I was looking at the Maverick 88 but I don’t mind spending more if I can get more suggestions.
The Maverick is a good gun. I have a 500 and one of the main differences I can think of is the 500 has dual action bars to cycle the action and the Maverick has one. I will have less expensive furniture to lower cost. It should be the same receiver. My buddy has a maverick and says it’s just as good.
I have owned a Mossberg 500 for thirty years and have shot hundreds and hundreds of rounds from bird shot to 3" OOO buck magnum rounds to slugs with absolutely no malfunctions. Quick barrel change and it goes from hunting to home defense.
FWIW, not only from the perspective of being a ‘lefty’, but for home defense and instinctive action, I don’t think you can beat a top-mounted safety! Good hear someone has a ton of rounds through a Mossy 500.
If you are a lefty, I would get a Mossberg 590A1, and replace the plastic safety and the magazine spring with a new Wolff unit.
If you are a righty, I would get a used Remington 870 Police Magnum for less than $250 from Mark at Summit Gun Broker, clean it, replace the magazine spring with a new Wolff unit, and call it good.
I have a Mossberg 590A1, 870, and a Super Nova. Hands down the Benelli super nova.
No issues at all, from a tactical stance I prefer the little button on the hand rail that blocks a shell from dropping into the chamber is a nice option for a slug select drill. That alone makes it worth it
my wife thinks I only have 3 guns
Doesn’t the 590A1 come with a metal safety and trigger guard?
I could have sworn I have seen some older 590 or 590A1’s with a plastic safety. But being an old fossil, it’s entirely possible I’m wrong.
I carried one for a bit when they were first issued in the USMC. I thought it was a good shotgun, and stood up to field conditions pretty well.
The first gun I ever bought (1982, Eielson AFB Alaska Base Exchange, $189.00) was a Mossberg 500 “Sportsman Combo”. Wood and blues…it came with a long and short barrel, three screw in chokes, pistol grip, and a sling.
I carried and hunted with that gun in Alaska, Montana, and New England. I’ve shot upland birds, waterfowl, deer, fox, coyote, and thousands of clay pigeons with it using all manner of ammo.
I have only recently replaced my magazine spring because it was original, but it still worked fine. But I figured it may give out on me some day and wanted to fully vette a new one at the range rather than have ‘old reliable’ fail in the field.
It’s got some minor rust on the barrel, and the wood stock has some dings and scratches (it wears a plastic stock and fore grip now) but that gun has never failed me, even as I have neglected it from time to time.
The first gun I bought, I expect it to be last gun I will part with unless it gets passed on to one of my kids.
Not sure what today’s Mossberg quality is, but I have no complaints about my old scatter blaster…
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Did you ever buy a slug barrel for it? A good shotty with a shorter slug barrel would seem to be a great combo up in Alaska.
Another member here named GJM lives up there, and always has such a beast handy.
I don’t live in Alaska anymore. I moved outside in 2001. The short barrel with my gun was an 18 inch smooth bore, I believe they used to call it a buckshot slug combo. Without the plug, the gun holds five in the magazine and one chamber and it was basically my companion whenever I was out in the boonies fishing, hiking, goofing off.
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Trading mosquitoes in Alaska for awesome food in San Antonio - sounds like a smart choice!
I have a Maverick 88 and it’s great, especially for the price, but if you don’t mind spending a bit more you might as well get a Mossberg 500 or something along those lines. Still, the Maverick 88 is a great deal.
Unless you want a pistol grip, then they suck.
As mention above the Mossberg tang safety sucks with pistol grips regardless of which hand you use. Also the 590A1s come with a metal safety and trigger guard along with the heavy barrel construction, standard 590s do not.
As a left-hander, I have discovered an 870 with a pistol grip (I have a Speedfeed IV-S on mine) and a Vang Comp Dome Safety will allow left-handed operation ala similar to a 1911 style safety swipe.
I personally would spend a couple more bucks and get an 870P, 500 or 590/590A1.
Not sure if you live in a Gunshow state, but a used Remington 870 Wingmaster with rifle sights (18.5 smooth bore) is my goto pickup. They have a chromed bolt that will last forever and the fit & finish are excellent regardless of use. Can be had for <$300, a major cleaning and lube (youtube videos), springs, hi-viz follower replacement and you are GTG. The stock will be wood and you can cut to length and add a Decellerator pad (Youtube videos). Smooth and great with all ammo including slugs which are easy peezy with rifle sights.
Or you can buy a junky 870 and send it to wilson for their 870 package entry level and get back a perfectly good 870.
No one else asked. What are you wanting to do with it?
Buy something cheap, learn how to use it. Get something better later.
The intended use of the shotgun will help narrow down choices. This guy’s opinion is if you’re doing serious tactical work, stack some pennies up and get a Benelli. If it’s for home defense and/or hunting, get a Mossberg 500.
This.
Also, if you get the Mav…make sure it has 2 action bars on the forend slide. Some models only have 1…probably not the end of the world…but 2 is preferred.
Ive had really great luck with the IAC 982 Hawk…these things are usually dirt cheap around black friday. I got mine for $125 couple years back (new)
Its an 870 clone.