The Remington 870 shotgun is easily the best-selling shotgun ever. Over ten million have been sold, and for good reason. The 870 is a versatile shotgun, used by police officers, the military, and border patrol, as well as hunters and sport shooters.

First introduced to the market in 1950, the Remington 870 was designed to replace the Remington 31. The Model 31 was a well-liked side ejection pump action shotgun, but it did not sell well due to its competitor, the Winchester Model 12. Remington’s answer to this was to design a shotgun that was cheaper to make but that was also rugged and reliable. While the Model 31 was well-liked, just 196,000 of the model were built. Compare this with the over ten million 870’s that have been built.

The Remington 870 is a pump action shotgun designed by L. Ray Crittendon, Phillip Haskell, Ellis Hailston, and G.E. Pickney and is manufactured by Remington Arms. The different variations of the 870 range in weight from seven to eight pounds and range in length from 37.25 to 50.5 inches.

One of the reasons why the Remington 870 shotgun is so popular is there are hundreds of variations of the model, so no matter whether you’re looking to use the shotgun for civilian, law enforcement, or military use, chances are you’ll find a good fit for you. The the hundreds of variations of the 870 can be divided into six groups: Wingmaster, Police, Marine, Express, Super Magnum, and XCS.

In addition to the hundreds of variations of the 870 available, the versatility of the model is further extended by the number different barrels available. The interchangeable barrels are available in either 12 or 20 gauge with lengths ranging between 18 and 30 inches. Vent rib, rifle sights, and cantilever barrels are available. The different chokes offered include fully rifled, rem choke, cylinder, and improved cylinder. The barrels can be interchanged within minutes should you need to change barrels if your circumstances change. With the wide variation of different barrels available, you can be sure to have just the right barrels on hand for any situation you may find yourself in.

The following is a list of available barrels for the Remington 870 shotgun (the Wingmaster Barrels have a polished blue finish and the Special Purpose and Express Barrels have a Matte finish; all have three inch chambers):

1. Wingmaster Deer Barrel Fully Rifled Cantilever, 12 gauge, 20 inches in length;

2. Wingmaster Fully Rifled Deer Barrel with Rifle Sights, 12 gauge, 20 inches in length;

3. Wingmaster Deer Barrel with Rifle Sights, 12 gauge, 20 inches in length, rem choke;

4. Special Purpose Deer Barrel Fully Rifled Cantilever, 12 gauge, 20 inches in length;

5. Turkey Super Mag with TruGlo Rifle Sights, Clampack in 5-Unit Merchandiser, 12 gauge, 23 inches in length, rem choke;

6. Special Purpose Fully Rifled Cantilever, Scoped Clampack, 12 or 20 gauge, 23 or 18.5 inches in length;

7. Express Deer Barrel Fully Rifled with Rifle Sights, 12 gauge, 20 inches in length;

8. Express Deer Barrel with Rifle Sights, 12 gauge, 20 inches in length, improved cylinder choke;

9. Special Purpose Barrels – Vent Rib, 12 gauge, 26 inches in length, rem choke;

10. Express – Vent Rib, 12 gauge; 26, 28, or 30 inches in length, rem choke;

11. Express Fully Rifled Cantilever, 12 gauge and 23 inches in length or 20 gauge and 18.5 inch in length;

12. Express Bead Sight, 12 gauge, 18 inches in length, cylinder choke;

13. Wingmaster Light Contour Barrels – Vent Rib, 12 gauge; 26, 28, or 30 inches in length, rem choke;

14. Wingmaster Standard Contour Barrels – Vent Rib, 12 gauge; 26, 28, or 30 inches in length, rem choke;

15. Wingmaster Deer Barrel with Rifle Sights, LW-20, 20 gauge, 20 inches in length, improved cylinder choke;

16. Express Deer, Fully Rifled with Rifled Sights, 20 gauge, 20 inches in length, rem choke; and

17. Wingmaster Barrels – Vent Rib, 20 gauge, 26 or 28 inches in length, rem choke.

As you can see from the list, the Remington 870 shotgun can be an excellent fit for many uses, including game hunting and tactical use. Considering the ease of changing the barrels, the sturdiness and reliability of the shotgun, and the variations of the shotgun available, it is not hard to see why the Remington 870 has become so popular.