Stoeger Double Defense extra rounds on gun

Sgt.Fathead · April 5, 2012, 08:16 PM

Long story short, I had a 12g double trigger black and nickel Stoeger Coach Gun years back for fun shooting that my wife loved. Bought it used and in great condition and a great price at the Cabela's store in ME. I sold it away and we replaced it this past year with a single trigger 12g Double Defense, new, that we got a ridiculously good deal on at the Cabela's in Allen, TX. I'm using it for range fun and as a back-up/more firepower HD gun. Those short barrels are very maneuverable in tight confines and the Picatinny rail is great for hanging a light on.

I've never had problems with any of my Stoegers (and I've had a couple Coach Guns and Uplanders) and feel they are a great buy so don't want to argue that here.

That said, I've got a five round elastic sleeve on the buttstock for reloads but am wondering about:

a) rigging some sort of sidesaddle to the under barrel rail to use with the primers facing left for quick reloads, and

b) barring that the legality of putting a foregrip on that rail.

I prefer to shoot the shotgun dry (right handed) and then use the barrel release/locking lever with my right thumb. I then jog the gun to the rear, tossing the shells out for a reload. With my left hand applying the downward pressure to lever the barrels down, shells on the rail would be near at hand. I could slide them in between my knuckles and flick it closed in a pinch.

oneounceload · April 5, 2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

rigging some sort of sidesaddle to the under barrel rail to use with the primers facing left for quick reloads

You would have to make sure the forearm can clear them as you open the gun. It wold also seem to be placing a LOT of extra weight on the forearm, making moving the gun a little more difficult to do in a smooth manner

By "jog the gun to the rear" if you are meaning "snapping" it similar to the way someone might do with a revolver cylinder - do not do that - it put WAY too much wear on the hinge pin and will shorten the useful life of the gun very quickly - replacing a hinge pin, especially on an inexpensive gun like that would cost more than the gun is worth

Sgt.Fathead · April 5, 2012, 10:13 PM

By "jogging" I mean holding the broken open shotgun firmly in hand, right (in my case) on the pistol grip curve of the stock, left embracing the fore-end, and tossing it to the rear. The empty hulls, if the gun is given a sharp rearward movement then arrested, pop right out. This is an expeditious way to remove the spent shells prior to reloading. The Stoeger Coach and Double Defense are not auto ejectors. It saves a step.

I think you're referring to what I would call

Quote:

flick it closed in a pinch

I am against the abuse of machinery and especially the more dangerous varieties thereof but when push comes to shove, one can close this brand of coach gun this way. I have never closed any revolver this way and feel that such an action would save no time or effort. Not so the coach gun and from experience with my well worn earlier Stoeger, I can say that this company makes an arm that can take quite a bit of punishment. Will it harm the machine in the long run? Almost certainly. If it saves a second and thereby my life would I do it? Absolutely.

As to the fore-end rail having no room, please see this illustration of the model.

http://www.stoegerindustries.com/fir...e-by-sides.php

Bottom right you'll see that the fore end is plenty long and so the addition of a saddle would not bind the action. As to weight, I'm not carrying it great distances and surely not firing it or wielding it unsupported. These are near theoretical questions at this point anyway.

I do appreciate your input and thank you for it.

oneounceload · April 6, 2012, 12:38 PM

Gotcha now - you already have the gun broken open....

Have seen those pics before with the rail - again i would wonder what that extra extra weight, right at the end, would have on swing effects. Can always try it to find out. Personally, I use my SxS for birds and I prefer a little even balance between my hands - it makes the gun move quickly to the target

Dave McC · April 6, 2012, 03:46 PM

One of the biggest advantages Coach Guns and Luparas have as defensive tools is the marvelous,between the hands, balance. This allows and aids rapid deployment, whether the target is partridge or perp.

Adding all that weight up front,IMO, is counter productive. Leave the gun alone, learn some loading techniques and practice them.

Youtubes of CAS shooters can give you an idea of what one can do....

Shotgun693 · April 7, 2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

With my left hand applying the downward pressure to lever the barrels down

Either a light action job or just leaving the gun broken open when not being used will correct the stiff action. I used to leave mine broken open setting over a saddle to get the action to stay open. The springs, when new, are just real stiff.
BTW, put a slotted jag on your drill with a large cloth patch in the slot. Put some fine grinding compound on the patch and with the drill running run the jag in and out of your guns chambers. This will polish the chambers and greatly help with popping the empty shells out. Also, Remington Shot Shells are slicker and pop out much easier than other brands.

Quote:

By "jogging" I mean holding the broken open shotgun firmly in hand, right (in my case) on the pistol grip curve of the stock, left embracing the fore-end, and tossing it to the rear.

This is the way 90% of the Cowboy Action Shooters clear their double guns.

Sgt.Fathead · April 7, 2012, 10:35 PM

Always a wealth of sound advice here on TFL and I thank you both for the input. Hadn't considered polishing the chambers! That's an idea with some merit!

With the Coach being so short versus the longer barrels of an Uplander style SxS, I'm less swinging it and more muscling it. I'm a former Marine and an 0331 at that so with a shorter, or heavier as the case may be, long arm, I tend to utilize it as I would a carbine length rifle or SMG. This, or my lousy eyesight, or my lack of practice, or no training, might explain why I am a lousy wingshot until I get warmed up.

Again, thanks much!

olddrum1 · April 9, 2012, 11:47 PM

"If it saves a second and thereby my life would I do it?"

If your using this for HD, and worried about the speed of reloading, then why use a SxS instead of a 9 shot auto?

Sgt.Fathead · April 10, 2012, 09:33 PM

As I stated in the original post, the Double Defense is the backup for our handguns w/r/t home defense. We don't use either the Mossberg 590 9-shot or the Mossy 500 because they are too long to maneuver in the tight confines of the house.

Shotgun693 · April 11, 2012, 06:07 PM

If two 12 ga shells don't solve your home defense problem then you likely needed a hand grenade.

Creek Henry · April 14, 2012, 04:00 PM

Uncle Mikes makes a decent buttstock holder. Also, Sportsmanguide had a velcro-elastic loop holder you could attach anywhere.

I don't recall seeing a siderail attachment as you describe but images.google.com is your friend for searching for these things. Good luck.

April 5, 2012, 08:16 PM	#1
Sgt.Fathead Junior member Join Date: March 3, 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,637	Stoeger Double Defense extra rounds on gun Long story short, I had a 12g double trigger black and nickel Stoeger Coach Gun years back for fun shooting that my wife loved. Bought it used and in great condition and a great price at the Cabela's store in ME. I sold it away and we replaced it this past year with a single trigger 12g Double Defense, new, that we got a ridiculously good deal on at the Cabela's in Allen, TX. I'm using it for range fun and as a back-up/more firepower HD gun. Those short barrels are very maneuverable in tight confines and the Picatinny rail is great for hanging a light on. I've never had problems with any of my Stoegers (and I've had a couple Coach Guns and Uplanders) and feel they are a great buy so don't want to argue that here. That said, I've got a five round elastic sleeve on the buttstock for reloads but am wondering about: a) rigging some sort of sidesaddle to the under barrel rail to use with the primers facing left for quick reloads, and b) barring that the legality of putting a foregrip on that rail. I prefer to shoot the shotgun dry (right handed) and then use the barrel release/locking lever with my right thumb. I then jog the gun to the rear, tossing the shells out for a reload. With my left hand applying the downward pressure to lever the barrels down, shells on the rail would be near at hand. I could slide them in between my knuckles and flick it closed in a pinch.

April 6, 2012, 12:38 PM	#4
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Gotcha now - you already have the gun broken open.... Have seen those pics before with the rail - again i would wonder what that extra extra weight, right at the end, would have on swing effects. Can always try it to find out. Personally, I use my SxS for birds and I prefer a little even balance between my hands - it makes the gun move quickly to the target

April 6, 2012, 03:46 PM	#5
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	One of the biggest advantages Coach Guns and Luparas have as defensive tools is the marvelous,between the hands, balance. This allows and aids rapid deployment, whether the target is partridge or perp. Adding all that weight up front,IMO, is counter productive. Leave the gun alone, learn some loading techniques and practice them. Youtubes of CAS shooters can give you an idea of what one can do....

April 7, 2012, 10:35 PM	#7
Sgt.Fathead Junior member Join Date: March 3, 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,637	Always a wealth of sound advice here on TFL and I thank you both for the input. Hadn't considered polishing the chambers! That's an idea with some merit! With the Coach being so short versus the longer barrels of an Uplander style SxS, I'm less swinging it and more muscling it. I'm a former Marine and an 0331 at that so with a shorter, or heavier as the case may be, long arm, I tend to utilize it as I would a carbine length rifle or SMG. This, or my lousy eyesight, or my lack of practice, or no training, might explain why I am a lousy wingshot until I get warmed up. Again, thanks much!

April 9, 2012, 11:47 PM	#8
olddrum1 Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 807	"If it saves a second and thereby my life would I do it?" If your using this for HD, and worried about the speed of reloading, then why use a SxS instead of a 9 shot auto?

April 10, 2012, 09:33 PM	#9
Sgt.Fathead Junior member Join Date: March 3, 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,637	As I stated in the original post, the Double Defense is the backup for our handguns w/r/t home defense. We don't use either the Mossberg 590 9-shot or the Mossy 500 because they are too long to maneuver in the tight confines of the house.

April 11, 2012, 06:07 PM	#10
Shotgun693 Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2011 Location: Poteet, Texas Posts: 959	If two 12 ga shells don't solve your home defense problem then you likely needed a hand grenade.

April 14, 2012, 04:00 PM	#11
Creek Henry Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 514	Uncle Mikes makes a decent buttstock holder. Also, Sportsmanguide had a velcro-elastic loop holder you could attach anywhere. I don't recall seeing a siderail attachment as you describe but images.google.com is your friend for searching for these things. Good luck.