Remington 870 Shotgun: Tried & True
By: Frank Borelli, 2 May 2005
In January of 1950 Remington introduced the Model 870 "Wingmaster" shotgun. Remington's historical information claims that the Remington 870 shotgun is the largest selling pump action shotgun in the world. Fifty-five years later it would not surprise me. I've had mine (on and off - but I'll explain that later) since 1988.
In my gun safe are my own Remington 870 and my wife's Remington 870. Thanks to the ease of operation and extreme variety of loads available, the twelve gauge shotgun is hard to beat for versatility. By simply changing the barrel length, type of load used, accessories, etc, the weapon can serve just as well as a home defense weapon as it does as a law enforcement or military combat weapon. In today's review we're going to take a look at the Remington 870's many uses; a little history; some "war stories" involving the 870 and some factual data about it (because I will get an email if I fail to give the barrel length or some other specific measurement).
So, who out there can describe for me, in exacting detail, what an 870 looks like? It's kind of hard to do because of the manufacturing options and after-market accessories that are available. From stocks, to sights, to slings, ammo bandoliers, and more, the ability to personalize a Remington 870 is almost as variable as the ammunition available. My personal 870, and the shotgun I used for this evaluation, started life as a blued weapon with wood stocks and rifle sights. The slug barrel is 20" long. I believe the original purchase price was under $200 when I bought it in 1988. Since that time I've had the receiver, barrel and magazine tube (with extension) duracoated by R-Squared Custom Gun Finishing - now it's OD Green. I've replaced the original wooden stocks with black synthetic ones and added a "side-saddle" shell holder. My particular 870 will hold seven rounds in the mgazine tube and six more in the shell holder for a total of thirteen rounds in/on the gun. Additionally, since I'm a huge believer in taking light to any potential conflict, I've put on a SureFire 918FA fore end, and a LaserMax LMS-1202 LED/Laser unit. I find the LED perfect for close up / navigation work, while the SureFire provides enough light for identification of a target. The red dot lets bad guys know what's next. Both have touch-activation capability or I can simply turn them on and leave them on. Training tells me that's a bad idea.
According to the 2005 Remington Law Enforcement Catalog, the Remington 870 12g pump shotgun is available in several configurations:
Barrel length:
- 14"
- 18"
- 20"
Sights:
- Bead
- Rifle
- Ghost Ring
Choke:
- Improved Cylinder on 18' and 20" barrels
- Modified on 14" barrels
Those are your feature choices. Standard equipment / design incorporates all of the following:
- 3" chamber that accepts all 2.75" and 3" 12-gauge shells.
- Synthetic stocks - black in color (orange for less-lethal designated weapons is available)
- Parkerized finish
- Magazine extensions are available (but length-of-barrel dependent)
- Large side-ejection port
- Sling swivel studs
Additionally, Remington publishes the following safety information about currently manufactured 870s:
- Balanced Sear and Inertia Firing pin that prevents discharge unless the action is closed and the trigger is pressed.
- Cross-bolt safety located right there near the trigger for easy manipulation, even under stress. "Smooth on the right, ready to fight."
- Bright orange magazine follower for ease of safety inspections.
I couldn't find a published weight for the 870 and I imagine that's because there is so much variety available. If Remington published a weight they would have to specify every option used. My 870, as tested, weighs about eleven pounds. That isn't light, but it's a combat weapon. It's capable of delivering serious firepower (13 rounds of 12g 00), and (as configured) it provides two light sources and two sighting systems. So, while eleven pounds might seem a bit much, it's not just the shotgun, but also the ammo and auxilliary light capabilities as well.
P/O Lyew at the fifteen yard line racking through seven rounds of 00.
The results of his work. The shotgun is a powerful weapon at appropriate ranges.
This particular 870 was first purchased in 1986 or 1987 by an officer who used it on duty. He was a canine handler and the shotgun was placed in its lock each day he worked. The way the shotgun lock was oriented (barrel up between the seats), the dog could get his teeth onto the end of the barrel and magazine tube extension if the transport cage front window was left open. Surface rust and damage to the blueing was inevitable. Finish is something that can be fixed. I purchased the shotgun in 1988 and began carrying it on duty after removing the surface rust with a simple good cleaning. In 1989 this shotgun was sitting across the back of my police cruiser's trunk in a soft case. It was being held in place by the spare tire which was just sitting in the trunk, not anchored down, when I got rear-ended. The trunk was crushed, and the tire shoved as far forward as it could go, but the 870 wasn't damaged at all. Since 1989 this shotgun has seen duty in the hands of three different officers at two different police agencies. Since 2002 it's been my duty use shotgun (again). In late 2003 I had the shotgun duracoated its current OD Green color. One thing is for sure: at the range I never get my 870 confused with someone else's.
Here in Maryland, police officers are required to qualify once each year with their firearms (that's the state regulation: agencies may require more). Since my agency's authorized ammo is the 2.75" 00 buck round, that's what you see in the pictures. Each round holds nine pellets that are about .32 caliber each. Although there is no state mandate for it, I try to qualify with the shotgun under low-light conditions as well. That's when I get to do the most practicing at manipulating the light and laser units.
In my wife's 870, which is kept primarily for home defense, the loads used are eight shot. The longest shot she'd have to take in the house is about fifteen yards, and the spread she gets out of her 20" barrel is about a foot at that distance. If a bad guy comes into the house and gets past our three dogs, I doubt she'd have much compunction about using the 8-shot loads.
What else is available to feed through this weapon? Let's take a look. For the purposes of this review I didn't want to try to list every 12-gauge round available from every manufacturer. Instead, I selected one manufacturer that I knew to be of good reliability. In this case we're looking at 12-gauge ammo available from A.L.S. Technologies. A.L.S. Technologies manufacturers less-lethal and stun / smoke munitions. In the current brochure they list no less than twelve different types of 12-gauge munitions. The munitions include:
- OC Muzzle Blast
- Hydro-Kinetic Impact
- Hornets Nest (20 balls)
- Five different kinds of bean bag rounds
- Three different fin-stabilized projectiles
- Tri-dent (Triple ball) rounds (each ball is just under 12-gauge in caliber)
Add to those different types of ammo the variety of "regular" ammo such as slugs, sabots, 00, #4-#12 shot, "jungle mix", and more and you can see how easy it would be to find exactly the ammo / weapon capability you need for your specific mission.
To increase the versatility even further, Remington has introduced the Model 870 Modular Combat System (MCS). The MCS comes with the receiver upon which you can mount any of the provided barrels (10", 14" and 18"), either of the two stocks (shoulder w/ pistol grip or just the pistol grip), and either magazine extension dependent on which barrel you've chosen. By mixing and matching the parts for what you need, you can create a conventional duty shotgun that has an 18" barrel; an close quarters combat / entry shotgun with the 14" barrel; or a breeching shotgun with the 10" barrel and pistol grip. It all comes in one carrying case and anyone who can field strip a shotgun can build the desired weapon system. The top of the receiver is equipped with a picatinny rail so you can mount optics as you see fit. Additionally, it comes with two sets of foregrips for M-16/M-4/AR-15 weapon systems, so that you can mount the 12-gauge barrel of choice under any of those 5.56mm weapons (such as the M203 does with the 40mm grenade launcher barrel).
Up close and personal. From three yards away, nine pellets and the shell wad are going to put a hurting on the bad guy. (870 shown is parkerized, original wood stocks and bead front sight)
With my 870 - with my wife's 870 - with every 870 I've ever seen used at the range during qualifiatons - if the weapon is maintained properly, malfunctions are extremely rare. The sound of the action being worked is well-recognized even among people who aren't shooters (thanks to the movies and television), and most cops I know would agree that there is a huge psychological impact that comes with the racking of the action. Disagreeable subjects can become quickly compliant when they hear and/or see the shotgun round being chambered.
With slugs in my shotgun, thanks to the rifle sights and slug barrel (no rifling), my shotgun is reliable and accurate out to the fifty yard line. If I get much past that I tend to see the slug starting to drift unpredictably. Part of that may be the fact that the recoil on my 870 is pretty noticeable when I shoot slugs or 00 and my anticipation of that recoil might be affecting how I handle the weapon. Our agency qualifies to the twenty-five yard line with 00. I wouldn't use shot loads past the 25 yard line, and I'd be uncomfortable using any loads with smaller than 00 shot at the 25 yard line. From the 25, my shotgun's spread is just about a foot. With nine .32-caliber pellets whizzing down range, if it were an actual shooting, there are lots of liability concerns regarding the eventual impact of pellets that miss the intended target.
So, keep in mind a few things about the Remington 870:
- The new Modular Combat System (MCS) makes an "ordinary" 870 even more versatile.
- The proper range for use is very dependent on the load used.
- In low-light conditions, depend on a good light and proper use of it rather than counting on shot spread to hit the target.
- Practice with your shotgun and your desired load to suit your mission.
As previously published in the ASLET Trainer magazine, our staff writer, Al Garcia, wrote an article about the versatility of the shotgun entitled, The Sore Shoulder Theory. It's an excellent read from a SWAT officer's point of view.
For more information about Remington products, check them out online at http://www.remington.com.
By: Frank Borelli, 2 May 2005
In January of 1950 Remington introduced the Model 870 "Wingmaster" shotgun. Remington's historical information claims that the Remington 870 shotgun is the largest selling pump action shotgun in the world. Fifty-five years later it would not surprise me. I've had mine (on and off - but I'll explain that later) since 1988.
In my gun safe are my own Remington 870 and my wife's Remington 870. Thanks to the ease of operation and extreme variety of loads available, the twelve gauge shotgun is hard to beat for versatility. By simply changing the barrel length, type of load used, accessories, etc, the weapon can serve just as well as a home defense weapon as it does as a law enforcement or military combat weapon. In today's review we're going to take a look at the Remington 870's many uses; a little history; some "war stories" involving the 870 and some factual data about it (because I will get an email if I fail to give the barrel length or some other specific measurement).
So, who out there can describe for me, in exacting detail, what an 870 looks like? It's kind of hard to do because of the manufacturing options and after-market accessories that are available. From stocks, to sights, to slings, ammo bandoliers, and more, the ability to personalize a Remington 870 is almost as variable as the ammunition available. My personal 870, and the shotgun I used for this evaluation, started life as a blued weapon with wood stocks and rifle sights. The slug barrel is 20" long. I believe the original purchase price was under $200 when I bought it in 1988. Since that time I've had the receiver, barrel and magazine tube (with extension) duracoated by R-Squared Custom Gun Finishing - now it's OD Green. I've replaced the original wooden stocks with black synthetic ones and added a "side-saddle" shell holder. My particular 870 will hold seven rounds in the mgazine tube and six more in the shell holder for a total of thirteen rounds in/on the gun. Additionally, since I'm a huge believer in taking light to any potential conflict, I've put on a SureFire 918FA fore end, and a LaserMax LMS-1202 LED/Laser unit. I find the LED perfect for close up / navigation work, while the SureFire provides enough light for identification of a target. The red dot lets bad guys know what's next. Both have touch-activation capability or I can simply turn them on and leave them on. Training tells me that's a bad idea.
According to the 2005 Remington Law Enforcement Catalog, the Remington 870 12g pump shotgun is available in several configurations:
Barrel length:
- 14"
- 18"
- 20"
Sights:
- Bead
- Rifle
- Ghost Ring
Choke:
- Improved Cylinder on 18' and 20" barrels
- Modified on 14" barrels
Those are your feature choices. Standard equipment / design incorporates all of the following:
- 3" chamber that accepts all 2.75" and 3" 12-gauge shells.
- Synthetic stocks - black in color (orange for less-lethal designated weapons is available)
- Parkerized finish
- Magazine extensions are available (but length-of-barrel dependent)
- Large side-ejection port
- Sling swivel studs
Additionally, Remington publishes the following safety information about currently manufactured 870s:
- Balanced Sear and Inertia Firing pin that prevents discharge unless the action is closed and the trigger is pressed.
- Cross-bolt safety located right there near the trigger for easy manipulation, even under stress. "Smooth on the right, ready to fight."
- Bright orange magazine follower for ease of safety inspections.
I couldn't find a published weight for the 870 and I imagine that's because there is so much variety available. If Remington published a weight they would have to specify every option used. My 870, as tested, weighs about eleven pounds. That isn't light, but it's a combat weapon. It's capable of delivering serious firepower (13 rounds of 12g 00), and (as configured) it provides two light sources and two sighting systems. So, while eleven pounds might seem a bit much, it's not just the shotgun, but also the ammo and auxilliary light capabilities as well.
P/O Lyew at the fifteen yard line racking through seven rounds of 00.
The results of his work. The shotgun is a powerful weapon at appropriate ranges.
This particular 870 was first purchased in 1986 or 1987 by an officer who used it on duty. He was a canine handler and the shotgun was placed in its lock each day he worked. The way the shotgun lock was oriented (barrel up between the seats), the dog could get his teeth onto the end of the barrel and magazine tube extension if the transport cage front window was left open. Surface rust and damage to the blueing was inevitable. Finish is something that can be fixed. I purchased the shotgun in 1988 and began carrying it on duty after removing the surface rust with a simple good cleaning. In 1989 this shotgun was sitting across the back of my police cruiser's trunk in a soft case. It was being held in place by the spare tire which was just sitting in the trunk, not anchored down, when I got rear-ended. The trunk was crushed, and the tire shoved as far forward as it could go, but the 870 wasn't damaged at all. Since 1989 this shotgun has seen duty in the hands of three different officers at two different police agencies. Since 2002 it's been my duty use shotgun (again). In late 2003 I had the shotgun duracoated its current OD Green color. One thing is for sure: at the range I never get my 870 confused with someone else's.
Here in Maryland, police officers are required to qualify once each year with their firearms (that's the state regulation: agencies may require more). Since my agency's authorized ammo is the 2.75" 00 buck round, that's what you see in the pictures. Each round holds nine pellets that are about .32 caliber each. Although there is no state mandate for it, I try to qualify with the shotgun under low-light conditions as well. That's when I get to do the most practicing at manipulating the light and laser units.
In my wife's 870, which is kept primarily for home defense, the loads used are eight shot. The longest shot she'd have to take in the house is about fifteen yards, and the spread she gets out of her 20" barrel is about a foot at that distance. If a bad guy comes into the house and gets past our three dogs, I doubt she'd have much compunction about using the 8-shot loads.
What else is available to feed through this weapon? Let's take a look. For the purposes of this review I didn't want to try to list every 12-gauge round available from every manufacturer. Instead, I selected one manufacturer that I knew to be of good reliability. In this case we're looking at 12-gauge ammo available from A.L.S. Technologies. A.L.S. Technologies manufacturers less-lethal and stun / smoke munitions. In the current brochure they list no less than twelve different types of 12-gauge munitions. The munitions include:
- OC Muzzle Blast
- Hydro-Kinetic Impact
- Hornets Nest (20 balls)
- Five different kinds of bean bag rounds
- Three different fin-stabilized projectiles
- Tri-dent (Triple ball) rounds (each ball is just under 12-gauge in caliber)
Add to those different types of ammo the variety of "regular" ammo such as slugs, sabots, 00, #4-#12 shot, "jungle mix", and more and you can see how easy it would be to find exactly the ammo / weapon capability you need for your specific mission.
To increase the versatility even further, Remington has introduced the Model 870 Modular Combat System (MCS). The MCS comes with the receiver upon which you can mount any of the provided barrels (10", 14" and 18"), either of the two stocks (shoulder w/ pistol grip or just the pistol grip), and either magazine extension dependent on which barrel you've chosen. By mixing and matching the parts for what you need, you can create a conventional duty shotgun that has an 18" barrel; an close quarters combat / entry shotgun with the 14" barrel; or a breeching shotgun with the 10" barrel and pistol grip. It all comes in one carrying case and anyone who can field strip a shotgun can build the desired weapon system. The top of the receiver is equipped with a picatinny rail so you can mount optics as you see fit. Additionally, it comes with two sets of foregrips for M-16/M-4/AR-15 weapon systems, so that you can mount the 12-gauge barrel of choice under any of those 5.56mm weapons (such as the M203 does with the 40mm grenade launcher barrel).
Up close and personal. From three yards away, nine pellets and the shell wad are going to put a hurting on the bad guy. (870 shown is parkerized, original wood stocks and bead front sight)
With my 870 - with my wife's 870 - with every 870 I've ever seen used at the range during qualifiatons - if the weapon is maintained properly, malfunctions are extremely rare. The sound of the action being worked is well-recognized even among people who aren't shooters (thanks to the movies and television), and most cops I know would agree that there is a huge psychological impact that comes with the racking of the action. Disagreeable subjects can become quickly compliant when they hear and/or see the shotgun round being chambered.
With slugs in my shotgun, thanks to the rifle sights and slug barrel (no rifling), my shotgun is reliable and accurate out to the fifty yard line. If I get much past that I tend to see the slug starting to drift unpredictably. Part of that may be the fact that the recoil on my 870 is pretty noticeable when I shoot slugs or 00 and my anticipation of that recoil might be affecting how I handle the weapon. Our agency qualifies to the twenty-five yard line with 00. I wouldn't use shot loads past the 25 yard line, and I'd be uncomfortable using any loads with smaller than 00 shot at the 25 yard line. From the 25, my shotgun's spread is just about a foot. With nine .32-caliber pellets whizzing down range, if it were an actual shooting, there are lots of liability concerns regarding the eventual impact of pellets that miss the intended target.
So, keep in mind a few things about the Remington 870:
- The new Modular Combat System (MCS) makes an "ordinary" 870 even more versatile.
- The proper range for use is very dependent on the load used.
- In low-light conditions, depend on a good light and proper use of it rather than counting on shot spread to hit the target.
- Practice with your shotgun and your desired load to suit your mission.
As previously published in the ASLET Trainer magazine, our staff writer, Al Garcia, wrote an article about the versatility of the shotgun entitled, The Sore Shoulder Theory. It's an excellent read from a SWAT officer's point of view.
For more information about Remington products, check them out online at http://www.remington.com.
