Anyone else having issues with buckshot in a Stoeger Coach Gun?

[Dapper Dave]

Yes, we buy these toys for use in SASS, and they get a steady diet of #8 which they obviously love, but I wanted to see what happened with buckshot.

 

Bright target is right barrel, sighting down the side of the rib. Darker target is left barrel, sighting down the bead/rib. Yes, I know I know nothing about aiming a shot gun, but my buddy had already been talking to me about coming up there for some one on one as well as stock fitting. 
The gun refused top open all the way, thinking perhaps the ammo, being cheap, has jammed it? Yes, I was able to open, but only by disassembling the shotgun. Pictures of same shell, two views - doesn't LOOK swelled. Once the barrel was off, the shells poked out very easy, maybe the heavier recoil jammed up the extractor? I dunno, but it worked perfectly with birdshot. Range was 11 paces/10.5 yards.

The birdshot results - this should take down the poppers without a problem.

 

 

[Dr. Zook]

Observation only, but the last picture of the expended shell casing is the brass base bulged out ? The other casing looks like the brass is straight - other thing.i noticed is the shell in the (R) barrel (which would be the left barrel in normal position) pushed out of the chamber slightly more than the other?

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

FYI those are brass washed STEEL heads.  A lot of shotguns do not like cheap steel headed ammo.  Sometimes you have to break them over your knee to get them open.  It is a cheap $300 gun shooting cheap RIO shells.  About par for the course.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Stop shooting buck shot in it. Stick with cowboy loads.

[Dapper Dave]

That's why I asked, cheap gun, cheap ammo. I didn't know those are steel cases, THAT would explain a LOT. 

The pictures of the expended case is the same one, both "sides". I just realized that the rim is actually bent on one side - I saved the brass, so I will look at the four of them.

The dismounted barrel pic? After I took them off the reciever they moved quite freely. 

 

Edit to add, nope that's the only one that shows deformation in the case rim. 

 

Edited December 1, 2024 by Dapper Dave

[Dapper Dave]

7 minutes ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

Stop shooting buck shot in it. Stick with cowboy loads.

Why, I wanted to see what it would do. This is my only shotgun. But after this, I probably will only shoot cowboy loads. I thought maybe someone here might have used this gun in other roles. No worries, thank you for your time. 

[Dr. Zook]

23 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

FYI those are brass washed STEEL heads.  A lot of shotguns do not like cheap steel headed ammo.

 Learned something new today again, thank you.

What ammunition manufacturers should be avoided like the plague?

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

23 minutes ago, Dr. Zook said:

 Learned something new today again, thank you.

What ammunition manufacturers should be avoided like the plague?

The only ones I’ve used that are actually brass are Remington STS and Winchester AA. 

 

Randy

[John Kloehr]

I have some of that cheap RIO stuff. With all due credit for the low-recoil label, it is absolutely not low recoil. Well, it is compared to the heavy bear slugs I have for my Maverick 88, but RIO is not low recoil. I've been using mine up in sporting clays and will not repurchase.

 

Can not really say what to avoid, do suggest finding Winchester AA Low Noise Low Recoil (LNLR) shells. They are softer overall, shuck easily out of a SxS, are reloadable, and even fun to shoot. I have been finding them available again from reputable sources.

Edited December 1, 2024 by John Kloehr

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

If you want brass head covers that spring back down to normal size after firing, you want either Winchester AA or Remington STS or Nitro 27 target type loads.  GJ

Edited December 1, 2024 by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

[Cholla]

1200 fps is not low recoil. 1140 fps 1 oz loads are better. Reloading slower 3/4 oz loads is even better. 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

11 minutes ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

The only ones I’ve used that are actually brass are Remington STS and Winchester AA. 

 

Yep pretty much everyone has gone to or is going to the cheaper Reifenhauser style of shell construction.  STS and AA are about the only game in town for brass heads and even the "Premium" Winchester AA Diamond Grade have steel heads.  Federal use to make premium shells like the Gold Medal but they have also gone downhill.  Since Federal and Remingtom ammo are owned by the same company Federal is now bringing Remington STS hulls dyed plum to the Federal plant and loading them as the Federal HOA.  (High Over All.)

 

 

 

 

 

[Dapper Dave]

2 hours ago, Dr. Zook said:

 Learned something new today again, thank you.

What ammunition manufacturers should be avoided like the plague?

Well, at least I am good for one thing!

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

I can shuck brass head shells from my Baikal but not brass washed steel heads, they have to be plucked out but come out easily.

I have a good high grade Bernardelli Gamecock that's had less than a hundred rounds put through it in the past ... oh, better'n a half century, and less than that before I bought it ... but I have to break it open over my knee. 

Nice gun, definitely not cheap, but less than handy on the reload.

As far as running buck through your double gun ... because I have that trouble with my Bernardelli (hard opening, not buck shells sticking), I'm listening with both eyes!

[Alpo]

I don't have a dog in this hunt, as most of my doubles are Husqvarna, and those that aren't are Rossi.

 

But the advice of "the simple solution to this problem is don't shoot buckshot in your gun" is just - dumb. If the gun is chambered in 12 gauge 2¾", it should work fine with any 12 gauge 2¾" shell you load it with. If I buy a 357 Ruger, should I only shoot wimpy cowboy load 38s through it? I expect it to stand up to any 357 I put in it. And if I buy a 12 gauge shotgun I expected to work with any 12 gauge load I put in it.

[SHOOTIN FOX]

Unless you have funneled the chambers for cowboy shooting. The unsupported portion of the base is what is causing the jam.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

30 minutes ago, SHOOTIN FOX said:

Unless you have funneled the chambers for cowboy shooting. The unsupported portion of the base is what is causing the jam.

This makes no sense.  Funneling is what causes unsupported portions of the chamber.

[Texas Joker]

It shot Buckshot fine. Went boom, lead went downrange.

 

Patterned for crap, shot fine.

 

Cheap ammo is cheap for a reason

[Pat Riot]

Try some quality shotgun 00 buck ammo.

I have shot 2 3/4” Federal, Remington, Sellier & Bellot and a couple of other makers of 00 Buck and Slug ammo in my Stoeger Coachgun. 
The only issues I had were a sore shoulder and facial muscle pain from grinning. 
Try both barrels with 00 Buck at a large target at 50 yards. Impressive at both ends. 

[Alpo]

2 hours ago, Texas Joker said:

Cheap ammo is cheap for a reason

Cheap ammo? I seem to remember that, back in the long ago time. Haven't seen any for 15 or 20 years. Cheap ammo. Yeah I'm pretty sure I remember that.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

I tried steel and steel washed brass hulled 12 ga in my Wyatt Earp and my Norinco open hammer SxS and they always hung up.

A pard tried them in his '97 model and had similar issues.

AA's no problem

I tried honing the chambers and it helped but the hull didn't" fly out with the CAS over the shoulder jerk.

I used the last of the ones I had for the last shotgun blast, when the shotgun was the last to be used.

(OK-OK, I know I'm cheap) 

[Sedalia Dave]

A big part of the reason that cheap hulls don't shuck well from a SXS is that most are significantly lighter in weight than STS, or Win AA hulls.