My 930 SPX let me down today

This has simply not been my deer gun season.

I took yesterday off work for opening day, and didn't see anything but turkey's and squirrels. Then I drove home, and took my dog out to do his business, and as we are standing right next to my apartment building, three deer are prancing and frolicking in the tiny strip of woods between my building and the subdivision behind me.

I had today off work too, and once again went out for deer. My deer gun for the past two years has been my Mossberg 930 SPX (no rifles in Ohio). I do have to plug the tube in order to meet Ohio law, but the sights are significantly better than the bead sights on the rest of my shotguns, and up until today it has been completely reliable.

Today as I was sitting in the stand, I heard a big ruckus coming down the ridge behind me, and sure enough, 4 deer were running down into the creek between that ridge and the ridge I was on. I turned flicked off the safety and settled the sights right where they needed to be on the lead deer, which was a good sized doe, and pulled the trigger. I was rewarded with an empty "click."

I immediately cycled the action, ejecting a perfectly good slug (Brennke K.O.'s), and loading a fresh one. The deer heard the noise, stopped for a minute, and looked at me. I now had a perfect shot on that first doe as she stood there looking at me, and "click."

Cycle it again, line up the sights on the now milling about deer below me "click."

Load two more from the sleeve on the buttstock, deer are finally starting to move away "click" rack "click".

Honestly, I have no idea what the issue is, but the 930 is out of HD/deer duty until I find out. I have shot plenty of Brennke slugs through it before without an issue. I had it out a month or so ago to make sure the sights were still on with slugs, and it worked fine then. It isn't an ammo issue, it didn't even dent any of the primers.

I was hunting on a friend's land, and he loaned me a gun after I told him the story, and I used one of those 5 slugs to take out a coyote, and it worked fine then. Hitting the coyote was the one redeeming aspect of this week's gun season so far.

Initial thought is that somehow the firing pin broke, but I have it apart in front of me, and the firing pin looks fine. The hammer was falling when the trigger was pulled.

The whole episode reminded me of nightmares that I have had, having a perfectly good gun and shot, and needing to shoot, and then the gun not working.

And I am pretty sure that I can still hear the deer laughing too...

It sucks the mossy let you down there usally pretty good guns. I havent had any problems with my 500. On a side note it was just the grim reapers way of saying it wasnt that deers time to go yet. And yes its probably still laughing.

I've amused a lot of deer in my time.

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Originally Posted by OldVet

I've amused a lot of deer in my time.

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Me too:)
Buckeye, I hate that for you, and completely understand the frustration. Can you use a handgun in Ohio?

What? You didn't transition to pistol? That deer could have killed you, man! You're lucky you made it home alive! :rofl:

In all seriousness, I hope you get it figured out. I lost a bit of confidence in my Rem 870 when it has repeatedly failed to extract (as in locked-up gun) target loads. Only way to open the action was to slam the butt on a firm surface. No issues with the shorter barrel and buckshot - but I don't shoot nearly as many of those as I do target loads on the skeet field.

I can use pistols in Ohio. Needs to be over 5" barrel length, and higher than a .357 caliber.

So, my Glock 36 I was carrying didn't fit the bill, and would have been a no-no anyways, because you can only carry one hunting implement in Ohio, and if hunting with a pistol it must not be concealed.

So, no transition to the Glock, although the thought briefly crossed my mind. I have other shotguns, although I am not sure I will get to go out any more this gun season.

I have thought of taking my match grade Springfield 1911 as a deer pistol, it would do quite well I believe.

10th, I have seen that issue in multiple express model 870;s, it is kinds of disconcerting actually.

Sorry buckeye. Let me know about your SPX because I still have one on my short list. You have me worried.

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Originally Posted by atctimmy

Sorry buckeye. Let me know about your SPX because I still have one on my short list. You have me worried.

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Yeah, me too - selling my 870 to get one in fact.

Well, I took it apart, everything looked like it should.

I should be able to take it out Saturday, and I am going to run a variety of loads through it, and see if any work, and see if any don't work.

I can pull the trigger, and the hammer goes forward. I am not sure if there is something blocking it from striking the firing pin at full force.

Actually, it looks like the hammer may not be connecting with the firing pin when released by the trigger.

Although, I have no way of actually testing this theory right now.

EDIT: The other possible issue could have been the below-freezing temperatures, and maybe some of the lubrication in the gun thickened up, and slowed down the firing pin

If the hammer is falling but the primers were not even dented, then either the firing pin is stuck somehow, or the hammer is somehow not hitting the firing pin.

Weird. :confused:

As far as the 870 issue - I called Remington, and they suggested polishing the chamber, which I did. Have not had a chance to test it since, though. Issue seems to be with cheaper target loads that use mild steel (instead of brass) bases. At least, that is my theory at this point...

I have absolutely no doubt the 45acp will work. Thing is, alot of it will depend on where you hunt, terrain and distance that you get that will determine the viability of the ACP.

I hunt in thick, forest areas where I can set up to get shots close. With the ACP, I would keep it within 30 yards. Depending on how and where you hunt, that may be difficult.

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Originally Posted by 10thmtn

If the hammer is falling but the primers were not even dented, then either the firing pin is stuck somehow, or the hammer is somehow not hitting the firing pin.

Weird. :confused:

As far as the 870 issue - I called Remington, and they suggested polishing the chamber, which I did. Have not had a chance to test it since, though. Issue seems to be with cheaper target loads that use mild steel (instead of brass) bases. At least, that is my theory at this point...

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Yup, those are my conclusions. I am wondering if it could have been temperature related, so hopefully on Saturday it is above freezing.

I use Gunzilla on all my guns, which is supposed to be okay in cold weather.

If it doesn't work on Saturday, I will contact Mossberg.

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Originally Posted by glockman10mm

I have absolutely no doubt the 45acp will work. Thing is, alot of it will depend on where you hunt, terrain and distance that you get that will determine the viability of the ACP.

I hunt in thick, forest areas where I can set up to get shots close. With the ACP, I would keep it within 30 yards. Depending on how and where you hunt, that may be difficult.

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The shots today would have been under 25 yards. Here in SW Ohio, it is mostly hills and thick forest/brush where I hunt. Once you get about 10-15 miles North of here, in opens up into farmland that wouldn't be conducive to handgun hunting.

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Originally Posted by buckeye .45

The shots today would have been under 25 yards. Here in SW Ohio, it is mostly hills and thick forest/brush where I hunt. Once you get about 10-15 miles North of here, in opens up into farmland that wouldn't be conducive to handgun hunting.

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Improvise, adapt, and overcome then Marine:wink:

Sorry to hear of your badluck buckeye. It must have been very frustrating! I hope you get the problems figured out and get that SPX back to the reliable shotgun it should be.