Henry Rifle Forums

When HRA announced the single shot shotguns last yeah I thought they were really cool. Only downside is they have just one shot!! I thought for sure the next step would be to announce a side by side coach style shotgun like the Stoeger models. After a year of waiting we still have only the single shots. Come on Henry.... let's get two barrels and two triggers on your shotguns!

Speaking of shotguns, I can't find a single shot in the wild yet. I may give in and pick up a 20 gauge single shot for the fun of it. None available yet!

Speaking of 20 gauge single shots,there's an Iver Johnson Champion 20 gauge single shot at a local gunshop. Hidden in a corner with my name on it! Just have to find a way to sneak it into the house!

I have an exposed hammer coach gun I finally added to my collection. This one was made sometime in the late 1800s...
A Husqvarna. Yup, same company that makes chainsaws these days. They were gunmakers back in the day, and even made highly engraved inlaid presentation pieces. Mine can still be fired, although I hang it in the wall over my desk in the home office.

I have the Stoeger Coach shotgun. Of the three shot guns, this is my favorite. My son took it to the range. After a little intro, I told him that it was best not to shoot both barrels at the same time until he was comfortable with the firing one at a time. As a true 30 something of age, the temptation was too great and then... You guested it. Took him a few days, but he was asking again to go to the range with the Stoeger. I would be interested in a Henry Coach gun also.

if they were to announce a 12 ga Henry, external hammer, Coach Gun would be one I'd instantly place an order for

North Star wrote:I have the Stoeger Coach shotgun. Of the three shot guns, this is my favorite. My son took it to the range. After a little intro, I told him that it was best not to shoot both barrels at the same time until he was comfortable with the firing one at a time. As a true 30 something of age, the temptation was too great and then... You guested it. Took him a few days, but he was asking again to go to the range with the Stoeger. I would be interested in a Henry Coach gun also.

I received a stoeger coach from the wife as a get well from the wife after one of the surgeries. She got the top grade with the nicer stock and two tone receiver and barrels. I like it a lot. I would be in line for a Henry Coach, especially if it was hammered, with cch finished receiver.

I am almost surprise Henry doesn't have one, but you know what guys?

One thread we criticize Henry for not making some model we want, and the next thread we're criticizing them for over extending themselves

For a decent, low-cost double I bought a Baikal (Russian) 12 gauge. The hammer springs were so heavy the barrels couldn't drop fully open and had to be held down (open) for loading.
After a little online searching I got a couple of 1911 long slide recoil springs and put them in. I found out the passageways they operate in were too rough (thus the heavy OEM springs) and needed a few hours of polishing.
Now it has the action of a nice Browning at the price point of a Rooskie double! I think I gave $330 for it in 2003 or so.
The gun has nice wood, beautiful bluing and the barrels are regulated perfectly. A fine shooter at a bargain price.
Henry would have a hard time meeting the price point of the Rooskie guns. But, with their following they could still sell a bunch, especially if they have functional external hammers. Cowboy action guys would buy em, I bet.

JEBar wrote:if they were to announce a 12 ga Henry, external hammer, Coach Gun would be one I'd instantly place an order for

I feel the same way but I'd prefer 20 gauge.

At some point they will make it, I have faith!

What does one do with a coach gun?

Stroke it, shoot it.
In the old days, their short length made them perfect for protecting stagecoaches, hence, "coach guns."
Today, they are a good pickup gun, a good gun to carry in the utv, or slung over the shoulder.
Mostly they are fun.

Jdl447 wrote:What does one do with a coach gun?

Shoot thrown claybirds, tincans with a few rocks in them, or maybe do a little cottontail hunting.
Mine has changable chokes, I have the right barrel cylinder bore, the left modified.
Really they're just fun to shoot. I go through a lot of low brass birdshot shells without ever harming a fly.
We killed a bunch of water jugs, rotting melons and crabapples but not much else.
There's a basic appeal to the old doubles, much like the lever action rifles have.
pop pop...... pop pop..

Here are pics of the Coach Guns in my Collection:
First the Husqvarna... it doesn't look bad for a gun made in the late 1800s. Close up of the action Then my Stoeger

JCN wrote:

JEBar wrote:if they were to announce a 12 ga Henry, external hammer, Coach Gun would be one I'd instantly place an order for

I feel the same way but I'd prefer 20 gauge.

At some point they will make it, I have faith!

I'd almost certainly would order a 20 as well

Jdl447 wrote:What does one do with a coach gun?

You can't really hunt with them, unless you have a modern version with interchangeable choke tubes, a pump shotgun is more up to the task for an all around hunting/self defense gun.

I used to use one for shooting CAS, but switched to the Winchester 97.

For the most part, it's for the "cool factor" of having something with two big 'ol menacing holes... in my opinion, a great qualification for a "house gun" along with their maneuverability. Yeah.. only two shots, but I can tell you from my experience in CAS, you can repeatedly reload and get aditional shots off surprisingly fast.

Getting a coach gun falls into the same category as lever actions... tradition, fun, just because, and why not?

I have a couple of Stevens 235 hammer shotguns, and it's been a back burner project to cut the barrels on one down to coach gun length, and then fit them to the other gun, to have a two barrel set (long and short) for one, and then have the other one just for parts, since it's in worse shape cosmetically.

The Stevens 235 is unique for a hammer gun, as it was made in the early 1900's for smokeless powder, solid steel, not Damascus barrels.

I see. I actually have 12 ga SxS,a Stevens with 28" barrels mod.and full ,I think I paid $180.00 for it brand new back in the 80's. I'll just call it my coach gun

BrokenolMarine wrote:Here are pics of the Coach Guns in my Collection:
First the Husqvarna... it doesn't look bad for a gun made in the late 1800s.

Is that the same company that makes the chainsaw?

Jdl447 wrote:What does one do with a coach gun?

Yeah, and therein lies the question. As I've stated, I'm not one to collect things or have things hanging around.

Other than just being really neat, it's kind of hard to answer that

I like the comparison to a lever rifle. Not the most modern version but certainly a lot of fun.

Henry88 wrote:

BrokenolMarine wrote:Here are pics of the Coach Guns in my Collection:
First the Husqvarna... it doesn't look bad for a gun made in the late 1800s.

Is that the same company that makes the chainsaw?

As I noted in my original post... ... yup. These are those same folks. Way before they started making chainsaws, they were known for quality firearms. Some were engraved presentation grade hunting pieces. Others were everyday working pieces.