I USED to have a spanish made SxS 10 ga coachgun next to my bed, but both firing pins broke and now I have my trusty 870 and a S&W .357 keepin guard. As soon as I can machine some more firing pins, i'll have that Double barrel, double trigger, hidden hammer 10ga sittin near by... just in case.
Coach gun for home defense?
- Thread starter MikeJ
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Coach Gun for Home Defense
The short answer is buy one. I bought a Stoeger and I love it.
Things to consider:
1) Its light (6.5 lbs) and short (36.5 inches). Approximately 11 lbs pull on the triggers. Chambers 2.75 and 3 inched shells. The weight and length make for a good amount of felt recoil with with either size shell with loads larger than #1 buck.
2) Its short length makes it ideal for use inside your home. It feels like a natural extention of your body. This makes is a true point and shoot weapon.
3) Dual triggers make it faster than a pump for getting off a second round.
4) All guns need to be reloaded at some point. Reloading should be a primary focus with any firearm used for defense purposes. The coach gun can be reloaded very qwickly with practice. It is also easier, at least for me, to reload than feeding shells into a pump.
5) If you can't defuse the situation with two shots there is a very good chance that you will be taken down before you are able to get a third shot off with a pump.
6) However, if there is more than one home invader they more than likely are not going to function like a infantry squad. Like most people, upon being "stoegered", their first reaction is going to be "Holy !@#$, I've been shot"! Then they will bleed from many places. Your choice of shot must consider over penetration. Taking out the loved ones is bad.
Buy the coach gun. Practice with it.
The short answer is buy one. I bought a Stoeger and I love it.
Things to consider:
1) Its light (6.5 lbs) and short (36.5 inches). Approximately 11 lbs pull on the triggers. Chambers 2.75 and 3 inched shells. The weight and length make for a good amount of felt recoil with with either size shell with loads larger than #1 buck.
2) Its short length makes it ideal for use inside your home. It feels like a natural extention of your body. This makes is a true point and shoot weapon.
3) Dual triggers make it faster than a pump for getting off a second round.
4) All guns need to be reloaded at some point. Reloading should be a primary focus with any firearm used for defense purposes. The coach gun can be reloaded very qwickly with practice. It is also easier, at least for me, to reload than feeding shells into a pump.
5) If you can't defuse the situation with two shots there is a very good chance that you will be taken down before you are able to get a third shot off with a pump.
6) However, if there is more than one home invader they more than likely are not going to function like a infantry squad. Like most people, upon being "stoegered", their first reaction is going to be "Holy !@#$, I've been shot"! Then they will bleed from many places. Your choice of shot must consider over penetration. Taking out the loved ones is bad.
Buy the coach gun. Practice with it.
steveracer
Member
Love doubles for steel games. Lots of my buddies have trouble running a pump well, but run a double just fine.
I ended up with a chopped Stevens, and it works wonders on plates.
I ended up with a chopped Stevens, and it works wonders on plates.
MrBill120
Member
I too have been considering a Stoeger Coach Gun....why do they come with two different fixed chokes instead of two of the same? They have one fixed Improved Cyl, and the other is a fixed Modified...why not both fixed IC??
JImbothefiveth
Member
Massad Ayoob reccomends against them. I'd guess that a semi-auto would be better. Even if it jams every 2 shots it would be aboutas fast as a coach gun.
Maybe. There have recently been instances of more than one person breaking in, and one shot will not always stop. (ever been hunting?)
Marlin 45 carbine
Member
the Coach Gun can be ordered with the 'open choke' both bbls.
this is the 12ga Mag.
find a spot on the 'waiting list'.
this is the 12ga Mag.
find a spot on the 'waiting list'.
ShadyScott999
Member
Wow! This thread is 6 years old.
inSight-NEO
Member
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- Nov 8, 2008
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- 842
Coach guns are cool and certainly better than nothing. But, if the only shotgun you were truly considering (for HD) was a coach, I would just go with a pistol instead. 
Seriously though, dont let the "short stroking" thing deter you from making the pump shotgun a strong consideration. It really doesnt take as much "practice" as some purport.
(Im not sure if you will even get this reply, based on the vintage of this thread)
Seriously though, dont let the "short stroking" thing deter you from making the pump shotgun a strong consideration. It really doesnt take as much "practice" as some purport.
(Im not sure if you will even get this reply, based on the vintage of this thread)
MrBill120
Member
The point of my question is: Why do Coach Guns have two differently choked barrels to begin with, and not two barrels choked the same?
What is the reasoning behind this??
MCgunner
Member
I like different chokes for hunting. I bought my Spartan 20 gauge for dove hunting and find I/C-mod a great combination. I went I/C-full year before last and full just seems too tight. Mod handles out past 35 yards or so and 25 and in, bird is DOWN with I/C. With the Spartan, you can choose how you wanna choke it, change it if you want. Makes a great combo gun with slug in one barrel and 6 shot in the other choked cyl (slug) I/C or Mod (shot) barrel, too. I use it a lot like that when I'm hikin', case I come upon a rabbit or hog or, well, I'm ready for anything. Poor man's Savage 24V.
I install the I/C - Cyl chokes for bedroom duties, put on the butt cuff, and stoke it with Number 3 buckshot. I know it'll do the job at 10 feet. I also have a 9x19 (daily carry), a .357 magnum, and a .38 special within reach. I'm not under-gunned. I'll call 911, but if he breaks in the door of the bedroom, he'd better be ready to meet the devil.
I really think a coach gun for safe room defense is viable, perhaps superior to a pump. It is lighter, quicker, points naturally, same features that make it a better upland wing shooter than a pump. Now, if I need to go out of the bedroom, I'll take that .357 Magnum. I already have my ear plugs in every night so I can sleep through my wife's snoring. Of course, I have the .38 in my nightstand drawer, too.
I think I've already answered this thread, but I can't really remember that far back.
Poor man's Savage 24V.I install the I/C - Cyl chokes for bedroom duties, put on the butt cuff, and stoke it with Number 3 buckshot. I know it'll do the job at 10 feet. I also have a 9x19 (daily carry), a .357 magnum, and a .38 special within reach. I'm not under-gunned. I'll call 911, but if he breaks in the door of the bedroom, he'd better be ready to meet the devil.
I really think a coach gun for safe room defense is viable, perhaps superior to a pump. It is lighter, quicker, points naturally, same features that make it a better upland wing shooter than a pump. Now, if I need to go out of the bedroom, I'll take that .357 Magnum. I already have my ear plugs in every night so I can sleep through my wife's snoring.
Of course, I have the .38 in my nightstand drawer, too.I think I've already answered this thread, but I can't really remember that far back.
MCgunner
Member
Actually, I scanned back and I had posted BEFORE I bought my Spartan. I was still using my old SxS 12 for home defense duties. LOL I really got the coach gun because on a dove hunting trip a few years back, I took my GoldWing up to Waco with my autoloading Winchester in a case. I was paranoid to leave the bike the whole trip with the gun strapped on it in a hard case. The coach gun breaks down and fits in the saddle bags, sweet, and works fantastic on birds, too.
LibShooter
Member
My grandfather kept a Stevens Model 311 by his bed for years. He kept it loaded and open with two rounds of buckshot in the chambers and two taped to barrels. He says he once dispatched three cattle eating coyotes in 10 seconds. Of course they were not shooting back
Coach Gun
When it comes down to it its all a matter preference. Fortunatly the likelyhood of having to kill someone in your home is not that great. And I say this living in a suburb of Detroit.
I'd like to respond to a comment to my post about one shot not being enough to take someone down. I'll state the obvious.
Distance is the determining factor. I'll use my home size as an example. It's about a 1,200 sq ft. Coming out of the hallway is an approximate 19'x17' livingroom. The kitchen is to the left of the hallway opening. At those distances no human is going to survive a hit from some larger shot. Even a turkey load to the head is going screw up the invader to the point he won't be able to respond.
I'll stand by my comment about two rounds. If the second perp doesn't crap his pants after seeing his buddy shot in front of him he is probably going to shoot you. And at most home distances he is not going to miss. If there are more than 2 perps you are going to have more than one hole in your body. Or be jumped, disarmed, then shot.
I really like this posting board. I was Googling coach guns and thats how I found it and the topic. I could not resist adding my 2 cents because the existing comments really grabbed my interest.
When it comes down to it its all a matter preference. Fortunatly the likelyhood of having to kill someone in your home is not that great. And I say this living in a suburb of Detroit.
I'd like to respond to a comment to my post about one shot not being enough to take someone down. I'll state the obvious.
Distance is the determining factor. I'll use my home size as an example. It's about a 1,200 sq ft. Coming out of the hallway is an approximate 19'x17' livingroom. The kitchen is to the left of the hallway opening. At those distances no human is going to survive a hit from some larger shot. Even a turkey load to the head is going screw up the invader to the point he won't be able to respond.
I'll stand by my comment about two rounds. If the second perp doesn't crap his pants after seeing his buddy shot in front of him he is probably going to shoot you. And at most home distances he is not going to miss. If there are more than 2 perps you are going to have more than one hole in your body. Or be jumped, disarmed, then shot.
I really like this posting board. I was Googling coach guns and thats how I found it and the topic. I could not resist adding my 2 cents because the existing comments really grabbed my interest.
Not I. Stocked weapons have inherent advantages, including speed onto 1st target, reduced speed to secondary targets, and (typically) additional power. Even a single-shot shotgun would be better than a handgun.
To me, there are miles of difference between a single-shot, double, and slide-action SG. I think the difference between 7 and 10 rounds in a defensive handgun is a BIG deal. There's much less difference between 10 and 15.
Much in the same way, I think the difference between 1 or 2 20 gauge or 12 gauge shells is enormous, but the (defensive) difference between 2 and 4 or 5 is much smaller. Single-shot for HD? Not the best choice if funds for more rounds are available. Double? No problem.
John
MCgunner
Member
These considerations and the fact that my city property taxes are rather exorbitant IMHO and I feel like I pay for something, by gawd I oughta use it, I use the safe room tactic. Bedroom door, all doors in the house are locked. He gets in, he's gonna wake me up. I get on the cell to 911 while grabbing the shotgun. He breaks in that bedroom door, he's history. But, I ain't clearing the house. I'll let the guys who's salary I pay and who take the courses and specialize in such for a living risk their necks.
You wanna be Rambo, fine. Me, I'll be Rambo if I absolutely am forced to, but I'd rather let the guys with the badges be Rambo. It's a small town, but there is crime. It has about 12K souls and an unusually large police force for 12 K people, county seat, too, so the Sheriff is here. I know for a fact response time is less than 10 minutes, usually. I'm only 1.5 miles from the PD and perhaps more importantly, right around the corner from the dough nut shop.
CoRoMo
Member
Not sure. Their SGs appear to be in the SBS cat.
Mike U.
Member
lmao!!:d:d:d
MrBill120
Member
..ok, going back to the Stoeger with the fixed chokes......does anyone know why Stoeger used the improved cyl & modified choke combination? As opposed to both barrels being the same???
Marlin 45 carbine
Member
..ok, going back to the Stoeger with the fixed chokes......does anyone know why Stoeger used the improved cyl & modified choke combination? As opposed to both barrels being the same???
I don't know why Stoeger does it but my Coach is i.c right and mod left bbl too. I use it rabbit and grouse, very good IMO.
I've seen other makes that do the same.
Stoeger Coach can be spec. ordered with open/open, I suppose that would be ideal for h-d/s-d, but if in a rural area the tighter pattern from a choked bbl could be and advantage too.
I'm fairly good with a pump but sold my 870 some years back when I got my Coach. I have a back-up Makarov to carry with it if needed.
I don't know why Stoeger does it but my Coach is i.c right and mod left bbl too. I use it rabbit and grouse, very good IMO.
I've seen other makes that do the same.
Stoeger Coach can be spec. ordered with open/open, I suppose that would be ideal for h-d/s-d, but if in a rural area the tighter pattern from a choked bbl could be and advantage too.
I'm fairly good with a pump but sold my 870 some years back when I got my Coach. I have a back-up Makarov to carry with it if needed.
Colton White
Member
they make cheaper pumps so i dont see why u would buy a SxS as ur only hd shotgun but the coach gun does have a place in the home arsenal as a back up or bug out gun. hide that thing in the kitchen or garage leave it loaded and ul sleep a lil better at night
MCgunner
Member
IC/Mod, if you have to have a fixed choke gun, its neigh on perfect, especially if it's steel shot compatible. You'll be choked effectively mod/full with steel for ducks and IC/Mod is perfect for doves. You MIGHT want a little more open for quail, but IC/Mod could get the job done nicely there, too, and it's probably how I'd choke if I did much quail hunting.
To me, it's danged dumb to have a side by side choked the same. And, I like double triggers, instant choke selection. Sometimes that first shot is at a high passing bird and you want the extra choke on the first shot. I really like the Spartan and its interchangeable chokes, though. I can open it up for bedroom duty or choke it as needed for the field. The thing is pretty awesome as a multi-role shotgun.
To me, it's danged dumb to have a side by side choked the same. And, I like double triggers, instant choke selection. Sometimes that first shot is at a high passing bird and you want the extra choke on the first shot. I really like the Spartan and its interchangeable chokes, though. I can open it up for bedroom duty or choke it as needed for the field. The thing is pretty awesome as a multi-role shotgun.
MCgunner
Member
I think this is texting kid code for YOUR, you know, too lazy to type or typing on a business card sized keyboard.
I've never gotten into the blackberry, blueberry, dewberry, whatever kinda berry phone they use on the net. To me, a phone is for talking on. LOL!- Status
