Hard to budge safety

PowerStroke

PowerStroke

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my safety on one of my mossberg 500's is pretty hard to move around, how do i loosen up that special screw on top of the safety? i took apart my reciever if there was any other adjustment, none, seesm to be just on the top screw? anyway to loosen it up?i got this shotty used so i dont know how it got that way?

Cheers

Rob:)
 
Try putting some oil from the top and from underneath and working the safety.

As for the screw, they look like breakaway screws - not meant to be removed.
 
It is a "one way" screw head designed to be removed only with a special screwdriver, but if you are careful and apply lots of downward pressure when backing it out, you can get it with a standard flat blade. There is a tiny detent ball under the button, be very careful not to drop it. it all goes back together quite easily with the standard screwdriver.
 
The screw is the break away type. The only way to remove it is to continue to tighten and break the screw head off, then remove the remaining piece of screw from the lever underneath. If you do this, make sure that you have another screw.

Before doing this, I suggest that you strip the receiver and soak it in a penetrating type oil for a few days.
 
When did they make the transition to non-standard screws? Haven't come across one of those yet, although I don't have much to do with these guns.
It would be worthwhile determining why the safety is so tight, and addressing the problem directly, rather than just backing off the screw and hoping that will be the remedy.
 
When I said "back it off", I meant completely to take it apart like Tiriaq recomends, not just loosen it. I have had mine apart without breaking the screw. BTW, the button itself is plastic and is likely to break long before the screw does.
 
i think someone before me had tightened it, i have looked at it all over... it has to be an over tightened screw... its my back pack/ home security shotty. so i guess a hard safety wouldnt be too bad. any aftermarket big safetys i can switch to in the process to make this worth while?
 
Goto www.brownells.com and check out their schematics, it is at the top right of their home page. Then when you have the number of what you want check the supporters at the top of the page here to see if anyone has it.
 
PowerStroke said:
i think someone before me had tightened it, i have looked at it all over... it has to be an over tightened screw... its my back pack/ home security shotty. so i guess a hard safety wouldnt be too bad. any aftermarket big safetys i can switch to in the process to make this worth while?
Click to expand...

That's highly probable. They likely didn't know the function of the screw and thought it was loose and in danger of falling out.

EDIT: Just occurred to me, if it is overtightened, there's a chance it might break during loosening. Best be careful with it (as if you needed that in the back of your mind!).
 
Last edited:
tiriaq said:
When did they make the transition to non-standard screws? Haven't come across one of those yet, although I don't have much to do with these guns.
It would be worthwhile determining why the safety is so tight, and addressing the problem directly, rather than just backing off the screw and hoping that will be the remedy.
Click to expand...

About 5 or so years ago.
 
PowerStroke said:
i think someone before me had tightened it, i have looked at it all over... it has to be an over tightened screw... its my back pack/ home security shotty. so i guess a hard safety wouldnt be too bad. any aftermarket big safetys i can switch to in the process to make this worth while?
Click to expand...

Mine was tight because dirt had gotten under it. I tried oil as well before resorting to dis-assembling it, but no luck. I think the 590's have a metal safety button, not sure if its bigger though. It might be a plan to change to a standard flat head screw while your at it, like I probably should have done.
 
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