I'm new to the world of cigars and I'm lucky to have some fine fellas walk me through the basics. One of my favorite newbie cigars is the CAO Gold. The CAO Gold is a flagship of the Ozeneger family and later General Cigar. It's a basic cigar, but it's also a complicated cigar.
Remington 870 ONG and CAO Gold — A Gun and Cigar Pairing Guide
Likewise, this old Remington 870 I have is basic but complicated. When shooters need a solid pump-action shotgun, the Remington 870 is a tough option to beat. However, the ONG, or Ohio National Guard, model of this shotgun makes things a bit more complicated. That makes the CAO Gold and 870 ONG a perfect pair.
Admittedly, the Remington 870 provides shooters with an American experience. The CAO Gold is an imported cigar that comes to the world from Nicaragua and Honduras. They might not have shared parentage, but they do have a good bit in common.
The 870 ONG
Remington conquered the shotgun market in 1950 with the 870. It was a crowded market at the time, especially for pump-action shotguns. The Model 12, by Winchester, was considered the finest shotgun ever made. Remington didn't take kindly to the idea that Winchester made the finest shotgun and wanted to claim that title.
They had developed the Model 10, the Model 17, and later the model 31. Still, they couldn't compete with the model 12 by Winchester. The Model 31 was known as the ball-bearing repeater due to its smooth action. The smooth action might be appreciated, but the high cost wasn't.
This led to the development and eventual production of the Remington 870, which did some interesting things. First, the action retained the same smooth design as the Model 31. However, modern machining and construction were used to develop the 870, which helped keep the costs down, but reliability high.
One feature that Remington created and wisely patented was the use of two action bars, which ensured the action wouldn't bind, and the 870 would conquer reliability. The 870 was a success, and since 1950 over 11 million have been produced.
All of that leads us to 1971 and the creation of the very gun seen in this article. The Remington 870 arms company had been tasked with producing military shotguns before. The SEALs reportedly like Remingtons in Vietnam, and the Marines carried them too. However, the Ohio National Guard had its own idea about what a fighting shotgun should be.
The Ohio National Guard 870
Remington took their Wingmaster design and adapted it to the Ohio National Guard's specs. The Wingmaster is traditionally a refined sporting gun. Wingmasters wear a deep blue finish, the slickest action this side of the world. The barrel is a trim 20 inches, and the magazine tube features an extension. To combine the barrel with the magazine, we get a barrel clamp device.
That clamp also sports your front sight bead and a bayonet lug. No fighting weapon in 1971 would be bayonet lug free. Shotguns are already close-range weapons, and a bayonet lug on these beasts makes sense if you're within buckshot range. You're damn near in bayonet range.
As you'd expect, the 870 ONG wears sling swivels. Like the bayonet lug, it's basically a necessity for a military weapon. The wood furniture was also fairly standard for military shotguns at this time. The wood furniture features a slick and seemingly tough finish that's also a bit glossy and, well, beautiful.
The Remington 870 ONG comes together to be a rather unique layout for the Remington 870 family. It's one of less than 1500 and my all-time favorite shotgun. It's not too modern. You won't mount a red dot or a rail to it. The gun doesn't chamber 3-inch shells either. Yet, it's still plenty potent for defensive use.
Check out the various available 12-Gauge shells.
The Cigar
The CAO Gold was the cigar given to me on the day I married my very beautiful wife. It opened my eyes to the world of cigars and the taste of a good one. Like the Remington 870, the CAO Gold isn't a fancy cigar, it's not expensive, and it's plenty friendly for the new smoker. The CAO Gold is easy to approach, just as the Remington 870 is also easy to approach.
The CAO Gold has been around for quite some time and is available in numerous sizes. I tend to go with the Churchill. The external smell makes my mouth water. It's like the earth is rolled into it and reminds me of those early mornings on my grandfather's farm.
Like the 870 ONG, the cigar is simple at first but comes out to be robust. The first few tastes are something like coffee, with a little bit of chocolate to it. A pepper-like taste hits you early on, but it settles down to become a smooth smoker.
I remember my wedding night and how surprised I was that the cigar began to taste a bit like the way an orange peel smells. Moving from coffee and chocolate to a citrusy experience is rather nice. The smell that hangs in the air as it's smoked always brings me back to that night and its memories that I like to revisit.
I've tried some stronger cigars, and it's something I enjoy, but in shorter doses. With the CAO Gold, I feel like I can smoke one daily. I don't, but I could. It's mild, and mild can be damn fine.
The 870 ONG and the COA Gold
Acronyms aside, the 870 ONG and the COA Gold have a lot in common. They are simple, beginner-friendly but robust, satisfying, and very well made. A good cigar and a good shotgun can take you a very long way.
If you're armed with either, you'll be suited for whatever comes your way. Be it sporting, celebrating, or taking on an extraterrestrial Predator. As someone new to cigars, I'd love to hear some good suggestions from the comments sections. Let me know what I should light up next.
Read the original article in its entirety at medium.com.
