Remington Model 870

The Remington Model 870 is a pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, LLC.

History

The Remington Model 870 was the fourth major design in a series of Remington-designed pump-action shotguns, after the Model 10, the Model 29, the Model 17, and the Model 31. The latter was well-liked, but struggled for sales in the shadow of the Winchester Model 12. As a result, in 1949, Remington decided to introduce a more modern, streamlined, rugged, reliable, and relatively inexpensive shotgun, which later became the Model 870.

Sales of the Model 870 have been steady, reaching two million sales by 1973, which was ten times the number of Model 31 shotgun sales. By 1996, spurred by sales of the basic "Express" models, which were added as a lower-cost alternative to the original Wingmaster line, sales topped seven million shotguns. On April 13, 2009, the ten millionth Model 870 was produced, and it has since held the record for the best-selling shotgun in history. Presently, the Model 870 is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense, and is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.