Deringers

[grendelbane]

Deringers have one advantage that is usually not mentioned. They are as efficient at developing maximum velocity as a gun can be, as there is no cylinder gap, and no slide.

I am still keeping my Savage .32 automatic, however.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Remember the old cowboy TV show where the business card read "Wire Palladin, San Francisco". He was really quick with the little derringer he carried as a back up and accurate too. He could always shoot the BG in the arm or hand. You mean with all our technology today, we can't equal what they did in the old west??

 

[M2 Carbine]

He was really quick with the little derringer he carried as a back up and accurate too. He could always shoot the BG in the arm or hand.

OK, that sounds interesting

What distance?

Point shooting of course?

I need a picture of a gun hand/arm.

How about this guy? I may have a couple more of these targets around somewhere.

I'll leave the quick draw part to Palladin. I'll just assume the BG is as slow as me.

 

[Catshooter]

Rio,

Your post is a wonderful example of "The High Road". Very impressive, and much better than my response.

Well done.


Cat

 

[RioShooter]

Thank you

Catshooter,

Thank you for the compliment. I've only been participating in gun forums for a short time, but it quickly became apparent that THR is the best place to be for a civil discourse on every topic. Too many other forums resort to name calling and personal attacks.

It's amazing that a web site could attract so many ladies and gentlemen.

Long live THR!

 

[BluesBear]

Rio & Timbo I too appreciate your rational dialogue in the face of buffoonery.

I try my best to be that way but recently I have been lazy and just add them to the twit (ignore) list.

Thanks for upholding the standards.

 

[Working Man]

My .9mm American Derringer takes two men and a small boy to cock!

Ultraman, is the hammer really that bad for you to pull back? I have the same
one as you and had never noticed it as being hard to cock. A little awkward do
to its size but the movement was not impeded... just my thumbs ability to
contort in the needed manner.

They make fine LD weapons but I would not even consider them a backup.

 

[tuna]

I've got a Davis .22 derringer. Believe it or not, it shoots pretty well, the trigger pull is horrible though. My problem is that the barrel selector thingy flippydo has broken so I've got a single shot. I've check numrich and haven't seen any parts for the derringers, anyone know where else I can check?

I'm kinda embarresed to take a $50 gun in for repairs...

 

[Oregon Lefty]

Hi all,

My bro-in-law gave me a Davis .28 that sat NIB for about 5 years. When I finally broke it out on a trip to Wyoming I had a blast with it. True I could not hit anything but it was fun. I think it's small size and having to cock it in a real life threatening situation would kind of keep me from carrying it. Unless that is, I had practiced with it and it was second nature.

 

[usmccpl]

My father had 357 derringer years ago many times he used it to shoot muscrats out of the pond when he didnt have anything else. I had a Reck single shot 22 my vest pocket during one of the times somebody tried to hold me up. The position I was in I couldnt draw my primary so I drew the derringer. That was the last I saw of the bad guy after i stuck it up his nose. That shows proof enough for me that they work when you need them.






one shot one kill

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I've been playing alot of Texas hold'em lately, & as a newbie at the table... have been considering a derenger as part of the "poker persona" that I'm developing as my table style ( not displayed of course )... I doubt one would ever replace my little air weight J frame as a "real" carry piece, but I have long thought about the little double barrel big bores ( even before I started playing cards )

lately I have been thinking more along the lines of 32 H&R Magnum, 357 Magnum, 10 mmm, 44 Special, 45 Colt... I don't know if / how many of these calibers are available, but the little American Derengers look to be well made, & might be kinda fun to add to the collection... I have a ( very small ) collection of pocket guns... a few little 25 acps, a couple of old small vest pocket revolvers, etc... I'd like to work on building that collection, but seems difficult, as I don't really shoot those guns ( some of them no longer have ammo available )... & it seems like things I can shoot always win out over things I don't shoot... buying a few derengers may be a good way ( help me now, I'm rationalizing ), to build that collection, while still buying something I could shoot...

 

[geekWithA.45]

Yes, they can be accurate and effective weapons.

So are black powder guns and tomahawks.


IMO, derringers are entirely obsolete as serious defensive sidearms. You suffer badly in terms of weight, usability, reloadability and ease of use compared to what is commonly available.

They are, however, better than being gunless.