[virginia slim]

I recently purchased my first shotgun, a Mossberg 500. I've watched numerous You Tube videos to get some ideas on cleaning, lubing, etc. Almost without exception, everyone seems to open and close the action with the barrel removed. The manual says,"never close the action or pull the trigger while the barrel is removed as damage could result to the firearm." It's difficult to clean and lube without opening and closing the action. Is this a big deal?

[vafish]

You shouldn't slam it back and forth with the barrel removed. If you are gentle it shouldn't hurt anything.

[AgentM79]

Vafish is correct in my experience. I do know that closing the action hard without the barrel installed absolutely WILL wreck a S&W 3000 shotgun (the Howa-made clone of the Remington 870, sold under S&W's banner in the 1980's). It destroys one of the shell latches (the one you can't get anymore from those who still have parts for the gun). I've never done it, but I got screwed on an internet auction where a like-new 3000 was sold to me at a suspiciously low price. Turns out the latch was bent beyond repair. Oh, well. It made a nice "parts gun" for my two other S&W's, and I got a pristine rifle-sight barrel out of the deal.

Like Vafish said, just go easy and you won't damage anything. No reason to slam things around.