Heritage Coachwhip: A Wish Fulfilled or A Fun Piece of History
By Michelle CerinoThere is a DVD of the 1993 movie Tombstone that never leaves my TV cabinet. I’m confident in saying we watch it every year religiously. I’m sure many people who love this movie and others about the Earp family find Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Doc Holliday a favorite. That movie, along with ’70s Westerns I watched with my great-grandparents, were precursors to my intrigue with firearms the cowboys carried. I jumped at the chance as soon as I got an opportunity to write about the Coachwhip 12 Gauge shotgun. I always wanted a coach shotgun; I thought it would be a fun firearm to shoot and display. Oh, and also, it’s the type of gun Doc Holliday used to shoot Tom McLaury at point-blank range during the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, on October 26, 1881.
First things first, for those who don’t know how and why Doc ended up with a coach shotgun, here is what I found through my research. When Doc met up with the Earp brothers, he was walking with a cane and wearing his long overcoat and a holstered nickel-plated Colt .45 pistol. Virgil Earp, having already stopped by the Wells Fargo office to borrow a 10- or 12-gauge “coach gun” (the gauge remains in question), handed it off to Doc Holliday and took his cane. Apparently, Virgil told Doc to keep the shotgun hidden under his coat and only brandish it as a warning to anyone who intervened in what was sure to develop into a conflict. Having learned this, I wanted to know what makes a double-barrel shotgun a “coach gun” and why Wells Fargo had one to borrow in the first place.
Gun collectors coined the term “coach gun” for a double-barreled, side-by-side shotgun with 18- to 24-inch barrels. In the past, these shotguns were known as “cut-down shotguns” or “messenger’s guns.” In the 1860s, these shorter barrel shotguns were assigned by Wells Fargo to their guards (shotgun messengers), who sat next to the driver on the coach to protect the gold shipments on stagecoaches. It didn’t take an expert marksman to shoot a shotgun, as opposed to a rifle. A little side note: in 1919, the phrase “riding shotgun” was coined to describe shotgun messengers seated next to the stagecoach driver who protected the team from bandits, Indians and wild animals. Today, the term riding shotgun refers to anyone sitting in the front passenger seat of a car next to the driver. Who hasn’t yelled “SHOTGUN!” when with family or friends and a car trip is announced?
If you question the power of a coach gun in a gunfight, look no further than the famous photo of outlaw Bill Doolin of the Wild Bunch (aka Doolin-Dalton gang). On August 24, 1896, Bill died instantly when Deputy U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas shot him with buckshot carried in both barrels of his coach gun. You have to check out the public domain autopsy photo; you can count the shots that hit him.
In 1882, Wyatt Earp used both barrels of his 10-gauge coach gun to kill Bill Brocius “Curly” at point-blank range. Apparently, the shot nearly severed Curly in half. And research claims the mortician could cover the wound of Tom McLaury (shot by Doc Holliday) with one hand. Imagine the panic when someone showed up to a gunfight in the Old West carrying a coach gun.
So why was the coach gun with its shorter barrels preferred in the Old West, besides obvious stopping power? Shooters could easily maneuver these guns in confined places, retrieve them faster and cover more area when shooting a wide pattern – which means there is less chance of missing, especially from a stagecoach.
Heritage Coachwhip
I often visit my FFL to pick up firearms with little fanfare. However, when I popped in to pick up the newly delivered Coachwhip, not only were the guys behind the counter excited, but also, some of the other customers came over for a peek. The case-hardened frame and rich Turkish walnut stock are stunning, along with double triggers and exposed hammers. One can only imagine a rugged cowboy or a Wells Fargo shotgun messenger of the Old West taking pride in and caring for this coach gun.
Specifications for the Coachwhip include the following:
- Caliber: 12 gauge
- Front Sight: Bead
- Barrel Length: 18.50 inches
- Overall Length: 35.43 inches
- Height: 7.71 inches
- Weight: 107.52 ounces (6.72 pounds)
- Overall width: 2.28 inches
Taking the Coachwhip to the Club
Since I didn’t have access to a stagecoach with bandits coming to steal my gold (I didn’t have the gold either), I decided the next best place to shoot was at my hunt club. I grabbed a box of 12-gauge Winchester AA Low Recoil shotshells and began at the pattern board at about 20 yards. This distance is typical for someone shooting Cowboy Action targets with a shotgun. Then, I thought it would be fun to try shooting rabbits on one of the sporting clays stations, since this is an animal someone might hunt with a coach gun. I shot a double-trigger shotgun many years ago, but every once in a while, I forgot to move my finger to that second trigger. It takes a little getting used to. I was about as successful breaking the clays as I am with my full-size shotgun.
Final Thoughts
Now that I’ve had time to shoot the Heritage Coachwhip, I’m even more enthralled with coach guns. Sure, it’s an excellent gun for Cowboy Action shooters or anyone who loves Western firearms. It’s also a viable choice for home defense or hunting in brush because the shorter barrels allow for more effortless movement. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to hunt grouse or woodcock with the Coachwhip? Now, that’s a hunt I really want to try.
About the Author
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, is a firearms trainer, writer, hunter and adventuress. She entered the firearms industry in 2011 as a national training company's co-owner, president and trainer. At the same time, she began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter.
Currently, Michelle is the managing editor at “Women's Outdoor News” and the author of numerous posts on the site. As a firearms trainer, she works with Apex Shooting and Tactics, instructing the Faster Saves Lives program in northern Ohio. Michelle also manages the social media for FASTER Saves Lives and Vera Koo. You can find more of her writings at “Shooting News Weekly” and the NRA's “Shooting Sports USA.”
