thinking about a maverick 88 or a 870 express
- Thread starter welder01
- Start date
Turkinator
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Onterrible
Please do yourself a favour and walk right past the 88 and go straight to the 870. The 88 is very, very, veery cheaply made. An 870 (including the express) is a solid and well built piece of gear. The 88 was made for people with a very small budget to buy for home defence but just stick in their closet.
Redlight35
Regular
- Location
- Further East than I thought I'd be
600 rounds through my 88 and no issues, but it is definitely not as smooth as my buddy's 870.
If you take care of it, it will run fine.
If you take care of it, it will run fine.
gunrunner100
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- NW Ontario
Find yourself a used Mossberg 500 in the EE or a used 870 ( Wingmaster or Express).
Both are great shotguns.
Both are great shotguns.
And a useless jack handle it would be when it broke the first time it was used.
It is better suited as a blunt instrument...
Save your money and do yourself a favor, buy the 870 ...while saving your money do some reading on the few shortfalls of the express and you will be well informed
when it comes time to buy it and before you head out the first time.
** hint hint , polish the chamber of the 870 express before you take it out.
Rob
- Location
- West Quebec
I'll look for an 870 myself for my next ..
I hereby disagree with the Harley rider and state I own 2 88s and they never ever failed
One is an 18" grouse/defender shotgun with rifle sights I carry most often
The second is a 26" removable chokes waterfowl gun I use in the swamp
Not one issue in the 7 years I've had them and I do shoot them a lot because they're also fun to shoot.
I bought an 88 youth model 20 guage a couple months ago because I wanted a 22" barrel for chasing grouse through the bush.The action is a little rough but it should smooth out with more use.22" barrel,vent rib and 1 modified choke tube for $240,can't go wrong.
I have a Maverick 88 with a 28" ported vent rib w/ 4 chokes, 24" rifled, and 18" security barrels. The recoil is harsh with any big 3" loads like turkey, buck or slugs. Keep the action well greased, or it could stiffen up on you, happened to me.
I hunt waterfowl and upland game maybe 10 times a year, It works for me.
I would be happier with a plain jane 870 though, my uncles is 30 years old and much smoother than my maverick
I hunt waterfowl and upland game maybe 10 times a year, It works for me.
I would be happier with a plain jane 870 though, my uncles is 30 years old and much smoother than my maverick
Suka
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Take a wingmaster, reverse engineer it, use stamped parts instead of milled, put it together with slightly less stringent tolerances and you have, IMO a mossy maverick.
We have one, it's s solid gun, not as nice as an 870 in fit and finish or action. It's shot at least a couple thousand rounds of clay and a few dozen ducks just fine. As mentioned, the moss. 500's are also a good gun, I personally would put them very close to the newer remington's, in fact when I think of it I'd put them at par. Bought daughter a moss. in .410 for her first, it was a nice gun; only sold to a fellow cgn'er to upgrade daughter to a 20ga.
Keep in mind, the remington's aren't nearly as nice as they were 20 yrs ago either. If you're in a gunstore, feel the action on a bps, that's what the remingtons were like 20 yrs ago.
As to the op's question, is it worth the extra bucks for the remington? They look nicer (wood stock one's), are slightly smoother in action. Likely easier to sell used as the mav's are cheap to begin with; plus, remington's always had a good rep. for their shotguns, although I think moss. has always been pretty popular in the US. I really doubt you could go wrong with any of them, I'd suggest compare the 3 to decide.
What about the weatherby pa-08, have you looked at them? Same price as the moss. BIL bought one, I haven't shot it yet, but he's pretty impressed with it. Just checked the price on cabaleas, I see winchester also offers a plastic stocked 3" shotgun in that 350-400 range.
Lot's of choices for the OP. That's all I have to offer.
We have one, it's s solid gun, not as nice as an 870 in fit and finish or action. It's shot at least a couple thousand rounds of clay and a few dozen ducks just fine. As mentioned, the moss. 500's are also a good gun, I personally would put them very close to the newer remington's, in fact when I think of it I'd put them at par. Bought daughter a moss. in .410 for her first, it was a nice gun; only sold to a fellow cgn'er to upgrade daughter to a 20ga.
Keep in mind, the remington's aren't nearly as nice as they were 20 yrs ago either. If you're in a gunstore, feel the action on a bps, that's what the remingtons were like 20 yrs ago.
As to the op's question, is it worth the extra bucks for the remington? They look nicer (wood stock one's), are slightly smoother in action. Likely easier to sell used as the mav's are cheap to begin with; plus, remington's always had a good rep. for their shotguns, although I think moss. has always been pretty popular in the US. I really doubt you could go wrong with any of them, I'd suggest compare the 3 to decide.
What about the weatherby pa-08, have you looked at them? Same price as the moss. BIL bought one, I haven't shot it yet, but he's pretty impressed with it. Just checked the price on cabaleas, I see winchester also offers a plastic stocked 3" shotgun in that 350-400 range.
Lot's of choices for the OP. That's all I have to offer.
The Remington 870 is a heavier Shotgun so you won't feel the recoil like you will with the Maverick 88 . from what I know they are a copy of the Mossberg 500 but made cheaper . if your not short on funds buy the Remington. but if you are short on funds I would'nt be afraid to buy the Maverick or shop around and as others said find a used Mossberg 500 or a Winchester 1200 or 1300 or a used Remington Wingmaster or Express .
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC Canada
Don't let the 88 bashers fool you. You will never get a better shotgun for that price. The receiver is good quality, has dual extractors, throws empty shells hard and far, polymer forend and butt stock are made in Mexico, big deal, it's still a mossberg receiver. I had one, sold it and regret it. I will be buying another one next month. The only draw back was the limitations on aftermarket parts but there is stuff coming out for it these days. The Maverick 88 is an excellent gun. You won't get a better deal. I was also able to fire that gun faster than any other pump action I've used.
Another good 12 gauge for 250ish is the Steven's 320. It has a weaker ejection system but good bolt, action, and barrel. Only complaint was the ejection system for me. No failure to fires ever though. I'd pick the 88 over it though. The Remington 870 is a better shotgun but if you're just shooting clays and don't want to practice combat techniques then there is no reason to spend the extra money when you don't need to.
Another good 12 gauge for 250ish is the Steven's 320. It has a weaker ejection system but good bolt, action, and barrel. Only complaint was the ejection system for me. No failure to fires ever though. I'd pick the 88 over it though. The Remington 870 is a better shotgun but if you're just shooting clays and don't want to practice combat techniques then there is no reason to spend the extra money when you don't need to.
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I've owned the 870, the Mossy 500 and recently, the 88.
The 870 was OK, The mossy in 12 guage felt too big for me. The 88 was just right. Sure, it's got a cheap safety on it, and mine is still a little rough, but for some reason, I love it. It fits great! I got a short barrel for it and fired off a bunch of slugs, very nice! And it's fugly! Freak'n fugly! It's like that girlfriend you only see after dark, but can't stay away. And sure, maybe you don't want people to see you hunting with it, but that's half the fun. I was out the door at my local hardware store with two boxes of shells and the 88 for less than 250, taxes in.
It's a dirty girl who might dump you when the chips are down, but who doesn't like the bad girls?
The 870 was OK, The mossy in 12 guage felt too big for me. The 88 was just right. Sure, it's got a cheap safety on it, and mine is still a little rough, but for some reason, I love it. It fits great! I got a short barrel for it and fired off a bunch of slugs, very nice! And it's fugly! Freak'n fugly! It's like that girlfriend you only see after dark, but can't stay away. And sure, maybe you don't want people to see you hunting with it, but that's half the fun. I was out the door at my local hardware store with two boxes of shells and the 88 for less than 250, taxes in.
It's a dirty girl who might dump you when the chips are down, but who doesn't like the bad girls?
