Badger Arms
Member
While we're on the subject of prettyness, I think that the 870 is one of the better looking guns available. It's hard to go wrong with the smooth styling lines and at least some of the foregrip styles are attractive. I don't find any fault with the LOOK of the trigger guard, but I don't understand why the bolt release couldn't be placed in the RIGHT place... you know, right where John Moses Browning put it... on the RIGHT side of the trigger guard. The Remington Model 17 has about the best looking lines of any shotgun anywhere. Smooth, flowing, stepped, and sexy. If you have to have an ejection port on the Side, the 870 port is just right for my tastes. With a polished or jeweled bolt, it's downright purdy.
All of the "UGLY" features of the 870 are bows to economy. Milling steps in the side of the receiver is expensive. Best to cut the receiver off at the front like most shotgun makers do. There's also the magazine cap... the Browning/Pederson style is better looking than 870, but the 870 is much cheaper and allows extended magazines without a barrel/mag change.
All of the "UGLY" features of the 870 are bows to economy. Milling steps in the side of the receiver is expensive. Best to cut the receiver off at the front like most shotgun makers do. There's also the magazine cap... the Browning/Pederson style is better looking than 870, but the 870 is much cheaper and allows extended magazines without a barrel/mag change.