Who came up with "i call shotgun?"?

Question

And why is it called shotgun?????

like in the car

Answer 1

because the shotgun rode in the front seat in the old days when people drove around with them

Answer 2

It's from the old west. A guy would ride next to the driver with a shotgun to protect the stage coach from Indians and thieves like Jesse James etc.
Only the rich could afford to hire a Stagecoach back then so the rich passengers were easy targets for robbers etc.

If we could all hire a true 'shot-gun' today there wouldn't be anymore car jackings, that's for sure.

Answer 3

Here's what Wikipedia says ...

The first known reference to "riding shotgun" in print occurred on 27 March 1861, when it was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach. Such guards often used shotguns, hence the expression. The first use of the phrase in print to refer to automobiles occurred in 1954 when the TV series Gunsmoke became extremely popular, and used the terminology of riding shotgun nearly weekly.[1]

Answer 4

The term comes from the old west times. Stagecoaches (in particular) had a shotgun rider who looked out of bandits and Indians. So, anyone riding next to the driver was riding shotgun.

Answer 5

It's from the old west days of money transport. The driver controled the horses of the wagon and the man next to him carried the shotgun to protect whatever they were hauling from bandits, so the right seat became "shotgun"

Answer 6

When the shipments of money used to go by stagecoach (wells fargo company) in the mid to late 1800's, a guy would sit next to the driver. He was a guard and he had a big 10 gauge shotgun.

Answer 7

The stagecoach had a shotgun position to protect the safe on board. ALSO, the moonshine runners had a guy with a shotgun in the front seat to protect themselves against shine thieves (Not cops).

Answer 8

Because in the old west days that's where the guy with the gun sat on the stagecoach to protect it
"The first known reference to "riding shotgun" in print occurred on 27 March 1861, when it was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach. Such guards often used shotguns, hence the expression. The first use of the phrase in print to refer to automobiles occurred in 1954 when the TV series Gunsmoke became extremely popular, and used the terminology of riding shotgun nearly weekly."

Answer 9

The first known reference to "riding shotgun" in print occurred on 27 March 1861, when it was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach. Such guards often used shotguns, hence the expression. The first use of the phrase in print to refer to automobiles occurred in 1954 when the TV series Gunsmoke became extremely popular, and used the terminology of riding shotgun nearly weekly

Answer 10

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mrideshotgun.html

Yes, in stagecoach times a guy would ride up on the box next to the driver, carrying a shotgun (a scattershot projectile weapon, that didn't require aiming but could take out a group of enemies) for protection.

However, the term comes from movies and other fiction ABOUT stagecoaches, but no source shows that it comes from the times when stagecoaches were used. (earliest cite is from 1921)