As noted, the safety is different and the action bars attach to the forearm differently (making changing the forearm on the Maverick more of a chore). Beyond that, they are the same gun using the same parts. Many parts on both the Mossberg 500 and the Maverick 88 are made in Mexico, then QC'ed and assembled in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Maverick is no more "Mexican" than the Mossberg 500. The 500 simply has a couple more bells and whistles and a couple more options available. Also, all Mossberg warranty work is done in Eagle Pass, Texas. I've toured the factory and seen all of this 1st hand. Their QC is excellent and both shotguns are good values.