| I received my first gun when I was 3 years | | | | quality replacement with mass-production |
| old. As a small child, it seemed I was | | | | potential began. Remington engineers realized |
| destined for a love of firearms. My | | | | they could save money by incorporating |
| grandfather always carried a Remington 870 | | | | currently produced items so they began |
| Wingmaster in the now politically incorrect | | | | designing a pump shotgun which utilized parts |
| rifled rack in the back window of the 68 ford | | | | from the already produced 1187 autoloader. In |
| pick-up. It was always a thrill to go farming | | | | 1949, Remington announced the discontinuance |
| with grandpa and I spent as much time as I | | | | of the Model 31. Later that year, they |
| could riding along on the machinery. One day, | | | | announced the production of the 870. |
| while Pap was talking with our fieldman, I | | | | |
| figured out how to work the slide on the 870. | | | | In 1950, the first 870's began showing up in |
| It was unloaded but at the age of 3, I knew | | | | retail facilities. Remington knew they had a |
| how it worked and took every advantage to | | | | good product and wanted to capitalize on the |
| work the action. When Pappy returned to | | | | economic boom of the middle class in the post |
| truck, his grandson was standing on the seat, | | | | war years. Instead of tentatively entering |
| grinning from ear to ear, and working the | | | | the market with one or two models, Remington |
| action of the 870 still in the rack. He | | | | launched 15 different variations of the 870 |
| looked at me laughing and said, "KR, (my | | | | in 12, 16, and 20 gauges. The standard field |
| initials and family handle) that gun might as | | | | grade 870 AP was priced at $69.95. Remington |
| well be yours!" | | | | wanted to provide the gun for the entire |
| | | | spectrum of the hunting community so Deluxe, |
| The Remington 870 is the undisputed champion | | | | Tournament, and skeet grades were also |
| of firearms sales world wide, moving over 9 | | | | introduced along with a Riot Grade pistol |
| million models and variations by the end of | | | | designed to be sold to police and military |
| the 20th century. At the end of WWII, | | | | and compete against the Model 12 Trench Gun. |
| Remington recognized the world of industry | | | | Sales were explosive and Remington quickly |
| was changing. Labor costs were increasing and | | | | began producing even more variations of the |
| automation was taking hold. The Remington | | | | 870 to feed market. In 1955, the Magnum |
| Model 31 pump action shotgun was one of the | | | | versions with 3" chambers were introduced and |
| identified models as being too expensive to | | | | in 1959, the first rifled slug gun was |
| continue production and development for a | | | | produced. |