Mossberg 930 SPX

[Ralston]

Looking into a Mossberg SPX without the pistol grip. I currently don't own a semi auto shotgun and this one has caught my eye. The price of a Benelli M4 keeps me from owning a Benelli M4. Looking for a review from someone here who may have one. I hear they don't do well extracting low brass rounds and bird shot. That doesn't seem to be an issue for me. I plan on using it for home defense.

[gschoelles]

The Benelli is a fun shotgun, but it doesn't get along with Side Saddle Ammo Carriers which I prefer on my Defensive Shotguns. My 930 SPX has been flawless after polishing out the chamber with Mothers and a 1" cotton Dremel wheel. Further, the SPX is easier to download and perform tactical loading operations than the Benelli IMHO.

[jkgts1]

I've had my SPX for a few years and I shoot cheap Wally world bird through it all day, never even hicups. It's a good value shotgun.

[ChrisZ]

I have a 930 JM pro, just another 930 but configured a little differently. Mine shoots bird shot with no issue (1 1/8 load, 1200FPS). In my opinion, it's a great gun. Of course, I have no experience with benellis, but I heard good things about them.

[prob]

I've had my SPX for a few years and I shoot cheap Wally world bird through it all day, never even hicups. It's a good value shotgun.

Lucky you. No such luck for me. I have one and have found it to be very picky with inexpensive ammunition. That said, it'll shoot the expensive slugs, buckshot, and heavy field loads all day long. And that's fine - as long as you don't mind spending a buck every time you pull the trigger.

I've seen videos of the 930 performing flawlessly with all types of shotgun shells, but the bottom line is that it's a crap shoot. You might get a good one or you might not.

Frankly, based on my experience with the gun and its lack of reliability with cheap ammunition, I can't recommend it.

[Ralston]

Lucky you. No such luck for me. I have one and have found it to be very picky with inexpensive ammunition. That said, it'll shoot the expensive slugs, buckshot, and heavy field loads all day long. And that's fine - as long as you don't mind spending a buck every time you pull the trigger.

I've seen videos of the 930 performing flawlessly with all types of shotgun shells, but the bottom line is that it's a crap shoot. You might get a good one or you might not.

Frankly, based on my experience with the gun and its lack of reliability with cheap ammunition, I can't recommend it.

Is Mossberg good about fixing issues that come up with their products? I own nothing Mossberg at this time so I don't know.

I appreciate the responses guys. It sounds like from everything I've been reading online and seeing on YouTube it's kind of a crapshoot if you get a good one or not.

[CJfever]

I have a Beretta model 1200FP for sale!

[tmh1]

... but the bottom line is that it's a crap shoot. You might get a good one or you might not.

Frankly, based on my experience with the gun and its lack of reliability with cheap ammunition, I can't recommend it.

I agree with you completely. I have a 930 (not specifically the SPX, but 930's are all the same design) and it too is very ammo picky. And not specifically based on high/low price, or even high/low recoil types. I have found a few types of ammo which it will use flawlessly (some high brass, some low), but other types/brands run 30%+ FTE.

Mossberg consistency/quality is just too spotty these days. You are better off spending more and being sure to get a 100% running gun from the start, especially if you are planning on using it for home defense.

And those 930 SPX's are not cheap guns - don't they run something like $625? I also have an ATI SA shotgun, which is ammo picky and doesn't have much of an ability to be modified. But I don't mind those attributes in that gun since I paid just under $300 new for it (and you get what you pay for). For that gun I figured out what ammo it was reliable with, and just have that particular brand/type of ammo stored with the gun. But for over 6 bills I expected more out of the Mossberg 930.

Something I can HIGHLY recommend is a Beretta 1301. I bought the shorter barreled Competition model, and it has been 100% with everything from day one. No fiddling, no honing the chamber, no crap like was necessary with the Mossberg (and it still doesn't run as well). And now Beretta has the 1301 Tactical available, which will run you 1/3 again as much as the 930 SPX, but is WELL WORTH IT!

The only problem I have had with the Beretta shotguns is that they are so good you are almost forced to buy additional models. I also bought an A300 Outlander for sport/clays and it performs just as well as my 1301.

Link to an in-stock 1301 Tactical:

http://grabagun.com/beretta-1301-tact-12-18-5-bl-sy-5-1-3.html

EDIT: Note that the Beretta 1301's also come STOCK with some of the things you need on a home defense SA shotgun: Enlarged charging handle, bolt release and safety. All things you will pay extra for when trying to upgrade your 930 from stock. And for SA shotguns, I never try to use any of the bolt-on ammo cradles like you can use for pump guns. They just seem to mess up SA actions. So I use the velcro-on ammo cards, like the ones you can get at SKD Tactical, and have no issues.

http://www.skdtac.com/Esstac-Shotgun-Card-p/ess.106.htm

[jay_cue]

I have a Beretta model 1200FP for sale!

shameless plug as OP is looking for opinions for the 930.

friend has a 22" JM pro. it shot the federal bulk stuff from Walmart fine. didn't have any of the Winchester bulk to test out to see if it would shoot that stuff. it seems a lot of people had problems with the Winchester stuff in the 870 thread (including myself).

[CessnaDriver]

............. And for SA shotguns, I never try to use any of the bolt-on ammo cradles like you can use for pump guns. They just seem to mess up SA actions. So I use the velcro-on ammo cards, like the ones you can get at SKD Tactical, and have no issues.

http://www.skdtac.com/Esstac-Shotgun-Card-p/ess.106.htm

I have a solid running 930 SPX but yes, I tried a bolt on side saddle and it was bad news. Go with velcro solutions, better idea anyways.

[bellwilliam]

+1 on Beretta 1301. Much smoother running run than 930spx

[Mbiker_101]

I've had an 930 spx for about three years now, and a newer jm930. Clean the gun and lube properly. http://youtu.be/QfqdygODl9kThere are plenty of threads on the Brian enos forum about the gun. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/inde...owtopic=192975I take steel wool and dowel with my drill to polish the chamber and it loads and runs all rounds like a champ, I run 3 gun and steel matches and it eats everything!!!! They are great guns and it's my go to home defense gun.

Do all these mods listed and you'll have a great trouble free gun.

[tmh1]

...Do all these mods listed and you'll have a great trouble free gun.

Unfortunately my experience has been "do all these mods listed and you might have a great trouble-free gun".

I have done the mods, the cleaning and lubrication - about the only thing I haven't done is send it back to Mossberg. Altogether different beast but the last Mossberg I bought was a 464 in 30-30. Just terrible feeding and extraction issues. Sent it back through Davidson's where I bought it, and they have now told me that they can't get the gun to run properly and they are sending out a replacement.

There are just too many guns with "issues" coming out of Mossberg these days, and that is too bad. Some run like fine watches from round one. Some issues can be dealt with at home by the user and/or with light gunsmithing experience. Some are built so bad that they can't even be made to run well by Mossberg trained and certified smiths. Comes out to same conclusion as above: Crapshoot. Be happy you got a decent one, but not all are as lucky as you.

I think that the Mossberg designs are generally good, but the manufacturing and QC is currently inconsistent. I have Mossbergs which have and do run flawlessly. And I've had other experiences with the brand.

If you want to chance it and perhaps don't mind sending your gun back to Mossberg to get it running right, then by all means get one. And hope that the early issues you (may have) had with the gun aren't in the back of your mind when you really need to count on it.

Or spend more, get something better, and don't worry about the potential Mossberg hassles.

God bless America: Free country with first world problems, which we can decide how to deal with on a personal level.

[Mbiker_101]

Tmh, sorry you got a bad one, the 930s I've seen have been trouble free. They are really popular in the matches around San Diego.

[Triad]

Mines been like a sewing machine.