Nick Hahn - Gun Digest Book of the Remington 870

The Remington Model 870 Wingmaster pump-action shotgun is the best-selling and the most popular shotgun in North America, and possibly the entire world. No other shotguneverhas seen such widespread use as the Remington Model 870. In the English-speaking world, it is simply referred to as the eight-seventy. Its numerical model designation has become so entrenched in the worldwide shotgunners vocabulary that, in the Spanish-speaking world, it is commonly called ocho setenta. I have even heard it referred to in Russian as vosyem-semdyisyat, and in Japanese as hachi-nanaju, each iteration a literal translation of eight seventy in their respective languages.

It wasnt always so. When the Model 870 first appeared, in 1950, it caught the eye of many shooters, but it still had a steep hill to climb to catch up with the reigning pump gun of the period, the Winchester Model 12. I well remember when I got my first Model 870, as a kid in the mid 1950s. At that time, it was more commonly called by its model name, the Wingmaster and not by the numerical model designation. I was quite proud of my Remington Wingmaster, despite the fact that my hunting buddy Larry and my older brother, Jim, both preferred the Winchester Model 12. But, even as a kid, I was struck by the simplicity and robustness of my guns design and parts. It was simple to take downI could remove the trigger group by punching out two pins and remove the barrel by unscrewing the magazine cap. No other pump gun offered such simple and easy take-down operation. My brother and friend Larry, with their Winchester Model 12s, could not remove their trigger groups that easily, nor could they remove the barrel from the attached magazine tube and pump handle. I definitely derived a sense of satisfaction and a childish feeling of superiority from having a more easily disassembled pump gun, whenever we cleaned our shotguns after a hunt.

The Remington Model 870 brought the pump shotgun into the modern world in more ways than just easy disassembly. It was quite slick looking, with a streamlined, smooth-sided receiver, and it was also considerably lighter than most of the competition. The basic Model 870 AP, with a corn cob pump handle and a plain buttstock, weighed, on the average, 634 pounds in a 12-gauge with a rib-less 28-inch barrel. Only the Ithaca Model 37 weighed about the same, or perhaps a tad less. The Winchester Model 12, on the other hand, weighed at least a 12- to 34-pound more at 712 pounds in the same configuration.

The 870 was way ahead of its time, when it came to pump gun design. Small wonder, then, that the Remington Model 870 has lasted unchanged for more than a half century Indeed, it is the only pump gun to remain mechanically unchanged! The Ithaca Model 37 has been in production longer than the Model 870, albeit as a Remington Model 17 initially. As an actual Ithaca-branded gun, its production has been interrupted from time to time, and that famed bottom-ejecting pump gun has had numerous mechanical changes through the years. Not so with the Model 870. It has had cosmetic changes, sure, and usually for the better, I might add, but mechanically it has remained the same. That speaks volumes for the guns design.

This book has been written as a tribute to the remarkable Remington Model 870 more than anything else. It is certainly not a technical work, nor is it meant to be a definitive study of this gun mechanically, historically, or otherwise. The work is meant to be more of a montage, if you will, of stories and information related to this wonderful and ageless gun. To be sure, it does contain technical information, as well as a historical chronology of the production of different versions of this model. But, overall, it is meant to show how widespread and diversified this shotgun is in its use throughout the world. This work is meant to entertain and inform at the same time; it is not an academic study of the Remington Model 870, but rather a tribute composed of bits and pieces of information, anecdotes, and personal accounts about a remarkable shotgun that has now surpassed its production beyond 10 million. It is about a shotgun that is found in all corners of the world and in the hands of the rich and the poor. It is about everybodys shotgun.

Nick Hahn, Litchfield Park, Arizona, March 2012

The idea to write a book about Americas best selling and most popular shotgun was not something that I had developed on my own and decided to pursue. It was Jim Schlender, Publisher at F&W Media, and his editor, Jennifer L.S. Pearsall, who proposed it to me and shepherded the project until it was completed. I am most grateful to Jennifer and to Jim, who have been extremely supportive and helpful during this project from beginning to end. I am thankful to them both for their help and support.

Three members of the Freedom Group Family of Companies, the umbrella organization that now owns Remington, were instrumental in providing information that was needed to complete this project. Jessica Kallam, Press Relations Manager at Remington, sent the most current information that was available for this project. Lisa Walters, Historian, answered countless questions and directed me toward more resources I could use. Michael Haugen, Director International Military/Law Enforcement Sales, took the time from his busy schedule to answer my questions, while he was on an overseas trip. Michael also sent me photographs and information immediately upon his return from the trip, on his own time and on a weekend! De oppresso liber, Michael! The Freedom Group Family of Companies is fortunate to have Jessica, Lisa, and Michael representing its interests. Any organization would be extremely lucky to have such people working for them.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge and thank an individual who provided me with the bulk of the material for this project, including photographs, articles, catalogs, and other bits of information that were crucial for putting together this book, Roy Marcot, of the Remington Society. Very simply put, without the material provided by the Remington Society, this book could not have been written. I am most indebted to Roy for his help and for allowing me the use of the material for this book. Much of the information contained in the chronological history of the 870 was gleaned from Roys article entitled A Guide to Collecting Remington Model 870 Shotguns, which was published in the Societys semi-monthly publication, The Remington Collectors Journal.

Although my name appears as the author of this work, in reality, all of the people that I have mentioned should be listed as co-authors.Nick Hahn

E. Remington and Sons factor in Ilion, New York - circa 1874