ejection issue mossberg 500

[the rifleer]

I have a mossberg 500c, 20 gauge. I use it for shooting clays a lot and it has trouble ejecting shells.

When you pump it it is very smooth and always pulls the shell out of the chamber perfectly, but when it eject the shell, the shell hits the receiver, separates from the bolt head and remains inside the receiver, which results in a jam.

Sometimes it is a stove pipe style jam, other times the spent shell just sits on top of the next cartridge and when you pump it forward obviously it wont load because there is the new cartridge and the spent cartridge inside the receiver.

I am thinking maybe it is the ejector, but I wanted to ask and see what you guys think.



Before anyone suggests its the shells, I've tried Federal, Fiocchi, Estates, Winchester and Remington shells and it does it with all of them.

 

[g.willikers]

Just a guess:
Maybe the cartridge lifter (elevator) is interfering with the ejected case.
See if it looks like it's operating correctly.
Also check that the cartridge stop and/or cartridge interrupter aren't letting rounds sneak past from the mag tube, and interfering with the ejected round.

 

[amd6547]

It is either the ejector or the extractors. Or weak extractor springs.

 

[SHR970]

Let me guess.... if you not so slowly extract one from the chamber and watch what it does.....it goes up towards 1 or 2 o'clock instead of 3 o'clock as it is being kicked loose from the bolt.

It is either the ejector or the extractors. Or weak extractor springs.

 

[amd6547]

The screw which holds on the ejector can back out, causing problems.
My older Mossberg 500 (really Western Auto Revelation) started having FTE's...I found the screw to be a little loose after years of shooting. It's loctited now.

 

[Polglock]

I've seen guys reload and use way to much shot like my grandad and that 2 3/4" she'll turns into an almost 3" shell and has problems only ejecting. His crimps look more like tapered ends almost holding shot in lol. Just another option other than gun parts causing the problem.

 

[Sarge]

AS noted the ejector screw works loose on 500's. If the screw is tight and/or damage to the ejector is apparent, replace it and apply blue thread-locker to the ejector screw before re-assembly.

At the first sign of weak extraction, I replace both extractors and springs.

It wouldn't cost a lot to replace all of them and eliminate the problem entirely.

 

[amd6547]

Yeah, I have been thinking of replacing both extractors and springs...maybe the ejector, too.
My 500 is pretty old. That, and it lived a hard life before I pulled from the bottom of a stack of beat up security company riot guns at a gun show, and paid $75 for it 20yrs ago.
It has always been reliable, except for that one FTE incident. Of late, I have been making a few changes, like adding a Hogue overmold short LOP stock and fore end.