Remington 870 Review [Hands-On]: For Home Defense And Hunting

The Remington 870 has proved itself as one of the most popular shotguns. Here's why I love it both as a home defense and a hunting weapon.

FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.

I have never bought a brand-new Remington 870. There is no reason to buy a new one. 870s that are 30 years old and have been hunting ducks for that long still work just as well as the day they were made. I should take that back: the 870s that have been dropped in the lake or stream don't seem to work as well until a bit of time on the bench and some buffing, when a red polishing compound comes into play; then, usually, they are back in fighting shape.

1. Broad Utility

I inherited my Remington 870 from my grandpa and my dad. Both of these guns are from different eras and have been used for various purposes. Yet, they look identical and function the same. I have seen new 870s on the shelf or in the rack, actually for under 400 bucks all day, every day. Not only is the 870 a hunting staple, but it is also a military and police workhorse, and the reason is that it keeps working nonstop in any conditions.

2. Basics and Barrel Lengths

For bird hunting, the 870 is most folks' ultimate pump gun, the Wingmaster 870. The difference is that it has a longer barrel, and the older models had some pretty awesome engravings. Inside the gun, in the business department, it's all the same. For a workhorse gun, the 870 usually has a 26-28-30 inch barrel, and for police and military use, they typically have 18- or 18.5-inch barrels. The open bore guns will shoot buckshot and slugs until your shoulder cries uncle.

3. Endless Stock and Forearm Options

The stocks for an 870 are nearly limitless. Manufacturers have been building custom and adapted stock for about a million years, I think. Everything from a pistol grip (which I do not recommend) and a birdshead to a full-on tactical or maybe tacticool stock setup. Along with awesome stocks is a matching set of awesome foregrips. The 870 has makers supplying foregrips with a built-in flashlight that makes my Mossberg setup a little jealous.

4. Optic Compatibility

For sighting, the standard brass bead, I think, is gone now and has been replaced by a white bead, making it easier to find and get on target. The ghost ring rifle sights that come with the tactical-style guns are great - very tough and work like a champ. I have seen some that are shipped with the receiver drilled for optics. Some folks may hunt whitetail with a shotgun and use a low-powered scope; I think anyone doing this would be better off using a red dot optic. For bird and clay pigeon shooting, the optics I just don't see working. I've never seen that.

5. Field Abuse Tolerance

Now, let's talk about what makes the 870 such a workhorse. It is durable. This shotgun is the industry standard for durability; the design has barely changed since the day it was born, and it still puts other fancy-super-cool-name guns to shame. This gun will operate in dust, dirt, and muddy water, but maybe not so well if the barrel is plugged with mud. If the barrel gets plugged, just clean it out and get back to work - that's the way it was built and the way anyone who has owned and used one expects it to handle and operate. I have had mine in the RZR for days, banging down the rutted roads in the forest, sitting in the rain because I did not think to grab it from the rack in the back when it started to downpour, and shooting like it just came out of the gun locker. When they are treated like that, it is best to spray a little Prolix in the guts and, if possible, run a damp patch down the barrel to keep the rust at bay. If they do get a little surface rust on them, get an SOS pad, use a little elbow grease, and you will have a shiny Remington to put back in the locker for the next time you forget to take it out of the rain.

6. Legality

The significant thing about a pump shotgun like the Remington 870 is that it's legal in most states. Even if you install an extension magazine, it would still be legal in most states, including many states with assault weapon restrictions. If anyone knows much about the power of a shotgun, I would be more scared of that than the evil Glock pistol some states want to ban.

7. Barrel Swaps

For modifications other than the stock and forearm, the barrels come in many different lengths for the same gun. Is it possible to have a shotgun that will work as a bird hunter and a home defender with just getting the other barrel? I need to make sure everybody knows that the legal minimum length of a shotgun barrel is 18 inches. Manufacturers will sell 18.5-inch barrels to make sure no one gets in trouble. I had an 18.5-inch barrel on a shotgun once with a pistol grip; that was lots of fun for the first half a box of ammo. After that, it was just a tough, dumb contest to see who could finish the day without whining and moaning about sprained wrists and tingling fingers.

8. Upgrades

The 870 can upgrade the safety button and the follower in the feed tube, making it easier to see whether the chamber and magazine are clear. I like to install the green followers; they do make an orange follower, and I think I have seen a red anodized follower, maybe even a blue one. Seems to come to mind, but for safety, if I could get some that glow in the dark, I would put them in every shotgun leaving my shop.

Final Takeaway

The Remington 870 comes in all the standard gauges, including the 410 bore. It is also possible to get a rifled barrel for this shotgun and send sabot rounds way downrange and hit the target with a ton of power. The bottom line is this: the gun will fit the shooter and the job it needs to do, and will do it for a very long time.

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