Coach gun
| Coach gun | |
|---|---|
| Type | Shotgun |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Various law enforcement agencies
Bead |
A coach gun is a modern term, coined by gun collectors, for a
Origins
The terms "cut-down shotgun" or "messenger's gun" were coined in the 1860s when Wells Fargo & Co. assigned shotgun messengers to guard its shipments on stagecoaches in California. The company issued shotguns to its guards for defense.[2] The guard was called a shotgun messenger although the phrase riding shotgun was not coined until 1919.[3] Shotgun messengers guarded express shipments, not stagecoaches.
There was no single manufacturer for the traditional messenger's gun, as it was a generic term describing a class of shotguns offered in a variety of barrel lengths from 18 to 24 inches (460 to 610 mm) (versus 28 to 36 inches (710 to 910 mm) for bird hunting guns), either by the factory or from owners and gunsmiths cutting down the barrels.[4]
Early manufacturers
These shotguns featured external hammers and were manufactured primarily by Remington Arms, Ithaca, Colt's Manufacturing Company, Parker, L.C. Smith, and several Belgian makers. Contrary to myth, Wells Fargo shotguns were not purchased by local agents; prior to 1900 they were purchased from San Francisco gun dealers because Wells Fargo's headquarters were located in San Francisco. From 1908 to 1918 all Wells Fargo shotguns were made by Ithaca.[4][5]
Use in the Old West
According to one account,
Modern makers
Modern coach guns are manufactured by ER Amantino (sold as
Current usage
Modern coach guns are commonly encountered in
Coach guns are similar to
Legacy
It is because of this gun and its usage that the term "riding shotgun" came to be. Typically, a cut-down shotgun would be carried by the messenger sitting next to the stagecoach driver, ready to use the gun to ward off bandits. Today, in American and Canadian English, the term "riding shotgun" refers to the person sitting in the front passenger seat of an automobile.
See also
References
- ^ Revival of the coach gun. Popular Mechanics. (2022, March 12). Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gear/reviews/a206/1277346/
- ^ a b Jones, Spencer (2004-06-01). "Revival Of The Coach Gun". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ^ Martin, Gary. "Riding shotgun". Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7858-1892-2.
- ^ a b c Gardner, Jim (2003-01-01). "Just like grandpas EAA hammer double: a darn good traditional hammer-gun fit for all manner of uses". Guns Magazine. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ISBN 0806127619.
- ^ Douglas Linder (2005). "Testimony of Virgil Earp in the Preliminary Hearing in the Earp Case". Famous Trials: The O. K. Corral Trial. Archived from the original on 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
- ^ Douglas Linder (November 30, 1881). "Decision of Judge Wells Spicer after the Preliminary Hearing in the Earp-Holliday Case". Famous Trials: The O. K. Corral Trial. Archived from the original on 2005-12-11. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
- ^ Shillingberg, William B. (Summer 1976). "Wyatt Earp and the Buntline Special Myth". Kansas Historical Quarterly. 42 (2): 113–154. Archived from the original on 2012-02-01.
- ISBN 1-57157-215-5.
- ^ Jones, Spencer (2004-06-01). "Revival Of The Coach Gun". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ^ Taffin, John (2001-01-01). "Long Guns Of Cowboy Action Shooting". Guns Magazine Annual. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
- ^ Kohn, Abigail (2001-05-01). "Their aim is true: Taking stock of America's gun culture". Reason Foundation. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
Further reading
- ISBN 978-0806142852.