Maverick 88 forened and stock options

[Barry the Bear]

Hey fellas I have a model 88 mossy that has served me well the last few years, basically what I want to do is change the stock synthetic furniture to a more classic wood design I know the stock is the same as the 500 but I hear I have to replace the action bars as well as the fore end to install a new forearm, is this true and if so anyone have a link that details what I have to do?

 

[evan price]

The Mav 88 and many newer 500 now use the forearm with the action bars built onto it, and not the metal tubular forearm action slide and a separate cover, like used on older M500.
You can switch the new style for the old style provided you get the forearm and action slide that are the same length. They had a 7-5/8" long tube and a 6-1/2" short tube and the forearms are different for the tube length.
Otherwise, you are correct.
http://www.havlinsales.com/
http://www.havlinsales.com/images/actioncomp.jpg
http://www.havlinsales.com/Modern Shotgun Stocks (2)_files/image004.gif

 

[USAF_Vet]

The MAv 88 and the Mossberg 500 that have synthetic furniture have the action rails molded into the fore end. The Mossberg 500 with wood furniture still uses the two piece tube.

my Mav 88 sports a Mossy 500 tubular action rail. They aren't expensive or hard to find, and drop right in.

 

[miles1]

I also have a mav 88 and plan on doing basically the same thing soon.From asking around on the mossy forums it looks like as long as the forend and action tube assembly are the same length your good to go.

 

[bainter1212]

You would be well served to switch to the old style slide tube and separate forend.

My buddy recently bought a cheap 500 combo from Big 5. After about 50 rds, the action locked up tight.
Turns out, he has the crappy newer one piece forend. The action bars are actually PINNED to the forend. These pins fell out and his bars separated from the forend.
I was appalled. I had no idea these newer ones had such a weakness. My 500 is older and has the nicer solid slide tube.

 

[hAkron]

You could get pretty close in price to a new Mossberg 500A with wood furniture by the time you buy the stock, forend, and action bars (and the castle nut wrench thing to do the swap).