Notes: Originally designed in the early 1900s by John D Pederson (inventor of the Pederson Device for the Springfield M-1903 rifle), this design was placed upon the market as the Model 1908 in 1907. In 1910, after a few modifications, the designation was changed to the Model 1910, and shortly thereafter, the Model 10. This shotgun introduced the streamlined receiver which has since become associated with virtually all Remington shotguns.

The initial Model 10s used barrels of 26, 28, or 30 inches; they were designed for sporting purposes, not as military or police weapons. Chokes were fixed, but the barrel could be ordered with cylindrical, Improved Cylinder, Modified, or Full chokes. The Model 10 uses a tubular magazine, with loading and spent case ejection through the same port under the receiver. The safety is in front of the trigger guard, easy to reach with the trigger finger. As with most weapons of the period, metalwork is steel, with furniture being of walnut.

Starting in 1908, Remington produced a version of the Model 10 called the Model 10 Riot Gun (at first known as the Model 1908 Riot Gun). This version was nearly identical to the standard Model 10, but used a longer tubular magazine and a shorter 20-inch barrel. This version was originally produced in response to requests from various police departments, but with the US entry into World War 1, Remington began producing a military version as well. The Model 10 Military was virtually identical to the Model 10 Riot Gun, but had a lug which allowed the mounting of many of the different kinds of bayonets used at the time by the US military. Remington also produced a version of the Model 10 Military specifically for the Russian Czar’s Army which accepted the Mosin-Nagant rifle’s bayonet, but the 1917 Russian Revolution cancelled this order, almost leaving Remington stuck with a large stock of Model 10s designed for Russian bayonets and with sights graduated in arshins (a very old Russian measurement of length). Fortunately, the US government purchased almost all of these shotguns, and then gave them to the White Russian forces the US was supporting during the Russian Revolution.

Model 10 Riot Guns and Military versions eventually ended up on both sides of the law in the US after World War 1. It was regarded as a better shotgun for military purposes than the Winchester 97s that the US military was issued at the time (it was a much more reliable shotgun which was also more easily field-stripped and tolerant to dirt), but politics intervened, and the Model 10 Military ended up being used by the US in World War 1 in far fewer numbers than the Winchester 97. Police forces did not have this bias, and used the Model 10 Riot Gun in much larger numbers. Hunters also loved the Model 10. Eventually, Remington replaced the Model 10 with the Model 29; today, most Model 10s are still quite functional, as they were so well constructed, but they are far more valuable as collectors’ items.

Notes: Introduced shortly after World War 1, the Remington 17R (R for Riot) is one of the few 20 gauge combat shotguns to achieve any sort of success. Ironically, it was not the full-sized gun that was popular with police; it was a cut-down model, known as the Model 17R Special Police, which had the greatest success. The Model 17RSP has no stock, a shorter 15-inch barrel, and a pistol grip. (There were innumerable variations of the Model 17RSP, with the pistol grip removed or shortened, the barrel cut down to scattergun lengths, handgrips on the slide, etc.) The Model 17RSP is the shotgun that was first known as a "whippit gun."

Notes: The Remington 31 has its genesis in the World War 1 "Trench Brooms." The Model 31, however, was designed to be marketed to military, police, and concerns, with different barrel lengths and calibers; the "Riot Gun-type" versions of the Model 31 was actually added to the Model 31 line shortly after the Model 31 itself was introduced. The Model 31 was produced from 1930-49, at which time it was replaced by the first Model 870 shotguns.

Standard civilian models had barrel lengths of 26, 28, or 30 inches, with steel metalwork and walnut furniture with a semi-pistol grip wrist. The civilian Model 31 was more or less similar to other such civilian shotguns of the time. The civilian versions came in several gauges, though when it was first introduced, the Model 31 was available only in 12 gauge; more gauges were quickly introduced a few months later by popular demand. The trigger action tended to be a bit heavy and was not adjustable except by a lot of tinkering by a skilled gunsmith, and the tubular magazine is a bit short in all versions. This small magazine capacity is acceptable in a civilian weapon, but not in a police or military weapon.

The Model 31 Riot Gun was basically similar to the civilian versions, but had a 20-inch barrel. It was available in all the same gauges as the civilian models. A Police/Military version was also made; it had an 18.5-inch barrel, was built heavier and more robustly, and available only in 12 Gauge. The military really liked the Model 31 despite its shortcomings, but the bayonet adapters the US Army and Marines had at the time fit only the Winchester Model 12, and the Remington 31 got few military orders, despite the fact that Remington was willing to modify the interface of US bayonet adapters to allow the Model 31 Police/Military to use US bayonets of the time. Another version of the Model 31, the Model 31RX, was a special "whipit" gun version with no stock, a 14.5-inch barrel, and available only in 20 gauge.

All Model 31 barrels had fixed chokes, but Remington would make the barrels with any choke the buyer desired. Due to their rugged construction, Model 31s should still be quite functional today despite their age, but are perhaps more valuable as collectors’ items.

Notes: This version of the Remington 870 was designed to be a no-frills, inexpensive (by real-world prices) version of the standard Remington 870P. It first appeared in 1987. Quality did not suffer in the bargain, however. There are a large number of the Express: the standard Express is built for 12 or 20 gauge 2.75-inch shells with two barrel lengths. It has a hardwood stock and fore-end. The Model 870 Express Turkey is designed for 12 gauge 2.75-inch shells and has a short barrel of only 21 inches. The metalwork is matte blued and the stock and fore-end are of hardwood. The Model 870 Express Youth is a 20 gauge model with a 21-inch barrel with interchangeable chokes for shot throwing and an interchangeable 20-inch rifled barrel. The Model 870 Express Deer Gun is a version with a 20-inch barrel.

In 1992, the Model 870 Express Fully Rifled Deer Gun was introduced; this is not really a shotgun (but is included here for completeness), but a rifle capable only of firing 12 gauge slugs (shooting shot through it would ruin the rifling). It has a short 20-inch barrel. The Model 870 Express Combo is identical, but has interchangeable barrels for shot and rifled slugs. Also introduced in 1992 was the Model 870 Marine Magnum, designed for use on boats and ships. It has a very short 18-inch barrel, matte nickel plating for the metalwork, and a black high-impact plastic stock and fore-end. It is chambered for 3-inch shells. In 1995, the Model 870 Express HD (Home Defense) came out; this was an 18-inch-barreled version with a 3-inch chamber and a fixed Cylindrical choke. The stock and fore-end are of black plastic, and the magazine is shorter than most 870s. (The Home Defense was discontinued in 2000.) In 1996, the Model 870 Express Small Gauge appeared, designed for 20 and .410 gauges. The 20 gauge model has a choice of two barrel lengths and interchangeable chokes; the .410 gauge version has one barrel length (25 inches) and a fixed Modified choke. Production of the Express Small Gauge stopped in 1999. In 1997, a new version of the Express Combo was introduced; this version has the same smoothbore and rifled barrels, but also has 28-inch smoothbore barrel with a ventilated barrel rib.

In 1998, even more versions of the Model 870 Express were introduced. The Model 870 Express Turkey Camo has a plastic stock with a camouflage finish known as "Real Tree Advantage." It has a 21-inch barrel and has a set of interchangeable chokes. The 870 Express Youth Turkey Camo is basically the same, but is chambered for 20 gauge.

Also in 1998, the Express Super Magnum was introduced. This shotgun is designed for 12 gauge 3.5-inch shells, but can also fire shorter shells. It was made in five different versions: the standard Express Super Magnum, with a 28-inch barrel, interchangeable chokes, and a hardwood stock and fore-end; the Express Super Magnum Combo with a 26-inch shot barrel with interchangeable chokes and an interchangeable 20-inch rifled barrel (which is designed only for 2.75-inch or 3-inch shells); The Express Super Magnum Synthetic has a 26-inch barrel, interchangeable chokes, and a black plastic stock and fore-end; the Express Super Magnum Turkey Camo, with a 23-inch barrel, fixed Extra Full choke, plastic stock and fore-end, and completely camouflaged (including the metal); and the Express Super Magnum Turkey, identical to the Camo but with a black plastic stock.

In 2002, a 16 gauge version of the Model 870 Express was introduced, the first Remington shotgun to be chambered in 16 gauge since 1980. It has a hardwood stock and fore-end, and a 28-inch barrel with a ventilated sighting rib. The 870 Express Synthetic is the same weapon with a plastic stock. The Express Synthetic Youth is the same weapon with a short 23-inch barrel.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The Model 870 Express versions, The Express Super Magnum versions, and the 16 gauge versions do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Notes: This was originally a USMC development of the Remington 870P that was designed in the mid-1960s, and saw long service with that organization until officially replaced by the Mossberg M590 in the early 1990s. However, large numbers of these shotguns were still in service at the time of the Twilight War, both with all branches of the regular US Military and reserve forces (particularly with the Army National Guard). Mark 1 through Mark 6 versions were produced, but only the Mark 1, 3, and 6 versions were produced in any large numbers. The Mark 1 is the most common version, with an extended magazine, bayonet lug, and rifle-type sights; the Mark 3 is the same weapon with a bayonet lug. The Mark 6 is the Air Force security version, with a shorter barrel and shorter tubular magazine; it is basically the civilian 870P 20-inch barrel version with the addition a bayonet lug, rifle-type sights, and more durable chrome in the barrel to better stand up to the firing of slugs.

Twilight 2000 Notes: There were probably just as many Remington 870s as Mossbergs in service during the Twilight War.