Remington 870 Shotgun: A Gut-Punching Classic

I’m not really a shotgun guy. Instead, I prefer the ability to put one round exactly where I want it, as the rifle allows. That said, the shotgun admittedly has some abilities and qualities that no other weapon possesses. Beyond that, the Remington 870 has, without a doubt, worked its way to a special place in my heart, and I’ll explain why.

The 870 was introduced in 1950, so at the time of this writing, the platform is 74 years old. Despite the age, this shotgun is not slowing down one bit. Thus far, over 11 million have been produced! When I read that number, I was a little shocked, as I didn’t think it would be that many. But, when I began to think about it, the numbers made total sense.

In the beginning, it was a popular shotgun with hunters. It was cheaper to produce than many other shotguns at the time while still being extremely reliable. As it grew in popularity and sales gained steam, many law enforcement agencies and military units also adopted the 870. As far as law enforcement is concerned, the 870 is the most popular shotgun on the planet by a wide margin.

So, if you’re a hunter, law enforcement officer, or military person, there’s a good chance you’ve had experience with the Remington 870. And we haven’t even mentioned those who trap shoot with it, which is no small number.

Widespread Popularity

We’ve established that the 870 is wildly popular. Now, let’s take a look at why.

Historically, the 870 has been one of the more reasonably priced shotguns on the market. Not the cheapest, but certainly not the most expensive. Shooters get a lot of gun for their money.

The 870 simply works. Decades of reliability with the Remington 870 have shown us that the platform is an excellent choice for shooters of all backgrounds. There are 870s out there that are several decades old and still going strong, with no sign of giving up the ghost.

These aren’t necessarily guns that sit in the safe and are taken out once a year for hunting. When I worked for my agency, we had 870s that were used on the range daily, especially during annual qualification periods, which could last well over a month. Those shotguns had the hell beaten out of them. They’d see daily use with no cleaning, lubrication, or care of any kind—just relentless shooting in all sorts of weather.

Reliability and Familiarity

Despite that grueling torture, very few of those guns ever went down. I’m talking about maybe a couple that I observed over 17 years. That, ladies and gentlemen, was incredibly impressive. Many of the 870s that we used were incredibly robust (they were the 870 Police Magnum) in standard patrol configuration, holding 4+1 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition. Standard issue, nothing special.

For our tactical unit at the time, we used the same Police Magnums but with extended magazines that held 6+1 rounds. We didn’t abuse the tactical shotguns as much as the ones used by line staff, but they saw significant use as well.

I mentioned earlier that people are very familiar with the 870, and that’s a big selling point. I began training on the 870 in 1990 at the start of my career in state Corrections. At that time, I wasn’t terribly familiar with shotguns, having been far more used to shooting rifles my entire life.

The shotgun training we received was fairly intense, and to this day, when I pick up a shotgun, my hand immediately goes to the slide release located at the front of the trigger guard. At least, if it’s an 870, that’s where the release is located. Other shotguns put them in different (read that as “wrong”) places.

Being able to operate the 870 in the dark and reflexively is a huge part of the equation that I happen to love. It’s like an old friend, which I find reassuring.

I’ve used the 870 to escort inmates to functions outside of the prison where I worked, including medical appointments and court appearances. I also used it in tactical scenarios, including preparing to take back a cell block that had been seized by inmates during an incident in the prison (we did not have to use force to retake the cell block). During the times I was armed with the 870, I felt that I could face any obstacle with confidence.

Versatility

Shotguns, in general, are very versatile platforms. They can fire buckshot, birdshot, slugs, breaching rounds, and a ton of other specialty ammunition.

It’s good for hunting, fighting bad guys, competition, war, and just about whatever else you’d care to do with a firearm. Oh, and quelling riots, too; some shotguns are called “riot guns”, so we can’t forget about that.

The 870, being a pump-action shotgun, is just about as reliable as any firearm we could name. It will readily feed light or heavy loads and doesn’t rely on a gas system to function but rather on the operator working the action.

Remington 870 HHD

The Remington 870 HHD stands for “Hardwood Home Defense.” It’s a classic-looking 870 with furniture that is…you guessed it…hardwood. Walnut, to be specific. This one reminds me of some of the shotguns I was issued in the earlier parts of my career, and I really love the classic hardwood look. That was in an era predating the many tactic-cool accessories that we see now, such as lights, lasers, and ammo carriers.

The wood isn’t gorgeous, which I’m grateful for. It’s a rugged tool, and I’d hate to damage a “pretty” stock. However, the wood is nice, and it has a non-shiny finish that’s slightly on the darker side. This one will appeal to those who enjoy weapons made from simple wood and steel. The metal finish on this shotgun is matte black, which perfectly complements the wooden furniture.

Specs

The length of pull on this 870 is 14 inches from the factory, which is a little too long for my stature. I had my local gunsmith lop off an inch of the stock, and now it fits me perfectly. Incidentally, the stocks of most shotguns on the market are a bit too long for many shooters, so this is not uncommon.

The barrel is 18.5 inches and features a cylinder bore of .73 caliber. As I said, the shotgun is a big-bore powerhouse that is tough to beat. Overall, the length is 38.5 inches, with the weight being 7.25 pounds empty.

The 870 HHD’s magazine capacity is 6+1 rounds of 12 gauge, and it will accept up to 3-inch shells. The 870 HHD comes from the factory with the extended magazine tube, which I appreciate. Sure, I can always buy extended tubes and add them myself, but I hate playing gunsmith, as I’m not great at the job. Factory options are always popular with me.

The sights on this shotgun are simple in that it’s a single brass bead out front. I’d much prefer a good set of ghost ring sights, and at some point, I may have a set of those added on. Honestly, though, for what it’s intended for, the bead sight works just fine.

The HHD comes with sling swivel posts on both ends, which I appreciate and makes adding swivels and a sling a snap.

Bits and Bobs

Remington used steel for this 870’s receiver, which I was grateful to see. I was slightly less than thrilled to discover that the trigger guard is constructed of polymer. Come on, Remington, you can do better than that. Yes, I’m sure the polymer version will be adequate, but I’d feel more assured with steel. Perhaps I’m just an inflexible, old geezer.

The action of this 870 was a little stiff out of the box, which was not surprising. A few drops of lube and a little use at the range saw the action loosen up nicely and will undoubtedly get better with use. My favorite load, Federal’s OO Low Recoil buckshot, fed perfectly through this 870.

I like this shotgun as much today as the day that I got it.

Remington 870 Tactical

Remington’s 870 Tactical is actually very similar to the above-mentioned HHD model, including the polymer trigger guard assembly, 18.5-inch barrel, and extended magazine tube, which holds 6+1 rounds. It will also accept up to 3-inch shells. I won’t repeat the technical specifications, as they are very similar to the HHD model mentioned above.

It features a matte black finish as well as a black synthetic stock and front handguard.

As mentioned, both of these shotguns are very similar, though the composite furniture on the HHD model weighs slightly less than the wood.

Closing Thoughts

With over 11 million 870s being produced since 1950, this shotgun’s popularity has been firmly cemented in place. Undoubtedly, its reasonable cost and reliability over the years have contributed to this popularity, along with the fact that it is made in the USA.

Few institutions in American gun culture are more solidly established than the Remington 870. It covers all the bases: target shooting, hunting, defense, duty, and tactical use equally well. The 870 is up to any task that is handed to it and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

A quick search reveals that an 870 in either the HHD configuration or the Tactical model will run between $450 and $480 at the time of writing. It’s still a reasonable buy for the money, as it has always been.

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