Tweet
So I decided to replace the magazine follower on my 1987 Mossberg 500 to a high visibility orange one. This shotgun has been used extensively for upland game birds, rabbit, and clays, but not abused nor been in much moisture. Cleaned after every outing and stored inside the house. I'd never had the mag tube off so I read up on how to do it. Unfortunately, mine was from a time when they used some form of thread locker stuff and it might as well have been epoxy. Strap wrench, penetrating solvent/oil, heating with heat gun - all no go. I broke out my gas torch and gave the tube (not the AL action) a few seconds of true thermal encouragement and poof - I could unscrew it by hand. Anyway...
When I pulled out the OEM spring and follower, I saw rust - on the underside of the metal follower where the spring made contact and had worn the finish off the metal; and the spring was completely rusted though the tube was okay. I ordered a new spring, but cleaned up the old one as best I could and reassembled the gun as it serves as my HD shotgun.
I know some of folks consider (any and all?) firearm springs as periodic maintenance parts, at least checking if not replacing them at certain user-chosen intervals, but clearly I've not been among them. With this recent revelation though, I think I will indeed check springs on a reasonable interval, whatever that is, but certainly more frequently than 35 years!
Lesson Learned!
When I pulled out the OEM spring and follower, I saw rust - on the underside of the metal follower where the spring made contact and had worn the finish off the metal; and the spring was completely rusted though the tube was okay. I ordered a new spring, but cleaned up the old one as best I could and reassembled the gun as it serves as my HD shotgun.
I know some of folks consider (any and all?) firearm springs as periodic maintenance parts, at least checking if not replacing them at certain user-chosen intervals, but clearly I've not been among them. With this recent revelation though, I think I will indeed check springs on a reasonable interval, whatever that is, but certainly more frequently than 35 years!
Lesson Learned!
