5 Most Common Mossberg Silver Reserve Problems You Must Know

The Mossberg Silver Reserve is a highly reliable shotgun with a logo-engraved receiver. It features a 5-choke field set and the barrels and chambers are made to be corrosion-resistant.

The broken firing pin, stiff neck, safety lever problem, gun popping open after shooting, and failure to fire are the most common problems with Mossberg Silver Reserve shotguns.

Features & Specifications of Mossberg Silver Reserve Gun:

Gauge12
Capacity2
Barrel Length28 Inches
Weight3.4 Kilograms or 7.5 lbs.
Length45 Inches
Chamber Size3 Inches
Action TypeBreak Action
SafetyTang Mounted Safety, Barrel Selector
SightsBead Sights
MOSSBERG SILVER RESERVE PROBLEMS
MOSSBERG SILVER RESERVE

Common Mossberg Silver Reserve Problems and Solutions

Problems with Mossberg Silver ReserveSolutions
Broken Firing PinUse a bent wire to remove and replace the broken one.
Stiff NeckClean and lubricate the moving parts properly.
Safety Lever IssueTake the mechanism apart, tension it, and reassemble it.
Gun Popping Open after ShootingReplace the locking bolt.
Failure to FireInspect and clean the trigger and hammer mechanism.

1. Broken Firing Pin:

The Mossberg Silver Reserve’s firing pin can become damaged. It happens when the pin becomes blocked in the action slot. Since it is intended to move and it does not, it has to go through a lot of pressure.

As a result of no retraction of the firing pin, it will break when you open the shotgun.

The Fix:

The Mossberg Silver Reserve features a retaining firing pin. You have the remove the firing pin manually if it gets stuck and breaks.

A straight punch cannot be used to remove the broken pin as easily as it might sound. So, you have to get professional help.

If you do not mind working things around and making a custom pin punch, you will be out of a lot of trouble. You can easily make a pin punch from some old wires by bending it accordingly.

Now, removing the broken firing pin should not be an issue. After that, you can easily replace it with a new firing pin.

2. Stiff Neck:

The neck of the Mossberg Silver Reserve shotgun might become stiff after heavy use in the range. It is also a very common problem with a newer gun that just has been bought.

You might even have to rest it on your leg or a surface just to open it up.

It is a pain to always have to apply tremendous pressure to open up the barrel to load and unload the shotgun. Without breaking in and cleaning properly, this problem occurs very frequently.

The Fix:

The solution is quite simple. If your shotgun is new, all you have to do is to clean it thoroughly first.

Now, you have to lubricate and oil it properly. Be sure to lubricate the moving parts so that it does not get jammed like before so easily.

If you experience a problem in the range, it is best to call it a day and clean the gun of debris. Also, in this case, lubricate the neck properly to get rid of the extra friction.

3. Safety Lever Issue:

The Safety lever of the Mossberg Silver Reserve can become loose and as a result, it may pop out of its position. It is a dangerous situation because the safety mechanism mainly locks the trigger in the safe position.

If you open up the chamber, the pin might be still in position.

The Fix:

Firstly, use a screwdriver to disassemble the Mossberg Silver Reserve. Now, use an eight-millimeter socket with some extensions to take the shotgun apart.

The marked piece on the safety lock slips off easily (Fig 1). So, take it off and use some lubricant to ease it up. After putting the safety lever back in, take the pin out and tension it properly.

Safety Lever
Safety Lever

4. Gun Popping Open After Shooting:

The Mossberg Silver Reserve might pop open after shooting it. It might catch you off guard and is a dangerous situation. This problem occurs when to lever on top of it moves to the center or slightly left to the center.

The main reason for this issue is the wearing of the lever from shooting many rounds.

The Fix:

You will have to replace the lever to fix the issue. You should also try to push the lever with your finger and check if it locks in.

If that is not the case, go to a gunsmith and replace the locking bolt of the shotgun.

5. Failure to Fire:

This issue happens when the trigger cannot grasp the hammer release when you pull the trigger. If you have this problem, there might be some metal, wood, or dirt stuck underneath the chrome piece inside the firing mechanism.

The Fix:

First of all, open up the gun and look at the trigger and hammer release. If you notice any chunk of outside material, remove it.

Now, make sure that the trigger can seat flat. If it still does not shoot, send the shotgun to Mossberg for a fix.

User Feedback on Mossberg Silver Reserve

The Mossberg Silver Reserve has received many harsh feedbacks on the first version although the second one has very few flaws. Most people have difficulties with a broken firing pin with this shotgun.

In this post from the Shotgun World, you can see that the author had many issues such as breaking open when firing, rusty chokes, and scratches on the side of the barrel.

A user from the Trap Shooters has experienced a broken firing pin. People have suggested buying new firing pins, especially titanium ones, or sending the gun to the company.

You can also look at some good points about this gun in this review from the Refuge Forums.

Top 3 Alternative Guns of Mossberg Silver Reserve

Here are some best alternatives for the Mossberg Silver Reserve:

CZ All American
– 30 inches long barrel with a magazine capacity of 2.
– Has a walnut stock with a varnish finish and comes with 5 multi chokes.
– Features high-precision CNC machining.

Browning Citori Hunter Grade 2
– Comes with steel shot performance and chrome chambers.
– Has 8 models ranging from $2,399.99 to $2479.99.
– The metalwork has a gloss finish with an American walnut stock.

Savage Arms 555 Shotgun
– Over and under shotgun with 12 GA calibers and 2 magazine capacities.
– Features a chrome-lined steel and carbon barrel with manual extractors.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What can you do with the Mossberg Silver Reserve shotgun?

The shotgun is best for sport and hunting.

What is the barrel build of the Mossberg Silver Reserve?

28 inches vent rib barrel with a matte blue finish.

What is the choke of the Mossberg Silver Reserve?

5 total field set choke.

What type of ejection does the Mossberg Silver Reserve have?

Extractor ejection type.

What is the length of pull (LOP) in the Mossberg Silver Reserve?

14 inches fixed length of pull.

What is the stock type in the Mossberg Silver Reserve?

Sating black walnut stock.

How much does the Mossberg Silver Reserve cost?

The shotgun costs $777.00.

Conclusion

That is all about the most common Mossberg Silver Reserve problems. I have given the proper and complete solutions to fix the issues. So, do not be sure to follow the instructions to get your Mossberg Silver Reserve fixed.

Also, remember to get professional help if you do not have the skills or expertise to work on the shotgun. Have a fun hunting season.

1 comment
  1. Just bought a Silver Reserve at an auction and shot it yesterday 50 rounds. Enjoyed it but would like an extra half inch in the stock. Out of 50 shots the break lever/top lever did not reset on closing the action, I reset the lever manually it felt like it was catching on something and did not take a lot of presure. It only happen randomly about 6 times in the two rounds of skeet. Is it just dirty? Thanks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts