OT - Stoeger Coach Gun woes

[perry owens]

When I lived in New York in 2008 I bought a Stoeger Supreme coach gun as I knew they were not available in the UK. When I got back to England I sent all the guns I had acquired in the US to the London Proof House. At that time the Stoeger had never been fired but it failed proof because it was "off face". I sent it to a gunsmith experienced in side-by-sides. He worked on it and submitted it for proof three times and it failed each time. In his opinion it will never pass UK proof because of the poor design of the locking mechanism, which opens up with a proof load. So I have spent $400 on smiths and proof fees plus the cost of the gun to wind up with an expensive fence post. Once I get my gunsmith's detailed report Stoeger will be hearing from me.
Perry Owens

[gamekeeper]

Sorry to hear about your coach gun, I saw a used one in .410 advertised over here and thought about going for it, I'm glad I didn't now.
I hope Stoeger make good your loss.

[C. Cash]

Hope they make it right as well! That is a shame and hopefully a anomaly.

[Griff]

I saw my 1st major issue with a Stoger just a couple of weeks ago. Someone had bought a Supreme Coach Gun, the one with a stainless receiver and blued barrels. The frame had cracked right at the bottom of the breech face, pretty badly. Stoeger refused to honor the warranty because the safety had been reversed and the chamber mouths champhered, both fairly standard cowboy mods.

Since it was now just a parts gun, I bought the barrels and the 'smith said he could fit them to my "Uplander', so I'll have interchangeable 20" & 26" barrels. Might see about the wood also, as it's MUCH nicer than mine!

Good luck, Perry; hope they make it right.

[Pete44ru]

Mayhaps, if Stoeger doesn't stand behind it, you can part it out to at least recoup some of your loss.

These sort of experiences serve only to strengthen my resolve to stay away from most imports.

.

[Rusty]

Just a fee days ago I was thinking a double 20 ga might be nice to have. Not I know what to stay away from. Thanks for the Post Perry, sorry for your loss.
Any chance you could sell it to someone in the states since it was never offically accepted over there?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I'm not surprised. It has been report on the SASS wire many time that the Stoeger tends to come open when fired even with CAS loads. Some attribute it to reduced latch spring but I feel the spring should not be the solution. The Stoeger lockup design is poor. The locking bolt to lug angle is too sever. It tends to squirt the locking bolt out like a watermellon seed.

For an entry level priced CAS SXS, now days I steer my customers toward the Russian made Baikal. For years they were imported by EAA of Florida, then Remington as their Spartan Gunworks line. Now, they are under the USSG banner which is a sub of EAA. EAA is still doing the service and parts for these guns. From a gunsmiths point of view parts is important. The Stoegers have had a history of poor support since Benelli bought them out.

[perry owens]

Any chance you could sell it to someone in the states since it was never offically accepted over there?

I wouldn't feel comfortable selling it to someone who might drop a 3in nitro shell in and have it open on him.
It is still legal to use an unproved gun, just not to sell or give it away. I might use it for CAS with black powder loads and carefully monitor the gap.
Perry Owens

[horsesoldier03]

Hope things work out for you. My daughter has the .410 Coachgun, so far no issues. I was looking at a 12 ga Stoeger SxS for me but now I think I will pass. As far as the warranty goes, the gun is only warrantied for 1 year after purchase, at least that is what my paper work says.

[madman4570]

Sorry Perry about that Coach gun.
Only Stoeger I have is a 1990 Uplander 12ga
All I can say is it has been very tough.(Sometimes I shoot both barrels the same time with 3" shells.
Never ever opened up on me.
Good luck,don't give up cause they should make it right.(they don't need the bad press)
And I was wanting to get the Outback.

[Old Ironsights]

Any chance you could sell it to someone in the states since it was never offically accepted over there?

I wouldn't feel comfortable selling it to someone who might drop a 3in nitro shell in and have it open on him.
It is still legal to use an unproved gun, just not to sell or give it away. I might use it for CAS with black powder loads and carefully monitor the gap.
Perry Owens

Easy solution: Tack in some sub-gauge liners. Make it a permanent retrofit/gauge change. The pressure curve will drop to nothing and it will prevent inserting "3" Nitro loads..."

(I shoot an old 16ga Damascus hammer double with .410 inserts...)

[Chuck 100 yd]

My 12ga. Stoger Coach gun seems to be just fine so far. I have only used it for CAS for a year though. I have no plans to make any modifications to it or to ever shoot heavy loads in it.

[Old No7]

"I might use it for CAS with black powder loads and carefully monitor the gap."

Well then... "Mind the Gap", as they say over there.

Sorry, couldn't resist that, but I'm sorry to hear you had to put so much $$$ into it to get it proofed and checked -- only to have it fail all those times.

And I have to say, for what it's worth, that I admire your dedication to the gun and your attempts to do the right thing.

Old No7