Derringers?

[Snowdog]

At one time, I had a hankering for a derringer and made the mistake of purchasing a Davis. The caliber was .32 magnum and the finish was black Teflon. It didn't look bad at all (until the PTFE started to blister and peel), but accuracy was far worse than what I thought even possible from a derringer.

However, I did eventually find a use for it. As the original finish was coming off, I took a Dremel to it and finished the job, which left it with a strange antique look. Since it proved 100% reliable, I simply loaded my own shot loads for it and would stick it in my boot before mowing the lawn. I did this for at least a couple of years. The idea was that if I ever ran across a copperhead (prevalent to these parts) or an aggressive tea-cup poodle, I’d be ready. Being that it's of a zinc alloy construction, its pot metal wouldn’t suffer from any perspiration the way a steel frame handgun would.

Roughly 100 grains of #8 shot over the original powder charge from a pulled G-A 100gr JHP .32 magnum cartridge. It may have worked, or it may have exploded... I use a P32 now. The Davis is on the right.

 

[valor1]

The derringers are cute and nice to have in your collection. Still, if I will CCW, I'd stick to the likes of Walther PPK, G26 or 5-shot revolvers. I find the derringers hard to shoot except if I am about 3-4 feet from the attacker. Heck, if I let him get close to me that much, I feel stupid. For me, the derringers to be effective, it should be in a more proven caliber but the handling and accuracy suffers. Just my .02 cents.

 

[M2 Carbine]

"mountainclmbr
I had a Derringer in 45 Long Colt/410. I shot it twice at the indoor range at 25 yards. First shot of 45 LC 225JHP and nothing on the "large" silouette target. The second shot hit the cable support structure (about 2 ft high) and brought the whole pully system down on my head. I promptly sold the gun. It would be a good gun for very close up, but any distance makes it a liability."
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The problem with a 45/410 combo is that all but about 1/2 inch of the barrel is over sized smooth bore. The bullet from my 45/410 tumbles right out of the barrel.

The second problem is the 410 shot has no velocity from that short barrel and if used for defense from anything bigger than a snake will probably be very ineffective.

I have a 7 inch barrel Contender and a 45/410 barrel.
The barrel has almost no rifling, so that the shot is as effective as possible but that means the bullets are extremely inaccurate.
I tested buckshot for effectiveness by setting up some wood 2x6's.
The 3 inch 410 has 5 OO Buckshot.
The deepest penetration, to the front of the ball was 1 inch. Most shot only penetrated 3/4 inch.
Remember this test was out of a 7 inch barrel, not the 3 1/2 inch barrel of most 410 derringers.

In comparison, almost any pistol bullet will go through 2 or more 2 inch boards.

My 45ACP Bond Arms derringer is accurate. COM hits out to 15 yards is the norm.
Like any gun, it requires that you practice to be any good with it.
I keep about a thousand rounds of light load 45 SWC loaded for practice.

 

[scotjute]

I have one in .38 spl. Practice shooting with it hurts your hand after 5-6 shots. I can hit a pie plate at 10 yds. with it. I like mine, but for serious protection I use something else.

 

[grimjaw]

Nick, if this doesn't impress you, you definitely aren't easily impressed.

If I was staring at barrels full of hollowpoints instead of seeing the firing pins, I'd be more impressed.

Although I can see where normally I wouldn't want to get close enough to know one way or the other.

jmm

 

[Zak Smith]

I have fired a 357MAG derringer; it was by far the most unpleasant gun I have ever shot, including a 50BMG with no brake and a 44MAG #629 with full house loads. Hitting a 10" plate at 7 yards was difficult. I conclude they are useless; I'd rather have a small 38Spl revolver.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Derringers are larger and heavier than most people realize, and IMO is a VERY outmoded form of serious defensive technology.

For the size and weight, we've got a lot better options today.

Nonetheless, they're worth understanding and knowing about, as it's a decent template should you ever need to fabricate a firearm to take a "liberator" role in a post apocalyptic scenario.

 

[GEM]

I would buy a quality Davis small pattern gun in 32 ACP. It's a nice little package but those are not of quality. If NAA made one, it would be fun gun and serve as a little bug. A friend of mine's nephew just bought a P32 and had tons of trouble with it.

 

[Magnum88C]

To me derringers are very cool. If good ones (American Derringer and Bond Arms) weren't so expensive, I'd be tempted to collect them.

But to carry them? no.
The one I shot (Bond Arms .45 LC NOT a .410 combo) wasn't that inaccurate, or hard to shoot, but I swear that thing had a 60 pound hammer spring. I could NOT cock it single handed.

Not only that but it was a lot wider than I thought it'd be, and combining the width and the length, it really isn't quantitatively smaller than my SP-101.

For a derringer-type gun (meaning a last ditch, halitosis close firearm), I'm seriously considering an NAA Black Widow. 5 Shots of .22 magnum, and a grip big enough for 2 fingers ain't too shabby.

 

[TimboKhan]

The second shot hit the cable support structure (about 2 ft high) and brought the whole pully system down on my head. I promptly sold the gun.

Mountain,

I hate to laugh at a fellow Coloradoan, but man, those two sentences just cracked me up.

Timbo

 

[M2 Carbine]

grimjaw

"Nick, if this doesn't impress you, you definitely aren't easily impressed."

If I was staring at barrels full of hollowpoints instead of seeing the firing pins, I'd be more impressed.
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You aren't seeing any firing pins in that derringer, it's loaded with 45ACP Aquila IQ, which does 1245 fps out of that 3 inch barrel.

 

[CAS700850]

My grandfather used to carry one of the .22 Mag DA High Standard derringers in his pocket when he was doing "other things", like golfing, boating, etc. He called it his snake gun, and I actually saw him shoot a couple of snakes with it. Though, he kept a 1911 around for anything larger than snakes.

 

[Gunnutz13]

I gotta Davis...

derringer in .22 magnum. Bought it on a lark when I purchased my S&W M645 back in the mid-80's. IIRC...for about $50. Got a couple boxes of CCI shot shells and FMJ's for it...shot it maybe three times since...just because. I agree with most people here...depends on the caliber. I have other firearms...in a little larger calibers...like .380...that I feel a little better about carrying, if I want to travel light. My everyday CCW is a Para Ord 12-45. Like someone else said about derringers...better than nothin'

 

[charlie fox]

I have an older Davis derringer in 22LR that I carry sometimes. I load it with Stingers and have always felt that it was a last ditch gun.

 

[badgerrr]

On the subject of the .45lc/410 derringers; I have a load recommendation.

This critter is hard to do anything constructive with. It shoots astoundingly high. Tears up your hand like crazy; if it doesn't squibb. But it squibbs 60%-40% of the time with my conventional loads. The most workable/meaningful load in mine is....

145gr lead gallery bullet
7.0grs of BULLSEYE

Haven't got this load to squibb yet. Not easy on the hand, but much better than most loads. Shoots only moderately high, relative to the sights, at derringer ranges.

(if such a gallery bullet is unavailible, you might try substituting Round ball)

(Bullseye, in my experiments, appears to be the derringer powder...nothing else coming close)

 

[GEM]

I've seen folks shoot down the cable with regular guns also.

 

[Nick_90]

I'll stick to my guns and maintain that impressing the BG is one of the most important functions of a gun. It can save you from a prison sentence or at least from protracted litigation...
No derringers except if there is no alternative...

 

[M2 Carbine]

Nick_90
I'll stick to my guns and maintain that impressing the BG is one of the most important functions of a gun. It can save you from a prison sentence or at least from protracted litigation...
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Have you ever pulled a gun on anyone Nick?
I have several times.
Without fail the BG wasn't impressed at all. Their reactions ranged from, "You full of ****, that gun ain't loaded", to, "I'm going to stick that gun up your ***."

If you expect the BG is going to be stopped because he's impressed with your gun, you are already two steps behind whatever is coming next.

Guns are to stop someone, not impress them.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I've had to use a fire arm twice -- once a .30-30 on cattle thieves and once a .45 on a mugger. Both times the BGs left the scene as fast as possible.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Vern, maybe my problem was I just had a 38 Special.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Vern, maybe my problem was I just had a 38 Special.

I'm inclined to agree that a bigger gun has more of an intimidation factor -- which is why I like shotguns when one is handy.

 

[JERRY]

D.A.O. Is The Only Way To Go..........

i could go for a high standard dao in .22mag as a third gun(loaded with 50gr. fmj)....or a snake gun when fishing (loaded with shot shells).

a s/a derringer in my hands is a clumsy thing..... they are too small and my mits are too big to fire it quickly and acurately. i always have to readjust my grip after cocking the hammer, not good for a life or death situation. and to use two hands to fire a gun? thats really hoping for the best case scenario.


if the H.S. dao .22mag derringers werent the cost of a used sp101, id have one by now, but their price puts them in the collectors range and coupled with only two shots of .22 caliber makes them damn near useless.