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