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BULLET POINTS |
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BULLET POINTS |
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by Scott Crawford - May 22, 2023 
Stoeger has been around for some time and for years I have considered buying one, just never got around to it. I have spent quite a bit of time in gun stores handling and thinking about buying one. They are not expensive guns so I'm a little surprised I haven't pulled the trigger so far. Especially when they go hand in hand with levers and Vaquero's so well. The first coach gun built by E.R. Amantino & Cia Ltda was introduced in 1962 The Stoeger Coach Gun is a double-barreled shotgun. It is marketed and distributed by Stoeger Industries in Accokeek, Maryland. It is manufactured by E.R. Amantino (Boito) in Veranópolis, Brazil. 
The Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme in Nickel Finish
The Supreme model is offered in a Blued steel version, Stainless and polished Nickel-plated version which I'm testing. It is available in 20 or 12 gauge. The stock is AA-Grade Satin Finish Walnut. When I went to pick up the gun at my local FFL dealer, I was initially shocked at the small box they handed to me from across the counter. I opened it there to inspect the firearms as I usually do and found it in three pieces which surprised me. The buttstock & action, the twin barrels and finally the fore stock all wrapped separately and bagged. Of course, there was the normal documentation, stickers and in this case, a choke tube extractor tool. The box would have easily fit in any large backpack which made me realize this may indeed be my new pack out gun. 
The Stoeger Coach Gun Supreme Nickel stacks up nicely with these other classics! When I arrived back at the Gun Room with the coach gun, I laid each assembly out on my bench to examine the pieces and to clean them prior to assembly. Usually, I find firearms manufactured overseas to be loaded with thick grease and oil that needs to be removed prior to shooting. In this case I just found well-oiled metal that just needed a quick wipe down both externally and in the two barrels. No excess really, just being thorough before assembly and testing. Assembly of the Coach Gun was intuitive enough that I did not need any instructions (it had been many years since I had taken apart a double-barreled shotgun). Remember, I am a lever gun guy!  
At 20 yards, on left is # 6 Shot on the right # 4 Shot both from modified choke The Coach Gun, a uniquely American firearm came to life during the wild west. "Riding Shotgun" originated on a stagecoach, and they were carrying a coach gun. Wyatt Earp was known to favor coach guns and Doc Holliday reportedly used a 10-gauge model at the OK Corral. Those two alone give enough credence to the coach gun to make it a sought-after addition to any gun room across the U.S. and beyond.  Three pieces of the Coach Gun. Top to bottom, Beavertail Forearm, Barrels & The Action. 
Wood to metal fit is well done on these Walnut Stocks On with the details. The Coach Gun from Stoeger is available in .410, 20 and 12 gauge. They are available in either double triggers or single, with Black finished or A or AA-grade satin finished walnut stocks. The receiver is available in Blued, Stainless and Nickel coating while the barrels are available in Blued or Nickel coated depending on models chosen. All come with the top-tang safety. Plus, keep in mind that the safety is automatically engaged upon opening the Coach’s action. The Sights are a simple brass bead front which gets you on target rather quickly, especially while swinging the short 20.0" barrels. A quick flick of the tang mounted barrel brake latch makes opening the action quite easy and comes naturally. The model we evaluated had the double triggers which took a bit to get use to and now seems very natural. The Recoil pad on the butt of the coach gun easily cushioned the low brass and made me incredibly happy we had it when shooting high brass Hevy-Shot # 4's.  
The Double Triggers and the barrel brake latch 
Screw-in improved cylinder and modified choke tubes.  Now let’s talk ammo. I used two different shells to test the coach gun. I used some 2-3/4" low brass, six shot field range from Winchester and some 3.00" high brass, 4 shot from Hevi-Shot. Both readily available from your neighborhood store and two great choices for varying uses from trap to turkey. Both patterned very well in either choke up to thirty yards although the right tube shot slightly higher than the left tube. This is something that is often found in a double and was easily adjusted for in using the gun after some practice. 
The Coach Supreme belongs in a Single Action Shooting Society Collection At 6.50 lbs., this model is light for a double barrel however that's primarily due to its shorter barrel length of 20.0". The overall length comes in at 36.50" making it extremely handy for defense or in the field. The price is on par for a Coach Gun, and I found the double to be worth every cent. The MSRP for this gun is $579.00 I'm extremely pleased with the performance of the gun right out of the box however I have read that in cold weather it could use a quick application of CLP to ease the opening and closing of the action. Parting Shots  This is not an expensive firearm, yet it handles and feels like it is. It is a fun gun to own, a great home defense option, upland hunting or pest removal tool as well. It would also be a fantastic addition to any western action shooting kit. This model with the double triggers was just a fitting example of quality production at a fair and reasonable price point. I don't plan on making any alterations to this firearm other than ordering some of the other choke tubes they make available for it. This is a well-priced work horse that belongs in everyone's firearm collection. Would I buy one? Well in this case I did. I have been eyeing these for many years and took this opportunity to seal the deal. I will be "Riding Shotgun" much more often now! Technical Specifications
  
IN THIS ARTICLE Stoeger Firearms
Winchester
Hevi Shot
Benelli Arms USA
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