They also can easily be tightened up to eliminate slide rattle. Ithaca 37's are just as loose as a Mossberg but are generally considered to be a fine shotgun. They too can easily be tightened up to eliminate slide rattle. I've done both my Mossberg and my Ithaca and both are now tighter than a stock 870.
Would you explain how to do this tightening job? I've got a couple that could use it. Thanks.
Just remove the forend/action bar assembly, loosen and remove the spanner cap that holds the forend to the tube and slide the forend off the tube. You'll see a series of indents around the circumference of the tube at the front and rear. The forend tube rides along the magazine tube on those indents. Take a 1/8" steel punch and grind it so it's round on the end. Use the punch to progressively deepen the forend tube dents evenly around the circumference of the tube until they fit tight to the magazine tube but still allow it to move easily fore and aft. Reassemble and you have a Mossberg with a tight, rattle free forend. The Ithaca is done the same way but since the forend tube "dents" are long and flat use a flat blade screwdriver instead of the punch to deepen them.
