410/45 Derringer test results

410/45 Derringer test results

Derringers chambered for both 410 shotgun shells and 45 Colt have been getting pretty popular. I have been curious about these for a while so I went ahead and bought one of those Cobray side-by-side 410/45 colt derringers. Today I got the chronograph out and obtained some velocity readings. The pistol itself is what one might call a Saturday Night Special. It is robustly built as well as being very crude and awkward to use. But it is inexpensive compared to the more common 410/45 Colt over and under derringers. A knob for tilting the barrel flung off on the second shot.

The barrels are just under 3 and ¾ inches long with a small amount of rifling at the end of the barrels.

The velocity readings are quite low:

Winchester Cowboy 45 Colt 250 grain averaged 537 fps. Some of the bullet holes at four paces showed obvious tumbling. Recoil was light/moderate and next time around I will get the full-powered 45 Colt. I think a hollow base soft lead bullet would do best in sealing in the barrel and engaging the rifling.

Remington Extra Long Range 3” 410 #4 shot averaged 670 fps. The shot pattern was very wide with only four pellets hitting a six-inch target at four paces. The recoil is pretty fierce.

Winchester Sporting Clays 2 ½” #8 shot averaged 706fps and had a tighter pattern. Recoil was fairly strong but not at all bad.

I made my own triple ought buck round by cutting the top off a 3 inch Remington shot shell and replaced the shot with 3 triple ought lead balls which squeezed firmly into the shot cup. All three pellets hit within a six-inch target at four paces. The velocity was 682 fps. Recoil was moderate.

Based on my velocity readings I think that these 410/45 derringers should be viewed as a novelty or trail/snake gun and not used for defense. This is not to say that these pistols are not capable of being quite deadly but I think that there are better alternatives out there to use.

I agree with your conclusion. That handload however is suprising.

I have only resold sold a couple of guns in my life. This pistol is the only one I haven't regretted selling.

My Bond Snake Slayer is fun at SASS shoots!

Well, some folks like big and slow. For the outdoors, I'll keep usin' my contender, thanks. Might be bulky, but it actually works.

Does anyone have penetration equations that I can use to figure round shot penetration at these low velocities?

If there is such a thing, it's gotta be complicated in human flesh. :rolleyes:

Buy 'em for fun, and you'll be happy.

Expect it to save your butt, and you'll be screwed.

With the opinion that any gun, in order to be seriously considered a defense gun should at least put it's bullets through a 2 inch board.
I tested 00 buckshot in my TC 410/45 barrel.

My TC barrel is 7 inches long. Much longer than the typical 410/45 Derringer.

The ammo was S&B 3 inch 5 pellet 00 buckshot. I believe a fairly hot 410 shell.

I set up a 2x6 board and a 1 inch plywood board.

From about 6-7 yards I shot 3 shells.

Of the 15 pellets only 4 hit the 6 inch board.
The deepest penetration was 1 inch, measured to the front of one pellet. The others went into the board about 3/4 inch.
The wood was just the typical wood used in house construction, not a hard wood.

Although a couple shot slightly pushed out the back of the plywood, none went through the plywood.


Years ago I had one of those Cobray's like lbmii is talking about.
It kicked like heck and was a real hazard from the shot bouncing back at you.

The thing is; my Cobray 410 has just under 3 3/4 inch barrels. Many 410 derringers have even shorter barrels so their velocities might be even less.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=75682&stc=1&d=1207187175

A pawn shop owner told me that when the CCW law came out in Missouri that he started selling a lot of 410 pistols for CCWs. He said you would be suprised just how many people carry these for defense.