Mossberg 500 or Maverick 88...What's the Difference?

C

ChefGW

New member
I've been looking to get a new 12 gauge and mod it itno a tactical/HD gun.
The mossberg and the maverick are almost identical to me except the safety mechanisim. However, I thought the maverick only had one arm on the pump. I was at Wal-Mart yesterday looking at the two and the maverick did indeed have two arms on the pump. Is this a new model? Will tactical forends work on the maverick? The price difference between the two was only about $50 but that extra cash could go for accessories. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Mossy makes the Maverick models (kind of Like Chevy and GM). I can tell you from firsthand experience to not hesitate going with Mav as it is every bit as reliable as its flagship brother. Search this on the net as well as other forums and I am sure you will find that this is the general consensus.

-Cheers
 
Yup--All of the accessories for the Mossberg 500 will fit a Maverick as well as the barrel!

-Cheers
 
Woah Woah Woah there! The forends will not fit the maverick 88 unless you are able to order them with the base tube that the action bars are secured to.

In the "real" 500, there in a "base tube" that is made of metal and the action bars are secured to it, and the platic or wood forend is secured onto this tube, the maverick's forend is simpler and of one piece construction. Unless you find a forend base tube with the action bars, you can't switch forends.

It's like this (i have both a 500 and an 88) I can swap the forends between the two all day if I want provided I swap the ENTIRE forend assembly action bars and all, but I can't remove my 500's forend grip and put it on the maverick because there is no way to remove the existing grip on the maverick

Hope this made sense, and helped out.

As far as everything else, yes, it is compatible. Stocks and barrels and such will all fit fine.


Oh, and the maverick 88 is a fine, reliable firearm. Never had a problem with it.
 
Maverick vs Mossberg 500

Hello and congrats, I think you can't go wrong with the Mossberg 500 or Maverick line for a defense shotgun. I have a couple of em myself, one a 500 and one a 590A1. I carry mine on duty and am an armorer for the 500/590s and trust them completely.

I have never owned a maverick but they appear to be solid and inexpensive.

Give some thought if you will change stocks....if you go with a folder or pistol grip style, the maverick may be better for you since it has the crossbolt safety which will be easier to maniupulate. If you stick with a standard config stock, then it is personal preference if you like the tang safety of the 500/590 or the crossbolt of the maverick. I believe the only difference from the 500 and maverick other than the safety, price and action bars is the warranty. I am pretty sure the 500 has a much longer warranty if that is important to you.
 
The maverick I'm looking at has a synthetic forend already so I probably wouldn't replace it right away. I think I would like to add the AR style stock from ATI and the heat sheild with the ghost ring sights and that's about it. Well maybe a mini mag light too.
 
Never owned a Mossberg proper, but I do own a Maverick 88, so I figured I would weigh in on this.

Maverick has been a good gun. Reliable, rugged, and fun to shoot. One word of warning, though, it seems to be rust prone. Mine started rusting (just light surface stuff) within the first month. I kept her oiled, but she still rusted. Of course, the crazy salt air of Houston might have had a part in it.

Either way, I'm happy enough with it to put the time/effort in to just refinish instead of replacing.
 
Another Mav 88 owner here (see signature). This gun has been very reliable, and very easy to shoot. No rust problems here, Houston as well. I have read that many of the aftermarket accesories will not fit the Mav 88, but if other here with more knowledge say otherwise, this is good news. BTW mine is black synthetic stock and forend 18 1/2" barrel.
 
I was at a pawn shop yesterday and they had two different Maverick 88's.
One had a full length barrel with one forend and the other was a shorter barreled version with a smaller grooved forend. Were these two different models of the same gun (different years of production maybe)?
 
The maverick I'm looking at has a synthetic forend already so I probably wouldn't replace it right away. I think I would like to add the AR style stock from ATI and the heat sheild with the ghost ring sights and that's about it. Well maybe a mini mag light too.
Click to expand...

you're looking for my shotgun huh? :) i had a heat shield on it, but it wouldn't fit in the new rifle/shotgun racks in our squads with it, so i took it off. i bought it to carry at my first department 10 years ago (small department and bad pay). the thing's been so reliable and good to me, i've carried it daily for just about a decade now. it's been covered in mud, rained on, you name it. every once in a while i notice some light rust on the end of the barrel from when i have to have the car door open and the rain gets in on it. i just use some steel wool and oil it back up. it was running like a champ on a bad weather range day when two of our issued 870s gave up and quit.

it's the best money i ever spent.

25755.jpg
 
Yup, that's the one. I want the heat sheild though (the one with the ghost ring sights). I also like the ribbed forend better than the larger smoothed out ones.
 
Here's mine. :)

It's a Mav.88, The action and springs were worked out by my gunsmith, it has the heat shield on the barrel, Scattergun Ghost ring sights with tritium and saddle something ammo holder...

It's my "beside the bed" shotgun.

But it kicks like hell with Magnum ammo, since it's body is alluminium, and it's very, very light.

Enjoy the pics,

Regards,

Andre Tiba - Brazil
 

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almtiba,

The stand you have your Mav 88 in looks great. Did you build that yourself? If so, where did you get the plans?

BTW, I own both a Mossberg 500 and a Mav 88 and I like them both...well made, sturdy, dependable guns.
 
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