Derringer feedback

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Franco2shoot

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I don't know why, cuz I don't even have a CC permit, but I saw a .45LC/.410 derringer at a local Gunstore and I'm thinking about getting it. Of course as soon as I mentioned this to my "Shooter" son he said I wouldn't like it.

His reasoning is that the small grip coupled with .45 LC is going to be a B- i-
tch and hurt to shoot.

Can someone that has one of these little beasts provide some feedback?

Does the 410 cartridge come in punkin ball loads? I don't believe #9 shot is really going to do the job even if in a personal Up close encounter where one is so fearful that the go for the ultimate option.

I sure would like to hear from someone that has REAL experience, especially from a shooting perspective.


KKKKFL
 
The "Box of Truth" web site has a good article on these types of guns. For CC there are far better alternatives. If you want it get it, but it is a better close range snake/rat shooter than a self defense weapon.
 
Presumably you're talking about a Bond, which is far from a "little" gun.
It's the best made derringer on the market, but a poor choice for concealed carry or defensive applications.
Too big for pocket carry, too bulky for only two shots, too slow. Not to mention very slow reloading and typically a heavy trigger pull.

Excellent snake gun.
There's zero sense whatever in using .410 slugs, they're very lightweight, accuracy in a derringer can be questionable to begin with & an undersized slug that has to "size up" in the bore won't be as effective in penetration or overall performance as a heavier .45 caliber bullet.

You would not use birdshot anyway, if you were to use a shot load it'd be one of the buck rounds. Even there the short barrel of the derringer loses a lot of velocity over the longer shotgun barrel, and relatively few people deliberately choose a .410 shotgun for defensive purposes.

Then too, with any recoil at all the gun CAN be hard to hang onto. I have oversized grips on mine for that reason, which makes an already sizable gun even less of a pocket proposition.

Your choice, but think it through.
Heavy, slow, two shots, have to shift your grip between shots to cock the hammer, the .410 option isn't all it's cracked up to be, and you may have some difficulty in hanging onto it with a good .45 Colt load.
Denis
 
The .410/.45 Colt American Derringer Corp. derringer is the only gun that has ever injured my hand. Strained thumb ligament, took two weeks to heal.

There are no soft rubber, back-strap covering grips available for derringers (if there are, please, LET ME KNOW, 'cause I will buy some). So, you are left with shooting gloves for practice (which you really should use), and nothing for emergency use. Oversize grips do help, even if they aren't rubber.

I don't mind "sharp" recoil--I've shot .38 +Ps out of a 10-oz J frame, and .44 Mags out of a S&W 329. But actual injury is something else.
 
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I carry a derringer at times.
It's a belly gun for very close range. Sometimes I don't want something on the belt, so I put that in the pocket.
 
I had a chance to fire a Bond Arms derringer a couple of weeks ago. The .45 colt really wasn't that bad with subsonic cowboy ammo, but the .410 was painful to shoot. It's a low capacity, slow to reload, belly gun with limited accuracy and it's a boat anchor. A novelty gun or a back up to a back up at best.;)

LD
 
I had the AD version. Nice little gun. Very well-made. There are some good defensive .410 loads, but the .45 colt doesn't make a ton of sense in that platform. It's a good anti-carjack close-ranger. Nothing really beyond point blank.
 
Thanks guys...
Really sounds like a nice sample albeit limited survey. The Bond looks neat, but doesn't sound like a good choice. I've also thought of going the "Judge" route for its combination .45/.410 but from the above comments, here too, seems like I'ld be better off with my Walther P99 for CC. My son was pushing me towards a 9mm Keltec, but I just cannot stomach most of the Mouse guns, not that I've really been looking all that hard. I've just been itching to increase the Revolver inventory, but can't find the perfect match.

KKKKFL
 
I have a bond arms in 45 LC. I have never shot factory ammo in it but I only carry it at our farm. The CCI shot capsules hold around 750 #12 shot, good enough for the bad snakes and far less recoil than a 44 mag.
 
I have the 4" bb; version. Accuracy with .45LC is not great, but tollerable to shoot. .410's hurt. This is an extreme close range gun, and nothing more. As in 15' maximum to actually hit the target in any sort of effective way.

If you are ok with that, then it is a beautiful novelty gun. If you live in a place where cc is really really important due to a proliferation of undesirables or some other factor, then there are way better choises. It makes for a nice addition to the collection, and I do carry mine in the pocket at times, but I am looking at an LCR or PM9 for pocket carry.
 
I've got the M1 American Derringer. Had it for about 20 years. Its a fun little gun and goes with me on trips to the woods. With field loads it makes a great close range snake charmer.

The 45 LC is a hand full. I have some loaded in black powder that is more fun that the 4th of July.

The most comfortable round to shoot for me are the .410. 2.5 inch. They make a .000 buck that has 3 shot for the 2.5 inch and 5 shot for the 3 inch. Its a pretty potent close range round.

These guns are OK out to about 7 -10 yards. Accuracy is a little tough at longer distances (at least for me).

It has its place. I don't think I would want it for CC as there are better options.
 
I have the bond cowboy model and shoot mild reloaded or cowboy action type of ammo through it and the kick is not bad. 410 shells are ok too ,but the shot goes all over the place because of the rifling in the barrel. I do enjoy this gun but it is not the one I rely on for self defence,




I have the bond cowboy model and enjoy shooting it. I use cowboy type 45 ammo and the kick is not bad. 410 shells are not either but the shot goes every where because of the rifling in the barrel. I would not buy it as my only defense gun but it is most assuredly better than no gun. Hope my info helps you.
 
I often carry a DAO derringer in a coat pocket during the winter as I cannot reach my primary under a coat when its cold enough to have the coat buttoned/zippered [ I tried ].

I had the American derringer and am sorry I sold it on a whim,it was perfect with .45 LC rounds.

With .410 buck it was useless past 10 feet.

AND the pellets are going wild and could easily hit an innocent.

That is NOT exceptable under any circumstances I can foresee.

I own and pocket carry MANY small guns.

The 2 derringers I use are a older High Standard .22 mag.

and a O/U 9 MM copy of that in stainless

The 9 MM kicks like a mule but its accurate and I have 2 FAST rounds.
 
My FIL bought one of the .22LR variations:

First time we took it to the range, we noticed the rounds wouldn't seat all the way down in the barrel. It was like they were getting stuck on something inside the barrels. Both barrels had this problem.

So it went back to the factory for repair.

Got it back, and the round would seat fine. Good. Well, after you actually fired the rounds, they would expand at the base and you couldn't get them OUT of the gun. He had to take a knife and pry it under the round to get it pulled out. Happened on both barrels.

So back to the factory it went, again. It's still there as I type this.

YMMV
 
A shooting buddy bought a Bond Snake Slayer and I got to shoot it. As mentioned it felt great to shoot with cowboy action .45's. With full house .45's it rolled in the grip and hurt the hand about as much as shooting hot .44Mag's from a light revolver. He didn't have any .410 slugs and I don't think I'd have tried them. He later reported that they hurt like hell and would not shoot any more slugs with it.

The real issue though is the trigger. I guess they made it hellishly hard to pull for safetly since there's no trigger guard. And "hellishly hard" is being nice. The trigger wants to just dent the finger pad to where you almost can't actually make it fire.

Then there's the difference in POI for the two barrels. At 7'ish yards using the cowboy wussy loads the POI of the two rounds was almost 7 to 8 inches as I recall. I don't remember if it was worse or better with the full power .45's.

He said he loved it as a novelty gun. Oddly enough he'd sold it the last time I talked to him. I strongly suspect that this is the fate of the Bond Arms big derringers. To be enjoyed for a short time as a novelty gun and then sold to the next one seeking something different when the reality of how odd they are really hits home.

For the same sise and far more usefulness in a revolver which you're looking for I'd suggest one of the seriously short snubbys and see if you can set it up with grips and learn to shoot it well. At least the gun will recoil the same with each shot. And shooting a seriously short snubby DOES take some skill.
 
I love Derringers. It makes me crack a serious grin with every round fired.

How useful is it? If you're a good shot and can find a reliable one, I imagine you could ruin a BGs day with it very well.

But even a crappy one that beats you up is bound to be a blast!
 
Anyone shoot Cobra Arms derringers? Does the 9mm recoil more than the 45lc?
I thought it would be a good pocket gun. Although they are kinda heavy.
 
I drop my Cobra .38 Derringer in my back pocket when I go to answer the door.

I've only fired it half a dozen times; all wadcutters, but I load up a pair of JHPs for more seriousness.

Accuracy is about minute of gambler at card table range. Windage is no trouble, but elevation? Look out!
 
I don't have a true 45/410 Derringer but I do have something very similar. It's a very small double barrel "Derringer" that looks like a shrunken full size shotgun. I will tell you one thing, the recoil when firing 3" .410 shotshells is VERY IMPRESSIVE!

DD_410_1.jpg

DD_410_2.jpg
 
I have the Bond Arms Snake Slayer .45LC/.410. If you are considering this as a carry option you need to realise this is a "Bad Breath" distance gun. Folks here are talking about 7 yard POI and frankly that's too far. Arm's length would be much more pratical.

What folks haven't said is the trigger is less than desirable. You have to really want to pull that trigger to get it to fire. I haven't put a pull guage on mine but I'd say it in excess of a ten lb pull.

You might want to get the dedicated .45lc barrels as the "rifling" on the .410/45lc combo is about 1/8".
 
I own a Cobra Derringer in 38spl. And I have run cowboy load 38's thru it and I was unable to shoot more than six rounds with out pain in the web of my shooting hand. The round was 158gr flat head rounds that I have no trouble shooting in my rugers and my rifles. They are just not for the small gun. Maybe a lighter load could be easer on the hand, have not tried it yet.
 
Laugh if you like.
One of the better loads for a .38 Special derringer is a 148 hollowbase wadcutter loaded with the hollowbase facing out over 3.5 grains of 231 Winchester powder.

Sometimes they keyhole, sometimes they don't but at the 10 feet a derringer is best suited for they will penetrate 6 to 9 inches in flesh,9 (we were shooting spoiled hams & using an old Excam Double Derringer.), and the soft lead will mushroom to about .45 caliber and as an added bonus, the recoil is tolerable.
 
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