Mossberg tactical, who has one?

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I've been looking at getting a 715T for my kids, but I've never actually held one(the gun, not my kids).
I know they've had a lot of bad press for unreliability but is it warranted? It looks like a light, fun gun that would be good with a red dot on it.
Anyone got one that works? Thoughts?
 
You're going to get a lot of different opinions on the rifle. I got mine second hand from a friend who was fed up with his. That was back when the 25 round mag was still "legal" (until some idiots at Mossberg decided to team up with Duck Dynasty to make a pistol version that took the same mag). So I had mine with the 25 round mag, and it was horrible. I later realized that it was horrible not because of the overall design of the rifle, but because that 25 round mag had so much movement and wiggle room that it would constantly cause FTF/FTE.

Once the pistol came out, and a notice was issued about the 25 round mags, I got myself a bunch of 10 round mags (the small ones, not the ones with the big ugly brick of plastic at the bottom to make it look like a STANAG mag), and noticed it fits nice and tight, and doesn't move at all.

Since I've been using those mags, I've put about 5000 rounds through it, including the super cheap stuff, with only a handful of FTF/FTE issues (to be expected), but some people I've talked to think it may be because the spring has been broken in, but who knows. If you do decide to get one, use the 10 round 702 Plinkster mags on it. Not the 10 round 715T mags, as they have that big useless plastic brick on the bottom to simulate a STANAG mag, that causes the mag to wabble in the magwell.

Overall, the 715T has been one of the lowest maintenance rifles I've ever used. Of the 6000 or so rounds put through it in total, it's only been completely taken apart twice and fully cleaned. Once by my friend, and once by myself. I'm not gonna lie, it's an absolute pain in the rear to take apart. A lot of tiny screws keeping the clamshell body together, and there are stories of some of the screws stripping. One of the (I believe) 12 screws has stripped in mine so far.

But in all honesty, just keep the magwell, ejection port, and bolt area clean, and you're pretty much good to go. The internal working parts, for the most part are centralized in that general area. Keep it clean and lubed and you're fine. Also, the barrel is easy to clean with a bore snake pull through a few times.

The rifle is plastic, and needs to be treated as such. It's not brittle plastic, but it's not Tavor quality plastic either. For general plinking, it's perfectly fine. If you do decide to get one, I would suggest the flat top over the carry handle model. You cannot remove the carry handle off of that model, as it's part of the body, but the flat top features a rail that you can attach one if you like, or attach any other optic. And get one with the telescopic stock. Some models have a fixed stock. The flat top version comes with a surprisingly good quality set of iron sights, that also help add a bit of weight to the rifle. I have mine co-witnessed with the iron sights and an Airsoft "EOTech" clone. Works pretty well.

The accuracy on mine tends to be hit or miss depending on the ammo. Find what yours likes to eat and stick with it.

It's not an amazing rifle, but it's certainly nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be. It is by no means my go-to SHTF rifle, but it's been a lot more reliable with the small 10 round mags than some of the more expensive rifles I've shot.

I also have a friend who wants to start a little metallurgy project of his own by replacing the current plastic clam shell, with a custom made aluminum one. No ETA on that yet, but it seems interesting, and ambitious. If all goes well, he might consider selling them to the public as an aftermarket body to replace the current plastic clam shell.
 
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Thanks for the reply, I knew about the mag ban but never thought of them working better with the standard mag, which makes sense.
It would probably be easier for a kid to shoot prone without that big fake mag in the way too.
And the carry handle version is fully and less versatile than the flat top.
 
I could see it being a fun rifle for kids, but I've never held a more plastic-y, toy-like firearm as the 715. I don't know how they compare to the Mossberg "Blaze" (also plastic-y) but if the reliability is comparable, I'd pick the Blaze.

On a side note...how the 715 is available and the Blaze-47 isn't is beyond me. Not that I'd be pouncing on the 47 if it was, but it's at least a neat-looking rifle.
 
Thanks for the reply, I knew about the mag ban but never thought of them working better with the standard mag, which makes sense.
It would probably be easier for a kid to shoot prone without that big fake mag in the way too.
And the carry handle version is fully and less versatile than the flat top.

To be honest, if it wasn't for the (unofficial) ban of the 25 round mags, I would still be using it, and my 715T would just be a safe queen, as I was losing patience with it myself after getting it from a disgruntled friend. The (unofficial) ban forced me to get some small 702 Plinkster 10 round mags, which actually opened my eyes to the actual root cause of 95% of the problems I had with the 715T, and that was being the big, wobbly 25 round mag. It looked "cool", but just didn't work well at all.

And as mentioned, it is a plastic gun (for the most part), but it's a good trainer and nearly a 1:1 size of an actual AR. The biggest differences are the mag release (don't screw that lever in too tight, or it will strip. The screw and hole are VERY tiny), and the method of cocking the rifle (the charging handle is fake). Other than that, the drills/movement with it/carrying form, are the same as an AR.
 
I bought a cheap wood stock for my 10/22 and sawed it down to the length of pull for my 6 yes old, but the trigger is still a reach for tiny hands.
The pistol grip on the Mossberg looks slim and the adjustable stock would help.
 
I bought one as well to get my kids shooting. They of course love the "black" look of it.

I had a problem with the magazine release at first but have had no issues since. It will eat whatever brand of ammo I feed it and I have never had a jam in it in at least 1000 rounds.

I put a red dot on mine as well for fun.

When I want to just blast off a hundred or so rounds in a rapid semi style I even have fun with it!
 
To be honest, if it wasn't for the (unofficial) ban of the 25 round mags, I would still be using it, and my 715T would just be a safe queen, as I was losing patience with it myself after getting it from a disgruntled friend. The (unofficial) ban forced me to get some small 702 Plinkster 10 round mags, which actually opened my eyes to the actual root cause of 95% of the problems I had with the 715T, and that was being the big, wobbly 25 round mag. It looked "cool", but just didn't work well at all.

And as mentioned, it is a plastic gun (for the most part), but it's a good trainer and nearly a 1:1 size of an actual AR. The biggest differences are the mag release (don't screw that lever in too tight, or it will strip. The screw and hole are VERY tiny), and the method of cocking the rifle (the charging handle is fake). Other than that, the drills/movement with it/carrying form, are the same as an AR.

I still enjoy my 715T and my 25 round magazines.

RCMP seized my gun (with all the rest) including the magazines and gave them back after trying to find anything to hold against me in order to give me a 5 year weapons prohibition and take my license away over a bull#### accusation.

If those items were prohibited I'd have been screwed over on that one so I consider that my legal verification that they are all good.

Mine had slight issues with reliability at first with some ammunition so I modified the feed ramp with some JB weld and shaped it myself.........now it doesn't really care what I feed it.

I'm well into the 8-10K rounds fired area with that gun and only problem I've had was a bent the recoil spring slightly once but still acts fine.
 
Had one, hated it.

Cleaning is a PITA its just a regular mossburg plinker or what ever in a plastic airsoft feeling cover....

10-10 would not buy again
 
If anyone still cares...
I bought one used off the EE, and I like it.
It came with a red dot but no irons. I must have put 200 federal bulk stuff through it so far with one failure to fire. It came with one plinkster mag which works flawlessly.
Some more mags and a cheap set of BUIS and we'll be good to go.
 
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