Every time we review a high-end shotgun, the comments fill up with the same request: do more affordable guns. So we did. The Mossberg Maverick SA All-Purpose is about as affordable as a semi-auto gets, with the walnut model at $693 and the black synthetic at $623, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t walk into this review expecting much.
In this article
Quick take
Verdict: The Mossberg Maverick SA is an entry-level semi-auto that surprised me with a good trigger, soft recoil, and reliable cycling, even if it won’t win any beauty contests.
Best for: New shooters and budget-minded hunters who want one 12 gauge semi-auto that cycles reliably and shoots soft.
Skip it if: You need a long length of pull, want refined fit and finish, or prefer a gun that comes apart without any fuss.
What stood out on the Mossberg Maverick SA
A trigger that beat my expectations
I fully expected a heavy, gritty trigger at this price, so I was surprised when it broke at 5 lb 2 oz on the Lyman gauge. There is a little pre-travel, but the break itself is clean enough that I never found myself fighting it, and for a gun at this price point, I was genuinely impressed.
Adjustability you don’t usually see under $700
The Maverick SA comes with spacers that take the length of pull from 12 1/2″ up to 14 1/4″, plus shims for drop and cast. Now to be fair, plenty of shotguns around the $1,000 mark don’t come with shims at all, so seeing them on a gun under $700 was a nice surprise. Although I do wish it came a little longer out of the box and could be stretched further, because even fully extended, it runs short for me.
It feels like a Mossberg, because it is one
Maverick is Mossberg’s budget brand, and you can see the family resemblance, from the butt pad to the spacer and shim system I know well from shooting the Mossberg 940 Pro. It comes with five flush-mount chokes and a wrench, which is more than most guns at this price bother to include, and the receiver is drilled and tapped if you want to add an optic.
How it shot
Here is the part that won me over. It’s a gas gun that ships with two pistons, one for lighter loads and one for heavier loads, but we never swapped them, and the standard piston ran everything from 1 1/8 oz target loads up through heavy waterfowl and pheasant loads without a problem.
Recoil comes straight back into the shoulder and stays soft, even with the heavier hunting loads, although I did notice a fair amount of muzzle jump. The balance sits forward, mostly because of the gas system and spring up front, but it was still a genuinely enjoyable gun to shoot.
When we patterned it with the included modified choke at about 25 yards, the point of impact landed right around 50/50. It also cycled fast and clean when we put it on the clock, so follow-up shots were never an issue.
Fit, finish, and takedown
The finish is fine, and honestly, that is about all it needs to be. This gun isn’t made to be a wall hanger or to win a beauty contest, the wood is standard, and the controls are about as basic as they come.
The one part that frustrated me was takedown. The bolt handle has to line up exactly with a notch in the bolt before it will come out, and it took more fiddling than I think it ought to. It’s probably one of those things that gets easier once you know the trick, but I would also call out that the piston was already pretty dirty after a box or two.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Surprisingly good trigger for the price
- Soft recoil, even with heavy hunting loads
- One piston cycled everything we ran
- Spacers and shims for adjustable fit
- Five chokes included and a drilled and tapped receiver
Cons
- Length of pull runs short, even fully extended
- Two-piston design
- Basic controls and plain finish
- Fiddly bolt handle during takedown
Who should buy the Mossberg Maverick SA
If you’re looking for a semi-auto shotgun that cycles reliably and works really well, the Maverick SA is definitely worth a consideration at this price point. It might be a great entry-level option for a new shooter, a hunter who wants one gun for ducks, pheasants, and clays, or anyone who would rather spend the difference on shells.
If you want refined wood, slick controls, or a long length of pull straight out of the box, you’ll be happier stepping up to something else.
Final verdict
I came into this one not overly enthusiastic, because after shooting so many guns, sub-$1,000 semi-autos usually don’t impress me. The Mossberg Maverick SA surprised me with a decent trigger, good recoil, and a lot of adjustability, and it punches way above its price point.
We’ve reviewed the Maverick 88 pump and even put one through a torture test, and I’m quite surprised by how well these Maverick shotguns hold up. That said, I still want to hear from people who have put more rounds through the SA than I have. If you own one, how has it held up for you?
