Stoeger Double Defense

[VolGrad]

I was doing some surfing online and found this. I want one. Anyone ever handle one of these?

http://www.stoegerindustries.com/fir...le_defense.php

Go ahead, make fun. Start the parade of posts stating how much better a pistol, an 870, or an AR would be for HD. I have all those (well, not 870 but close enough).

The Double Defense is all of the following;

• simple
• short overall length
• ported bbl
• hi viz front sight
• tac rail underneath for light/laser

It's probably lame but I just think it's cool.

Talk me into or out of it. GO.

[Sparks2112]

The 20 gauge would be great for females / adolescents. Seems like a good option. Pump guns aren't as bullet proof as people think, especially of you're a non shooter.

[VolGrad]

I am proficient with a handgun. I am decent with a carbine. I am NOT comfortable running a pump shotgun at this time ... even though I have one. I have never really tried too hard or spent any time on one given my preference for a handgun or AR.

This Double Defense is kind of just a "wouldn't that be a cool thing to have" thing.

[peterb]

The automatic safety might be an issue. It automatically engages when you open the gun.

The best source of information about the Stoeger coach guns would be the cowboy action shooting community. Several gunsmiths offer packages to make them better competition guns -- don't know if those changes would also make sense for defensive use.

[VolGrad]

The automatic safety might be an issue. It automatically engages when you open the gun.

The best source of information about the Stoeger coach guns would be the cowboy action shooting community. Several gunsmiths offer packages to make them better competition guns -- don't know if those changes would also make sense for defensive use.

I saw that about the safety. I think it engages when you close it. Either way ... I agree it might not be ideal.

Good suggestion on cowboy action shooting guys ....

[JeffJ]

I've had a stoeger ou for a while now, I really like it for a field gun. It does the same auto engage on the safety thing, it doesn't bother me as that for long guns I consider disengaging the safety as part of mounting the gun.

For $450ish, I think you could find a second hand auto loader which would probably be a better choice - although if you need to ride shotgun on a horse drawn swat call out...

[jetfire]

I actually had a Double Defense for a while, in 12 gauge. It was actually...you know what, it was awesome as hell and I wish I'd never sold it. I put an aimpoint on mine, and it was about as dirt-simple an HD gun as you can get.

[VolGrad]

I actually had a Double Defense for a while, in 12 gauge. It was actually...you know what, it was awesome as hell and I wish I'd never sold it. I put an aimpoint on mine, and it was about as dirt-simple an HD gun as you can get.

You are THE man. I'm glad you saw this and posted. It is definitely on my want list. I'll be calling some of my usual outlets as time permits to see if I can rustle up a good deal on one.

Keep the feedback coming though guys.

[Ed L]

There is nothing wrong with wanting something because you want it. The big question is, why do you want it because it is interesting and fun or as a home defense shotgun?

I have a short double coachgun myself. There is something cool about them. But it is not a first line or even 4th line home defense gun.

But for the price of this shotgun, you could easily buy a quality pump shotgun that doesn't need to be reloaded after two shots.

If someone wants to spend the money on a red dot or light to put on a doubel barreled railed shotgun for home defense, I think they are better off first spending the money on a shotgun that can be fired more than two times before it has to be reloaded.

Here is an obligatory photo of a mix in my house of old and new shotguns and rifles. And before anyone gets upset, the 30-40 Krag in the photo was bought at a gunshow this way, I didn't butcher it.

[BWT]

Capacity and complexity of reloading are pretty much the immediate issues.

That being said, if you like it... Buy it. I'm sure you've got other guns, but considering you can get a 9-shot Pump for probably around what this goes for, or a semi-auto for more... I just wouldn't go for this unless you had to.

That being said, I'll probably own a coach gun one day, why? Because they're cool.

There are guns I own for enjoyment and there are guns I own to serve a purpose.

I would not lump this in a gun to serve a purpose group.

ETA: I mean it gets back to this... for around the same size/weight you can haul a gun with 4 times the capacity, not just that, but in a shotgun. Remember the last time you thought how much easier it was to re-load and load a shotgun compared to every other firearm made? Because that's never happened for me. Just my experience, but at this point I will re-emphasize, I think coach guns are great, I plan to buy one (eventually) I just would not want to throw a red dot on one and light and go investigating suspicious sounds late at night in a dark house with it as my source of protection.