Maverick 88 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun, 18.5 Inch Barrel

Description

The Maverick 88 is Mossberg’s stripped-down, working-gun answer to the question of what a home-defense shotgun actually needs to be. It does not try to be a competition piece or a collector’s item. It is a pump-action 12-gauge built to be picked up under stress by someone who may not shoot regularly, and to function reliably when they do.

The pump action matters here for a specific reason: it cycles regardless of the shell’s power level, so you are not locked into a narrow band of loads the way a gas-operated gun can be. Light target loads, heavy buckshot, slugs — the manual cycling handles all of them without adjustment. That flexibility is worth something when you are stocking a dedicated home-defense firearm and may reach for whatever is available.

The 18.5-inch barrel keeps overall length short enough to move through interior spaces without the shotgun becoming unwieldy, while still retaining the sight radius and velocity that a drastically shorter tube would sacrifice. The blued finish is a traditional bare-metal protection that requires more maintenance attention than a synthetic coating but is entirely serviceable with routine care.

A bead front sight is all this gun carries, which is appropriate for the distances at which a defensive shotgun is realistically used. At close range, a bead is fast to acquire. The cross-bolt safety, noted in verified source material, sits in a position familiar to anyone who has handled a Mossberg, and the dual extractors help ensure positive ejection after each shot. At its price point, the Maverick 88 is a deliberate, no-frills tool — and that is exactly the intent.

Shipping and availability: This item must ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer.