Maverick 88

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okiewita40

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Jun 9, 2007
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Hello all,

I have decided it is time to retire my old 16 ga and get a 12 ga that I can use for different roles. While I know that a Rem 870 or Mossy 500/590 is pretty much at the top of everyones list I am going to go the cheaper route.

Here is a short list of why I am choosing the Maverick.
1) price NIB
2) same cross bolt safety as an 870
3) I can swap barrels with any 500
4) I can get 500 accesory's and put on if I want to.
5) is the same action as a 500

This guns primary duty will be home defense.i.e. a 18 1/2 " barrel. A quick barrel swap and I can use it for hunting also.

Please let me know what you think. I like Rem 870's but the price on them around here is premium even at pawn shops. I just figured this was the best of both worlds for me.
 
I have "owned & operated" a Maverick 88 for 15+ years. When I bought it, it had only the 28" Mod choke plain barrrel. Put just as much game on the table as my brothers with their much more expensive Rem 870 & 1110.

My Maverick now wears the 18-1/2" cylinder bore plain barrel. Have put a couple of Bambis in the freezer, and it is my HomeLand Security shotgun.

Goes BOOM! on request, every time.

p.s. If you swap barrels back to "Woods & Water" configuration (i.e. Hunting) don't forget to check with the Game & Fish guys about the rules for magazine capacity. They get downright picky about that.
 
Thank you foghorn. I guess as far as a plug is concerned I guess an old broom handle cut down to size would work also.

I use an 870 at work. Just thought the 88 would be a cheaper version made by mossy though.
 
Personally, I HATE crossbolt safeties. God meant for the safety to be on the tang and for me, it's worth a couple hundred more to put it there. LOL Of course, I shoot south paw.

The Maverick is a decent shotgun from all I've heard and it takes Mossberg barrels which are a lot more affordable than Remingtons, well, though Mossberg actually makes aftermarket Remington barrels. Go figure. As I understand it, the Mavericks have double action bars now, too. I really don't see the difference with a Mossberg except for the safety location. However, I'll buy the Mossberg (have one now) for the tang safety. Both my doubles have tang safeties. Only my Winchester autoloader has a friggin' frackin' crossbolt. It's okay, I guess, just slower to take off safety for the shot, got to loop my finger around the trigger guard and kick it off before I bring the gun to the shoulder. With the Mossberg or my doubles, I just kick off the safety as I mount the gun to my shoulder, much quicker. I can't get the safety off on that Winchester while the gun is in shooting position without taking my hand off the gun. By that time, the bird is usually out of range.

LOL, in a world of Benellis, Barettas, Brownings, Weatherby Orions, yadda, yadda, I never thought of an 870 as "expensive". LOL They give the things away in cracker jack boxes at Wallyworld. They don't run much over 200 bucks for the "express" models. But, I'd rather have a Mossberg. Been there, done that with 870s. Don't like the safety, don't like the shell elevator in the way on loading, my main gripes. The 500 works just as well and after a few cases of ammo, smooths out really well. It'll never be a Browning BPS, but it's a perfectly serviceable, affordable gun for me. Been duck hunting with mine now for near 20 years and sold an old single action bar 500 (actually a "Revelation M310, mossberg built) to get the one I have now. I've fed this old 500 a steady diet of 3" magnum steel heavy duck and goose loads. I've never used this gun on dove, only 3" has ever been fired in it and it's still going strong.
 
Mine is amazingly accurate with slugs, even in the 18 1/2in config. Plus its light and always works. Couldn't ask for more.
 
Okiewita40 go for it the Maverick is more bang for the buck. Reliable, affordable. I don't know what accessories you may plan on putting on but just double check and see if Maverick is listed to be sure. My favorite most affordable add on is a weaver base on the receiver if the Maverick is drilled and tapped for one like the Mossberg, then you can add a red dot or scope if you needed too. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=101772&t=11082005 this leaves you the ability to add a sidesaddle type shell carrier on the reciever.
 
I have one an I love it I would take it over my 870 any day. I love this shotgun.
 
yes it does. rattles and wriggles slightly. Easy to overlook though. Rugged, rugged and durable not to mention affordable. Did I mention that it's rugged?
 
I love my Maverick. I have the 870 as well, but I have a pistol grip buttstock on the Maverick and in the same configuration on the 870, it is almost impossible to reach the slide release. The ergonomics just work a bit better for me on the Maverick.

As for quality, I second and third that it goes bang every time I pull the trigger and I am yet to have a problem with it.
 
This is, I suppose, a matter of oppinion, but I recently (about a year ago) worked on a NIB maverick 88 which would only fire about 20% of the time. The hammer had a huge burr on it from the die casting process that acted as an unintentional half-cock, and the polymer trigger frame was molded too long so when the buttstock was tightened it jammed the fire control parts.

Now, fair or not, the gun was a wedding present to a friend of mine...he filed the warantee card, etc, but did not have a recipet. So, when he discovered the gun wouldn't function and contacted mossberg, they told him he was SOL as he was not the original purchaser.

Whatever you feel about the Maverich 88 warantee...at least make sure that each gun functions!
 
Thank you all for your help. It really has helped me make a more informed choice. I like the cross bolt safety as I am used to the Rem 870 That my dept uses. It just seems like a natural for me.

This is the great thing about THR lots of good advice w/o all the that gun sucks and this gun rules like a lot of other boards. Again thank you all for your help.
 
McGunner,

As you point out I have not been around the boards all that long. I have however been around firearms most of my life. I started hunting at about age 10. Between the military and law enforcement I have stayed around firearms a lot. I know that I am no expert in this field. That is why I came to the board and asked the question. Also I may know something or have a different outlook on something that may just make someone else think about something. I'm outta here for now.
 
Thank you all for the response's. Just seen an ad in the paper sunday. Academy has the maverick 88 on sale this week for $156. Only draw back is it comes with the 28" bent rib barrel and mod cyl choke tube. May get it and just save for the 18.5" barrel later on down the road.
 
You can buy the 18-1/2" cylinder bore plain barrel direct from Mossberg for around $74 +tax/shipping.

My Maverick came with the 28" plain mod-choke (not swappable tubes) barrel. You can also buy other choke tubes from Mossberg/Maverick directly.
 
prices

here in SC walmart Mossberg$159/rem 870 $239
thats with vent rib.$79 from factory? nowonder I am amazed at prices I'v live to long,still living in the 1940s I guess.-----:uhoh:----:confused:---:)
ADDED:Maverick is a Mossberg.made in Phillipines I believe
 
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