![]() In contrast, those armed with shotguns didn't have to be expert marksman since a shot blast is very forgiving. Let's face it, not everyone is accurate with a rifle. Shotguns were simply more effective than trying to hit something with a single projectile fired from a rifle in the hands of someone atop a moving stagecoach or other types of wagons. Now if you are wondering why they didn't arm their guards with rifles or pistols? Most guards did in fact carry a pistol, and some did supplement a shipment with a supply of rifles, but express companies and shippers opted for the shotgun. No, there was no doubt of the effectiveness of a scattered blast of shotgun shot. This is probably true since the devastating effect of a shotgun was common knowledge to all at the time. With that, they hoped that those facts alone would deter someone from robbing a shipment.Īnd yes, it is believed that in some cases, the sight of a shotgun guard, or guards depending on the size of the shipment, may have changed the mind of the most determined road agent. They also understood the psychological effect of such an imposing weapon. Wells Fargo and other express companies recognized the need for firepower. They armed their guards with shotguns that would become known as "coach guns" and "messenger's guns" because of their use by shotgun messengers on stagecoaches and by messenger wagons back in the Old West. The term "coach gun" comes from express companies, like Wells Fargo & Co, who knew the value of shotguns. Smith, and also British and Belgian makers. They were primarily made by Remington Arms, Ithaca, Colt's Manufacturing Company, Parker, L.C. the side-by-side double-barreled shotgun was a mainstay to settlers, miners, ranchers, and just about anyone who needed a weapon. And yes, it was much easier for someone atop a horse to hit another what they were shooting at with a shotgun than it was with a rifle or a pistol. And really, that really makes sense since the cavalry was used as shock-troops during the time. Cavalry units on both sides used shotguns as a devastating close-quarters weapon. ![]() ![]() It was found after Santa Anna’s forces overran those holding the garrison.Īs for the Civil War? Yes, both sides had troops that used shotguns. ![]() And yes, there is the story that a shotgun was actually found at the Alamo. Of course, shotguns were used by Americans as far back as during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. They were, as they still are, the single best most economical firearm for hunting and defense. They were used by lawmen, the military, shotgun messengers, prison guards, and average Americans alike. Produced by the thousands, they were used more than any other type of firearm. With a shotgun, a pioneer could bring in small game like rabbits and ducks while also loading up with buckshot to take down a deer. Pioneers who could only afford one firearm bought the one gun that was a more versatile tool than that of a pistol or a rifle. ![]()
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