Maverick 88 Security 18.5-inch vs 20-inch: Is Two Extra Rounds Worth It?

A year of arguing about rounds on forums, versus one walk down your own hallway with an unloaded gun. Do the second one.

The decision in one sentence

These two shotguns are the same design in two lengths of magazine tube. The numbers are simple: the Maverick 88 Security 18.5" is listed at 5+1, and the Maverick 88 Security 20" at 7+1. Both are 12 gauge with 3-inch chambers per their listings. The longer one has a synthetic stock listed in black.

The usual framing is capacity versus maneuverability in a hallway. That framing is fair, but it hides how small the difference is.

The numbers

Overall length, weight and sight details differ between configurations, and we cannot give those numbers from the catalog. Look at the spec sheets and, better, hold both at a store if you can.

Why the two extra rounds matter more on a shotgun

On a pistol, magazine capacity is partly a convenience, because a reload takes a second or two once you have practiced. On a pump shotgun, reloading is slower. You are feeding shells one at a time into a tube, and that is hard to do well under stress. For that reason capacity on a shotgun is a bit more meaningful than the same numbers on a handgun.

It still does not justify spending mental energy on it. A defensive encounter that depends on a seventh shell has probably already gone wrong. Every round that leaves the barrel goes somewhere, and shotgun pellets that miss will travel through interior walls. The honest case for more capacity is margin, not aggression: if something does not go as planned, you are not scrambling to reload.

Why 1.5 inches of barrel does not decide the hallway question

Home-defense hallways are not forgiving, but a shotgun barrel a bit over an inch longer rarely turns a doorway into a different problem. What decides how the gun handles in a hallway is the overall package: how you hold it, whether you can keep the muzzle pointed safely, and how well you know your house. A sling, a stable low-ready position and practice at a slow pace in your own home with an unloaded gun matter more than 1.5 inches.

Do this exercise before you buy: pick the route you would actually use from your bedroom to your children's rooms or to your safe room. Walk it holding a broomstick as long as the gun you are considering, keeping it pointed at the floor or ceiling and never at a person. Note where it bumps. If the difference between the two is the difference between hitting a door frame and clearing it, that is your answer. If not, take the extra capacity.

Pick the 18.5-inch if...

• Your home has tight corners, narrow halls or stairs where small gains in length count.
• You want a shorter, easier-to-store gun for a closet cabinet.
• You value a lower round count in exchange for the compact package, and you are comfortable reloading.
• You are choosing for a household member who is smaller-statured and will find a shorter gun easier to handle.

Pick the 20-inch if...

• You want the highest capacity this model family lists, 7+1, without leaving the conventional pump format.
• Your home layout is open enough that 1.5 inches is irrelevant.
• You plan to use a longer tube and slightly longer barrel for general-purpose use, such as range days, as well.

You can also check our existing Maverick 88 Security review, which covers the 20-inch gun and sets out the value-oriented case.

What these guns do well, and what they do not

Strengths. A Maverick is built on a mature, familiar design and is known as a value-oriented alternative to Mossberg's own models. If you are building a first home-defense shotgun and want a simple, mainstream pump with broad accessory support, it is a reasonable starting point. Our budget shotgun comparison sets it against the Stevens 320 Security, and the Stevens lineup guide covers that alternative in more depth.

Limits. The finish and controls are utilitarian, and the gun does not have the polish of more expensive models. That is not a reason to avoid it, but it is a reason to test it. A defensive gun must run with your chosen load. Function-test your shotgun with the ammunition you intend to keep loaded, and keep practicing. A gun that works once on the range does not prove reliability.

If you are comparing it with a classic pump

The Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 and 590 lines have deeper aftermarkets and longer track records in this role. Our classic pump comparison goes through the differences. If you want a value-oriented gun and are comfortable with a utilitarian finish, the Maverick is worth looking at. If you may want lots of accessories and long-term support, spend time on the others.

Set up, store, train

1. Load: a proven 00 buckshot load, patterned in your own gun at distances inside your home.
2. Light: a handheld flashlight for looking around, and a mounted light only if you will train with it.
3. Storage: a lockable long-gun cabinet or safe, kept where children and guests cannot reach it. Hiding is not securing.
4. Training: a qualified instructor, hearing and eye protection, and regular practice.

Think about who is holding it

A home-defense shotgun is often shared by a household. Before you settle on a barrel length, think about the person who will be most likely to use it. A smaller-statured shooter may find a shorter overall package easier to control, and a larger shooter may not notice 1.5 inches at all. A person who has trained with a pump shotgun will move through a hallway differently from one who has not. If more than one adult might need the gun, handle it together, work the action unloaded, and settle on the one that suits the least experienced of the group. Storage also changes the calculation: the gun has to fit the cabinet or safe you actually have.

Bottom line

For most homes the choice comes down to two extra rounds. If the hallway walk-through shows the longer gun fits, take the 7+1. If it does not, the 18.5-inch is a perfectly capable, shorter alternative. Either way, the best shotgun is the one you have practiced with and stored responsibly.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications and publicly available information. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and legality for your own situation.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.