When I took delivery of my new Mossberg 930SPX everything looked good, but there is only so much you can tell until you have a chance to actually use it. After wasting about $30 worth of Federal Truball rifles slug ammo trying to get the sights zeroed, I determined that the front sight post was not centered at the factory because I had the rear aperture all the way to the left and it still needed more adjustment to get on target.
An online search will reveal that I'm not the only one who has had this problem. So, I email Mossberg and after 3 days of no response, I call their customer service number. Now, I read another member here did the same thing and they fedexed him a new barrel right away without even waiting for the old barrel in return. However, they told me I would have to send my barrel in to their service center, which actually seems to be part of their Maverick operation in Eagle Pass, Texas. So add $10 shipping to the $30 wasted ammo trying to zero a gun with a factory defect front sight.
I checked on the delivery of my barrel and according to the tracking number Mossberg/Maverick received it April 15, 2009. I move on to other concerns in my life and a month later Mossberg finally replies to my initial email about the barrel. The email dated May 16, 2009 says, "Please contact us and we will replace the barrel." Well, that reminded me to call them and check on the status of my returned barrel. The fella who I spoke to asks my name and looks it up, and tells me that my barrel will ship out to me Thurs May 21, 2009.
OK, I'm not happy about the month long wait, but at least it looks like there is an end in sight. It is now a week after the promised ship date and no barrel has arrived. I called the Mossberg/Maverick service center again, they ask my name and look it up again. They tell me those barrels are back-ordered. No kidding. I tell the fella about the promise that mine would ship a week ago, he puts me on hold to check on that. He comes back and starts telling me that they are doing a "safety check" on my barrel and that the front sight was not centered when it was welded on. I know the front sight is not centered but the "safety-check" business sounds like a stall tactic.
So, I ask, "When can I expect my replacement barrel will ship?" The answer, "Maybe in a week or two."
I didn't rush to the internet to start venting about a manufacturer without giving them a chance to make it right. First of all, it is wrong that I'm out $40 in ammo and shipping because they delivered a product to market with a defect. Second, it is wrong that it should take 6 weeks or more to replace a defective part. And the folks who answer the phones at customer service should give accurate information and answers.
This experience has me very disappointed in Mossberg.
I have noticed that this sighting system including the winged fiber optic front sight and the LPA rear sight on a picatinny rail is now appearing on several other Mossberg offerings including 500 and 590 SPX models. I would be wary of those until certain that Mossberg has corrected this production problem.
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