Derringers - For Serious Personal Defense

[Derringer]

Not a lot has been written on these diminutive little powerhouses. There is a lot of mis-information and bad press due to some low quality Derringers on the market. There are several manufacturers who produce products of questionable reliability and accuracy. I am a big fan of a QUALITY Derringer for personal defense. Properly built on CNC machinery, and the use of quality materials make this an excellent hide out gun when utilizing the correct caliber. My personal choice is the Bond Arms Deringer in .38 Special (preferred) or .45 Long Colt only (don't buy the .45/.410 bbl it has very little rifling, buy the .45 LC only, the larger magnum calibers are to heavy for most people and the smaller ones may not effect one shot stops. Bond makes a quality Derringer that is built like a tank, and is accurate at it intended ranges. Most personal defense situations take place at under 10 feet so this small pistol in a powerful round makes an excellent choice for close range combat. A lot of people can't hit a target even a close range b/c they use the wrong grip. A two handed hold using the grip hand finger to pull the trigger, and the wrap around hand to aim. You have to practice with what works for you. Try and shoot no more than 10 rounds of .38 in a session to keep from getting sore. This is not a target gun. It is a defensive piece you carry when you can't or don't want to pack a full size pistol. The Bond is the best when it comes to safety and reliability and you can count on it to go bang EVERY time. Small semi autos can malfunction, and so can revolvers. I had a model 60 lock up tighter than a drum. My Bond Derringer has never failed to fire. I have put over 500 rounds through it as a firearms instructor. The deterrant factor is great. Looking down those double barrels is enough to end most attackers interest in continuing. Consider the Bond Derringer for you CCW hideout gun. There are many good holster choices on the website. www.bondarms.com
A VERY close second is the American Derringer Model 1. It smaller like the original Remington pattern and would be my second choice if I didn't want the larger size of the bond. www.amderringer.com Lady Derringer (American) makes a well built Derringer. Forget any of the other manufacturers, you are wasting your money.

 

[BADUNAME13]

Bond .38: 20oz.

Smith & Wesson .38: 15oz

I'll admit I've never had a Bond arms, but I have not been impressed with others (As you pointed out I'll admit).
And I am not impressed with Bond's size and weight...
And, 5 beats 2.


But hey, all guns are good.

 

[Tezcatlipoca]

It's two shots.

scary

 

[AStone]

Der, welcome to THR.
Great place.
We are pretty opinionated, however.
Ask a question, we will offer our opinionated answers.

Bond .38: 20oz.

Smith & Wesson .38: 15oz

Wow. The Bond is 20 oz?

My 642 is one of those SW 15 oz revolvers.

And, it carries 5 instead of 2.

Slightly larger, maybe,
but for 3 extra,
I'll find the extra space.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Derringer,
Welcome th THR...

I too like the quality of the American Derringer products but I also like the Derringers offered by Cobra. If you had a chance to really take a good look at them you might change your mind. They also cost a lot less at under $150. http://www.cobrapistols.com/products/derringers.htm

 

[geekWithA.45]

Sorry.

While a derringer will get the job done, there are better choices today than a heavy, awkward, two shot, not reloadable without taking cover sidearm.

The derringer design is one of the few handgun designs that is geniunely obsolete for personal defense, or even as a BUG.

 

[Vonderek]

Nice hideout gun in the 19th Century but not today. If that's your thing and you're proficient with it, more power to you. I'd rather carry a J-frame...point and squeeze, 5 shots. However, as an enthusiast I think it'd be a cool gun to own just to have.

 

[sansone]

I had a .38spl 2-shot derringer for a while that did just fine at the range and fit nicely in my pocket. eventually moved up to a 7 shot .380 when the funds became available. wish I still had that little derringer, but I say that about ALL the guns I sell

 

[AStone]

However, as an enthusiast I think it'd be a cool gun to own just to have.

Now that I agree with.

They are cool guns. A little bit of history.
Very much worthy of collection for those into such things.

 

[blue99]

Hey Derringer, Thanks for a good thread. I've been shooting a Thompson Contender for many years with many diffrent calibers and I just picked up a Bond derringer in the 45lc/410 and have been on the hunt for a second barrel. So I just bought a 40 S&W barrel for my derringer.......I don't know I guess that I just like the fact that you can change calibers on the same frame that you get used to. I had trouble on deciding on what barrel to buy. I wanted a caliber that would operate at close to full potential out of a 3 inch barrel. I think that a derringer is alot of fun and is a challege to master shooting and hey now I've got two shots instead of one!

 

[461]

It satisfies rule number one "Have a Gun". I'd rather have a derringer than nothing at all.

 

[Fun2Shoot]

Infomercial?

Is it just me or does this first post by 'Derringer' seem more like an ad from the Bond Arms Inc. marketing dept. than a normal post?

Go to this weblink for 'American Derringer' and look at the "customer" in this photo and see if part of his face is not a carbon copy of the right thumb nail photo of the guy with the Bond Derringer in the original post about this gun.

http://www.amderringer.com/company.html

 

[BADUNAME13]

Even heckling him, I wouldn't care if it was.
JMHO.

 

[KINGMAX]

Serious defense

How about a Bond in 45/410 loaded w/ 410 w/ #1 buck shot. That is a little hand full of crowd pleaser.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I'd rather have a derringer than nothing at all.

But who's forcing you to choose between a derringer or nothing at all?

When I look in my gun safe, I see plenty of better choices than a derringer, and I ask, "Why limit myself to a derringer? Is a mugging a game, where I need a handicap?"

 

[Vonderek]

Is it just me or does this first post by 'Derringer' seem more like an ad from the Bond Arms Inc. marketing dept. than a normal post?

Yup, I re-read the original post and I think you're right. It does read like a marketing spiel, replete with links and photos. Derringer, are you affiliated with Bond Arms?

 

[mattw]

Go to this weblink for 'American Derringer' and look at the "customer" in this photo and see if part of his face is not a carbon copy of the right thumb nail photo of the guy with the Bond Derringer in the original post about this gun.

It could just be a picture that he saved and then uploaded. He doesn't say that is a picture of himself. We shouldn't jump to conclusions like this guys... sure there are better choices out there, and I would like to hear Derringer's argument on why a 20oz 2-shot is better than a 15oz 5-shot.

He likes derringers.. no need to rip him apart.

And I think if it were meant to be an advertisement he would've not used such short and choppy sentences. He probably would've made it into three paragraphs as well, instead of just jumbling several thought paths into one paragraph.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, the .45 Colt is cool. If you're going to trust just 2 shots, they'd better big BIG ones. I'll keep my .38 and my 14 ounce, 11 shot Kel Tec, though. I think the Derringer has seen its day, but some prefer tradition. I'm an old fart, but I ain't THAT old! I mean, they invented the DA revolver well before I was born.

I'm one of those guys that would like to have one, especially in .45 Colt, just to own one. I may pick one up someday. I'd find SOMEthing to use it for.

 

[Fun2Shoot]

Not ripping at all

He likes derringers.. no need to rip him apart

It is a fair question to point out that this first post reads like a poorly constructed advertisement. People are looking for free ad space for their products all the time.

Think about all the first posts that you have read on THR. Isn't this post a bit odd. Reread it and then tell me that it is typical of a first post in general.

And "Derringer", if I am wrong, I apologize for my misreading of your intent.

 

[MCgunner]

If he don't come back to straighten you guys out, I reckon it's probably a spam.

 

[Titan6]

Yep is Spam.

But I like my derringer.

And it is better than no gun at all.

And shot shells in the .410 caliber are no good. For $1000 I will rent you my derringer and you can bring all the shotshells you want in any type (including slugs) and you can shoot at me for an hour at 25 yards with it. I feel 100% safe collecting my money uninjured.

Now the .45LC on the other hand...

 

[461]

Vern- nobody is limiting me, that's why I have more than a derringer.

I was just saying if it's all you've got it's still better than the old "Pointy Stick" often referred to. I know lots of folks who have them from old family members or what not as the only gun they own and in that case it is indeed "Better than nothing"

By all means anybody looking for a first defensive handgun- buy something better.

 

[RyanM]

I used to want one of those DA derringers in .40 as a backup, because of how small they seem on paper. But in real life, the size difference between a derringer and one of the better pocket autos in an equivalent caliber is negligible.

Here's a Kahr MK40 (6 shots of .40, 3.08" barrel) compared to an old High Standard DA derringer, which is about the same length and height as the big bore DA derringers. For 4 extra shots, the increase in size and weight is negligible.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Fun2Shoot

Is it just me or does this first post by 'Derringer' seem more like an ad from the Bond Arms Inc. marketing dept. than a normal post?

Go to this weblink for 'American Derringer' and look at the "customer" in this photo and see if part of his face is not a carbon copy of the right thumb nail photo of the guy with the Bond Derringer in the original post about this gun.

That picture is me. I've posted it probably a half dozen times on THR and Glock Talk.

"Derringer" probably just copied it from one of my posts.

And I don't have any connection with Bond Arms except I own the one in the picture, 45ACP.

But if Bond Arms wants to use that picture we could probably make a deal.


Another picture I usually post in these derringer threads is this one, when the talk gets around to how inaccurate the derringer is.

 

[3rdpig]

The ultimate derringer, the COP. Why settle for 2 when you can have 4?