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| www.stoegerindustries.com/double-defense-shotgun |
The short-barreled double barrel shotgun with hammers is often called a coach gun or side-by-side shotgun.
This
type of shotgun was once the preferred weapon to guard stagecoaches.
Many years before the type was used in the Old West, the coach gun was
used to guard European coaches from dangerous highwaymen. This coach gun
was at times called the Blunderbuss.
Coach
guns are formidable shotguns capable of defending the home. The pump
shotgun and the self-loader are more complex, more expensive, and more
difficult to train with. There is nothing simpler than the hammer-fired
double-barrel shotgun save a single-shot shotgun.
I
have seen many double-barrel shotguns at ready in the home or on the
farm, and they are capable of dispatching unwanted pests and varmints as
well as members of our protein fed ex-con criminal class. A different
variant, the double-barrel striker-fired shotgun, was used by New York
City cops until at least the 1970s.
The
double barrel with two loads of buckshot was ideal for taking dangerous
felons at gunpoint. With a powerful firearm and an instant second shot,
coupled with excellent handling qualities, these shotguns filled a real
need. A correspondent tells me his western police department kept
double barrel shotguns in 20 gauge until at least the 1980s along with
pump action 20 gauge shotguns. At close range making felony arrests in
tight quarters, I am certain these were formidable firearms. The double
barrel shotgun is an excellent all around shotgun for defense use and
ideal for many of us.
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| This is a mix of birdshot and buckshot at 15 yards |
For
personal defense, the double barrel handles quickly and points well. It
isn’t well suited for tactical use by special teams, but for home
defense the double barrel, particularly a short barrel coach gun, is
ideal. Everyone’s budget and circumstance do not allow purchasing an
expensive defensive shotgun. The double barrel is simple to use well.
Simply break open the action and load the shells then close the action.
To fire, cock the hammers and pull the trigger.
Each
hammer is cocked individually. You may wish to cock them one at a time,
or both at once in anticipation of firing. The modern Century Arms
double barrel coach gun also features a handy tang mounted safety. I
like this safety for use once the hammers are cocked; it is a good
feature when moving in the home. Real safety is between the ears and
involves keeping the finger off of the trigger until you fire. I
recommend cocking only one hammer at a time until you are very familiar
with the shotgun.
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| Hammers are cocked only when ready for action |
The
double barrel shotgun offers a formidable deterrent. From the images of
old west guards riding shotgun on a stagecoach to the modern
hammer-fired double, the double barrel has an unmistakable image and the
threat of a double charge of buckshot. The modern hammer-fired double
barrel has the advantage of simplicity.
The
double barrel is also easy to train with. Another advantage is that
with two loads, you can stage the load. A lighter load first and then
buckshot for problems inside the home. The load may be changed quickly
if the problem is a dangerous animal such as a rattlesnake just outside
the door or a predator such as a coyote farther away. For those in an
urban setting, the shotgun with proper loads makes for a good Brooklyn
special. It is politically correct and legal where other types of long
gun are not.
There
is also the appeal of the shotgun as a low-key defensive shotgun that
doesn’t have much negative connotation. The double barrel is about as
politically correct as a shotgun can be. We wish we did not have to
consider this, but sometimes we do. The double barrel is also fun to
shoot. It is practical as well.
When
all is said and done, the double barrel shotgun remains a formidable
weapon for personal defense and outdoors use. These simple, rugged, and
workmanlike shotguns are well suited to many traditional shotgun chores.
These chores include serving as a go anywhere, do anything, all around
tool for hunting, pest control, and personal defense
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| 12 gauge has 2X the kick and payload of the 20 gauge |
My personal
Century Arms double barrel was
ordered in 20 gauge. Available in both the hard hitting 12 gauge and
the light kicking 20, I elected for the 20 gauge so everyone in the home
could use the shotgun well. The 12 hits hard and may be your choice.
The 20 gauge kicks about half as much as the 12 gauge and carried about
55% of the payload.
This
is a neat little bead sighted shotgun that handles well. The hammers
are not difficult to cock, and the triggers are crisp enough. The hinged
action was stiff at first but became easier to use with a couple of
trips to the range. The overall length is 37 inches, and the shotgun
weighs about 7.5 pounds.
The
double-barrel action is compact and allows for longer barrels while
retaining a relatively short profile. The barrels are 20 inches long.
The choke is open cylinder, well suited for home defense but not for
hunting at anything past 20 yards with birdshot. Most of the shells
fired have been
Winchester’s 7 ½ birdshot. This is a great training load. The recoil is light, and the shotgun handles quickly and gets on target fast.
While
I use birdshot for training, birdshot is by no means useful for
personal defense. At best it will penetrate only a few inches of gelatin
and would probably be stopped by winter clothing. On the other hand,
Winchester’s #3 buckshot load
holds 20 buckshot pellets. This load consistently offers a minimum of
12 inches of penetration in my testing and should cancel Christmas for
the bad guys at typical home defense engagement.
With
the open choke barrels of the coach gun, 15 yards is the limit for
retaining a good pattern for best effect, which isn’t different from the
average riot gun. For longer-range use, the
Hornady 20 gauge Lite Slug is
a great choice. Among a few high tech variants in 20 gauge slugs, this
loading offers formidable effect at ranges longer than 25 yards. For
home defense the Coach gun looks good. Affordable and powerful it is
worth a look.
JR COMMENTS - Facing a charging Grisly Bear, there is nothing I'd prefer to have more than a
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun
with either 00 Buck Shot or Slugs. After having a 16 gauge growing up
and later having a hard time getting ammo, I'm a little hesitant to buy a
20 gauge unless it was for a beginner or person with a small build and
low recoil was important.
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