Documents
United States Remington Arms
870
A pump-action 12-gauge shotgun and one of the best-selling shotguns in history, widely issued to U.S. military, police and border-security units as well as civilian hunters and shooters. Its simple, rugged action has kept it in continuous production for over seven decades.
In service since 1950 · 30 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
40
m range
400
m/s
7
rds
💲 ≈ $450, Approximate retail price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 30 operators
In service since 1950. Status: active · ~11,000,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope. | 40 m |
|---|---|
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 400 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 12-gauge shotgun shell |
|---|---|
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 18.5 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 7 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 1 m |
|---|---|
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 3 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
| Barrel length Barrel length, longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling. | 508 mm |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $450 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 11,000,000 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 30 |
Specifications compiled from public Remington Arms and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Head-to-head comparisons
870 vs
FAL 
HK416 A5 
Uzi Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Remington Arms 870 require? +
The Remington Arms 870 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Remington Arms 870? +
The Remington Arms 870's primary weapon is the 12-gauge shotgun shell.
What is the Remington Arms 870 used for? +
The Remington Arms 870 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Remington Arms 870? +
The Remington Arms 870 is operated by 30 countries.
How much does the Remington Arms 870 cost? +
The Remington Arms 870 has an approximate unit cost of 450 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Related coverage
