Remington is no stranger to the world of shotgunners. We have been using them forever with great success on hunting trips, in the field of competition and on the streets our cops patrol. What you may not realize is how Remington streamlined manufacturing to give you some of the best shotguns ever produced.
Remington introduced the model 58 in 1956. It was in production until 1963. In 1959 they introduced the model 878 that ran until 1963 as well. These shotguns were very similar because they had the same designer, L.R. Crittendon. They had a recoil spring that was mounted in front of the magazine tube, giving the action a pull recoil operated by the gas instead of the more modern version which pushes the bolt into a recoil spring in the stock.
In 1963, both of these shotguns were abandoned in favor of the new model 1100 designed by Wayne Leek. The 1100 remains a staple of the Remington family today that is used in all the shotgun shooting disciplines. This design was followed by the 1187 that debuted in 1987. What is absolutely amazing is how similar all of these guns are to each other.
Remington did not reinvent the wheel in any of the 3 model changes that came after the 58. For instance, the trigger mechanism and safeties are strikingly similar. Another example is the bolt handle. I had a customer bring in a Remington 878 over the weekend with a broken bolt handle. All that was visible was a small piece of the bolt handle that had to be removed with pliers. It was plastic, but it just seemed like it might be the same design as the 1100. I had an extra bolt handle in stock and replaced it.
When you have a good design there is no need to throw it out completely just to make a few improvements. Remington did this and saved itself millions of dollars in parts that could be used. This may be the reason that when so many other companies have struggled, the continue to be an industry standard.
**Historical information taken from Remington’s Historical Website.