1301 Mod 2 fail to feed

Painkillers

Painkillers

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...and yes, it was my fault. I'm posting here in the hopes of preventing such errors for others in the future.

Like many here, earlier this year I picked up a new 1301 Mod 2 (FDE, Cabelas), and I've been having fun and spending money on it and shells. Defender Tactical, S&J, Tacord, Stoeger, Blue Line, and other site sponsors have been enjoying my hard earned, and I've been enjoying the accoutrements. Here's where I f ucked up though.

I didn't like the OEM shell follower. It's chrome, as are most of my range shells. I wanted something that was unmistakably not a shell or shell looking, and I had an American Defender mini-shell kit for a Mossberg 500 series. The kit has a red anodized follower. 12 gauge is 12 gauge right? Yea, well, wrong!

I knew enough to look online for the dimensional differences between Beretta and Mossberg, and while I can't recall the measurements, they were nearly identical. A few thou difference. I thought f uck it, let's go! I bought a perfect paint match mag extender and clamp from S&J Hardware, so timing was perfect.

I pulled the OEM mag cap and spring retainer out and wholly s hit the mag spring was ridiculously long...like 2 feet past the barrel when relaxed ridiculous. None of my other shotguns run springs this long...OUT! Chrome shell follower, OUT! I put the American Defender red anodized follower in and a shorter spring I had lying around...maybe a foot past the barrel; perfect! I installed the S&J Hardware mag extension and clamp. Took it to the range, and it ran fine. Matter of fact, it's ran fine for several range sessions and hundreds of shells all summer and autumn, then a few weeks ago...problems!?

I fired a string, and reloaded the mag from shotcard. One slug goes bang...then, nothing. Fail to feed!? I couldn't diagnose what was going on at the moment, I was truly clustered for a second. When I figured there was no shell on the lift gate, I was pushing shells in the mag, and out one came. I cycled the gate, chambered a shell-bang- then, fail to feed. WTF!!?? I roll the gun over and remove the 3 or 4 shells in the tube. I reload the tube, fire, and fail to feed. This time, when I roll the gun over...no shell in the chamber, no shell in the mag tube!? Confused, I shake the gun and realize there is no spring pressure on the 5 shells in the mag! The follower and compressed spring are bound up in the mag tube. Somewhere above shell #6.

The aftermarket follower got hung up (was hanging up and freeing itself initially). I'm guessing where the mag extension meets the tube? With head hung low, I left the range and disassembled. American Defender follower, OUT! Shorter spring, OUT Back to OEM and all is good.

Live and learn fellas. I'm just glad the hang-up happened at the range and not when I needed the gun to work. I also have to admit that the hang-up has me questioning the reliability of the platform. I've never, like never, had a hang-up with any of my pump shotguns. Not ever. I'm certain the fault was self induced and now rectified and all will be fine...it's just in the idiot child who brought home crappy grades camp right now. I love it, but currently, I don't like it. ;)
 
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Thanks for sharing. I had something similar happen to an 870, mag follower would hang up where the mag extension met the factory tube. Sometimes, factory knows best, but where's the fun in that.
 
I've been using the Nordic anodized aluminum low drag follower for 5yrs without any issue in my 1301 Comp. The description says it will NOT fit most Mossberg shotguns, so I assume the opposite is true.
Questioning 'the reliability of the platform' ???
 
Well let me tell you a,little somthing.
The nickle plated follower is fantastic on the 1301.prob one of the best followers I've seen in a factory gun in many years.
Anyone that brought a 1301 in the last month is going to be very disappointed because the 1301 now comes with a really sh**ty follower, looks,like it came from the reject bin at some random Turkish gun maker.

The key with the 1301 is the follower has to be the correct size.
The mossberg one we make is close, but not correct.
Which is why we have a Beretta 1301/A300 follower.

Most and I say again "most" aftermarket aluminum followers are trash, the aluminum is soft and the anodizing is just regular Type 2 so not very high abrasion resistant.
They will tend to ware through the anodized fishing as soon as any dirt gets in-between the follower and tube.
This then exposes the soft aluminum and start to wear down the follower, and it will start to stick .
Stainless steel follower works the other way around
They tend to be made of a Stainless steel that is harder than the mag tube material and with alot of use they will ware divets and shallow spots in the magtube.
Most noticeable at the start of the magtube by the loading port.
Stainless even when polished has almost no lubrication so tend to stick., so oiling your mag tube is a must.
Which is an issue in very cold or hot conditions.
This is why for 20+ years we have machined our followers out of a Teflon impregnated plastic.

Do most followers work most of the time?
Yep sure do!
Do I need to run out and buy an
S&J No Jam follower, so my #### won't fall off!!!!
Nope!
But I will tell you this ,it will be the best $20 you will ever spend on your shotgun.

With over a million sold I think we are onto something.
BBB
 
A few years ago I discovered the wonders of the S&J delrin followers on Mossbergs, partially for performance but also for the green colour contrast. When I reached out to S&J to do the same with my 1301, I was informed that the factory follower was good to go. Shotgun is now a year old with close to 1,000 rounds through it with no failures to speak of. Interesting to note that new models no longer have the same factory follower though...
 
badboybeeson said:
Well let me tell you a,little somthing.
The nickle plated follower is fantastic on the 1301.prob one of the best followers I've seen in a factory gun in many years.
Anyone that brought a 1301 in the last month is going to be very disappointed because the 1301 now comes with a really sh**ty follower, looks,like it came from the reject bin at some random Turkish gun maker.

The key with the 1301 is the follower has to be the correct size.
The mossberg one we make is close, but not correct.
Which is why we have a Beretta 1301/A300 follower.

Most and I say again "most" aftermarket aluminum followers are trash, the aluminum is soft and the anodizing is just regular Type 2 so not very high abrasion resistant.
They will tend to ware through the anodized fishing as soon as any dirt gets in-between the follower and tube.
This then exposes the soft aluminum and start to wear down the follower, and it will start to stick .
Stainless steel follower works the other way around
They tend to be made of a Stainless steel that is harder than the mag tube material and with alot of use they will ware divets and shallow spots in the magtube.
Most noticeable at the start of the magtube by the loading port.
Stainless even when polished has almost no lubrication so tend to stick., so oiling your mag tube is a must.
Which is an issue in very cold or hot conditions.
This is why for 20+ years we have machined our followers out of a Teflon impregnated plastic.

Do most followers work most of the time?
Yep sure do!
Do I need to run out and buy an
S&J No Jam follower, so my #### won't fall off!!!!
Nope!
But I will tell you this ,it will be the best $20 you will ever spend on your shotgun.

With over a million sold I think we are onto something.
BBB
Click to expand...
I don't want my richard to fall off! I was uninformed that this could even happen? Best $20 spent indeed! I'm heading to Fishing World tomorrow, and will reinforce said member with duct tape til then.

My wife thanks you :cool:. https://sjhardware.com/spring-and-f...patrol/?searchid=0&search_query=1301+follower
 
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