.

Cosmetically however, is a different story.
 
I ended up getting about half my money back on it.

I got the gun all back together. When I put the mag tube on, I had to rock it a couple time when it was about 1/2 way in, then it went in fine.

The action is buttery smooth on this gun now, and it’s got a good buttstock from my maverick 88 now.

I know it’s funny I just put the corncob grip on last week, then swapped those parts to my Maverick, and put the plastic stock and foregrip on this one...

Now I gotta decide if I put the side saddle back on...

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