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Tactical SXS Stoeger Coach Gun (Not the Double Defense)

18K views 54 replies 23 participants last post by  Bello 
#1 ·
I know most of you will think I'm crazy, but I'm really looking forward to turning a regular Stoeger Coach Gun into a Tactical SXS Shot Gun.

This project is just an experiment although I am sure it will yield a fun gun to shoot.

Here is what I plan to do:

  • Cut the barrels down to 18.5"[/*]
  • Port both barrels[/*]
  • Install a H&K G-3 Front [/*]
  • Add a Picitinny Rail to the underside of the barrels[/*]
  • Modify and fit the lower section of a UTG Quad Rail to the forearm[/*]
  • Modify the butt stock to accept a T-6 Collapsable Butt Stock and SAW Pistol Grip[/*]



I bought the gun yesterday for $339 and had most of the parts I needed on hand.

I started at the front of the gun.

Attaching the front H&K G-3 site was a huge PITA. Once I cut it down small enough to fit the gun it separated into 3 pieces. I had to silver solder them together and then attach the site to the gun with out overheating it which would make it fall apart.

Fitting the UTG tri rail was pretty easy. It looks tacked on but once I get the other mods installed it should look like part of the gun. It is very solid, I used the original holes and taped the original metal so I could insert the screws from the bottom side of the rail. It is very comfortable and since it's the same rail I used on my S-12 and S-410, I get a consistent grip regardless of which shotgun I'm shooting





Fitting the SAW Pistol Grip and Butt Stock wasn't as difficult as I thought.

I created a 7/8" diameter peg on the back on the original stock with a hole saw, it's about 2" long. I'm going to use a piece of threaded rod and epoxy to permanently attach the metal tube of the butt stock to the peg on the original butt stock.

Then I'll blend the wood into the tube.

The pistol grip is held in place with a bolt. I drilled through the top of the stock and counter bored the hole so the pistol grip bolt would set below the threaded rod for the butt stock.

I used a nut on the bottom to hold the bolt in place and then I used a second nut to lock the pistol grip in place.

I'll fill the top hole with JB Weld since I no longer need access to the head of the bolt.

It is just test fit in these images. I still have a lot of work to make this set up solid yet retain the ability to take it back apart.

It may look awkward but the ergonomics worked out perfectly, it even has the feel a Marine Corps M1014

Collapsed - 30" Long with 18.25" barrels



Extended - 33.5" long with a 13.5" LOP to the front trigger

 
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#9 ·
I too own a stock Stoeger Coach Gun that I'm looking to modify for Home Defense and/or a "trunk gun." I'm thinking along more subtle lines with more internal modifications that aren't as apparent to the eye. I had already previously sent the gun off to Lee's Gunsmithing in California
http://www.cowboyshooters.com/
to have a trigger job done, the action smoothed, the chambers honed & the springs tuned for a paltry $85.00. The additional refinements I would like to make:

1.) An XS Big Dot Tritium front sight that I can apply over the bead with JB weld.
2.) Stainless steel firing pins from Long Hunter Shooting Supply installed since the Stoeger coach gun is known for having softer firing pins that "mushroom" with a lot of use.
3.) The modified choke in the one barrel opened up to at least Improved Cylinder.
4.) The Forcing Cone lengthened & the barrel backbored.
5.) Lead shot or Mercury Recoil Reducer in the stock hole to reduce recoil.
6.) Sling Swivels installed.
7.) Have the safety modified so that it doesn't automatically come back on when the action is closed.
8.) Possibly porting the barrels. I know the Double Defense's Barrels are ported & I know they can help with follow-up shots.
8.) A Galco Leather Butt Cuff for carrying extra shells.

Anything else anyone would add or takeaway?
 
#10 ·
The release lever and safety are not that hard to get to. I was in the Corps for 13 years and the only rifle I ever shot was a M-16 so guns without pistol grips feel awkward to me.

Every rifle and shot gun I own has a pistol grip except for my Savage FCP and it has a Choate A5 stock. I even have 2 pistol grip Mossberg 500s

Here is an image of the modified butt stock

 
#11 ·
There seems to be quite a bit of interest in Coach Guns these days. Which is very cool. No secret here that I'm a huge fan of the Stoeger Coach Gun, but as an auxillary shotgun, not as a primary defense shotgun.

Your rendition of a Coach Gun isn't the kind I would personally choose (I'm not a big fan of a lot of tactical goodies anyway, even on a pump shotgun) and honestly, if I was facing serious trouble, and could choose between my Coach Gun or Mossberg/Rem pump, I'd pick the pump without a second thought.



Coach Guns handle great, are exceptionally reliable (except the single trigger models), and are a lot of fun to shoot. They're short, nimble, quick and have proved themselves to be decisively deadly for well over 100 years! But for me, two rounds before a reload is less than ideal. I'm not saying I wouldn't use a Coach Gun for defense, though, as there are circumstances where the Coach Gun is the ONLY shotgun I may have at hand.

On the expectation of serious trouble and given a choice, I would reach for a Mossberg pump over my Coach Gun, strictly due to capacity before needing to reload. In many defensive circumstances even a really quick reload might take just a bit too long enough to lose the fight. Whereas if you could keep pumping another one, two, three, four, five shells in rapid succession, that could easily make the difference.

There are times, however, like when I'm traveling and would ordinarily just take a pistol that I now also take along a Coach Gun in a small (22") padded tripod bag. Not because I expect trouble, but if I'm out of town in a hotel or motel room and trouble comes through the door, I would prefer a 12 ga. double and a pistol as opposed to only a pistol. And the Coach Gun takes-down in 2 seconds and travels so handily.







Around the house, my Coach Gun is loaded and handy... but as an additional shotgun, not the primary shotgun.

As for set-up, personally, I like a Coach Gun with just a few tweaks (open-action smoothed, chambers chamfered, auto safety converted to manual safety, nice recoil-absorbing pad.) That's it. I see no need for ports, ghost ring sights, choke mods, yada yada. As for the modern tactical gizmos... the farthest I'll go would be an elastic shell holder on the buttstock.... simple and basic is how I love it.

The Coach Gun is a close range defense tool that works great pretty much as it has been set up for over 100 years. If I wanted a go joe-tactical, I'd pick a pump or a semi for that. On second thought, I like those with wood & bluing and as few tactical gizmos as I can get away with too! ;-) Ah, just me.... probably too old school for your taste anyhow.

Enjoy that newfangled double!
 
#12 ·
I just test fired the gun and it shoots great.

Cheek weld is not needed for this gun, it hits what every I'm looking at through the G3 site

Recoil has been reduced dramatically. I attribute that to the pistol grip and the angle of the gun.

My only complaint is that it is harder to pull both triggers at one time. Due to the shape of the back trigger and the angle of the pistol grip I will have to learn to time it better. However, pulling either trigger is simple and the pistol grip seems to have lightened the heavy trigger pull of this gun.

I am 100% happy with the way this gun turned out.

I just have to hang the picatinny rail on the bottom when it gets here
 
#16 ·
Boba Debt said:
Why wouldn't you want to do it :)
To start, I would think the front trigger would smack pretty hard into your middle finger.

I wouldn't think it would be too good for the gun, maybe not a problem but why risk it. What are you really gaining? You only have two rounds. If you miss with your shot you've just emptied your gun and been uneffective. With your crap that you've bolted on to it you've slowed down your reload time considerably so now you have a club that you duct taped and bailing wired together out of a couple of other clubs and you're discombobulated from the recoil of two rounds going off at the same time and your fingers are cut up so you can't even punch the turd effectively.
 
#17 ·
sjohnny said:
Boba Debt said:
My only complaint is that it is harder to pull both triggers at one time.
Why would you want to do this?
Rabid dogs and velociraptors. Or, if you are shooting a big target, like a car that contains people that are shooting at you. A lot of people have sledgehammers in the toolshed, but they rarely if ever get used. That I think is the idea behind all of the stuff that is a little bit out ther, i.e. firing both barrels at once, bayontes, beans, etc.
 
#18 ·
PBGuardsman said:
Rabid dogs and velociraptors. Or, if you are shooting a big target, like a car that contains people that are shooting at you.
Multiple targets in your examples. I don't want to use my only two shots on the chance of hitting one of them. What do I do with the rest of them?
A lot of people have sledgehammers in the toolshed, but they rarely if ever get used.
I use mine pretty regularly.
 
#21 ·
Maybe some of you are more solidly built than I am, but having once touched off both barrels in a SxS at once, I have no desire to do it again. I can think of only one use for that "feature" in a tactical defensive shotgun.

To immediately remove yourself from the immediate vicinity of your attacker - by blowing yourself backwards into the next county. ;)

DHart's pictures do illustrate the major advantage in portability that SxS and O/U shotguns have over a repeater with a fixed magazine tube.
 
#22 ·
I have fired both barrels on my SXS several times with #4 shot.

The first time stung a little bit which I can now blame on the solid plastic butt plate. The other times I fired it with the rubber pad on the T-6 style stock and it feels no worse then shooting 000 buck from my a pump shot gun.

BTW: None of my mods make the gun harder to reload. I can do it in less then 3-4 seconds and that's with gloves on and I have only shot a SXS twice.

Several of my friends, who are or were Marines, like myself, love the look and feel of this gun.

10 years ago I bet people hated to see pistol grips and lights on 870s & 500s, now it's pretty common.
 
#24 ·
sjohnny said:
PBGuardsman said:
Rabid dogs and velociraptors. Or, if you are shooting a big target, like a car that contains people that are shooting at you.
Multiple targets in your examples. I don't want to use my only two shots on the chance of hitting one of them. What do I do with the rest of them?
Thats where the bayonet comes in. :lol:
The situation I was thinking of was a drive by shooting or where people are escaping by car while shooting. The shotgunner has one chance to shoot, and shoots both barrels for maximum damage.

A lot of people have sledgehammers in the toolshed, but they rarely if ever get used.
I use mine pretty regularly.[/quote]

Well than,
SJohnny has a/n [insert tool here that you do not frequently use but still have], but he rarely uses it, but still has it.
 
G
#26 ·
Several of my friends, who are or were Marines, like myself, love the look and feel of this gun.
You keep saying this. As a Marine, did they let you choose your own weapon? Did you get to use the sniper rifle just because you were a Marine? Or the SAW or the M240? Not trying to insult you, but there may be some Marines on this board who are not enamored with a tactical coach gun with a pistol grip and rails hanging all over it. If it is just a cute toy for fun, that's fine. OK by me. Whatever floats your boat. But please. A serious defensive weapon? Some Marines may disagree with you.

sjohnny...You sir, deserve the Eagle Eye Award for reading the most into the least of anyone on earth. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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