How feasible is a spring-loaded sleeve derringer?

[D-Day]

I've always found the concept of it interesting. A flick of the wrist or arm, and a derringer or small pistol swiftly slides out for gripping.

Been thinking about the design, how you'd pull it off, trying to imagine it...you need some sort of base; a slab, or rail, and then something that attached the gun to a mechanism that slid within the base; like the wheels of a drawer in a track.

Maybe not spring loaded...perhaps if it was loose, fix a magnet at the back of it, giving enough strength to hold it in place, but letting it launch forward to the end of the track when given a swift flick.

Anybody have ideas? The novelty factor would be neat.

 

[Ron James]

My under standing is that they were very impractical, while looking good in the movies, they cut and chaffed the arm , and also restricted the free movement of the arm it was carried on. I've never owned one, this only what I've read on the matter. Perhaps that's why so very few were made.

 

[Diamondback6]

Problem: if you can fire while it's still connected to the track, it's a "stocked pistol" in ATF's eyes, which makes it fall under the SBR category and a $200 tax-stamp, assuming you're in an NFA-friendly state unlike the People's Republiks of Seattle-grad, Portland-grad, Neue Jermany and Kalifornistan just to name a few...

----------------
Now playing: Basil Poledouris - Red Route 1
via FoxyTunes

 

[PT1911]

good in theory... not so much in practice... the last thing you need is to be walking... "flick" your wrist the wrong way and have a gun fly into your hand in the middle of a store or where ever you are...

 

[Diamondback6]

Idea: maybe have some kind of rotating cuff around it and your arm that you'd have to rotate first to open the track?

 

[D-Day]

Well, the SBR thing adds to the difficulty. On top of the chafing thing, it doesn't seem worth the effort. Why does the government have to take the fun out of everything?

 

[Bezoar]

these were patented in the late 1800s when anyone could geta patent to con money from suckers.

IT was discovered that this type of rig was rather unpleasent to use and wear. Even the actors in the old western movies/tv shows admitted they hated wearing the blasted things.

 

[owlhoot]

The problem is that you still have to cock the little devils, and that isn't easy. Of course High Standard made a small
double action derringer and that would simplify things greatly.

I don't think such a device would be subject to any sort of government regulation. You clearly wouldn't be putting a stock on the gun. A stock has to be able to function as a stock.

Over the years I have seen two or three versions of these things. I don't know how well the originals worked, but I think it would be possible for you to make an effective if not practical device if you have a little skill.

These devices were worn outside the shirt sleeve but inside the coat sleeve. Coat sleeves were cut more generously during the day of the frock coat than they are today. The best example I have seen had a small steel rod welded or screwed to the derringer grip frame. The rod compressed a coil spring and locked into place. The whole affair was attached to a leather arm band. The spring was decompressed by a trigger that simply required a tug to release the spring. A wire ran from the trigger up the sleeve and across the shoulders and was attached to a suspenders button. The user simply hooked his thumb under his wire with his "off" hand and pulled the trigger retaining the spring. The derringer sprang forward into the hand. The gun couldn't drop because the metal rod wouldn't let it. The rod would put the weapon just where it needed to be and the user had only to close his hand around it, cock and fire.

This same unit could be worn so that the trip wire attached to a leather strap worn above the knee so that a gambler could simply spread his legs under the table and release the mechanism.

Of course, with today's technology it would be easier to rig up something without the trip wire. A small battery powered servo unit might be used, triggered by a switch anywhere on your body. But the idea of having the rod attached to the butt of the gun was the idea that makes the concept work, then and now.

Find yourself a High Standard derringer and have at it. Let us know what you come up with.

The concept may not be practical, but it ought to be a helluva conversation starter...or stopper.

 

[Oyeboten]

Better yet...wear baggier sleeves, and have a full size M1911 on-the-rack...



Just kidding...



In my imagination, I would not consider them something I'd want to rely on...even if they are feasable.

 

[LightningJoe]

How feasible? Zero, I would say. Plus, there's no advantage.

 

[Quiet]

Looks good in the movies, not so good for real life.

 

[SaxonPig]

Oh for crying out loud.

 

[sm]

Thread Reported to Mod folks.

Sorry, and it is up to Mods to make the call.

Just I am not comfy with this thread from the standpoint of "suggesting illegal" and how this public thread might be interpreted by those against us.

No offense to anyone, just my thoughts.

 

[Hawk]

Assuming the mods come down on the side of "academic interest only / all in good fun", it would appear that IndyMogul / BackyardFX has you covered -complete with instructional video.

Rat chair:
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/v...uick-draw-sleeve-gun-from-taxi-driver-272184/

Still not real-world practical, but clever in a "too much time on one's hands" sort of way.

When I was a kid (think wooly mammoth season) I had a toy derringer / belt buckle that, when one stuck one's belly out, a latch would release, springing the derringer out 90 degrees and firing off one of those green paper caps simultaneously. Probably would make the whole country go apopleptic if it was marketed today. Then again, our chemistry sets had real mercury and asbestos in the box. The past was a different country - they did things differently.

Lucky search hit:
http://www.toytent.com/Special/8134.html

Of course, as one ages, the derringer would be false-firing constantly, hence only suitable for those under 12 that spent more time outdoors than playing video games.

 

[TIMC]

I don't think it would be practical and dfficult to maintain. Even if you were succesful with it you'ld probably shoot your eye out!

 

[Art Eatman]

Yeah, looks good in the movies. Suggestion: Do some research on "hideout guns". Maybe Google? That sort of thing had some popularity with indoor-folks back in the 1800s.

 

[alistaire]

Sounds quite possible. Now imagine you use the restroom. When you are done, you get a handfull of paper and reach down and kerplunk! your derringer has just been deposited in your deposit...

 

[Joshu]

Its just like the sleeved daggers, the time spent flicking them in the specific manner to deploy them wastes too much time. You can draw from the sheath/holster faster.

They are neat though.

 

[D-Day]

Yeah. It's just a novel concept to me for historical reasons. One of those passing notions I get when I think, "Hmm, how hard would this be..."

I also don't plan on doing anything illegal, or trying to manufacture anything. Just thought a working sleeve device would be interesting.

Hell, on the extremely hypothetical of things, if they really did work and could be made, there could be competition saloon shoots. Perhaps a scenario where you have to drop your hand of cards, flick out your derringer to shoot the guy trying to shoot you (obviously not a real person, just a target/training dummy sitting in a chair) across the table. People could test their designs and times and such.

Not a real training scenario by any means, but just something for fun and novelty; kind of like the Zoot Shooters.

Thanks for the suggestions, y'all. I'll probably let this idea slip away, because I really don't like dealing with discomfort; and the sleeve holster sounds like it would provide its fair share of it.

 

[falling down]

As an exercise to play with at the house and not in public - a trip to a sporting goods store for a shin guard then a trip to the home improvement store for any number of cabinet/closet rails would seem in order.

 

[Tinpig]

Watch "Taxi Driver" and you can make one out of a drawer-slide, just like Travis Bickle.


Tinpig

 

[pingpong]

Not very (feasible). If you have a concealed carry, I don't think you should run up on any illegality, but from stories I've heard about the card sharps in the 1800's, they required a lot of discipline. You had to keep your wrist, or the entire arm in one position until you needed a firearm. That might be conspicuous in itself! You might as well tuck it into a holster.

 

[Gunfighter123]

Thread Reported to Mod folks.

Sorry, and it is up to Mods to make the call.

Just I am not comfy with this thread from the standpoint of "suggesting illegal" and how this public thread might be interpreted by those against us.

No offense to anyone, just my thoughts.

WOW --- I must have missed something or did not read between the lines as you did. I see NO REASON for the thread to be locked/deleted.

Am I the only one ??

 

[IRONFIST]

You are not the only one.

While spring-loaded Derringers are more than somewhat dumb, impractical, uncomfortable, and generally not a good idea to have strapped to your arm what visiting the restroom, the notion that just mentioning the IDEA merits running to the nearest HighRoad Mother is ludicrous.

I know, let's all wrap our heads in cotton padding so that if we happen to fall down in the Internet we don't get a boo-boo!



:banghead:

 

[Prince Yamato]

You clearly wouldn't be putting a stock on the gun. A stock has to be able to function as a stock.

It would be an NFA weapon. Either an SBR or an AOW. If you want to make one for novelty purposes, call up the ATF and ask them what they classify it as. They'll tell you. Then, you fill out the Form 1, get the sign offs, pay your $200. Then you can make your spring-loaded sleeve derringer. It'd be a cool range toy.

So, from this point forward, let's presume this is an NFA weapon, because it is a pistol which is semi-permanently attached to a retractable device of some sort. If the ATF rules it a "stock", it's an SBR. If the ATF rules it is a "holster", you have an AOW. Whatever you have, let's just assume you're going to pay your $200.

Alright folks, with that in mind, how can the OP create this cool NFA device?