Will cutting Mossberg 930 barrel cause feed issues?

W

wild cat mccane

New member
Hi all,

So picked up the CZ 712 with the 20" barrel. Seems great...but LOP is 14.5" and I'm hot a huge guy. So...I also ordered a Mossberg 930 field (28" barrel) which has a 13.5" LOP.

I'm reading WAY conflicting info online that cutting the 930 barrel down to 18.5" may or may not cause pressure issues. Mossberg has (sold out everywhere) an 18.5" barrel...so I'm not sure what to believe on this.

Any thoughts? I love the vent rib look on a shorter barrel. Also, no options to buy an 18.5" 930 barrel right now.
 
Most gas operated shotguns are tuned to work best with a certain barrel length. If you cut it shorter you'll change the amount of time pressure has to build up in the barrel to operate the action. You may find that it still functions with heavy buckshot and magnum shells, but not with lighter loads. Even the shorter factory barrels don't work as well with light shells.



I wouldn't cut a barrel on any semi. Pump actions are cheap and cutting one has no effect on function. And you can always cut the stock on the CZ.
 
Should be OK a few inches after the ports.

and I'm hot a huge guy.
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Define that; shooting a shotgun is not the same as shooting an AR with body armor or standing facing the target like you would with a handgun. Most folks actually benefit from a longer stock than they would have on a rifle and learn to shoot using a longer offarm on the forearm
 
For me, the mossberg bantam 12ga pump 500 is infinitely more comfortable in lop than the standard lop.

Hum. So maybe problematic with light loads.

Is it constriction in tha barrel at a length or just length? Like 22” barrel cut would fair better than a 18” cut?

But using 1250 FPS stuff? Might be the ticketed?

Thanks!!!
 
We've got a couple of 930s; a Field/Security Combo with 18 & 28 inch barrels (which my wife claimed after I shortened the stock) and a 22" JM Pro. Both run fine with everything from Universal or Federal Field loads, on up to 3" heavies.

If I hadn't picked up the JM Pro, my intention was to cut the Combo's field barrel to 20" and have it threaded for chokes. After 5 years with these shotguns it is my opinion that keeping a little oil on the gas system/mag tube has a lot more to do with flawless function, than barrel length does.
 
So, just to be clear, the length of pull on the shotgun wasn't what you wanted so, you got a different shotgun...

Why not just change the stock on the first one??

Next point, cutting the barrel AFTER the gas port SHOULD not have any effect on the functioning of a self regulating gas system. Remember that the shove from gas pressure starts as soon as the projectile passes the gas port, but doesn't unlock the action until after the bore is clear and the pressure has dropped. there is enough inertia in the system to work the action when the pressure has dropped to verylow then to zero in the barrel so why would cutting some of the tube off after the gas port change that?

If the gun is choking, (not cycling properly) odds are it is some other cause.

I'm not familiar with that particular gas system but unless it is something radically unusual, that's my guess.

Cutting down the barrel on a recoil operated action DOES upset the balancing act that runs the gun. With a gas operated action, ..not so much...
 
keep looking

Myself, I wouldn't cut the barrel on any shotgun I intended to use for home or self defense. Why open the door in the following possible (likely?) civil action that you used a "sawed off shotgun" to kill poor so and so, who after all, was actually a really good guy? The legal/tort world is a strange place these days, I suppose has been for some time now.

I'm believing that the OP's interest in short shotguns is for SD. Perhaps not? But there are too many viable factory options available that eliminate that legal toehold if that is the OP's intent.
 
The CZ 712 wasn't my top option for platform, but the only one that comes with a 20" or less vent rib. So i picked that up. I'm less certain I'll do a good job on cutting a (synthetic) stock than I can cut a barrel/rib. Additionally, barrels for the 712 aren't available but from CZ.

The 930 could be for clays too since replacement barrels are (usually) available. From what I've read, the 930 might not be the best platform...but next up level in Beretta might not meet my needs either.

But yes, for defense, I do like the look of the vent rib on the short barrel. At that range, I think I might not be giving up much by cutting off the chokes and using FliteControl Federal shells?

I was the OP of the "Home Depot cut my Mossberg 500 barrel" which many of you provided info for my questions. https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=588096

Straight up, I appreciate the opinion and expert takes. I know a lot on handguns, but basically a novice on shotguns and not afraid to ask :)
 
Properly done, there is no difference between a factory short barrel and one that has been cut off. As long as the barrel is legal length, there SHOULD be no grounds for it to be an issue in a civil trial.
 
You have 2 very different issues. Too much LOP and wanting a shorter the barrel.
LOP has nothing to do with the barrel or its length. LOP is also easily fixed to suit you. The stock material matters(much easier with wood than a synthetic that may be hollow. A hollow stock is a great deal more work. Needs filling and screw holes.), but putting on a recoil pad, at your LOP, isn't hard. You literally cut off the inch(14.5 minus 13.5) plus whatever is required for the pad to make the LOP 13.5" and screw it on. If it's a wood stock. Way easier to do than describe.
If you cut a 28" barrel to 18.5", you will have no choke. Assuming that matters to you. The factory 18.5" barrel has no choke either.
Cutting a barrel with a rib isn't as easy as it looks either. Not all ribs are connected over the whole length and they're not all metal. (No nice clean cuts with a pipe cutter with a rib).
You must cut with a hack saw at one of the connector thingy's on the rib. That are rarely at a nice convenient spot to give you an 18.5" barrel. That's not really a big deal though. As long as the finished length is legal where you are, you're fine.
"...the 712 aren't available but from CZ..." It's worse than that. CZ has discontinued the 712 altogether.
 
You literally cut off the inch(14.5 minus 13.5) plus whatever is required for the pad to make the LOP 13.5" and screw it on. If it's a wood stock. Way easier to do than describe.
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But then you also change the drop at heel, pitch and possibly the drop at comb dimensions.
 
Yep. Two different issues. Barrel length and LOP.

I *think* that some versions of the 712 were discounted recently, but majority are still up as not discontinued on the CZ website (where CZ labels models as discontinued when they are).

I've read the 712/CZ stock angle, heel, etc is exceptionally more challenging. I don't know enough to speak on this subject. Though the CZ 712 stock is totally empty.

The Mossberg 930 stock is not empty and basically can't be shortened. Every attempt seems to come up as causing feeding issues later on the mossbergowner forum from what I've read.

I just picked up the CZ 712 and have the Mossberg 930 delivering next week. In my mind, the 930 is the way to go. But it has problems for me: LOP can't be shortened, me cutting the barrel to my desired 18-20" with rib means no chokes at all (not sending it to someone), probably hard to sell as cut (meaning will have to buy a new 930 barrel at some point if I want to sell it), and somewhat unfavorable/favorable opinions on the 930 abound.

Truthfully, I bought of ton of harder hitting shotshells so I'm not too worried about feeding lighter shells if a cut to 18-20" from the 930 field barrel will still function with a chop.
 
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I think all of you helped me with my 500 28" barrel cut. It went 1,000 times easier than I ever imagined. Even wondered if a 24 tooth hacksaw blade would have been better than the 32tooth fine blade as it cut fast but slow...kinda wondered if that created a non straight cut issue at the expense of less burns that I cleaned up anyways.
 
I cut a 28" standard weight 20 ga 1100 to 20". Dire predictions for function problems simply did not occur. Works fine with the lightest dove loads up through heavy field and 2 3/4" buckshot. Had the stock shortened an inch too, again, no problems. Did this for wifey and she loves it.
 
Oops on my stock cut question—You said it was an 1100.

Thanks for your feedback.

Selling the 712 tonight and getting the 930 and trimming the 28” barrel, Nordic extension order next.

I don’t suppose anyone has a 930 who can guesstimate which rib bridge is in the 18 to 20 inch range?
 
I really like the 13" lop on the Rem870 youth model I used to have. Eventually bought the Magpul stock for my Mossy 500 and set it up at the same 13".
 
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