Maverick 88

[JohnR]

Talk me out of one.

I’ve fired shotguns, but never owned one. My 12 year old daughter just got her rifle merit badge in Scouts and wants to do shotgun too. I wouldn’t mind a simple pump action 12 gauge. I'd like a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500, or the 88 I guess. They seem plentiful and affordable, so…

[AJBert]

See if you can find an older 870 if you go that route. About 20ish years ago, Remington started adding plastic bits to the 870's, as in the trigger guard and a few other minor things. Other than that, you can't go wrong with any of the shotguns. They also all come in youth models, if need be.

[yqtszhj]

That maverick 88 in 12 gauge is light and to me is no fun to shoot. I think I would have liked my maverick in 20 gauge myself, but I’m a sissy maybe. Other than that it’s a good shotgun.

[King Rat]

I Have the 500, and a few more. I recently Picked up a Winchester 12ga. SLX with a 18" barrel with Investor Chokes, Back Bored, and a Ati Stock. Love this gun. Also a Panzer M4 clone of the Bellini. This is a extremely smooth shooting gun and for a semi has been flawless with everything. My Mossberg 5oo flex in 20ga 18" is a nice versatile shotgun with Hunting, tactical, and pistol grip as well as a Slug barrel. IMO what ever shotgun, you choose, get one with the ability use different chokes. I have a friend that his selling his original 870, with chokes, 20 barrel, Hogue fore end and stock for $400. Has the youth stock which he likes. Lately I have been thinking of the Mossberg Shockwave in 20ga.


Ps, my LGS had just put up for sale a used Mossberg 88 in nice condition for $119.00. Just goes to show you what you can get them for.

20 ga. Shockwave below. MILD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN0EAqF8yUY&t=1s

[Bawanna]

I've always preferred the Mossberg 500 over the 870. Dept had 870's. I like the safety etc on the Mossberg myself. The Maverick is an economy 500.
I agree with getting various chokes. They use to have a deal where you could get both the youth and adult butt stocks. I preferred the youth also.
Nothing wrong going 20ga either cept the shells seem to be more money.

[Barth]

Only experience is with a Mossberg 500 and 590 Shockwave.
The 500 is my slug gun.
It's been 100% reliable, but the pistol grip, with no stock, puts a hurt on my hand .
The shockwave is dreamy to shoot with any kind of ammo (that shockwave grip really works).
Prefer Federal LE12700 as it patterns the best from my gun

The gun requires some specific ways of shooting (to keep your teeth).
If you get one?
Clint Smith has a great video on proper technique.

My Doorbell From Hell

[King Rat]

One thing about the Mossberg shockwave, ya ain't going to tear your shoulder to hell. I have not shot a shotwave, but have shot my 20ga Pistol grip. The recoil is no where the same as 12ga. And like the video say's, it is like point shooting. Like a large pistol and i never had a issue with bringing it close to face.

Man, I love this. Put this on a 20ga and good to go.

[sorcerer]

I have a 88 that I added a recoil reducing pistol grip adjustable stock to. The pistol grip makes using the cross bolt safety and the lever to unlock the breach difficult to operate. I actually add a Lim saver recoil pad to absorb more of the recoil. My only other experience with shotguns was an inherited 16 gage Montgomery Wards / Browning that has sense been sold. As a side note a friend has a 12 gage Shock wave and the first time he fired it took his direction from Holly Weird. He will never ever place the end grip against his hip bone and pull the trigger. My guilty pleasure when someone wants to try the 88 is to load first in the tube a 3” slug, 00 buck, 2 3/4”slug, 2 bird shot. The facial expression when they light off the 3” slug is priceless.

[Barth]

I have a 88 that I added a recoil reducing pistol grip adjustable stock to. The pistol grip makes using the cross bolt safety and the lever to unlock the breach difficult to operate. I actually add a Lim saver recoil pad to absorb more of the recoil. My only other experience with shotguns was an inherited 16 gage Montgomery Wards / Browning that has sense been sold. As a side note a friend has a 12 gage Shock wave and the first time he fired it took his direction from Holly Weird. He will never ever place the end grip against his hip bone and pull the trigger. My guilty pleasure when someone wants to try the 88 is to load first in the tube a 3” slug, 00 buck, 2 3/4”slug, 2 bird shot. The facial expression when they light off the 3” slug is priceless.

Back in the day, a friend of mine had a long barreled single shot 10 gauge Goose Gun.
Hard wood stock with no recoil pad.
Loaded with 3.5" Magnum 00 Buckshot.
I lit off one round into a tree.
And the entire tree shook ...

[getsome]

I’ve had two Mossberg Maverick 88’s and both were fine shooters….I lost the first one in a house fire but I liked a lot it and bought another which currently is in the corner of my bedroom loaded with #4 buck with an empty chamber……I’ve had a Remington 870 many years ago and it was nice as well but I like the slide release location as well as the safety on the Mossberg…….One funny story happened after I bought the latest 88 after the fire when my 14 year old son wanted to try out trap shooting so I found a place open to the public and bought a bunch of birdshot and let him give it a go and the funny thing was he was doing pretty good and hitting a fair amount of clays with a short barrel pump and doing as well as the other older gentlemen with their thousand dollar custom over and under long guns……I tried it and the only thing I could hit was air, trap shooting is very hard to do…….The Maverick 88 is a great little home defense shotgun that will do you quite well, both of mine functioned perfectly and I’ve never had any problems at all with either and you can’t beat the price so get you one……