I think I'm going to buy one of these and was going to get the 12ga version. Then I heard the 12 ga has a stout recoil and that I should consider the 20ga. I don't have a problem with 12ga 870/500/1300's, but I can see where the little coach gun might have more recoil. I would prefer the 12ga because it is more popular (ammo availibility), but don't want to get beat up every time I shoot the gun. Any insight?
Stoeger "Coach" Gun
- Thread starter TN-popo
- Start date
I bought a Rossi coach gun w/ 20" barrels in 12 gauge in the mid-eighties. Recoil with 2 3/4 field loads was not uncomfortable, but the 3" magnums got your attention when fired. Wish I hadn't sold it, was a great rabbit getter and very manuverable in a vehicle. I still look for another one in excellent condition at the shows, trouble is the cowboy action shooters have gobbled most of them up. It'll have to be another 12 too. With all the different 12 gauge shells available I'm sure you'll find something to accomodate your shoulder recoil wise.
If you prefer the 12ga over the 20, then get the 12ga! The recoil won't be as bad as you think. I've shotten one of those coach guns before (12ga) that was turned into a pistol 
with a 13 inch barrel & pistol grip, and the recoil didn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would. Hope this helps.
with a 13 inch barrel & pistol grip, and the recoil didn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would. Hope this helps.
J
Jeff, CA
Guest
The stock is awfully long, it has a plastic butt plate, it's muzzle-light, and it has a short overall length - all of those increase perceived recoil. However, if you have a gunsmith lop about an inch and a half off the stock and put a decent pad on it, it's not bad at all. It's not the strongest action there ever was, so you probably won't want to feed it a steady diet of heavy loads, so that takes care of part of the problem, too.
Billy Sparks
New member
I have one of those Stoeger "Coach" Guns in 12 Ga. I used
light target loads and was surprised at how little it did recoil.
I would want to fire magnum rounds through it though.
light target loads and was surprised at how little it did recoil.
I would want to fire magnum rounds through it though.
I bought a Stoeger a couple years ago because I couldn't find a Rossi. Light loads are fine even even for someone like myself w/little tolerance for recoil. 00 buck, magnums and slugs are outright brutal. If mine were a 20 ga, I'd hang on to it, but since it isn't, it's going on the block in the near future.(I finally got my Rossi) I think the 20 ga Stogerr's look better. When I look at the back end of mine, it has kinda of a "60's Oldsmobile" look to it. The 20 ga has a slimmer back end.
FWIW, my Rossi has a lot less percieved recoil than my Stoeger. Stock fit and drop have a lot to do with it I'm sure.
FWIW, my Rossi has a lot less percieved recoil than my Stoeger. Stock fit and drop have a lot to do with it I'm sure.
A coupla opinions....
In any 12 ga shotgun weighing less than 7 lbs, I'd stick to loads of no more than 1 1/4 oz, and preferably less, due to recoil.
Frankenstein's a little bit more than 7 lbs, and most turkey loads feel like"Being in a car wreck" to quote Bob Brister. The stock fits(tho short), good pad, my form is good and I'm not sensitive to kick. Nevertheless, I know when the shot goes off. A heavy diet of those loads and I'd reach for a 9 lb trapgun or "Serious" Shotgun.
The Brits wrote the Rule of 96, which states that a shotgun is best weighing 96 times what the load does.Much heavier, too much weight, much lighter, heavy kick.So,a 1 oz load should be in a shotgun weighing 6 lbs. That's ASSUMING good fit, which the Brits wrote the book on.
Heavier loads almost always require heavier shotguns for shooter comfort. Unfortunately here in the US, most folks pick a 12 ga for its versatility, forgetting that specialized shotguns will do better at specialized jobs. Waterfowl, turkey, and slug/buck loads pretty much demand
an 8 lb shotgun, up.
Upland guns are best at under 7 lbs,IMO.
I could make a good case for building an upland load of 1 1/8 oz, using a trap load recipe and substituting only different sized shot,say 6,7 1/2 and 8s. 8s for quail,woodcock and waterhole doves, 7 1/2s for quail,doves and even preserve pheasants as a first up load, backed by 6s, and so on. And I might go with hard 7 1/2 shot but soft 8s, just to adjust the pattern a mite.
As for this Stoeger, I see it as a fun gun to carry a lot and shoot some. Maybe it's not a Sporting Clays shooter or a trap gun, but a fun little takealong gun that's sudden death on small bird, small shot, close in situations. I'd have fun setting it up with the balance centered between the hands and playing with that stock fit until it fit my vastly different from average body.I'd use generic trap loads for most of my shooting,pack some 8s for quail, and a few hard 6s for ringnecks,etc.
And it probably wouldn't have a choke tighter than Modified.
In any 12 ga shotgun weighing less than 7 lbs, I'd stick to loads of no more than 1 1/4 oz, and preferably less, due to recoil.
Frankenstein's a little bit more than 7 lbs, and most turkey loads feel like"Being in a car wreck" to quote Bob Brister. The stock fits(tho short), good pad, my form is good and I'm not sensitive to kick. Nevertheless, I know when the shot goes off. A heavy diet of those loads and I'd reach for a 9 lb trapgun or "Serious" Shotgun.
The Brits wrote the Rule of 96, which states that a shotgun is best weighing 96 times what the load does.Much heavier, too much weight, much lighter, heavy kick.So,a 1 oz load should be in a shotgun weighing 6 lbs. That's ASSUMING good fit, which the Brits wrote the book on.
Heavier loads almost always require heavier shotguns for shooter comfort. Unfortunately here in the US, most folks pick a 12 ga for its versatility, forgetting that specialized shotguns will do better at specialized jobs. Waterfowl, turkey, and slug/buck loads pretty much demand
an 8 lb shotgun, up.
Upland guns are best at under 7 lbs,IMO.
I could make a good case for building an upland load of 1 1/8 oz, using a trap load recipe and substituting only different sized shot,say 6,7 1/2 and 8s. 8s for quail,woodcock and waterhole doves, 7 1/2s for quail,doves and even preserve pheasants as a first up load, backed by 6s, and so on. And I might go with hard 7 1/2 shot but soft 8s, just to adjust the pattern a mite.
As for this Stoeger, I see it as a fun gun to carry a lot and shoot some. Maybe it's not a Sporting Clays shooter or a trap gun, but a fun little takealong gun that's sudden death on small bird, small shot, close in situations. I'd have fun setting it up with the balance centered between the hands and playing with that stock fit until it fit my vastly different from average body.I'd use generic trap loads for most of my shooting,pack some 8s for quail, and a few hard 6s for ringnecks,etc.
And it probably wouldn't have a choke tighter than Modified.
rugerfreak
New member
I had one before and the recoil wasn't all that bad. Just be carefull where the barrels are pointing-----The gun is so short and small I caught myself with the barrels pointing at my chin and legs in fairly thick woods. Be carefull with it.