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Work order — Maverick 88

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: medium.

Shop difficulty: Tier 1 of 3

27 listed items (trigger housing and bolt as assemblies) on the simple 500-pattern action with a crossbolt safety in the trigger housing instead of the tang safety's detent; the only traps are the bolt-slide/action-bar alignment and the hammer-cocked order. 27 parts (Single shared parts list for the Maverick 88 and 91 (rows 12 and 12a model-specific), names only). Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~25 min, rebuild ~40 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Tube nut tool — Forend action slide tube nut
• Strap wrench and padded vise — Magazine tube off the receiver
• Long socket extension — Stock bolt deep in the buttstock
• Roll/pin punches 1/16-1/8 in. — Bolt extractor and firing pin pins

Watch for:

• The bolt, bolt slide and both action slide bars have to go back in the same relationship they came out; a bar out of its cut or a bolt slide offered at the wrong point of forend travel will not drop in or binds the action. (reassembly; O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.)
• The magazine spring bears on the retainer and the barrel takedown screw, so the retainer can launch when it is pried out or refitted. (both; O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.)
• Owners report the shell stop and interrupter get jammed in wrong and the action bars mis-seated when the gun is forced together; it only runs once everything lines up. (reassembly; Calguns.net)
• The hammer must be at full cock to get the trigger housing back in, and the safety must be on to reinstall the bolt; neither is obvious and forcing it damages parts. (reassembly; American Rifleman (NRA))

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Push the crossbolt safety button in the trigger guard to the safe position.
3. Press the action lock lever and pull the forend rearward to open the action.
4. Cycle the action repeatedly, catching each shell as it ejects, until no more shells feed from the magazine tube.
5. With the action open, inspect the chamber and look up the magazine tube with a light.
   Warning: The chamber AND the tube. A shell hung up in the tube is easy to miss.
6. Physically confirm the chamber is empty and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Field Strip

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure.
2. Close the action and unscrew the magazine cap from the end of the magazine tube.
3. Pull the barrel straight forward off the magazine tube.
4. Push out the trigger housing pin and lift the trigger housing assembly out.
5. Slide the forend assembly forward and withdraw the bolt and bolt slide out the front of the receiver.
   Warning: Do not bend the cartridge stops.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

No manufacturer statement of materials or finish is recorded. Identify each part's material before choosing prep and cure.

The manufacturer's full parts list (27 parts) is on the reference page.

4. Reassemble

Reassembly

1. Set the bolt slide into the bolt and feed the assembly into the receiver, both action bars in their grooves.
2. Slide the forend rearward until the bolt is fully in the receiver.
3. Install the trigger housing and its pin.
4. Seat the barrel and hand-tighten the magazine cap firmly.
5. Cycle the action several times and perform the function check.

5. Torque

Reported by other sources — not the manufacturer

Notes: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "Slide the barrel into the receiver and tighten the takedown screw, finger tight only. DO NOT use pliers or a wrench to tighten the takedown screw." (Owner's Manual for Maverick 88 and 91 Models (doc 13002), PDF p. 5) "Using Allen wrench supplied, tighten bolt very snugly." (Owner's Manual for Maverick 88 and 91 Models (doc 13002), PDF p. 20)

Fit or check on rebuild

• Magazine tube torqued and aligned to the barrel lug — Tube carries the barrel; it is refitted hand-tight-plus with a strap wrench and must line up with the takedown screw or cap.
• Function check: safety, trigger/sear release, disconnector and feeding with dummy rounds — Standard after any detail strip; a mis-assembled sear or disconnector can double or fail to fire.

6. Function check

• Verify the shotgun is unloaded — chamber and magazine tube — before each step.
• Cycle the action fully. It should run smoothly without binding and lock closed.
• With the action closed and the hammer cocked, engage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
• Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
• With the hammer down, confirm the action will not open until the action release is pressed.
• Load two dummy shells into the magazine and confirm they feed and eject cleanly, one per cycle.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Maverick Model 88 Owner’s Manual — Maverick Arms / O.F. Mossberg & Sons primary
2. How to Install The FLEX Stock Adapter (Mossberg Journal, video transcript) — O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. primary
   https://resources.mossberg.com/journal/how-to-install-flex
3. Owner's Manual for Maverick 88 and 91 Models (doc 13002) — O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. primary
   https://resources.mossberg.com/hubfs/manuals/13002-Maverick-88-91.pdf
4. Magpul MAG508 Forward Sling Mount – Remington 870 & Mossberg 500/590 — Installation Instructions — Magpul Industries secondary
   https://magpul.com/media/wysiwyg/Instructions/MAG508_SGA_Forward_Sling_Mount_Rem_Moss_INSRT.pdf
5. Mesa Tactical Telescoping Stock & Adapter Shotgun Conversion Kit — Assembly Guide (#47371 Rev II) — Mesa Tactical secondary
   https://mesatactical.com/content/manuals/47371_Stock_Adapter_Manual_rev_ii.pdf
6. Seeking help from someone who owns a Mossberg 500 in the Bay Area — Calguns.net anecdotal
   https://www.calguns.net/forum/general-discussion/general-gun-discussions/910351-seeking-help-someone-own-mossberg-500-in-bay-area?p=21089362
7. The Mossberg Model 500: History & Disassembly — American Rifleman (NRA) secondary
   https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-mossberg-model-500-history-disassembly
8. TM 9-1005-338-13&P — Department of the Army primary
   https://archive.org/download/16-manuali-duso-e-manutenzione-per-armi-specifiche-use-and-maintenance-manuals-f_20230430/ARMY%20TM%209-1005-338-13%26P%20Technical%20Manual%20for%20Mossberg%2012-Gauge%20Shotgun%20Model%20500%2C%20590%20-%20May%202005.pdf

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.