Infantry Weapons

Remington M870

Also known as
  • Remington 870
  • Remington Model 870
  • Model 870
  • M870
  • Remington 870 Police
  • Remington 870 Police Less Lethal
  • 870 Police Less Lethal
  • M870MCS

The Remington M870 is the military and police designation context for the Remington Model 870, a U.S. pump-action shotgun introduced in 1950. Sourced records document Vietnam-era U.S. combat-shotgun service, Desert Storm boarding-team use, and an Operation Enduring Freedom presence at Kandahar, while manufacturer and agency sources also show the same family in breaching and less-lethal 12-gauge roles.

Remington M870, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, Infantry Weapons
Image source: Marine Corps Non-Lethal Weapons Training Photo

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
12-gauge pump-action shotgun
Service note
1950-present
Designer
L. Ray Crittendon, Phillip Haskell, Ellis Hailston, and G.E. Pinckney
Designed
1950
Produced
1950-present
Number built
More than 13 million Model 870 shotguns

Specifications

Action
Pump-action
Caliber/Gauge
12-gauge; Model 870 family also includes 16, 20, 28, and .410
Introduction year
1950
Production status
Currently in production
Total production
More than 13 million Model 870 shotguns
Designers
L. Ray Crittendon, Phillip Haskell, Ellis Hailston, and G.E. Pinckney
Receiver
Steel receiver machined from a solid billet
Action bars
Twin action bars
12-gauge chamber examples
2 3/4-inch and 3-inch chambers on Wingmaster/Tactical examples; selected Fieldmaster Super Magnum configurations use 3 1/2-inch chambers
Law-enforcement barrel examples
18 1/2-inch barrels on Police Less Lethal, Police Synthetic, tactical, and marine configurations
Less-lethal role
Public-agency and Marine Corps sources document Remington 870/M870 use with bean-bag or non-lethal 12-gauge rounds
Variants

The Model 870 family spans sporting, tactical, marine, police, military, and less-lethal 12-gauge configurations; the rows below identify source-backed examples rather than every commercial SKU.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Model 870 WingmasterSporting and field line

RemArms lists Wingmaster 12-gauge models with 2 3/4-inch and 3-inch chambering, 26- or 28-inch barrels, walnut furniture, and polished-blue finish.

Sources: Model 870 Wingmaster

Model 870 FieldmasterCurrent field line

RemArms lists Fieldmaster models in 12 gauge, 20 gauge, and .410, including 12-gauge 3-inch Magnum and selected 3 1/2-inch Super Magnum receiver configurations.

Sources: Model 870 Fieldmaster

Model 870 Synthetic TacticalTactical 12-gauge configuration

RemArms describes the Synthetic Tactical as a 12-gauge utility gun with an 18 1/2-inch cylinder-choke barrel, bead sight, non-glare matte finish, and 4+1 capacity.

Sources: Remington Tactical Shotguns

Model 870 SPS Marine MagnumCorrosion-resistant 12-gauge configuration

RemArms lists the SPS Marine Magnum with electroless nickel plating, 3-inch Magnum chambering, an 18 1/2-inch barrel, cylinder choke, and a six-round magazine tube.

Sources: Model 870 SPS Marine Magnum

870 Police Less LethalLaw-enforcement less-lethal configuration

RemArms' law-enforcement catalog lists 870 Police Less Lethal rifle-sight and bead-sight models with 18 1/2-inch barrels, parkerized finish, and 4+1 capacity.

Sources: Remington Law Enforcement / Defense

12-Gauge M870 Version 2Military nonlethal configuration

The Marine Corps nonlethal-weapons manual describes a modified Remington 870 with synthetic stock, pistol grip, rifled choke tube, and sighting optic.

Sources: MCWP Tactical Employment of Nonlethal Weapons

Compatible Ammunition

Army range-safety guidance lists the M1030 breaching round as compatible with Remington 870 shotguns.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
12 Gauge Breaching Round, Frangible breaching cartridge for 12-gauge shotguns, Munitions12 Gauge Breaching RoundBreaching cartridge

Army guidance explicitly lists the Remington 870 as a shotgun that can use the M1030 breaching round.

Sources: Range Safety

Ammunition Fired

Public-agency and military sources identify Remington 870/M870 12-gauge shotguns as launchers for bean-bag or ballistic bean-bag rounds.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
12 Gauge Bean Bag Round, Less-lethal drag-stabilized 12-gauge bean-bag impact munition, Munitions12 Gauge Bean Bag RoundLess-lethal round

Orange County Sheriff's Department policy says the 2581 12-gauge Super-Sock bean bag is fired with the Remington 870 12-gauge action shotgun, and a Marine Corps training caption shows a ballistic bean bag round being loaded into a Remington M870.

Sources: OCSD 2025 AB 481 Annual Report, Marine Corps Non-Lethal Weapons Training Photo

Less-Lethal And Breaching Context

The same 870 family appears in lethal, breaching, and less-lethal roles. The clearest public documentation for the target page comes from official training, doctrine, range-safety, and police-inventory records rather than a single universal military configuration.

Marine Corps training image

A Marine Corps caption identifies a ballistic bean bag round being loaded into a Remington M870 12-gauge pump shotgun during non-lethal weapons training.

Source: Marine Corps Non-Lethal Weapons Training Photo.

M870 Version 2

Marine Corps nonlethal-weapons doctrine describes a modified 12-gauge M870 Version 2 with synthetic stock, pistol grip, rifled choke tube, and optic.

Source: MCWP Tactical Employment of Nonlethal Weapons.

Police less-lethal launcher

Orange County Sheriff's Department reporting links Remington 870 launchers to 2581 12-gauge Super-Sock bean-bag ammunition.

Source: OCSD 2025 AB 481 Annual Report.

Breaching compatibility

Army range-safety guidance lists the M1030 breaching round for Remington 870 shotguns.

Source: Range Safety.

Timeline

Remington M870 Key Events

  1. Model 870 introduced

    RemArms records the Model 870 introduction year as 1950 and identifies the design team behind the pump-action shotgun.

    Sources: Model 870 History

  2. Express line reaches lower-cost market

    Specialist Remington Society history places the Model 870 Express introduction in 1987, expanding the family beyond earlier Wingmaster and special-purpose lines.

    Sources: Remington Society Model 870 Guide

  3. Desert Storm boarding-team record

    National Archives metadata documents Marine boarding-team members armed with M-870 shotguns during Desert Storm maritime-interdiction training.

    Sources: NARA Desert Storm M-870 Boarding Team

  4. Marine Magnum configuration appears

    Remington Society history identifies 1992 as the Marine Magnum introduction year, while current RemArms material describes the SPS Marine Magnum as an electroless-nickel 12-gauge utility gun.

    Sources: Remington Society Model 870 Guide, Model 870 SPS Marine Magnum

  5. Operation Enduring Freedom photograph

    National Archives metadata documents a U.S. Marine officer with a Remington 870 shotgun at Kandahar International Airport during Operation Enduring Freedom.

    Sources: NARA Operation Enduring Freedom Remington 870

  6. Marine Corps nonlethal M870 Version 2

    Marine Corps nonlethal-weapons doctrine describes a modified 12-gauge M870 Version 2 with synthetic furniture, pistol grip, rifled choke tube, and optic.

    Sources: MCWP Tactical Employment of Nonlethal Weapons

  7. Marine Corps non-lethal training photograph

    A Marine Corps public-domain caption documents a ballistic bean bag round being loaded into a Remington M870 12-gauge pump shotgun during non-lethal weapons training.

    Sources: Marine Corps Non-Lethal Weapons Training Photo

  8. OCSD lists Remington 870 less-lethal launchers

    Orange County Sheriff's Department reporting lists Remington 870 less-lethal shotguns and describes the 2581 12-gauge Super-Sock bean bag as fired with the Remington 870.

    Sources: OCSD 2025 AB 481 Annual Report

Media

Remington M870 Images

Remington M870, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: Remington 870 Shotgun.jpg
Remington M870, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: MarineMag1.jpg
Remington M870, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, Infantry Weapons - view 3
Source: Rem-870-Police.jpg
Remington M870, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, Infantry Weapons - view 4
Source: Soldier with Remington M870.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
12-gauge shotgun, Shotgun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons12-gauge shotgunShotgunThe 12-gauge shotgun is a broad family of shoulder-fired smoothbore firearms chambered for fixed shotgun shells. Modern 12-gauge guns span pump-action, break-action, and semi-automatic layouts, while documented conflict roles range from Ukrainian short-range counter-drone defense and Central African militia small arms to Islamic State recoveries; Haiti coverage is narrower because the cited reporting identifies gang-held pump-action shotguns without confirming gauge.
Mossberg 590 Shotgun, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsMossberg 590 Shotgun12-gauge pump-action shotgunThe Mossberg 590 is O.F. Mossberg & Sons' U.S.-built pump-action shotgun line for military, law-enforcement, and defensive use. The 590A1 variant is the military-oriented branch of the family, with Mossberg listing MIL-SPEC 3443G compliance, a heavy-walled barrel, metal trigger guard and safety, a clean-out magazine tube, and Parkerized finish; DVIDS imagery documents U.S. Marines firing and handling 590A1 shotguns in Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve.
Barrett M82A1 / M107, Semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsBarrett M82A1 / M107Semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifleThe Barrett M82A1, adopted by the U.S. Army as the M107 and later developed into the lighter M107A1, is a recoil-operated semi-automatic .50 BMG anti-materiel rifle for long-range fire against equipment, light materiel, and protected positions. Its conflict record in this catalog is strongest where sources directly identify .50-caliber Barrett or M82A1 rifles: Maute-held sniper positions in Marawi, Houthi-aligned use in Yemen, and 400 Mawozo-linked gang arsenals in Haiti.
12 Gauge Bean Bag Round, Less-lethal drag-stabilized 12-gauge bean-bag impact munition, MunitionsMunitions12 Gauge Bean Bag RoundLess-lethal drag-stabilized 12-gauge bean-bag impact munitionThe 12 Gauge Bean Bag Round is Defense Technology's Model 3027 drag-stabilized less-lethal impact munition for 12-gauge shotguns. Official product sheets identify a translucent 2.5-inch shell, 40-gram tear-shaped bag, four stabilizing tails, 270 fps muzzle velocity, 20-foot minimum safe range, and 75-foot maximum effective range, while public police records document training, inventory, and patrol or SWAT deployment controls.
M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle, Bolt-action sniper rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsM2010 Enhanced Sniper RifleBolt-action sniper rifleThe M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle is the U.S. Army's .300 Winchester Magnum rebuild of the M24 Sniper Weapon System, developed to give sniper teams longer reach in Afghanistan's mountainous terrain. Remington converted the long-action M24 into a suppressed, magazine-fed precision rifle with a folding adjustable chassis, extended-range optic, night-sight compatibility, and a 1,200-meter effective range; later imagery from 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve shows the rifle still serving in U.S. patrol overwatch in northeast Syria.

Sources

Model 870 HistoryPublisher: RemArms | Note: Supports the Model 870's introduction year, current production status, pump-action design, gauge options, designer credits, and historical production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Model 870Publisher: RemArms | Note: Supports the Model 870 family identity, 1950 introduction context, receiver construction, broad configuration range, and more-than-13-million production figure. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Model 870 WingmasterPublisher: RemArms | Note: Supports the Wingmaster variant row and 12-gauge chamber, barrel, stock, finish, and capacity examples. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Model 870 FieldmasterPublisher: RemArms | Note: Supports the Fieldmaster variant row, gauge range, selected 3 1/2-inch Super Magnum configurations, drilled-and-tapped receiver, Rem Choke context, and twin action bars. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Remington Tactical ShotgunsPublisher: RemArms | Note: Supports tactical Model 870 12-gauge configuration context including the Synthetic Tactical 18 1/2-inch barrel, cylinder choke, bead sight, matte finish, and 4+1 capacity. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Model 870 SPS Marine MagnumPublisher: RemArms | Note: Supports the Marine Magnum variant row and 12-gauge, 3-inch Magnum, electroless-nickel, 18 1/2-inch barrel, cylinder choke, and six-round magazine details. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Remington Law Enforcement / DefensePublisher: RemArms | Note: Supports law-enforcement Model 870 designations, including 870 Police Less Lethal and Police Synthetic configurations, barrel length, finish, sight, and capacity examples. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Remington Society Model 870 GuidePublisher: Remington Society of America | Note: Supports variant-history timeline context including Express and Marine Magnum introduction years and broader Model 870 collecting history. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Range SafetyPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the Remington 870 compatibility relationship by listing the M1030 breaching round for Remington 870 shotguns in Army guidance. | Accessed: 2026-07-03MCWP Tactical Employment of Nonlethal WeaponsPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps / Training Command | Note: Supports the 12-gauge M870 Version 2 nonlethal configuration details. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Marine Corps Non-Lethal Weapons Training PhotoPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the Remington M870 less-lethal training relationship by captioning a public-domain photo of a ballistic bean bag round being loaded into a Remington M870 12-gauge pump shotgun; also provides image provenance for the primary image. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Marine Corps M870 Firing PhotoPublisher: I Marine Expeditionary Force | Note: Provides related image provenance for a Marine firing a Remington M870 during the same non-lethal weapons training event. | Accessed: 2026-07-03OCSD 2025 AB 481 Annual ReportPublisher: Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department | Note: Supports the Remington 870 less-lethal launcher configuration and the direct relationship claim that the 2581 12-gauge Super-Sock bean bag is fired with this shotgun. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Combat Shotguns Of The Vietnam WarPublisher: American Rifleman / NRA | Note: Supports the 1955 Vietnam War conflict-use row by documenting Remington Model 870/M870 shotgun use by U.S. Navy personnel including SEAL units and by U.S. Marine units during the Vietnam War. | Accessed: 2026-07-03NARA Desert Storm M-870 Boarding TeamPublisher: NARA and DVIDS Public Domain Archives | Note: Supports the 1990 Gulf War conflict-use row by documenting U.S. Marines armed with M-870 12-gauge shotguns during boarding-team training tied to Operation Desert Storm sanctions enforcement. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Soldier with Remington M870.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Navy photograph that documents an M-870 shotgun fielded by a U.S. Marine boarding-team member in the 1990 Gulf War during Desert Storm training. | Accessed: 2026-07-03NARA Operation Enduring Freedom Remington 870Publisher: NARA and DVIDS Public Domain Archives | Note: Supports the 2001 War in Afghanistan conflict-use row by documenting a U.S. Marine officer with a Remington 870 shotgun at Kandahar International Airport during Operation Enduring Freedom. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Remington 870 Shotgun.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Remington 870 shotgun photograph shared on Wikimedia Commons. | Accessed: 2026-07-03MarineMag1.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Remington 870 Marine Magnum photograph shared on Wikimedia Commons. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Rem-870-Police.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a Remington 870 Police Magnum photograph shared on Wikimedia Commons. | Accessed: 2026-07-03