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Dirty Mossberg

1211 Views 5 Replies 1 Participant Last post by  ShotgunPro
I had back surgery a couple weeks back and cannot ride my motorcycle until next spring so my second therapy that I usually don't need until winter has started. I tore my 500 (actually a westernfield) completely apart for the first time since buying it 3 years ago. I was having problem grabbing shells. After running the file in a couple places it's happy again.

My buddy has a Coast to Coast 500 and I notice it was pretty grungy and being I just learned how to tear the 500 apart and he has no idea what gun maint. is I volunteered to clean it.

How in the world do you get caked on crud that is hard as rock off of the gun? I've had success with a tooth brush, Outers nitro solvent and Winchester break free on all the parts but trigger assembly and the main case b/c I can't get the brush in there.

This thing was seriously abused. I know he's had it for a couple a years and he says he's shot a bit out of it but I doubt it's any more than a couple hundred shells.

I have some dental tools and was planning on using those but wanted to see if anyone else has ever worked on one this bad and if you all have any tips.

T.C.
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Soak it overnight in a container of gasoline, and use compressed air to blast it clean. Repeat as necessary.

Don't try this with anything that has plastic parts, however...
That sounds like my 835. I bought it in 1995 and just did a complete tear down last year. I had enough crud in there it pave my driveway. I used brake parts cleaner, toothbruches, dental picks, and putty knives. It takes some elbow work, but it will come clean. I replaced the safety assembly with a metal one while I was in there. I highly recommend this if you haven't done so already.
I like taking a t shirt with holes and making thin rags or anything that thin
First AP brush wrapped in t shirt to get most of it.

take AP brush wrap narro end in single layer of t shirt, gets almost everything

then the otis flat scraper wrapped (basically a brass tipped flat head) wrapped in t shirt gets the next smaller stuff

the the scraper afore mentioned is used to crack anything else up thats left and the old M16 chamber brushes the wirey star part is used to wipe it out.
break free and toothbrushes.

if you wanna use something to scrap, use a plastic or nylon so you don't gouge the receiver, it's softer aluminum :)
Yup it's soft. Took me 3 days of dental pics, break free and nitro solvent it get it 97% clean. I'm hoping keeping it oiled up and putting a few rounds through it and another cleaning will help it out again.
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