Large Derringers

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Axel Larson

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I was on American Derringers website and they had some derringers that had 6 inch barrels which looked nice and were pretty cool, but in the prices section they all said price on request which kind of scares me and makes me think they are really expensive. Anyways I was wondering what other large derringers there are out there and how much they cost?
 
Bond arms makes a nice one they're in the 350-400 range IIRC. I own both a American and a Bond. The Bond is bigger and is a little more modern it has a rebounding hammer so you don't need half cock to load it.
 
American has a DA derringer ,cool idea. Just pull the trigger. Price was in the 700 dollar range some years back. Now when you look at the weight of the bigger 2 shooters your in the class of most ultra lite pistols and revolvers. To me unless you just have to have a big bore 2 shooter there are too many other options today. Beside cocking one of them under stress with one hand does worry me. I do have 38sp 2 shooter just can figure way I would carry it with all the choices today.
 
The American Derringer website hasn't had any changes on it for a long time. Since it's still up, I assume they're still in business, but I haven't seen a new American Derringer made gun for sale at a shop or gun show in a couple of years, at least. They bought the rights and the tooling to make the High Standard .22/.22Mag double-action derringer, as well as the Semmerling .45. I'd love to see someone producing these again.
 
I wish Bond Arms offered their 'spare' barrels in lengths other than 3 inches. They claim they have dozens of caliber options, but if you ever wanted a shorter or longer barrel for any reason, you are S.O.L.

It would also be nice if some of their larger models were available sans the Texas Ranger star... but then I guess I wouldn't have to pay $130 for giraffe bone grips. Same goes for their holsters.

I understand they they are proud of being made in Texas. More power too them ... but I'm a Hoosier, and I'm not going to buy a gun / holster combo that is festooned with tin stars. :rolleyes:
 
In the 10 years I ran a firearms training business and taught CCW certification classes I had 4 different people try going through the class with derringers. There were three 38 Specials and a Hi Standard 22.

The State mandated qualification course was easy...I mean really easy, with no time limits. Two of the 38s (Davis' if I remember correctly) didn't make it through the class. One locked up and we couldn't get it open and the other one stopped firing on one barrel. The owner of that one tried to finish the course but gave up before it was done. The other two finished the required course but couldn't make the necessary 70% to pass. The student with the Hi Standard tried it again but still couldn't qualify. The combination of the two barrels not shooting to the same place or where the sights looked and the heavy DA trigger made accurate shooting almost impossible.

The maximum distance for the qualification was 10 yards. I became convinced a 2 shot derringer was just not an acceptable weapon for self defense and still think so today. No offense intended, just reporting my experiences.

Dave

PS: I also saw a guy at the range I used with an American Derringer chambered for the 45/70 black powder rifle cartridge. He had it setting on the back of the shooting bench with a "For Sale" sign on it. When I asked about it, like how did it shoot, he said he had only fired it once and hadn't hit what he was aiming at. When I asked if he thought practicing might help he said no person in their right mind would fire it a second time so there wouldn't be any "practice". He offered to let me shoot it but I just wasn't that interested. (smile)
 
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If a Davis derringer is anything like the Cobra derringer I used to have, then the trigger on a Bond arms is a while different animal - the grips are much more hand filling as well. Not a target gun by any means, but I wouldn't think hitting at only 10 yards would be too much trouble.
 
Isn't a long barrel on a derringer kind of defeating the purpose, if there is a purpose for one of these? Have a Davis 38special and at 10 yards a frig would have a 50/50 chance of survival. Hard to grip and massive trigger pull. Can't adjust the trigger, I checked with 2 local gunsmiths.

Maybe something to hide for a real emergency when all else has failed. I shoot mine just for the hell of it, but would never rely on it for SD other than as a last last last resort.
 
.45-70 in a derringer style gun? All I can say is :what: WOW! :what:

Even with the softer recoil that comes with black powder I just can't see anything good coming from such a small gun that doesn't weigh much and has a grip that doesn't fit the hand well setting off a round of that sort.

The proper place for such an oddity is in some collection as an example of "over the top" firearms design....
 
Thanks for response Dave I had never heard that much about derringers so it is good to hear all sides. Also the only reason I would ever get a derringer is for the fun of it, but now I might not because if they are as bad as Dave says it would not even be worth it.
 
Have American Derringer DA in .38 spl. It fires very reliably, and at 10 yds. I can put both barrells into a paper plate (granted one bullet near the top and the other near the bottom). If you want a Derringer it or possibly the Bond sound as if they are the best two choices.
 
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