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Old December 31, 2013, 12:09 PM   #1
Gator Weiss
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MAVERICK OPINIONS ? (by Mossberg)

I am interested in what folks on this forum think of the MAVERICK slide action shotgun; especially the one with the smooth bore slugger barrel. I just scored one from a friend - new condition - very nice set of sights on the barrel. I really like the old Mossberg action - especially the thumb-switch style safety on the top of the back of the receiver. Maverick has moved the safety to the forward edge of the trigger guard and I wish they had not done this. There is some advantage to the trigger guard mounted safety button and that would be if you chose to add a pistol-grip style stock or a folding stock.

This is my first Maverick. Can anyone share pros and cons on this shotgun?
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Old December 31, 2013, 01:37 PM   #2
Doug S
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The Maverick is a good gun, I think the equal of the Mossberg 500 (actually they are the same gun with a couple of minor differences). It's hard to find good information on the subject (what you tend to get is people repeating stuff they've heard over the years), but from everything I could gather they are made in the same factories, of the same parts (so the old "Mexican Mossberg" comments do not appear to be true any longer. In fact my Maverick came with "Made in the U.S.A. stickers on it, and the barrel and receiver are also stamped as being made in the U.S.A.). The safety on the Maverick although less popular, seems to be the more reliable safety. There are lots of threads about the Mossberg 500 safety coming apart and the bearing being lost. This doesn't happen with the Maverick.
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Old January 1, 2014, 03:04 PM   #3
bspillman
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Best pump for the price anywhere you look. The quality surpasses the price by far. The only difference between the maverick and mossberg 500 is the safety. As far as I know. I own 2 a 12 and a 20.
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Old January 1, 2014, 03:48 PM   #4
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I really prefer the safety position of the Maverick over the Mossberg. If I were in the market for a Mossberg action, I would go with a Maverick just because of the safety alone. Though I have a Win. SXP which has the safety in the same position as the Mav. 88

I think that's the best position because it's equally easy to access from a traditional or pistol grip stock. The Mossberg safety is fine ona traditional stock but is useless with a PG. Plus it kinda ruins the look of the gun being at the top of the receiver.

Overall though, if i were looking for a budget pump gun, I'd go with Stevens 320. I really just prefer the Win. speed pump action.
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Old January 1, 2014, 04:02 PM   #5
PetahW
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.

Just a few days ago, I was looking at a used 20ga version in an LGS, with a rifled bbl & iron sights @ $229 - If I didn't already own/use a 20ga Ithaca Deerslayer, I'da bought it in a heartbeat. .



.
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Old January 1, 2014, 07:16 PM   #6
Oysterboy
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I have one in 12 gauge. Love it.

Mine's 18 1/2" cylinder bore.
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Old January 1, 2014, 10:23 PM   #7
treg
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Bought mine as a beater. Turns out to be a nice gun.

It would have to be a pretty special gun to get me to pay any more for a shotgun.
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Old January 1, 2014, 10:30 PM   #8
Tipsy Mcstagger
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Mine shoots fine, but it is not my main hunting shotgun and I haven't put more than 100 shells through it. The trigger guard is plastic, in addition to other differences already stated.
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Old January 2, 2014, 05:33 PM   #9
thinktwice
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My friend has one, and I have the 500. His action is a lot smoother than my 500. They are just about the same gun as far as I can tell. He hasn't had any trouble out of it it, shoots, feeds, and ejects fine
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Old January 2, 2014, 05:38 PM   #10
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Whenever I look at a gun I go to Youtube and see them in action before buying. Learns a lot from them. I did before I bought the 88 and I was impressed for an $180 shotgun.

I had mine for months and only fired it once. I wanted to try skeet shooting but I needed a partner to go. Nobody here is interested so I put one birdshot shell in the gun and fired it in my backyard.

Just making sure it works before HD use.
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Old January 2, 2014, 06:28 PM   #11
Jaykwish
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I got mine for 200 new and I have thousands of shells through it, best 200 I've spent. (On a shotgun of course)
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Old January 3, 2014, 10:48 AM   #12
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I had a 5+1 security model, and it was a good gun. The only con I haven't seen mentioned in this thread was that the actions bars are attached directly to the forend, so you'd need to get a Mossberg 500 action tube assembly if you wanted to install forends made for the 500. As long as you're happy with the forend on the gun, though, it doesn't really matter.
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Old January 3, 2014, 12:22 PM   #13
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to the OP I have a 500 with a 24" smooth bore rifle sight slugger bbl. and honestly I like it o.k. but mine has the ports on the end and for the life of me I just don't get why Mossberg thinks they have to port every thing. im thinking of cutting the ports off and re-attaching the front sight if its practical if not ill just live with it
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Old January 3, 2014, 03:13 PM   #14
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Quote:
The trigger guard is plastic
The only current production Mossberg 500 style shotguns with metal trigger guards are the 590A1's. Everything else is plastic. Not that it really matters much.

If you're going to shoot it a whole lot, I'd spend a little more and buy the 500. In the long run, I think you'll be happier.
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Old January 5, 2014, 05:16 PM   #15
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I've owned many brands of pump shotguns over the years. When I needed a new one I picked the Maverick due to the price point and safety location. I do believe it is the best bang for the buck on a HD shotgun. YMMV. tom.
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Old January 5, 2014, 05:27 PM   #16
Bullet Bill
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I bought the maveric 88 12GA Vented Rib verson for a beater/skeet gun. Its a lot of value for the money. The plastic trigger gaurd does not bother me at all but the aluminum receiver does, it nicks and scratches easily as well as shows some internal wear. The trigger is a little heavy and occasionally it will jam. Overall it functions good and I have no regrets getting it for $182 out the door.
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Old January 6, 2014, 04:55 PM   #17
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My 500 that I purchased back in 1981 has the plastic trigger guard, and it still works fine. While the Maverick isn't exactly the nicest pump shotgun going, it's perfectly useable, and should work for decades.
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Old January 8, 2014, 12:15 PM   #18
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I love my Mav. I use it for regular trap shoots and it sits under my bed wearing its short barrel. I really like the safety location as that's where my trigger finger rests for any long arm I'm using.
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Old January 11, 2014, 08:50 AM   #19
gyvel
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Minor rant: Mossberg has known literally for decades that the sliding plastic safety button is prone to breakage and yet has never done a thing to correct it. The pushbutton safety on the Maverick is a vast improvement.
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Old January 11, 2014, 08:26 PM   #20
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Best Beater

I bought a Maverick 88 six shot as a used police trade in down at The Ocala Armory on a trip to visit my brother ten years ago, It was worn but serviceable and came with a SpeedFeed stock and heat shield. When you could get 100 rounds boxes of #7 bird shot in 2-3/4" shells from Walmart for $5 a go, I bought thousands of rounds.

I have no idea how many rounds the Mav got when the local PD had it but the action was smooth and slick and after the thousands I put through it, it still goes strong. Bird, Buck, Slug and even some of those 'novelty' rounds they have at the fun shows (flamethrower! riot rounds!) have been through this gun. It wears a side saddle and a shortened shell cuff that doesn't impede the Speed stock and with 21 rounds of mixed 00, 000 and slug, it's our HD shotgun.

In closing I'll say that I've also owned a stock model 500 six shot and a super jazzy model 590A1 9-shot with the ghost ring sights and the six position stock. They were good guns but the 590 was too many whistles and bells (and my discovery that I don't like pistol grip pump guns) and the 500 was heavier than the Mav 88 empty and not as fun to shoot. They went the way of the dodo. I am currently shopping around for a Mav 88 20 gauge six shot for my wife!
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Old January 12, 2014, 10:58 AM   #21
jaguarxk120
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gyvel the crossbolt safety is a vast improvement just as you say over the tang mounted abomination.

For me it is having to change my grip on the gun by moving my thumb. The safety in the trigger guard is perfect location.
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Old January 13, 2014, 12:38 AM   #22
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I bought the field model--added a Limbsaver pad and a 18.5in security barrel and now have a gun for all occasions
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Old January 16, 2014, 08:27 PM   #23
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I acually like the tang mounted safety location...on/off without alteration to grip, and you can get metal aftermarket safety buttons for the mossy. What I dont like is the safety mechanism itself, with that long shtick to the trigger group, looks more prone to stick-slip than just a cross-bolt...
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Old January 27, 2014, 09:32 PM   #24
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I had the 6 shot security model for years. Great gun. I sold as I wanted an 8 shot. I planned on getting an 8 shot Maverick but went with the 500 instead as I really liked the parked finish on it. I swapped the safety on my 500 to the 590's aluminum one, an improvement but still feels less than solid compared to the Mavericks. I will say the the fore end and action bars on the 500 feel better and less wobbely than the Mavs. Fwiw the fore end is pinned to the action bars on my 500 much like the Mavericks. Lame.
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