Coach gun
A coach gun is a double-barreled shotgun featuring side-by-side barrels typically 18 to 24 inches long, designed for rapid close-quarters defense.[1][2] Originating in England during the late 18th century as a 10-gauge scattergun to protect coaches from highway robbery, it gained prominence in the American West for safeguarding stagecoaches carrying valuables, with the term "coach gun" emerging around 1858 alongside Wells Fargo's services.[3][4] Its short barrels enhanced maneuverability in confined spaces like a stagecoach seat, enabling guards—known as "shotgun messengers"—to deliver two quick shots of buckshot or birdshot without reloading, deterring bandits effectively at short ranges.[5][6] Often fitted with external hammers for reliable ignition in rugged conditions, early models were frequently adapted from hunting shotguns by shortening barrels for practicality.[2] In contemporary applications, coach guns remain popular for home defense owing to their compact size, simplicity, and intimidating spread pattern, though modern variants may incorporate internal hammers and improved materials for reliability.[7][6]Historical Development
Origins in Europe
The coach gun emerged in late 18th-century England amid widespread highway robbery targeting stagecoaches and mail coaches on rudimentary roads plagued by poor lighting and isolation. Guards, positioned atop vehicles to protect passengers and valuables, required compact firearms capable of delivering multiple projectiles at close range to deter or incapacitate assailants approaching on horseback. This necessity drove the adaptation of double-barreled smoothbore shotguns, which offered two sequential blasts without reloading, outperforming single-shot pistols or longer fowling pieces in dynamic, confined scenarios.[8][9] A representative early specimen is a 10-gauge double-barreled scattergun produced by Richard Bolton of Birmingham, England, optimized for coach defense with side-by-side barrels suited to buckshot loads for broad patterns effective within 20-30 yards. Barrel lengths were shortened to approximately 18-24 inches to enhance maneuverability amid the sway of a moving coach, reducing the risk of the weapon catching on surroundings or generating excessive recoil that could unbalance the user. Flintlock ignition systems predominated, aligning with contemporaneous firearm technology, and these arms were often proofed for black powder charges delivering payloads of multiple lead balls to maximize threat neutralization against grouped robbers.[8][10] Preceding designs like the flared-muzzle blunderbuss influenced the coach gun's emphasis on scatter patterns for unaimed fire, but the double-barrel configuration prioritized reliability and firepower volume over the blunderbuss's intimidation factor. English gunmakers, including those in Birmingham's burgeoning trade centers, refined these weapons in response to documented attacks, such as the 1775 Norwich stagecoach robbery where a guard felled three highwaymen before succumbing. This European iteration laid the groundwork for later transatlantic variants, underscoring causal demands for defensive efficacy in an era when legal authorities struggled to patrol remote highways.[2][9]Adoption in America and Stagecoach Era
The coach gun gained prominence in the United States during the mid-19th century amid the rapid expansion of stagecoach services across the frontier, where armed defense against highwaymen became essential for protecting valuable shipments. Wells Fargo & Company, established to facilitate express services, began arming stagecoach messengers with short-barreled double shotguns around 1858, aligning with the launch of their overland route from Tipton, Missouri, to San Francisco, California—a perilous 2,800-mile path vulnerable to banditry.[11][12] The term "coach gun" originated during this period to denote these specialized firearms, which featured side-by-side barrels typically shortened to 12–20 inches by gunsmiths for quick handling from the messenger's perch beside the driver.[11][12] These 10-gauge weapons, loaded with buckshot, offered superior stopping power at close quarters, dispersing multiple projectiles to counter groups of robbers targeting gold, payrolls, mail, and passengers.[11] Express companies like Wells Fargo issued them standardly, with messengers riding "shotgun" to focus on security while drivers managed the team.[12] Historical accounts detail their effectiveness in repelling attacks, as exemplified by messenger Mike Tovey, who served Wells Fargo from 1871 to 1893 and used his sawed-off shotgun to fatally wound outlaw William C. Jones during a robbery attempt in 1880.[13] In the broader stagecoach era, spanning the 1850s to the early 1900s but intensifying through the pre-railroad decades of the 1860s and 1870s, coach guns deterred crime via their intimidating blast and wide pattern, reducing successful holdups despite the era's lawlessness.[11] By the late 1880s, Wells Fargo employed up to 200 such messengers, underscoring the firearm's integral role in securing transcontinental transport until railroads supplanted stage lines.[13]Role in the American Old West
Coach guns served as the primary defensive firearm for shotgun messengers employed by express companies like Wells Fargo during the mid-to-late 19th century in the American Old West. These guards protected stagecoaches carrying gold dust, payrolls, and other valuables across rugged territories prone to banditry, particularly following the California Gold Rush of 1849 which spurred the establishment of secure transport services. Wells Fargo, founded in 1852, routinely armed its messengers with short-barreled double shotguns to counter ambushes, as the weapons' maneuverability suited the cramped perch beside the driver.[14][15] The shotgun's role emphasized deterrence and close-quarters lethality, with messengers loading 10- or 12-gauge shells containing buckshot to produce a spreading pattern effective against multiple assailants at distances under 25 yards—common in roadside holdups. This configuration allowed rapid firing of two barrels without reloading, crucial when robbers exploited narrow trails or rocky passes for surprise attacks. Historical accounts document messengers like Mike Tovey, who from 1871 to 1893 guarded shipments through harsh conditions, often repelling threats through the mere display of the weapon, as bandits preferred unarmed targets.[16][13] While stagecoach robberies peaked in the 1870s and 1880s, with outlaws like Black Bart conducting nearly 30 Wells Fargo heists between 1875 and 1883 by scouting for vulnerable runs, the presence of armed guards reduced successful violent confrontations. Express companies invested in these "messenger guns"—frequently modified hunting shotguns with 18- to 20-inch barrels—for their reliability over rifles in bumpy, confined scenarios. Incidents such as the 1881 holdup near Copperopolis, California, where guards exchanged fire with robbers, underscored the coach gun's utility in preserving cargo despite occasional losses.[17][18]Design and Technical Specifications
Barrel Configuration and Action Mechanics
Coach guns utilize a side-by-side double-barrel configuration, with barrels typically ranging from 18 to 20 inches in length to facilitate handling in tight quarters such as stagecoaches or modern defensive scenarios.[19][1] This shorter barrel length compared to standard hunting shotguns reduces overall weight and swing radius while maintaining sufficient velocity for close-range effectiveness with buckshot or birdshot loads.[4] The primary action mechanism is a break-open design, where a lever or button releases the locking mechanism at the breech, allowing the barrels to pivot downward on a hinge pin for rapid reloading and extraction of spent shells.[20][21] In historical models, this action often incorporates external hammers that must be manually cocked prior to firing, enhancing safety by preventing accidental discharge during transport.[6] Extractors, rather than ejectors, are commonly fitted to lift spent casings partially from the chambers, aiding quick manual removal without automatic expulsion that could complicate operations in bumpy conditions.[4] Trigger systems vary: traditional coach guns feature two external triggers, each dedicated to firing one barrel in sequence, providing selective control but requiring precise finger placement under stress.[22][4] Contemporary reproductions often include a single selective trigger that alternates between barrels with each pull after re-cocking, or double triggers for authenticity in competitive shooting, improving firing speed while preserving the mechanical simplicity of hammer-fired ignition.[22][6] The absence of complex internal mechanisms like gas systems contributes to the design's reliability and ease of maintenance in rugged environments.[20]Calibers, Ammunition, and Ballistics
Coach guns are predominantly chambered in 12-gauge, with historical examples and modern replicas also available in 10-gauge, 20-gauge, and .410 bore for varying power levels and applications.[23][24] The 12-gauge configuration offers a balance of payload capacity and recoil manageability, accommodating 2¾-inch shells standard in most models.[25] Larger 10-gauge variants, favored in the 19th century for their heavier shot loads, delivered greater stopping power against multiple threats at close range but at the cost of increased recoil and reduced ammunition availability today.[23] Ammunition for coach guns typically includes buckshot loads such as #00 or #4 buck for defensive use, providing dense patterns of large pellets effective against unarmored targets within 15-25 yards.[26] Birdshot serves recreational or less-lethal roles, while rifled slugs enable precision at extended ranges up to 50 yards, though rarely employed in the double-barrel design due to its close-quarters intent.[27] Low-recoil variants, like those with reduced powder charges achieving 980 fps, are popular in competitive shooting to minimize fatigue during rapid fire.[28] Ballistics from the short 18- to 20-inch barrels exhibit reduced muzzle velocities compared to longer tubes, with 12-gauge #00 buckshot often exiting at 1,100-1,200 fps versus 1,250-1,300 fps from 28-inch barrels, due to incomplete powder burn.[29] This velocity drop is minimal—approximately 200 fps from 30 inches to 12 inches—but contributes to a wider shot spread from the cylinder bore, patterning 20-30 inches at 25 yards without chokes.[30][31] The design prioritizes rapid, high-volume delivery over long-range accuracy, yielding terminal effects dominated by multiple hydrostatic shock channels from pellets traveling at subsonic to low-supersonic speeds.| Gauge | Typical Shell Length | Common Load | Muzzle Velocity (Short Barrel) | Effective Range (Buckshot) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 2¾–3½ inches | #BB buck | ~1,000–1,150 fps | 15–30 yards |
| 12 | 2¾ inches | #00 buck | ~1,100–1,200 fps | 10–25 yards |
| 20 | 2¾ inches | #3 buck | ~1,000–1,100 fps | 10–20 yards |
| .410 | 2½ inches | #4 buck | ~900–1,000 fps | 5–15 yards |