Maverick 88 for my wife

[DRBetz]

I have been looking to get my wife a gun for casually shooting clays several times a year and over the weekend we visited a few stores and she shouldered a bunch of guns.  The one that she felt fit her the best was the Maverick 88 youth (in 20 gauge), which from research is basically a Mossberg 500 (which she thought was less comfortable) with a few minor changes.  Does anyone have any experience with one, everything I have read seems to point towards it being a good solid gun? And after purchasing it, is there anything specific I should get/do to the gun to make it more enjoyable for her, besides a good cleaning? Thanks for any input.

[Buck154]

Lol. Thought you traded your wife in for a old car...

Edited November 29, 2016 by Buck154

[Haskell_Hunter]

I don't have any first-hand experience with them, but from what I can ascertain, they are rated well and won't break the bank.  I've seen a few on GunBroker that are around the $200 mark.  Even if you aren't happy with it, it's not an expensive choice.  Worst case you sell it used for $150 or pass it along to a youth hunter.  I say go for it!  (But I'm the type of guy always looking for an excuse to buy another gun...)

[230jhp]

I got one for my son when he was 12 he still uses it, now he is 38. He took a deer with it in Illinois about two years ago. Aftermarket barrels for a Mossberg 500 go on the Mav 88 as well. He has the modified choke barrel that came with it; a smooth bore slug barrel with open sights; a cantilever rifled barrel and a vent rib screw in choke barrel.

 

The difference between the 88 and the 500 is the 500 has a thumb safety and the 88 has a trigger finger safety. Otherwise the 88 is a Mossberg made in Mexico.

[MTH]

Did she try the Rem 870 in youth stock? Dick's has the Mav 88 for $189 now, and the Rem 870 for $249....I'd stick with tried and true 870....but if she likes the feel of the 88 and she's the one shooting it, then so be it

[Tarhunt]

Lol. Thought you traded your wife in for a old car...

My friend had a Maverick Grabber back in high school. Not a bad car for a Ford.

[Buck154]

My friend had a Maverick Grabber back in high school. Not a bad car for a Ford.

When I was younger (lot younger) a friend of the family had one

[DRBetz]

I got one for my son when he was 12 he still uses it, now he is 38. He took a deer with it in Illinois about two years ago. Aftermarket barrels for a Mossberg 500 go on the Mav 88 as well. He has the modified choke barrel that came with it; a smooth bore slug barrel with open sights; a cantilever rifled barrel and a vent rib screw in choke barrel.

 

The difference between the 88 and the 500 is the 500 has a thumb safety and the 88 has a trigger finger safety. Otherwise the 88 is a Mossberg made in Mexico.

That was the only difference I could find as well. Which makes me think the 500 would be a better option because she is left eye dominant and shoots left, which would make the thumb safety a little easier for her to use.  How much work went into swapping the stock out? I was thinking about getting a full size stock as well so we could both shoot it.

[230jhp]

That was the only difference I could find as well. Which makes me think the 500 would be a better option because she is left eye dominant and shoots left, which would make the thumb safety a little easier for her to use.  How much work went into swapping the stock out? I was thinking about getting a full size stock as well so we could both shoot it.

We never did anything with the stock, but changing or removing the stock on most pump shotguns is easy. Just remove the recoil pad and there is a long hex head screw to remove with a socket wrench. The stock then comes right out.

 

If she shoots lefty then the Mav safety is a problem. You might want to look into an inexpensive O/U or SxS like a Stoeger Condor.

Edited November 29, 2016 by 230jhp

[olbarneybasser]

Got one for my son two years ago.  Great first gun for him, fired a lot of round through it so far (range, tree rats, pheasant...).  No problems.  For the money, you can't go wrong in my opinion.

[Capt Hook]

pix of your Wife.

[username]

The one that she felt fit her the best was the Maverick 88...

 

I don't know much about women, however - quit while y'er ahead lad!

 

Like Buck154, my initial reaction was that Mavericks were not made in 88!

 

Edited November 30, 2016 by username