Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun 18.5 in. and 28 in. Barrels 5+1 Black – Superb Two Barrel Value

Description

The Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge is the most sensible first shotgun anyone sells, because it is two shotguns. Model 31014 comes with an 18.5 inch cylinder bore barrel for the house and a 28 inch vent rib barrel with a Modified choke tube for birds and clays, and swapping between them takes about thirty seconds and no tools.

Underneath both barrels is the Mossberg 500 action. The Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge has the same twin action bars, dual extractors and anti-jam elevator that have been in production since 1960, and Mossberg says outright that 500 accessory stocks and barrels fit the 88 within gauge and capacity. What you give up for the lower price is the tang safety, some finish work, and nothing that affects whether it runs.

Capacity is 5+1 on both barrels, the chamber takes 2.75 and 3 inch shells, and the stock is synthetic with a fixed 14.5 inch length of pull.

Features of the Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge

• 18.5 inch blued barrel with a fixed cylinder bore, for defensive and close work
• 28 inch blued vent rib barrel with a Modified choke tube fitted, for field and clays
• 5+1 capacity, chambered for 2.75 and 3 inch shells
• Twin action bars, dual extractors and steel-to-steel lockup from the Mossberg 500 design
• Anti-jam elevator, which is what stops a shell riding up under the bolt on a hard stroke
• Synthetic stock and forearm with a fixed 14.5 inch length of pull
• Cross-bolt safety in the trigger guard, reachable with either hand
• Both barrels swap on the same receiver in about half a minute

Why a two barrel shotgun combo beats buying twice

• A two barrel shotgun combo costs far less than the same two guns bought separately, and it takes up one slot in the safe rather than two
• One receiver means one manual of arms: whichever barrel is fitted, the gun handles identically
• The 18.5 inch barrel is the house gun and the 28 inch is the bird gun, which covers almost everything a shotgun is asked to do
• Only one transfer, one background check and one set of paperwork
• If you later decide you only want one configuration, the spare barrel has real resale value

Maverick 31014 specifications

• Model: 31014
• Gauge: 12
• Chamber: 3 inches, also handles 2.75 inch shells
• Capacity: 5+1
• Security barrel: 18.5 inches, blued, fixed cylinder bore
• Field barrel: 28 inches, blued, vent rib, threaded with a Modified choke tube fitted
• Stock: synthetic, fixed 14.5 inch length of pull
• Safety: cross-bolt
• Action: pump, twin action bars, dual extractors, anti-jam elevator
• UPC: 049533310149

The 28 inch vent rib barrel and the chokes that fit it

The 28 inch vent rib barrel is the half of the Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge that most buyers underestimate. It is threaded for choke tubes and arrives with a Modified tube fitted, which is the right choice for most upland birds and for skeet at longer distances. Because it takes the standard Mossberg 500 thread pattern, the tubes we stock for the 500, 535, 930 and 88 fit it directly: a Full choke for turkeys and pass shooting, or a Skeet choke for close clays.

The 18.5 inch barrel is different and it matters. That one is fixed cylinder bore with no threads at all, so no choke tube of any kind will fit it. Do not order a tube expecting it to work on both barrels. Cylinder bore is the correct spec for defensive use anyway, because it opens a buckshot pattern quickly at across-the-room distances.

For the short barrel on the Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge we would suggest Rio Royal Buck Low Recoil 00 buckshot, which gives up very little at defensive range and is far easier to control in a light pump gun. Pattern whatever you choose on paper at seven, ten and fifteen yards, because buckshot patterns vary between brands far more than most people expect.

The cross bolt safety pump action and how it runs

The Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge uses a cross bolt safety pump layout, putting the button in the front of the trigger guard rather than on the tang, which is the main external difference between a Maverick 88 and a Mossberg 500. A left-handed shooter reaches it just as easily as a right-handed one, and it is easy to find by feel. Tang-mounted safety parts sold for the 500 do not apply to this gun.

Everything else is the 500 action. Twin action bars keep the bolt from binding when you short-stroke it or work it from an odd angle, dual extractors grip the rim from both sides so a swollen hull still comes out, and the anti-jam elevator prevents the classic pump-gun stoppage. None of it is exotic and all of it is proven.

How the Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge compares to the single-barrel guns

If you only need the short barrel, the Maverick 88 Security with the 18.5 inch barrel is the cheaper way in. If you only want to hunt birds, the Maverick 88 All Purpose with the 28 inch barrel comes in camo. The Maverick 88 Combo 12 Gauge costs a little more than either and does the work of both, which is why it is the one we recommend to first-time shotgun buyers more often than anything else on the rack. Factory specifications for the Maverick 88 line are published on the Mossberg site.

Why this firearm earns its place

• Two barrels, one receiver, one transfer and one price that undercuts buying the guns separately
• The Mossberg 500 action at a fraction of the price, with the same twin bars and anti-jam elevator
• The field barrel is choke-threaded and ships with a Modified tube, so it is ready to hunt
• 5+1 on both barrels, and 3 inch chambers for heavier waterfowl and turkey loads
• Simple enough that a new owner can learn it in an afternoon and rugged enough to survive being ignored

This suits the first-time shotgun buyer who does not yet know whether they want a home gun or a bird gun, the household that wants one shotgun to cover both, and anyone building a starter battery on a budget. It is not a target gun and the fixed 14.5 inch length of pull will be long for a smaller shooter.

Every firearm we ship goes to a licensed dealer in your state for the transfer and the background check. Call us if you need help finding a shop near you that accepts transfers.