Stoeger Coach Gun

About the Stoeger Coach Gun

The Stoeger Coach Gun is a side-by-side double-barrel break-action shotgun built in Brazil by E.R. Amantino in Veranópolis and imported and marketed by Stoeger Industries in the United States. Available in 12 gauge, 20 gauge, and .410 bore with 20-inch barrels and 3-inch chambers, the Coach Gun preserves the classic short-barreled stagecoach-guard configuration that earned the type its name in the American Old West. Internal hammers, an automatic tang safety, double or single trigger options, screw-in choke tubes (Improved Cylinder and Modified included), an A-grade satin-finished walnut stock, and a brass bead front sight combine for a no-frills, fast-handling shotgun favored for cowboy action competition, home defense, and informal upland hunting. The Coach Gun was the top-selling side-by-side shotgun on Gunbroker.com for five consecutive years through 2020, demonstrating that traditional double-gun simplicity still has a strong market against modern repeating designs.

The coach gun's stubby twin barrels were standardized at around 18-20 inches in the 19th century because Wells Fargo guards needed a weapon that could be swung from one hip to the other inside the cramped jolting box of a stagecoach without snagging on doors or harnesses. Stoeger's modern Brazilian-built revival kept the same dimensions essentially unchanged for cowboy action shooters who wanted authentic Old West firepower without paying collector prices for a real 1880s Stagecoach Express gun.

Stoeger Coach Gun specifications

The Coach Gun is manufactured by Brazilian gunmaker E.R. Amantino, which has been part of the Beretta Holding portfolio since Stoeger Industries (also Beretta-owned) acquired distribution rights. The 20-inch barrel was historically chosen because it was easier to swing inside the close confines of a stagecoach driver's box. Single-trigger versions are not available in .410 bore. The Coach Gun Supreme adds nicer wood, a polished nickel finish option, and additional choke tubes; the Double Defense variant is configured for home defense with a fixed Improved Cylinder choke, a fiber-optic front sight, and a tactical Picatinny rail. Weight ranges from 6.3 lbs (.410) to 6.5 lbs (12 ga).