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The Maverick SA All-Purpose adds a value-priced 12-gauge semi-auto to the Mossberg lineup. Maverick has been Mossberg’s budget brand for almost 40 years, ever since the debut of the Maverick Model 88 pump in 1988. The Model 88 contained parts made in Mexico and assembled just across the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, to keep costs low.
This new 3-inch, 12-gauge Maverick gas gun stays true to the Maverick brand, though it comes from Turkey rather than the southern border. Built on a proven design, this Maverick gun starts at $623, even as Mossberg’s 940 semi-autos now cost $1000 or more. Like most Mossbergs, the SA All-Purpose packs a lot of features into a very affordable package. I recently put the gun through its paces at my local range. Here is my full review.
Quick Overview
Mossberg Maverick SA All-Purpose
Pros
- Soft recoil
- Lightweight
- Easily adjusts for length
- Drilled/tapped receiver and swivel studs increase versatility
Cons
- Cycles nothing lighter than heavy target loads
- Heavy trigger
- Requires thorough cleaning and break-in period
Specs
- Length: 48.5 inches with all stock spacers installed
- Weight: 6 pounds, 12 ounces
- Barrel: 28-inch barrel with vent rib, orange fiber-optic bead, and five chokes
- Action: Gas semi-automatic
- Trigger: 7 pounds, 12 ounces
- Capacity: 5+1
- Finish: Matte metal (walnut and blued steel also available)
- Stock: Synthetic with swivel studs and adjustable length of pull
- Chambering: 3-inch 12-gauge
Available in black synthetic or walnut and blued steel, the 3-inch gas-operated Maverick SA All-Purpose semi-autos have butt pads with spacers to allow for easy length adjustment from 12.5 to 14.5 inches. Fiber-optic beads tip the 28-inch vent-rib barrels, which come with a full set of five choke tubes. The guns have swivel studs and drilled-and-tapped receivers and weigh only 6 pounds, 12 ounces on my scale. Unlike Mossberg’s pumps and the 940 semi-auto, these have a crossbolt safety in place of the traditional Mossberg top safety.
The Beretta-inspired gas system uses two interchangeable pistons, one for light loads, the other for heavy and/or high-velocity ammo. The gas system also features an action spring on the magazine tube, meaning you will never have to remove the stock and pull the spring from its tube for cleaning. Both the Mossberg and the Maverick lines have featured smallbore semi-autos of the same design for several years, so there is nothing new nor untested about this gun’s design. It has just been scaled to a 12-gauge.
Testing Results
From a solid rest, the SA All-Purpose centered its patterns about 50/50 and a couple of inches right at 25 yards. That’s close enough to dead-on that I didn’t notice or experience any problems when it came time to shoot targets with the gun. With its IM Winchoke-style choke tube installed, it shot a very good 72 percent with 1 1/8-ounce Top Gun target loads. The trigger was heavy at 7 pounds 12 ounces, but for a trigger-smasher like me, it posed no problems.
Before I broke the gun in per Mossberg’s suggestion, I had quite a few failures to cycle. I took it home and gave the gun a thorough degreasing, cleaning, and light relubing. Then, per the manual, I installed the blue heavy/fast-load piston and shot a box of high-velocity duck loads through it, which seemed to beat the gas system into obedience. After that, the gun handled 1200 fps, 1 1/8 loads very well, and was soft-shooting even with heavy target loads, despite its overall light weight. I did suffer one light primer-strike misfire after that. Also, Mossberg says the gun will function with nothing lighter than 1200 fps, 1 1/8-ounce loads, and that seems to be the case. While it shot heavy target loads fine, the 1145-fps, 1 1/8-ounce loads I tried in the gun stovepiped on every shot.
Final Thoughts
The Mossberg Maverick SA All-Purpose semi-auto puts a gas gun into the hands of almost anyone on a budget. Despite its light weight, this is a very soft-shooting gun. That’s a good thing, as it will not cycle light target loads. I think a gun with a 3-inch (not 3 ½) chamber and two pistons should cycle loads down to an ounce, but this gun does not. I wouldn’t call that a deal-breaker if you planned to use this primarily as a hunting gun. Also, the trigger is heavy, which bothers some people, but not me. Those shortcomings aside, the SA All-Purpose semi-auto is well worth a look if you want a gas gun at a pump gun price, and its adjustable stock lets it fit a wide variety of people.
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