10 gauge coach gun

A local gun smith and mad scientist some decades ago took an old Greener 10 gauge and lopped off the barrels to around 18". Some brass cases got loaded with FFG and .375" pistol balls. I got to try a few shots.

Recoil was doable, but not what I'd want to take say,100 rounds of. We also shot a 375 H&H and there was little difference. Effect at target, well, I termed the thing a double barreled Claymore.

I really do not see much of a market for a 10 gauge coach gun, but it could be a lot of fun.....
 
"Cowboy" shooters, in general, don't want anything stronger than a 12ga loaded with just enough powder to expell a light load of birdshot. Why?

"I can't shoot as fast with guns that recoil!" - Wimpy C. McScraggs (average cowboy competitor).
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My club is quite proud of it's regular "all shotgun" stage where shooters fire off 10 rounds as fast as they can run-n-gun. I have a buddy who shoots an 18" 10 guage SxS, and reloads his own shells with black powder.

We've learned to make his shoot last, otherwise the cloud of white smoke from his coach gun obscures the targets for the next shooter.
 
I like the Double Barrel Claymore saying! When you say there's no much market for a 10 gauge, that's fine, but there's plenty of gun's out there that there is not much market for, like my J.Stevens .22 Long from 1886 and my .32 rimfire J. Stevens from even earlier. But I still love the hell out of shootin them! :)
 
Backwoods

Seems like I read an article in "Backwoods" magazine that was very positive on 10 ga muzzleloading doubles. Each bbl held a substantial quantity of 00buck and the results were impressive. The test gun also shot round balls to point of aim well.

Regards the OP, I'm thinking a true 10 ga double would be a very much larger, heavier gun than a 12 double, and help w/ recoil a good bit.

The problem with 12ga 3.5 is you get 10 gauge recoil in guns w/ 12 gauge frames, which means WOW. Anybody that shot a 3.5 in an aluminum framed pump like the mossberg knows what I'm talking about.


I wonder just how formidable, and successful, the stage coach guards were with 10 ga coach guns? Seems like a cloud of buckshot would be a strong deterrent in the classic Hollywood fleeing stage coach scene. Easier to hit with on the move too.
 
bama, their 10s were chambered for a 2 7/8" case and 1 1/4 oz of shot. Lots of times, the bullet molds sold with Colt revolvers and others were called into play. The molds for the .31 pocket pistols threw balls between 0 and 1 buck and were often used to make shot loads for the 10.

IMO, a 10 gauge coach gun would be as much fun as a new litter of bird dog pups. But, I see little market for same.
 
Hmmmmm!

Lets see, 1-1/4 ounces of .31 cal lead balls sounds like a 9-10 pellet load to me. Not the swarm I had envisioned, but still formidable.

Seems like the 10 ga. muzzleloader article was running 12-15 pellets of .32 cal (.315 dia) muzzloader balls and it was devastating up close and impressive to 50 yds.
 
Effect would be similar to a 12 gauge load of 00 plus a skosh, bama.

I have to admit this is starting to feel like a project,if and when I can find one of those Spanish SxS 10s they imported in the 60s and 70s. Cut the barrels to about 25",add a good pad and load up some brass cases.
 
10 gauge M/L SXS

I just picked up a big 10 gauge and it looks like a style I have seen before but can't think of the name. It said "Whitney Type" on the ad where I bought it off Gunbroker but here it is and it appears sound enough to shoot. I am going to give it a test with it strapped down and the butt inside of an old tire. Sure seems like it will be a fun gun to shoot.
 

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Welcome, Newtire. Looks like a nice old M/L shotgun, but please have a decent smith look it over before firing. It's well over a century old and may be tired.

Also, check to see it it's still loaded, many are.
 
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