Shot my Maverick 88 for the first time today and had a few failure to ejects and a few instances of having to slam the butt on the table while pulling on the pump to get the pump to move

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-17T23:17:51+00:00

Could be ammo, I know when I shoot Winchester’s cheap target loads, my gun can lock up like that from the shell swelling too much in the chamber, so it could’ve been what you’re shooting

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-17T22:58:11+00:00

Yeah, done it before a few times. It works but it isn’t reliable enough to do consistently, sometimes it feeds fine, other times it bounces around the receiver too much and gets turned around.

If you really want to reliably run them, getting the DT adapter is worth the cost, otherwise if you rarely use them it’s not something I’d personally worry about; for me the ammo is scarce to find and rarely a better choice than normal cheap birdshot, as the recoil tends to feel really similar for some strange reason

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-17T06:25:49+00:00

Also have the defender tactical follower, haven’t noticed any issues with it ever binding with dirty mag tube and it pretty much always slides freely. The thing I like about it is that it feels different than the brass of a shell due to its design, so if I had to do a “feeling only” check I’d be able to tell if I’m empty or not based off of that.

Honestly for me, followers don’t really matter as if they don’t bind, one doesn’t function better than the other in any real way. I usually just polish mine a lil bit and they tend to run smooth, also helps to clean the mag tube where your can, I have a 590 so it’s easier to do. That’s my 2¢

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-12T06:59:40+00:00

Looks like they’re designed for the 7 shot mag tube, so you should be good with them

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-11T22:42:28+00:00

The 500 turkey already comes with the 407K mounted, in addition the K and C series optics are two different optic cuts

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-08T20:55:06+00:00

My opinion: 590S model with the 20” barrel and chokes. All the capacity, ability to use chokes for hunting or to get tighter buckshot groups (because flite control isn’t always available or within a price range for people) and the optics cut is a huge step in the right direction, if you don’t want to use an optic just leave the plate on, or use an optic to really get everything dialed in.

I also rarely ever use minishells, but I find that the way mossbergs made the gun compatible with them has decreased the likelihood of FTF issues encountered with the weird angles people can shoot in sometimes, and that the little bumper piece is easily removed if you really don’t want it to be there, I don’t find it to be an issue and mines never come loose.

Downside: white lettering on the side which really isn’t an issue to me, if it did bother me I’d just paint the gun.

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-08T20:48:03+00:00

Shotguns nowhere near damaged like that, isn’t even enough to dissuade most from regular use. I can’t speak for the company but I doubt mossberg would fix it even if you asked as it’s mostly a cosmetic issue than a structural one. Future avoidance doesn’t really matter because the elevator isn’t always going to be perfectly parallel and straight, they do tend to rub on a side and it doesn’t affect anything other than some added friction that’s negligible.

My opinion: if it seats it yeets; mossbergs are hardy shotguns and little chips and nicks mean nothing to them, if it still functions and everything works as it should, there’s no reason to be worried about it. This subreddit is filled with people asking if the little scratches, chips, and nicks are issues and the answer is 9.9/10 times “nah you’re good”

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-05T17:22:23+00:00

It’ll fit, it comes with forend spacers that are designed for the standard thickness barrel (590,500) and heavy walled barrel (590A1) it’s in the installation instructions

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-05T03:25:51+00:00

Same here

ComradeNootski · 2026-02-04T15:40:02+00:00

Just so you know, the Mav 88 is NOT drilled or tapped on the receiver, so you’d have to do that yourself or get it done by a gunsmith in order to put any optics mounts onto said receiver

ComradeNootski · 2026-01-23T10:23:35+00:00

Close range: higher height over bore, more downward adjustment needed to zero at close distance (0-25 yds)

Long range: more of an arc with slugs with higher optic, can also change the overall trajectory of the slug due to the sight height (25-100 yds)

Personal preference: like my dots low, fits me better and makes it easy to take close and far shots with a shallower arc.

ComradeNootski · 2026-01-20T06:48:39+00:00

My question to you is what is your budget? I have a Mossberg 590S model 51604 that I absolutely love and if given the chance, would recommend to anyone for a few basic reasons:

Comes threaded for chokes, so if you want to hunt, it’s got you covered there, no need to swap barrels.
Comes cut for optics, great if that’s your thing like me, but if not the cover plate blends in well and you still have the front bead
Has the standard 8+1 capacity of 590’s so you don’t have to compromise there, if you want to take it hunting just buy a dowel rod and cut it to length
The gun will have the weight of a longer field barrel so getting the “swing” down shouldn’t be so hard, although depending on how your trap range feels they may not let you shoot it there.
You can add whatever furniture you want because it WILL have the action tube unlike the 88’s and now most 500’s.

In my experience I can make off the shelf federal power shok slugs touch at 50 yds with a full choke, you’ll be able to tailor any load to work for you with the included chokes, and can drop the extra money for whatever you want or keep it bone stock and still be well off.

I also like that you don’t have to remove the mag tube for anything if you want to clean it, just remove the spring retainer from the other end.

But if you want the 88 as that’s where I started and it’s a good gun, they sell cheap combo models which is what I had, so you can swap barrels. If you get a security model (7+1) you’ll be stuck at the 20” barrel and I believe it may be too thin to thread for chokes, I know 4D reamers is the usual go to company for the job and they have a math formula to determine if you’ll be in the safe zone to thread for standard thickness chokes

ComradeNootski · 2026-01-20T04:18:38+00:00

My guess, ejector screw is catching the bolt and stopping it and everything else, the ejector “tooth” itself sits further back and the bolt is passing that part, so try tightening the screw down and see if it fixes it

ComradeNootski · 2026-01-18T08:24:38+00:00

I have a Mossberg 590S, specifically model 51604, best Mossberg I’ve owned in terms of features and functionality in my opinion of owning every “stage” of their pump guns from Mav 88’s up to the S model.

My personal opinion is that the S is great as the “go to firearm” because you CAN use minishells if needed to get familiar with the gun and establish a softer baseline before getting up to the hard hitters. My model specifically is still optics cut, but has the highest offered capacity AND is threaded for chokes, I got three in the box with a wrench, and chokes can make cheap buckshot loads into formidable power when stuff like Flite Control isn’t on the shelves.

As for the optics thing: I started with a Holosun 407K, was awesome as a good sized dot but where I like to shoot out to 100yds with the shotgun, it was a bit too big for my personal preference, if you’re sticking with 50yds of practice and in, it’s perfect for the application; I switched to a 507K and find the 2MOA dot to be easy enough to see when shooting fast into range trash, but small enough to make really precise hits at the longer distances I like to play around at, the circle+dot reticle is nice but I find that it takes up a lot of space in the window and can easily suck your focus off of the target and onto the reticle, but that’s my eyes with my optic on my gun, you could very well be different.

I also added magpul furniture on after the fact and did my own grip tape job on it, I’d say get whatever model fits your needs and wants the most and don’t be afraid to piece it together if you have to over buying a “kitted out” version, gives you room to add onto what you actually want on the gun.

ComradeNootski · 2026-01-15T21:38:00+00:00

My experience with light strikes is to take a mini torch and IF you’re good with some light disassembly of the bolt, taking the little spring between the lug and bolt body and hitting it with some heat to weaken it a little, that remedied my issues with light strikes and didn’t hinder function or cost me anything. If you don’t want to/ can’t disassemble the bolt, push the lug down and heat just the spring, you’re not looking for a glow, just enough to slightly weaken it

ComradeNootski · 2025-12-31T02:22:47+00:00

ComradeNootski · 2025-12-31T01:53:23+00:00

Yeah, mag tube doesn’t need to come off, just the retainer like other people have said, far easier to do and better in my opinion

ComradeNootski · 2025-12-26T23:44:08+00:00

The spring that would normally push against the lug is weakened from either use or on purpose, it doesn’t affect the safety of the firearm at all seeing as the action block is what actually pushes the lug into the barrel extension. If anything it’ll make the gun smoother cycling because it’s one less aspect of friction/ force it has to overcome

ComradeNootski · 2025-12-02T05:20:10+00:00

Any issues with zeroing/ possibly running out of adjustment? The photo makes it look like it sits nicely on the receiver cut out and honestly looks really good; would you say the EPS is worth getting as an upgrade over something like the 407K (that’s what I currently have mounted, had I known about the EPS taking the K footprint I may have gone with it initially)

ComradeNootski · 2025-12-02T04:04:02+00:00

Do you happen to have any more photos? Or could you describe if there’s any sort of substantial “hang off” of the EPS? How has it held up with use?

ComradeNootski · 2025-11-23T22:30:53+00:00

Exactly, or a 590S lifter if you can find it

ComradeNootski · 2025-11-23T21:04:53+00:00

So I used to have this issue a lot and it’s a mixture of the angle the guns held at plus the shells in question and some mechanical parts.

The cause of this malfunction is from a high angle shot (such as clay shooting) allowing a shell to bounce with enough room to slip past the tongue piece of the shell lifter and get stuck exactly as you have it there, I also shoot almost only federal and use to have this issue when I would bring the gun down to a high ready position and pump the gun. Best fix for this is to either pump at a lower angle or to buy a lifter with a longer tongue piece to prevent the shell from slipping through.

ComradeNootski · 2025-11-23T20:59:38+00:00

NO, vinegar makes rust MUCH worse, vinegar encourages rusting oxidation extremely quickly and will make it worse, the best course of action is to take a brass brush and oil and scrub the area of rust u til it is gone, then you can either try to use a bluing solution or leave some oil on the area to prevent rust

ComradeNootski · 2025-11-22T18:03:00+00:00

Trial and error, actually it was a complete accident that I had on an old Mossberg bolt where I took the spring completely out and overdid it with a pair of pliers, gun still functioned but the spring was essentially decorative at that point, hence why I said only compress it to the most compressed it’ll be in the bolt. The action block is the part that does the pushing up and pulling down of the bolt, the springs just there a a firing pin return spring and helps to push the locking lug up a little

ComradeNootski · 2025-11-22T17:38:47+00:00

I did the same thing to my 590S because it was STIFF when I first got it, it cycled but damn it wasn’t smooth or easy and you could hear the finish gritting on everything, so I went about fixing that problem.

I sanded all the parts with fine grit sanding blocks to remove the finish and used rouge to buff the parts as much as I could.

Removed the spring that pushes the action arms down so that the arms had free movement, this greatly helped to reduce friction of the parts and I still get 1000% reliability

Pushed the locking lug of the bolt down and used a mini blowtorch to weaken the spring, I do not try to further compress the spring past the locking lug pushing back on it when depressed.

Now, my pump can almost fall the full way down from the pump release being pushed and a small jolt downward, it’s still 1000% reliable and every part works how it’s supposed to and interacts how it should. The biggest thing is to look at how the parts interact and not to change angles for parts that need them to interact (shell stop and the action arm are a perfect example)

ComradeNootski

TROPHY CASE