I shall restate my opinion, this time I shall type slowly ....
1. Why is it that when somone posts a question about derringers, as the OP did, some people (you know who you are) assume that the gun is to be used for self defense and begin typing ill things about derringers? The OP said NOTHING about using it for self defense. Some of you assumed that's what it was for and pounced.
If the OP had asked "Which .22 rifle should I get?" would you have fired back with "What? A .22? You can"t use that for self defense. You need a ......"???
Sounds pretty silly doesn't it? Because there are lots of reasons to by a .22 rifle, aren't there?
Then why treat derringers differently and assume the poster will use it as their one and only EDC and get into gunfights with people with 1911's and be attacked by three people at once and never practice with the gun and ....?
2. I never said that a derringer was the ideal gun for self defense but I defy the notion that they are useless or "maybe better than a pointy stick". Such comments indicate a fundemantal lack of understanding of the realities of the situation. Most of the people in this country who end up in the ER or the grave, due to gun shots, were not shot by a $3K 1911 or a well maintained Sig with the latest and greatest super round. They were shot at spitting distance by WHATEVER the shooter (good guy or bad) could get their hands on.
If you truely believe that a derringer is worthless as a man stopper, then cowboy up and take two shots center of mass and let us know how it goes.