ChrisMcCracken Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) I've been thinking on this problem for the last week since I got my Mossberg 930 JM and figured out that the lifter is a hazard to my thumb and an impediment to efficient loading as it currently stands for ME. I've got an idea for an add on modification that I'm going to put out there for feedback. It's free to whoever wants to try it. I just ask that if you have the machining capabilities and decided to make one and it works out, you make me one too. I'm going to try to get it made myself if it can be done for cheap, as I don't want to mail off my lifter to be welded at this point and once I've got an idea in my head I'd like to know if it will work. My idea is basically a plastic or aluminum snap on cover for the lifter, as there seems to be plenty of clearance around the front and the back of the lifter as well as on the bolt side of the lifter, so long as the attachement is sufficiently thin. I would make it hook onto the back side of the lifter closest to the trigger guard and cover the outside snapping onto the front cutout. I would have it fill in the semicircle cutout and extend the lifter to the same dimensions as welding it would. I would probably have a groove on the outside down the midline to aid direction of the shells. I would probably have the front end angled a bit to assist entry into the tube. It should be doable on a mill from a thin block of delrin or aluminum, just 3-5mm thick. CNC would be best given the rounded shape of the front cut out, but that could be approximated with a 2 axis mill and enough patience. I'd just need to get the rough thickness cut into the block and then undercut with a router type bit to make the hook end and the snap on undercut for the front cutout. If the part is thin enough it should hook on at the back and flex to allow the front to slip/snap on yet still make a tight secure fit. The angle at the front could either me milled into the front shape or bent after everything is done cutting, not sure what would work best. I would also strongly consider a full cut through the midline to allow anyone that wants to mill a cut in their lifter itself to have access to push shells back into the tube, much as c-rums offers with their lifter modifications. People with machining experience, what do you think? Will it work? Suggestions to make it better? If I can't convince anyone else to make it for me, I'll either find a machine shop that doesn't mind letting me tinker or I'll mock it up on emachineshop.com and price it out for them to make a one off version. I think the end product in small batch production could be a less expensive, easy and fast, DIY non-permanent modification that rivals getting it welded without the down time and maybe cheaper. Edited April 20, 2012 by ChrisMcCracken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vash1023 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 sound like a cool idea, cant wait to see it completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon9 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Not trying to be negative but unless implemented EXACTLY right, with the proper materials, it is one more part to break or come off at the wrong time. Especially as there is no real downside to having your lifter properly welded, except for the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisMcCracken Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Yeah, I'm coming to that same conclusion. C-rums it is... As soon as I actually get to shoot it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryutheblade Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I just ground the fork off the lifter, still works and no thumb torture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben b. Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I just ground the fork off the lifter, still works and no thumb torture. Hmmm. That is certainly a direct method I did not consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc1094 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I just ground the fork off the lifter, still works and no thumb torture. do you have any pictures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyakasha Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Forgive me if this is a bad question, but if you have your shotgun and want to mail it somewhere else to get the lifter fixed, do you just need to send the lifter/trigger group? Like I'm debating on getting an M2 and it makes sense to just send the money to a place like C rums and have them do all the work and then send it to the FFL vs getting the gun and sending it to C rums etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunCat Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Forgive me if this is a bad question, but if you have your shotgun and want to mail it somewhere else to get the lifter fixed, do you just need to send the lifter/trigger group? Like I'm debating on getting an M2 and it makes sense to just send the money to a place like C rums and have them do all the work and then send it to the FFL vs getting the gun and sending it to C rums etc... When it comes to the lifter you send that part alone to C-Rums for the modification. (No other parts needed unless you want him to do other work) From the legal/ BATFE regulations standpoint when buying a gun you can pay for it and have the seller send it to most gunsmiths (if they are agreeable to the deal), then the smith can send it on to your FFL who will do the final 4473 transfer to you. If you purchase the gun first and take possession of it (ie. 4473 transfer if applicable, etc.) then you can send it to, and receive it back from, the gunsmith without any further “transfer” paperwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucketnascar3 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 (edited) RYU- Can you please post pictures I was thinking this exact thing so I applaud you for trying it first!! Edited April 6, 2014 by bucketnascar3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrawfishStu Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 I used a hard set epoxy, prepped the surface, and let it set nice and hard. Then began shaping and sanding.It still needs a little work/filling/sanding but I test fit it and I like it a lot. Feeds dummy shells perfectly into the tube and the gun.I could have/would have done a better job on the holes if I knew I was going to use them at the time like I did. But since I was going to just use a dremel to cut the slot out.....I didn't bother getting them anything other than straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrawfishStu Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 This was actually from my post on the FN forums when I first did it. It has held up great. I beveled it just a hair in the middle so it would let high brass slide in with no catching. The clearances and tolerances are pretty tight. You don't have much room in front of the fork and you don't have much room under the fork. It goes up just far enough for shell to clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambluemax Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Mark Roth had a piece of carbon fiber attached to a lifter on an m2 I shot in a side match last year. I think it made things worse even though it's counter intuitive. That one bit me more consistently and viciously than any other shotgun I've tried Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledoc Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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