The receiver of a 12 gauge Remington Model 870 was the same size as the receiver for a 16 gauge Remington Model 11-48 autoloader.
The pump gun is thought to be and considered by many to be an all American gun. It is a known fact that, nowhere in the world is the pump gun as popular or as widely used as in North America. It is everyman’s favorite gun and the most widely used shotgun on this continent. Yet, the pump gun was actually first invented in England by a gunsmith by the name of Baine, and there were various versions of pump action rifles and shotguns made both in England and France, before it ever got its start in America. Whatever the case may be, it was in America that it was first refined by Spencer, later improved upon by Browning and become a huge commercial success as the Winchester Model 93 at first, then as the Model 97. The Winchester’s appearance was quickly followed by Marlin’s Model 98, a gun that had a remarkable resemblance to the Winchester.
The receiver of a 12 gauge Remington Model 870 was the same size as the receiver for a 16 gauge Remington Model 11-48 autoloader.
For many years, at least a half a century or more, Winchester pump guns ruled, at first as the Model 97, and later as the Model 12, “The Perfect Repeater” as Winchester liked to call their flag ship pump gun. The Model 12 was a superbly made gun that everyone considered as the very best pump gun made. But, it was very expensive to make. All parts were machined, and machining time, as everyone knows costs money. As good as the Model 12 was in its day, it was still a relic from the turn of the century, many of its parts unnecessarily complicated and expensive to make and it lacked many of the more advanced mechanical features that had been developed through the years. Then, in 1950, Remington launched its “new” pump gun, the Model 870 “Wingmaster.” The 870 used many stamped parts, and it had a much simplified mechanism and take down system. Many of its parts were shared with the new autoloader, the Model 11-48. However, the 870, which came out a year after the 11-48, was slimmer and lighter. The 870 used the same receiver as the 11-48, but instead of the larger 12 gauge receiver, a 16 gauge receiver was used for the 12 gauge 870! This made for a slimmer, sleeker looking gun, and it weighed less! There were other features that were modern and advanced for the times, features that the venerable Winchester Model 12 and other pump guns of the period lacked.
The 870 barrel could be removed simply by unscrewing the magazine cap. This may not seem like such a big deal today, but back when the 870 first made its appearance it was a very desirable feature. Back in the 1950s, the only way to change choking in a shotgun was either to install an adjustable choke, such as the Poly Choke or the Cutts Compensator, or get another barrel. Many shooters disliked the bulbous end appearance and the change of balance created by the adjustable choke. They preferred to simply get another barrel. Remington 870 made the switching of the barrel a very easy proposition. The other feature that was new was the easy trigger housing removal. With most other pump guns of the era, it was somewhat of an involved process to remove the trigger housing from the receiver. The Remington 870 made it very simple and trigger housing would simply drop out after removing two pins. The action itself was robust and utilized twin action bars, the first pump gun to do so. Although rare, there were instances when the single action bar on pump guns such as the Winchester Model 12 and Ithaca Model 37, Remington’s biggest competitors, would bind causing the action to jam. The double action bars eliminated that possibility.
A Remington Model 870 20LW with its slim, scaled receiver. A wonderful pump gun for the uplands that weighed under 6 pounds without a ventilated rib.
Remington got a lot of mileage out of advertising the new features such as the double action bars and the simple take down system. If you look at their old ads, you will find that they were constantly harping on the superiority of double action bars and the simple take down. Indeed, the Model 870 was very modern, so much so that to this day, except for outward appearances and other superficial touches such as the use of none metallic components, there are really no improvements or modernization of the pump action shotguns by any manufacturer, despite claims to the contrary.
When the 870 was designed, the idea was to come up with a shotgun that was attractive, robust, quality made, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture. The Remington engineers and designers hit a jackpot with the 870. It met all of the above requirements and then some! It is a gun that seems to shoot forever, and when something does go awry, it is usually very easy and simple to fix.
Today, the Remington Model 870 has reached a production mark that exceeds ten million! That is an absolutely astounding number for a shotgun! I think perhaps only the AK-47 can lay claim to higher production numbers, but the AK-47 and its variations were and are still made in over a half a dozen countries, and it had a three year head start on the 870! The Remington Model 870 is made in one place, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA! To have made over ten million in 62 years time is a remarkable achievement. No other sporting arm was ever made, nor will ever be made in such quantity!
Hunters everywhere use the 870. I have lived and worked on five continents and have hunted on all of them. In each place, whether in South America, Africa, Asia, or Europe (not to mention North America!), I have seen hunters with their trusty 870s. In Latin America, Mexico and points south down to Argentina, the Remington Model 870 is affectionately called the ocho setenta, which is “eight seventy” in Spanish! It is by far the most popular shotgun in Latin America. In Latin America I have seen the ocho setenta in the hands of poor campesinos, as well as wealthy individuals, some who were even millionaires! In the Middle East, I’ve seen the 870 carried by a Bedouin nomad astride a camel, as well as in the hands of a wealthy Sheik riding in a Mercedes. It seems that the 870 is indeed everyman’s shotgun, worldwide.
A page from the old Stoeger’s Shooter’s Bible showing trap and skeet guns with mid 1950s prices.
The 870 has been successfully used in all types of shotgunning situations, including combat! It will go “bang” no matter what kind of ammunition you stuff into it. The action will work even if some crud gets into it, you just have to yank the pump handle more vigorously, that’s all, it will still work! The 870 is an amazing pump gun that is preferred by most law enforcement agencies and military units. The Pentagon bought another brand, a very good gun, for its use. Still, many units, especially the specialized units like the Army Special Forces, prefer the 870. Even the famous British SAS use the 870 and it is proudly displayed in the Royal Museum as one of SAS’s vital weapons!
Today, one sees many autoloaders and over under shotguns in the game fields and clay target ranges. Still, particularly in the field, it is the 870 that seems to dominate. For any kind of shotgunning, the 870 appears to be the choice of many. It wasn’t long ago that pump guns were very popular in the skeet fields. Today, one rarely sees a pumpgunner on the skeet fields. But back in the day, 870s were quite popular with skeet shooters. If you check any of the older shooting publications and books on skeet shooting, you will find photographs of shooters with the Remington Model 870 in hand. Unfortunately, skeet shooting seems to have been taken over by the autoloading and over under shotguns today. Ironically, 870’s sister shotgun, the soft shooting gas operated Model 1100 is partially to blame. The 1100 became one of the favorite shotguns for skeet. For a time in the late 1960s and 70s, the 1100 dominated the skeet fields. But in its day, the pump gun and the Remington Model 870 had quite a presence in skeet.
A 1976 Remington Model 870 ad from the American Rifleman.
The trap shooters are still using the 870s. A quick check with Remington catalog will show that the trap version of the Model 870 is still very much in production. Perhaps no other single person had as much to do to popularize the 870 as Rudy Etchen, a Remington factory representative shooter. The great Rudy Etchen broke the very first 100 in trap doubles at the Grand American with an 870. It was a very early gun that was fresh off the assembly line, one of the very first 870 trap guns. Etchen, who was also known as “Mr. 870,” claimed to have fired over two million rounds through that gun. Whether Etchen’s 870 had fired over two million rounds or not is immaterial. The fact remains that the 870 is a very durable, enduring gun and it would not be surprising if a particular gun, well maintained, had fired some astronomical number of cartridges.
Just as the Winchester Model 12 was popular and used by some noted personalities of the era, Remington Model 870 also has its faithful users among celebrities. The late Lee Marvin, the Hollywood star owned several high-grade shotguns including a wonderful pre World War II German made Gebruder Ademy over under. He posed for photos with that beautifully engraved shotgun, but all photos of Marvin in the field, showing him dove or duck hunting, always have him holding an 870! Personally, I know of several avid shotgunners who own large collections of very fine shotguns, yet it seems they prefer to use the Remington 870 for most of their game shooting. Oh sure, if they are invited to some fancy shoot or if they make a trip to England for some driven pheasant or grouse, you can be sure they will take their high grade doubles with them. But for normal duck shooting, or chasing pheasants and other game, most of them always seem to reach for their trusty, plain and inexpensive, Remington 870!
The Remington 870 is truly an American classic and it will more than likely outlast just about any shotgun that you will find on the market today. No kidding, more than likely, 50 years from now there will still be shotgunners using the great 870!
This article originally appeared in the American Waterfowler, Vol. III, Issue VI.