Maverick 88 Defense Shotgun [Review]

You and I agree: the pump-action shotgun is probably the most widely recognized type of firearm there is.  Not just the look, but the sound of the slide being racked as well. No decent action movie is complete without it!

But what about at home? There is some significant debate as to what constitutes a good home defense gun.

Many argue pistol, other argue something like an AR-15 or AK-47.

To this day, however, if you walk into a gun store and say the words “home defense” the salesperson will shove a pump action shotgun into your hands before you can even finish the question.

So what can you get for around $200? The Maverick 88…but is it worth it?

Review at a Glance

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Reliable pump-action
• Great for home defense

Cons

• Made in Mexico
• Not as nice furniture compared to Mossberg 500

The Bottom Line

Looking for a first pump-action that’s almost a Mossberg 500 but not quite…but is just around $200? The Maverick 88 is a great choice.

Background

Pump actions have a lot of advantages.

Anyone who’s seen any action movie probably knows how to use one. Here’s me with a Mossberg 590.

There isn’t much in the way of moving parts which makes it reliable…

…While the ammo isn’t the magic, bad guy disintegrating ammo that movies make it out to be, it still packs a heck of a punch.

Pump actions are also, typically, the cheapest style of shotgun you can get.  Semi-auto and over/under shotguns generally come in a couple hundred bucks higher than their pump-action cousins.

I remember going to a store and asking for an inexpensive shotgun to keep in a corner of my house.  The clerk handed me the Maverick 88 Home Defense.  The out-the-door price was $199, which was right in my budget at the time.

What a neat little gun this thing turned out to be.

Is the Maverick a Mossberg?

Back in 1919, a man by the name of Oscar Frederick Mossberg started a gun company with his sons with the creative name of “O.F. Mossberg and Sons”.

Anyway, Mossberg is currently the oldest family-owned firearms manufacturer in the country.

One of their most famous guns is the legendary Mossberg 500.  The 500 is quite possibly one of the most popular pump action 12 gauge shotguns out there.  At an average price of around $500 and with countless accessories and configurations, it’s a great gun.

But what if you don’t have $500?

What if you’ve only got $200 to spend and you still want a brand new, Mossberg 500?

The Maverick 88 is a Mossberg 500!

I’m not saying it’s some cheap knockoff made by some unknown company operating out of a storage unit in Bangladesh.  I’m saying this is a freaking Mossberg 500.  It is Mossberg parts, Mossberg design, assembled by Mossberg employees in a Mossberg factory.  The only way it could be more of a Mossberg is if they accidentally stamped the wrong name on the receiver.

So why is it only $200?

Well, for starters, the parts are manufactured in Mexico as opposed to Connecticut.  It also has zero options on it.

No nice front bead.  No nice wood stock.  No swivel sling mounts.  The furniture is bargain basement polymer.  The metal is just blued steel.

This shotgun is like the classic T-Bucket hot rod: just an engine, controls, wheels and a seat.  The absolute bare essentials that you need to drive.  However, like a T-Bucket, you don’t have to stop there.  More on that later once we get into the tests.

One of the best things about it? It’ll eat almost anything you feed it, even Exotic Ammo

By the Numbers

Ease of Breakdown: 2.5/5

I’ll answer this section with a little story.

Once upon a time, a Noob sat down with his Maverick 88 and said: “I’m gonna take this thing apart to see how it works!”  He then opened up the manual and started to read the steps necessary to disassemble the gun.  As he read on, his face changed from one of excitement to one of confusion.

Halfway through the steps, he wore a face of abject horror.  It’s not a simple process.  Granted, it’s nothing like trying to break down a Ruger Mark III pistol.  It’s not a Glock or AR-15 either.

As per my own guidelines, if you need to break out tools in order to take a gun apart it won’t do very well in this category.  For its nasty disassembly process, the Maverick 88 gets a 2.5 out of 5.

Maintenance: 5/5

Fortunately, because of the nature of how a pump-action works, you won’t have to break it down often.

There’s only one area that the gunk is going to get into and that’s the barrel itself.

Pass a bore snake through it a couple of times after you’re done shooting for the day and you’ll be fine.  Every now and then, you can pull it completely apart and give it a good cleaning.  There isn’t much to the gun, in the grand scheme of things.  Wipe and go is the way.  5 out of 5

Reliability: 5/5

It’s a freaking pump-action shotgun.  Pump-action shotguns are the revolvers of the shotgun world.  You pull the trigger, it fires.  Setting aside the chance of just a catastrophic failure, this gun is going to go bang. 5 out of 5

Safety: 3/5

There is a little button on the trigger guard that stops the gun from firing.  That’s it.  No internal safeties.  No grip safeties.  Just that little button standing between you and a hole in something.

Pretty much every pump-action shotgun in the world has that same thing.  The safety of this gun is almost entirely up to you.  Unlike some pistols, there is nothing on this gun that’s meant to save you from yourself.  3 out of 5

Poor Technique: 3/5

Rack it, point it, pull the trigger.  There’s not much to it.

The only thing to worry about is the dreaded “short shuck”.

If you don’t rack the gun completely, it won’t pick up the next round and your gun is going to go “click” when it should have gone “bang”.  If you get a pump action, and I mean any pump action, this is going to be an issue.

Also, keep in mind that you’re essentially putting a cannon up to your shoulder.  While it’s simple to learn good technique with a shotgun, poor technique can really punish you.  The results can be quite painful.  3 out of 5

Starter Kit: 4/5

It comes in a big cardboard box with some Styrofoam.  It does have a basic sling mount which you can attach yourself.  It also comes with your choice of stocks: shoulder stock or pistol grip.

In the grand scheme of things, it feels to me like you don’t get much with this gun.  Considering I take comparisons of other guns into account with my scores, my gut tells me a 4 out of 5.  What do you want for a $200 gun?

Accessories and Upgrades: 5/5

I may have mentioned in the opening text that this gun is a Mossberg 500.  That means that any accessory made for a Mossberg 500 will work on this gun…

Final Word: 4/5

Upgrades

Like we said above…the sky is the limit since all Mossberg 500 upgrades work for the Maverick 88.

And boy do we love upgrading our Mossberg 500s.

Check out our Best Mossberg 500 Upgrades article.

And since you saved so much on the actual shotgun…spend more on ammo for actual training. Check out our Best Shotgun Ammo.

Conclusion

The Maverick 88 is a solid tactical defense shotgun that shares a lot in common with the Mossburg 500. It’ll never fail you if you use it right. It will, however, kick you pretty hard if you don’t. But for an affordable home-defense shotgun it offers the best bang-for-the-buck.

When it comes to the best home defense firearm, the debate will never end.

If you’re wanting a shotgun for hunting or skeet shooting, I’d look elsewhere. If you’re wanting a shotgun specifically for home defense or range time fun, you can’t go wrong with this gun.

The nice thing is you can upgrade it over time to use for hunting or skeet shooting.  All in all, it’s a great gun for a great price.  The final verdict is 4 out of 5.  But if you’re thinking of the Mossberg 500, check out our Best Beginner Shotgun Guide.

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