835 light strikes/misfires

[PLP]

I wanted to share about what all I have been thru with my 835..I absolutely love this gun and how it handles,the way it looks and how it patterns.The only issue is once in a while I have had misfires/light strikes.i have torn this thing apart several times.I replaced the firing pin and spring,also the hammer spring.Yesterday I called in a tom and at 35yds ...CLICK..once again..I was able to rack another in and a minute later when he popped out on the other side of the tree i got him..highly frustrated after all I've done to try and fix this thing I got real In-depth looking at what the issue is..

I have always had a habit of pulling on the forearm as I shoot because it gets the next shot racked in faster..so as I moved the forearm back and forth I noticed when I pull the forearm
Back I get a gap in front of the bolt,when I push forward it closes the gap.

Well I thought maybe after the misfire I hadn't tightened the barrel nut down enough and that's why I pushed forward on my second shot which was successful.Anyways I started to notice the nut on the action slide had a good bit of threads left on it..and I started thinking..if I tighten this more it should shift the bolt forward some..but guess what it was as tight as it would go.

So I decided to undo the nut and pull the action slide and then I notice the ribs etc on the forearm were preventing it from Going Forward anymore.So I got my dremel and cut almost 1/4" of the ribs out and a sanding stone on the sides where the arms go in.I reassembled and was able to tighten many more rounds on the action slide nut and this did indeed bring the bolt forward a good bit and took all the slack out..I went and test fired it a few times pushing and pulling the forearm and no issues..I did noticed the recoil loosened it a little so I got another round out of it..repeated it and no issues and now it's all
Tight with no slop in it.:

I'm hoping this is the fix it seems to be but I thought in the future someone may be researching this issue and it will help them..it now looks like it does in the "forward" position at all times.im very confident this gap was why I was getting light strikes

[bbcoach]

I'm an 835 guy and I love mine as well.  GREAT patterning gun with most ammo.  I (knock on wood) haven't had the issue you described with the light strike.  I do tighten my barrel nut by hand and give it a couple extra clicks with a pair of channel locs.  I also rack my slide really hard, when loading my gun.  Thanks for the info.  I hope you have taken care of your problem.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Rack with authority as mentioned.
Once in battery don't try to pull out of battery and you'll be fine.

[ColemantownHC]

I've had this exact issue with my 835! Cost me two birds. I too noticed that there is considerable slack in the action, and realized that when shouldering the gun to fire which results in me slightly pulling back on the forearm, it is causing a light strike. I retired the gun several years ago but would love to have it fixed and hunt with it again as it is responsible for the majority of turkeys I've killed. My dad bought it for me in high school and it was my only turkey gun until my mid 30's.

[PLP]

Well..That surge of confidence didn't last long lol The gun cycled 3x perfectly and then when I went afield..2 clicks in a row..so I got even more in depth..it really feels
Like The hammer spring is weak and also like the firing pin spring is too strong..I did some more research and found some
Guys have used a ruger 10/22 extra power hammer spring to give it a little more
Pop..I ordered one..but in the mean time I took the firing pin spring out..I cut 1 round off the coil..put it in and it doesn't take any where near the effort to push now..I went and shot the same turkey loads I normally do and they all went off with deep primer strikes.so I think it's slowly being sorted out..hopefully this will help someone in the future


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[ColemantownHC]

When mine first failed, I took it to the local gunsmith and they diagnosed it as a worn hammer spring. They replaced it and I shot a few more birds over the following year or two before it failed again and i recognized the "slack in the action" as i have referred to it. I've considered sending it to mossberg multiple times but have yet to do so.

[Alabama556]

It's hard not to pull on the slide ( unless you have long arms) because the way the gun is set up. The slide is way out there on mine.

I have not used it in 15 years but I remember every time I shot it (after I recovered from a punch in the shoulder from a 3.5) my slide was always open.


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[ColemantownHC]

I believe years of shooting Nitro 3.5" hevi shot loads was more than mine could handle LOL. I won't lie, it killed on both ends. If anyone discovers the fix for the misfire / light strike issue, please let me know because I would really like to get mine back up and rolling. It was my first dedicated "turkey gun" and I killed more birds with that gun than any other I own.