Same experience here...I looked at the H&R Pardner just yesterday and found it to be a solid, well made and inexpensive shotgun. If you want to modify it with accessories, however, you might be better off looking elsewhere.
Accessories for the Remington 870 are everywhere and the same is true with the Mossberg 88 and 500 shotguns. Shotguns are my weakness and I own a few of them.
I bought my first Mossberg 88 from a TGT member and really liked it! I got an 18.5" barrel at Midway then another Mossberg 88 and additional barrels, stocks and goodies. That first barrel cost me $78 brand new! Barrels for the 88 Maverick and the Mossberg 500 are interchangeable and you'll usually only see Mossberg 500 barrels advertized. They fit both models. Then I started fooling with Mossberg 500's Both are great values.
My advice? Snag a Mossberg 88. It's an exceptional value for the money and accessories are easy to find.
Flash