Remington 870: If I could only have one gun (Perish the thought!) is would be a 12 gauge Remington 870. Properly loaded, this gun can put down anything from flying doves to big bears.
It would be my weapon of choice in virtually any close range gunfight, and it is the weapon I reach for when things go bump in the night.
I bought this Reminton 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge initially for deer hunting in thick brush.
This classic American-made pump shotgun has sold over four million copies, and is the standard for many law enforcement and military agencies. A 12 gauge is the standard, but for small framed people a 20 gauge might be a better choice.
In 1982, I bought my first 870, a 12 gauge, for hunting deer with buckshot or slugs in the thick brush of Mississippi. That gun got used hard during all hunting seasons. It was also my waterfowl gun, and never failed in the mud, water, cattails and swamps. I liked it so much, I later bought a 20 gauge 870 Wingmaster for upland game. Then I bought a synthetic-stocked 870 12 gauge for my son. He can use any of my guns for hunting, but prefers the black one because of the looks.
There are any number of aftermarket upgrades that can make the 870 look badder and more tactical. But as a perpetrator deterrent, nothing quite matches the 870′s signature “slicky-slick”of a round being chambered.