Can We Talk Derringers?

brentona

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I don't know why, but I am on a kick with them lately. I wouldn't mind little fella in .357/.38 to keep in my pocket at times. What are people's impressions on them? Any real world, first-hand experience to be told of on this subject? I'm thinking car-jacker, ground and pound situations could be easily remedied with one of these shoved in someone. Now of course that is an extreme situation to think of, but what isn't possible these days with the country in the situation it is.

Any who, pictures, experiences, post 'em up!

Many Thanks;
-- Brent
 
I have fired a derringer that was 357 mag. It ain't much fun. It is not something you are gonna want to practice with but as you said "shoved in someone" will get the job done. That being said I would pull the trigger on one in 44 mag if my life depended upon it and worry about the pain in my hand after I ain't about to be dead no more.

I want one and continue to search for the right one but I think mine will be in 9mm if I get one.
 
I have a Bond Arms in .410 I keep in my pick-up. I have it stuffed with 000 buck and 6 rounds in a speed strip. Just like you said, stick it in my pocket when I fuel up or stop at a rest stop, or when I have a flat it is just easy to stick in a pocket. I have several barrels for it and enjoy plinking with it also.
 
In my experience the smaller calibers are are easier to shoot in the Davis variety, no trigger guard, the bond arm are easier to shoot in larger calibers. I experimented with them years ago but have since moved on.
 
I have a really inexpensive .22 derringer an honestly I cant really see it being an improvement over any other small pocket blaster. Having to cycle the hammer alone makes it slower and more awkward to use...I could only imagine it being doubly so in a life or death situation. I feel its niche is best filled with a small SW442/642 or a small semi like a LCP and its cousins.
 
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@BatteryOaksBilly has one in .38 Special. And, guess what, he cut the barrels off. The end of the bullet is flush with the end of the barrel now.
 
Toyed around with getting a Bond until I actually shot one a friend owned. With the weight of it and round capacity I decided it would be more a toy then something I would carry so I just canned the idea.
 
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I've owned two of the Remington over/under types. First was a chromed Davis .25 ACP derringer SN:3030 that I bought down in San Antonio for when I was running back in the mid 80s. Had less then 200 rds thru it. Gun did work for years and got my $25 bucks out of it. You don't shoot much out of these. Very small guns but made out of pot metal.
davis%20derringer%20d38-01.jpg

Second was a American Derringer Corp M7 lightweight out of Waco Tx. Caliber was .380 ACP. Bought it when Bill Clinton was in the oval office. Sister has it (she likes derringers) down in SA but the you really feel the recoil of this 7.5 oz little gun. Gun is almost the size as a Smith J frame 442 at 15 oz. This one is thinner but slower to employ and you only have 2 instead of 5 shots. I'll rather have my J frame Smith for the larger derringers or a NAA mini revolver over the Davis copy's.

amder-m7a.gif


The other small gun I had back then was a nickled Baby Browning .25 ACP. All those guns can be easily replaced by the current crop of small .380 Autos such as the LCP or Ket Tec .32/380s.

CD
 
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Even as a last ditch?


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yeh its pretty dang heavy - if i was looking at a last ditch i think id consider one of those black widow 22mags

unless youre looking at something stashed beside you in the car - but then might as well go full size option
 
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yeh its pretty dang heavy - if i was looking at a last ditch i think id consider one of those black widow 22mags

Still way too heavy for me even as a last ditch. You can carry sooooo many full size guns if you want to carry that heavy of a gun. I also tried two NAA revolvers. I owned a Pug and a Sidewinder. As I said owned. I sold them both since both went right back to the factory right after my first range visit, and the single action just didn't do it for me. I replaced them with a LCP and when I can't carry my Shield 9 or when I walking around my neighborhood I just drop it into my pocket in a Remora holster with a spare mag. I've not had one problem with it.
 
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North American Arms .22 mag. Comes in handy for my weekends at the Naturalist Park or strolling along the Grand Strand in my Speedo 20191023_172200.jpg
 
Unless you just want one as a toy to play with (I did that once), don't bother. If you want it for fun, have at it. They really aren't any fun though...

Copied from the other thread on the topic...

Derringers are stupid... They're impractical on every level. They aren't really compact, they aren't cheap, they're heavy, the triggers suck, and the design causes them to kick like a mule even with mild cartridges like 9mm, and you get a whopping 2 rounds that takes too long to reload...

It's not 1867. Buy a real gun... A small semiautomatic or revolver is lighter, cheaper (or as cheap), easier to shoot/load, and 3-5 times the capacity...
 
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  1. DoubleTap defense in .45 acp. Very flat and easy to conceal. Its biggest selling point for me is that it is double action so no hammer or safety to fool with. If you get a misfire you can restrike simply by pulling the trigger again. The barrels fire in sequence so with a little prep you can decide which one fires first. Not terribly expensive. The BIG drawback is brutal recoil with factory ammo. Too much recoil could lead to a double discharge. OK if you are in a real fight but not good to encourage practice. I did a lot of load development to get this little beast reliable and practical. Finally wound up with 230 gr cast semi wadcutters. Set up to fire a lighter load from top barrel first and then follow up with a full power round in the lower barrel. I practice with the lighter loads. Accuracy is acceptable at practical distances. I am not concerned with bullet geometry, velocity, expansion or any of that stuff. It's mostly nonsense with a gun this small anyway. If I have to use it, it will be really close and will make .45 caliber holes. That should do the job.
  2. I carry it as a backup to a real gun or when really deep concealment is called for. Better than nothing
 
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I've had a bunch. The last American Derringers I had were .38 and 45 ACP. As @Geezer said, I cut the barrels off. It was built from aluminum and weighed 5.5 ounces . It was tiny when I shaved the grips and cut the barrel. The .45 was also aluminum construction...nut fun. The main drawback is cocking the damn things. The last two that I have now are Double Action High Standards in .22 LR[only one I have ever seen] and .22 Mag. These guns are Very useful. They are Flat as a flitter and the DA is wonderful.
 
I have 5 LCPs, as many S&W j frames, and 1 derringer.

If you wish to hit the side of a barn with one, walk inside of the barn and close the door and you'll hit something.

They are for shits and giggles. Not much more than that.

If I need something to carry my first go to is the LCP. If I can dress around the gun then a Glock 19.

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I have a Bond Arms Papa Bear. .410/.45 Colt.

It certainly has it's purpose, and it's limited.

It's a great gun to keep in my pocket when I'm on the boat fishing. It's really not that bad to shoot with a .45 Colt or a shotgun shell.
 
I had a Bond 45 Colt/410 that I got mainly to use with 410 shells. It worked fine if you have a very strong trigger finger. I took off the trigger guard so I could press on the very end of the trigger to make it fire when I actually wanted it to fire. It did not shoot both barrels to anywhere near the same point of aim with 45 Colt ammo. I eventually gave it to a friend of mine. I am not sure whether she still has it or not.
 
I had a Bond Arms in .44 mag, not many out there
They quickly stopped manufacturing the .44 mag barrels and they will buy them back from you at a premium, rumor is someone broke/dislocated a finger while firing and tried/did sue.
Mine was owned by a Texas ranger
Felt like dynamite going off in your hand while firing...not pleasant but I imagine receiving end would be worse
 
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