looking for a side-by-side for HD

[orionhawk]

I am a huge believer in shotguns for HD, but I am also neither very large nor very strong. I can deal with recoil, but not so much with a danged heavy gun. I just have too much trouble moving my Mossberg 500a around.

I'd like to get a short-barrel (18-in) side-by-side, what I have seen referred to as a "coach gun", but I am having the devil of a time finding one. This would also enable me to use Aguila Mini-Shells, even if only at the range.

2-3/4" chamber, decent quality/durability (I'd like to avoid Norinco), able to fire either barrel without having to flip a switch or depend on recoil or something, preferably also able to fire both at once if that is possible (like separate triggers for both barrels). I'd prefer functioning external hammers. I definitely don't want to spend bunchatons of money.

suggestions?

 

[lightbulb0413]

Here is one made by Stoeger. They look nice. Not and 18 in barrel, (the lowest I see on the site is 20) but they are inexpensive. Oh and they have 2 triggers.

http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/stoeger_coach_gun_supreme.php

 

[orionhawk]

dangit, why the heck couldn't I find their site? I had heard Stoeger had some nice coachguns, but my google-fu seems to be weak.

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

where u headed in Washington; I just moved from Washington to Michigan this past summer.

 

[orionhawk]

Bremerton, for a few months, although the ship I am going to is homeported out of Everett.

 

[ATW525]

Most coach guns sport a pair of 20" tubes. I just picked up an old made in Germany EMF with working external hammers. They still import a similiar model, though now it's made in China. CZ makes one also, if you have the $$$ to burn. Cimarron Arms also has one on their site that looks similiar to the EMF. Lastly, Remington also imports some.

 

[KevininPa]

Remington Spartan

They're the Russian made Baikals with " Remington " painted on them. They come with choke tubes and are built for abuse. Hammerless aren't expensive ( maybe btween $3oo-350 ), but I paid $425 for the model with the external hammers.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Yep that sums it up - Baikal & Stoeger, but also the CZ:

http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=77

I think Norinco has one too, but you don't see them often, probably due to import problems.

 

[PA4476]

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123749769
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123497501
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123359790
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123557372
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123782273
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123757348

 

[Gunfighter123]

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123168332

I have one of these -- GREAT GUN --- allows you to thumb back both hammers at once and is built like a Russie tank.

They are 100% better made then the Jing An or most others made in China.

I have owned two Stoegers -- one had the double triggers and the other was a single trigger Uplander. Both were very good guns also.

For HD use --- I like a Hammer Double -- allows you to leave the gun loaded and no trigger/fireing pin springs to keep compressed.

 

[MAKster]

The current EMF, Cimarron, and TTN are the same gun. They are made in China and are probably the best of the current external hammer coachguns. It is about a pound heavier than the other coachguns which helps with the recoil.

 

[Virginian]

I bought a Stoeger Uplander for cowboy before health issues canned that, but I was pretty favorably impressed with the gun. I think the hammer models are strictly for looks though; the hammers don't really drive the firing pins. I would not want a hammer gun for self defense, but that's me.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Might want to consider a semi-auto, I think they can be lighter.

 

[orionhawk]

"For HD use --- I like a Hammer Double -- allows you to leave the gun loaded and no trigger/fireing pin springs to keep compressed."

exactly what I was thinking

"I think the hammer models are strictly for looks though; the hammers don't really drive the firing pins."

it varies by model/manufacturer. I want one that does. (although even one where they just act as cocking levers could work)

 

[sohcgt2]

why not just get a short barrel for the 500?

 

[Gunfighter123]

I had a Jing An or something along does lines --- it had hammers but they only worked as cocking levers.

The TTNs have real working hammers and as I posted -- they are "bent in" by design and allow you to cock both hammers at once even if you have small hands/thumbs like I do.

 

[Rick Gonzales]

TTN/Cimarron 1878 12 guage coach gun.











This 12 guage 1878 Coach gun from TTN/Cimarron firearms- was the choice I made after researching coach guns...most makes and models - I am very pleased with the outstanding quality of this TTN/ Cimarron coach replica of an original Colt 1878! This is the color case hardened version Cimarron offers of this gun :*)

thnx
Rick-

 

[Gunfighter123]

Rick --- that is VERY nice looking wood on your TTN !!!!!!!!!!

 

[MCgunner]

Everyone knows you can't get by with a shotgun without pistol grips fore and aft with a flashlight, laser, bayonet, side saddle, yadda yadda. Anything less and you're dead, right?

Now then, for people who don't believe home defense involves taking on a platoon of zombies in the middle of the night or clearing the house of 'em, I have a 20 gauge Spartan coach gun stoked with 3 buck in my bedroom and am happy with it. I don't have to cock hammers, just push a safety forward and I'm in business. I've never had a problem in the field carrying a shotgun "condition one", but if I was paranoid, I understand you can put snap caps in the gun, snap the triggers, take the fore end off, load, put it together and put the fore end on it and then you'll have to break the action to cock the internal hammers. Apparently, the fore end has to be on the gun for the hammers to cock. I haven't tried it, but will sometime down the road just out of curiosity. I will keep it condition one in the bedroom. I have no kids in the house to worry about anymore. I'm WAY past that. LOL

 

[Rick Gonzales]

TTN/Cimarron 1878 coach gun.

Thank you Gunfighter :*)

When I talked to the folks down at Cimarron, they explained to me how they pick only the best looking wood stocks (of the TTN batch) to be sent to the color case hardening process.

but yea, I was very pleased with the over all beauty of the gun...I kinda dont want to shoot it because its too pretty - lol...!

but...at the same tme, I know that coach gun can be a "dirty little gun" if I ever so need it to be :*)

good stuff
Rick-

 

[geologist]

These 12" coach guns with working external hammers and modified chokes just came on the retail market here in Canada. I doubt that they would be legal in the USA without a shrot barrel licence.

 

[orionhawk]

"why not just get a short barrel for the 500?"

sohcgt2, I already have one. it's still too heavy for comfort. I am also having a reliability issue with the 500a. I don't think it's anything wrong with the gun, just the operator, but there it is. specifically, the 500a throws me backwards with enough force that my forward pushes back on the slide under recoil; I then have to push the slide forward in order to cycle the pump.

 

[Tomahawk]

I really love my Stevens 311H 12 Ga. I got it for a song also.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Dang, sometimes I wished I lived in Canada.

 

[geologist]

Dang, sometimes I wished I lived in Canada.

We feel the same way about your 2nd Amendment and must issue CCW laws.