Shooting a gun without a full forend installed.

[Databyter]

I bought my 590-a1 over a month ago but due to my own stupidity with the paperwork the DROS was not started when I thought it was, and then I decided to trade out the forend for another, which is ordered but still has not arrived.

All this to say. I want to go shooting this week and I have postponed several trips due to all these factors and I've had enough.

I intend to re-assemble my shotgun without the forend and just be gentle when I chamber rounds. I will put some cardboard around the action tube so that it maintains aproximately the same distance from the mag tube.

I have not eyeballed this solution yet. It is just in my mind that this is what I am going to do if I do not receive my horrid 15 day shipping forend from the supplier I chose (yes there was a reason. It was free).

I am just posting this to see if there is any reason I have not considered that would make this unsafe or damaging in any way (obviously I cannot think of any).

The only consideration I have thought of is that maybe the action tube is held from twisting too far by the shape of the assembled forend and if there is any slop I will fill this area with a buffer so that the action assy. is at the right angle in relation to the works.

Other than that, and the lack of comfort I can see no reason why I can't at least shoot some slugs and beat myself up and have fun.

Thoughts?

[prc77]

Wait for the forend, you already nominated yourself for the Darwin award

[shellslinger]

I'm not sure if it'll cause any problems. But, I think its best if you just put on a forearm on the shotgun. It's just that it's kinda weird shooting a 590a1 without its forearm lol.

But if that cardboard stop-gap measure thing you got going there works, then I suppose that'll be good as well, I think?

[Databyter]

Wait for the forend, you already nominated yourself for the Darwin award

Those are some strong words, although your smiley face moderates them and I guess you are just giving me some good general advice.

This is the same advice I have been giving myself for almost a month of missed opportunities to go shoot with friends.

Finally I decided I was being over-protective of the action assy. tube and figured it could survive one day of careful shooting without bending or denting.

Do you have a theory that has to do with function and safety.

Keep in mind that "forends" are just hulls that fit over a shaped metal tube that is in fact the actual action assembly.

The action assy tube itself is small (slightly bigger than the magazine tube it fits over) and ugly, and less wearable from a strength and finish standpoint. But it is fully functional as far as I can tell.

I see no safety issues, but being a very carefull person, especially with firearms I opted for a second opinion.

I do not think I qualify for the award you mentioned, but if you have a safety point I would like to hear it.

[Databyter]

I'm not sure if it'll cause any problems. But, I think its best if you just put on a forearm on the shotgun. It's just that it's kinda weird shooting a 590a1 without its forearm lol.

But if that cardboard stop-gap measure thing you got going there works, then I suppose that'll be good as well, I think?

I'm just dying to go shoot. Not just with my shotgun but with other guns as well. I have waited most of the summer since I shoot in the desert and it has been too hot. Now it's perfect and I want to go shoot at the new target I built and with the new gun I bought.

I can't afford to drive out to the desert every week so I've been waiting for all the guns to be ready and the damn shotgun is holding up my show.

I've got a thousand 40 S&W to shoot and a new armor plate target with a stand I built for it. Also of course clays and shot and slugs to play with my new Mossy.

I'm not only holding myself up but also a friend I go shooting with and we decided that come hell or high water we WILL go this week. So this is my solution. I hope it makes more sense now why I don't want to wait up to two more weeks for a backordered part.

[ojisan]

You mean complete less the front grip only?
If so, it will work fine.
It will likely be rough on the hand, you might want to consider wearing a glove.

[831Shooter]

I would think you could shoot it that way but it would not be much fun..

Sign up for Amazon Prime free trial.. Free 2 day shipping, somethin like 2.99 overnight shipping. Order any one of the mossberg 500/590 forends for around $17-22.. Use it, then return it.. or just keep it for a spare.

They have a VERY liberal return policy. I think you can return things within up to a year or something.

You will have WAY more fun with your shotgun shooting it with a forend attached then a piece of cardboard and worrying about babying it..

[WmWhitfield]

I bought my 590-a1 over a month ago but due to my own stupidity with the paperwork the DROS was not started when I thought it was, and then I decided to trade out the forend for another, which is ordered but still has not arrived.

Are you saying you bought your Mossberg more than 30 days ago and haven't picked it up yet because the seller agreed to swap out the forend for another one? I believe you have to start the DROS over if the gun isn't picked up within 30 days of starting the DROS.

[prc77]

You have not been given the Darwin award,,,yet.
The forend is there for a reason. If you really had to use it (life in danger) with out it. Then go for it. But that is not the case here. Just some fun at the range, your really care "what could go wrong?" famous last words.
Why can't you put the one it came with back on it.

[Databyter]

I would think you could shoot it that way but it would not be much fun..

Sign up for Amazon Prime free trial.. Free 2 day shipping, somethin like 2.99 overnight shipping. Order any one of the mossberg 500/590 forends for around $17-22.. Use it, then return it.. or just keep it for a spare.

They have a VERY liberal return policy. I think you can return things within up to a year or something.

You will have WAY more fun with your shotgun shooting it with a forend attached then a piece of cardboard and worrying about babying it..

Yea I thought about that. The main seller of that part has a strange message on his "store".

The item shows "in stock"

But the store says "this will take 5 more days to process" Which is why I did not use it LAST week when I missed my trip. And now at this point I am expecting the other to arrive literally any day since I find the 15 day delay from the supplier kind of hard to believe.

2 weeks for a little part like that. Really? And as a reminder this is "free" to me and I'm tight these days which is why I have been waiting for this arrangement.

[Databyter]

Are you saying you bought your Mossberg more than 30 days ago and haven't picked it up yet because the seller agreed to swap out the forend for another one? I believe you have to start the DROS over if the gun isn't picked up within 30 days of starting the DROS.

No I started the DROS late because I thought it had been handled over the phone by my private FFL. I did not realize he needed a signature to make it official since we have done business before. But I've had the gun for several weeks now.

I did not need the style of forend it shipped with so I sold it to another Calgunner.. I did not want to take it shooting with a part on it I knew I was going to sell (I probably should have) to preserve the newness of the part.

I was going to buy the Amazon forend but then do to complexities and another story Mossberg said they would send me another forend free of charge, But they were backordered. The part is in now in stock (it wasn't before), but apparently I am at the back of a very large line.

Hope that clears up the whys.

[Databyter]

You have not been given the Darwin award,,,yet.
The forend is there for a reason. If you really had to use it (life in danger) with out it. Then go for it. But that is not the case here. Just some fun at the range, your really care "what could go wrong?" famous last words.
Why can't you put the one it came with back on it.

"What could go wrong" in this case being analyzed by some very smart mechanically inclined people and a Shotgun forum for good measure.

So far other than comfort and looks and durability and toughness of the gun without one of it's protective surfaces on it I can find no safety issues with this idea.

The Darwin recipients I believe do not analyze their assumptions and do not double check with other opinions.

I appreciate that the axiom itself to not fire an incomplete firearm is a good rule of thumb. But in this place I think we are talking furniture and not function.

[tozan]

The whole Darwin award stuff is totally unwarranted BS and shows an ignorance of your gun and mechanism involved. On most pump actions the grip is just that a grip nothing more, something to hang onto and something that fits the hand better. I think Ojisan gave the best advice.

You mean complete less the front grip only?
If so, it will work fine.
It will likely be rough on the hand, you might want to consider wearing a glove.

Go have fun and shoot it...

[crackerman]

Dude if you just need a plastic forend to cover the 7 1/2" action tube assembly to tide you over until mossberg or the seller un****s themselves drop me a PM with you addy. I have one sitting in my parts bin. Use it and send it back would be ideal but you are free to use it as long as you need. No reason to not get trigger time in. I am in the OC so it would get to you in 1 day mailed.

[Databyter]

Dude if you just need a plastic forend to cover the 7 1/2" action tube assembly to tide you over until mossberg or the seller un****s themselves drop me a PM with you addy. I have one sitting in my parts bin. Use it and send it back would be ideal but you are free to use it as long as you need. No reason to not get trigger time in. I am in the OC so it would get to you in 1 day mailed.

Thanks for all the input guys. It's appreciated.

And Crackerman, thanks for your kind offer. I wish I had thought of asking for a loan before. This forum is full of good guys who are willing to help out.

The thing is I am going shooting tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. and probably won't go again for a few weeks.

I have some very hard and thin foam mat used to protect metal parts in shipment and I think I will double wrap the action assy tube with that tommorow. I just want to get some shoulder time and sight the bad boy in (slugs)

Very kind offer though. You're a gentleman and a scholar.