Does anyone really carry a derringer??
- Thread starter Wade
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Wade...I USED to...had a Buffalo Arms .357. I had to pawn it when I was homeless. I plan to eventually get another...maybe a NAA .22mag....wait and see. 
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Satanta, the Whitebear
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Satanta, the Whitebear
Sat's Realm: http://SatantasRealm.tripod.com/Entrypage/entrypage.html
My Disability petition: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/DisbHelp/petition.html
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PreserveFreedom
Guest
My most carried handgun is my 22LR Davis Derringer. It was my first gun.
Juan Hunt Greer
New member
A couple of decades ago, back in the tropics, I had a Herter's (remember them?) double derringer in .357 made by J.P.Saur&Sohn in West Germany (remember it?), Remington semi-clone. Kicked like a mule, but didn't break any bones. the best thing about was that I could drop it in my front pocket with a loose hanky in front of it and it didn't show in tropical weight clothes!
crankshaft
paranoia is a fine thing to have when they actually are out to get you!
crankshaft
paranoia is a fine thing to have when they actually are out to get you!
I have to admit that I have 2 Davis Derringer in 22lr which I carry when I'm not supose to be armed 
I even have pair of custom (left and right) pocket holster made for them. When I'm carrying these Derringer I carry one in each front pocket. I also practice drawing and reloading them at the range (when nobody else is around 
). After some practive you can hit 8" paper plates from 7 yards quite quickly.
I even have pair of custom (left and right) pocket holster made for them. When I'm carrying these Derringer I carry one in each front pocket. I also practice drawing and reloading them at the range (when nobody else is around ). After some practive you can hit 8" paper plates from 7 yards quite quickly."Carry" a Davis .22 mag and have actually used it! Several times.........
O.K. O.K. it wasn't quite like that. I bought the thing and keep it in a bag in the trunk of my patrol car. It's intended purpose is to put down animals that have been mortally injured by a motor vehicle (Antelope pay he!! around here when truck driver's don't see them entering the highway at 40 mph)
The Davis' first use was last winter when it helped me stop an ugly scene. When a local kid in his big hopped up pickup truck hit a fawn deer right downtown, breaking its back, I had to wait for a Game and Fish biologist to come remove the animal and took the hint of passing motorists who kept yelling for me to end the thing's suffering. Without going into detail, it was pretty heart rending. When no one was close by, a palmed derringer isn't very obvious and desn't make that much noise when a contact shot to the head is what is desired anyway. G&F biologist arrived 45 minutes latter and apologized for being late - I explained that the animal seemed to have passed quietly away. He took one look at the string of passing cars and expressed releif that it had. (Of course he knew exactly what had really happened - shot the derringer too.)
Since then my little Davis has dispatched anything that needed it within the city limits that I would have normally had to go back to the office and check out the Ruger MKIV that is there for that purpose. I'm very impressed with the Davis' accuracy. I can hit a three inch target at about 15 feet consistantly, which has been all that was needed for this kind of use so far...
O.K. O.K. it wasn't quite like that. I bought the thing and keep it in a bag in the trunk of my patrol car. It's intended purpose is to put down animals that have been mortally injured by a motor vehicle (Antelope pay he!! around here when truck driver's don't see them entering the highway at 40 mph)
The Davis' first use was last winter when it helped me stop an ugly scene. When a local kid in his big hopped up pickup truck hit a fawn deer right downtown, breaking its back, I had to wait for a Game and Fish biologist to come remove the animal and took the hint of passing motorists who kept yelling for me to end the thing's suffering. Without going into detail, it was pretty heart rending. When no one was close by, a palmed derringer isn't very obvious and desn't make that much noise when a contact shot to the head is what is desired anyway. G&F biologist arrived 45 minutes latter and apologized for being late - I explained that the animal seemed to have passed quietly away. He took one look at the string of passing cars and expressed releif that it had. (Of course he knew exactly what had really happened - shot the derringer too.)
Since then my little Davis has dispatched anything that needed it within the city limits that I would have normally had to go back to the office and check out the Ruger MKIV that is there for that purpose. I'm very impressed with the Davis' accuracy. I can hit a three inch target at about 15 feet consistantly, which has been all that was needed for this kind of use so far...
traitorjack
New member
I think I remember one of the ZZTop guys accidentally popping himself with one of them; had an AD/ND with one he'd kept in his boot.
I came by my davis derringer the same way. Was at the gun shop purchasing my .40 SW EAA Witness and happened to see the davis while waiting for the paperwork to finish up. Couldn't help myself and bought it. It's the .32 ACP by the way. Although less expensive than many others, I've been very impressed with its fit and function. Certainly not a "one shot man-stopper," I'm running hydra shocks in it and am pretty certain it'd get the job done in an up close and personal situation. In fact, the little thing is pretty accurate out to 15-20 yards with a little practice. I had a lot of my gun friends chuckle when I took it out the first time at the range, but everyone stood in line to shoot the thing (and several people went and bought one, although they'll never admit it). BUY ONE!! They're handy little guns to have, the .32 ACP doesn't kick that hard, and it's great when you're in clothes that don't permit much else, it's a good pocket gun. I keep mine in my truck under the drink holder/console thingy as a back up usually. One tip: buy it in blue instead of the stainless/chrome. On a gun this small and inexpensive, finish doesn't matter, but the shiny one can be seen from a mile away in the sunlight, whereas the blue one can be easily palmed. JMHO. spike
I must be one of the lucky ones in regards to derringers. I have both a Bond Arms and american Derringer in .45 colt/.410.The trigger pull is just fine. The accuracy is just fine. I can generally hit what I want out to 7+ yards - even farther if I really try. I carry one or the other EVERYDAY. It slips in one of my briefcase pockets or my rear hip pocket in my jeans and nobody is the wiser to it. I have two powerful shots to handle anything that may come up. I will take 2 major caliber rounds to 5 or more mouse rounds any day of the week. I used to carry a NAA mini mag. After buying my Bond Arms, I realized the size difference was not as great as I thought it would be. Needless to say, I do not carry the NAA anymore, because the Bond fils that niche in long pants, and the AD fill the niche in summer attire because it is lighter and a little smaller. i like the Bond because it is so substantial in my hand and the extra weight soaks up recoil. I like the AD because it truly is a tiny pocket gun that I can ALWAYS carry no matter what I'm wearing. I have never gotten comfortable with a small automatic for a pocket gun because of reliability factors (I know, I know, everyone's stories about how they've shot thousands of rounds without a malf can be inserted in their posts on this thread! )
I find mine to be dead reliable and easy to operate if you take the time to practice with them. I have no doubt that I will be unable to wear my derringers out from shooting them becasue they are so solidly overbuilt! I'm sure thay will make a nice gift to my son someday when I pass on to the next life.
IMO the derringer is a viable option for those of us who do not have a high risk lifestyle or job. I have never felt undergunned with it and have even had to point it in defense once but, the mere presentation of the firearm caused the punk to literally stop in mid run and jump through the window of his lowrider to get away! (He threw a beer bottle at my car and then slammed on his brakes and came running at me with a bat! All this in a nice middle class neighborhood and me with a suit and tie on at a four way stop!) I won't go into any more detail on that, but suffice it to say, the derringer did it's job and thank God I didn't have to send a silvertip in his direction!
In summary - I carry one, am proficient with it, and am confident in it!
canis
)I find mine to be dead reliable and easy to operate if you take the time to practice with them. I have no doubt that I will be unable to wear my derringers out from shooting them becasue they are so solidly overbuilt! I'm sure thay will make a nice gift to my son someday when I pass on to the next life.
IMO the derringer is a viable option for those of us who do not have a high risk lifestyle or job. I have never felt undergunned with it and have even had to point it in defense once but, the mere presentation of the firearm caused the punk to literally stop in mid run and jump through the window of his lowrider to get away! (He threw a beer bottle at my car and then slammed on his brakes and came running at me with a bat! All this in a nice middle class neighborhood and me with a suit and tie on at a four way stop!) I won't go into any more detail on that, but suffice it to say, the derringer did it's job and thank God I didn't have to send a silvertip in his direction!
In summary - I carry one, am proficient with it, and am confident in it!
canis
Gunslinger
Moderator
I to have an American Derringer chambered in .44 mag. with an extra barrel set in .44-40. (American Derringer does not offer spare barrel sets for their guns like Bond. But after hounding Elizabeth Saunders, owner of ADC for over two years, she let me buy a spare barrel set to custom fit to the little gun.) It was intended as an addtionan to my cowboy set with a pair of Vaqueros I custom built in .44mag./.44-40. But I do find myself dropping it in my pocket as a back up fairly often. Even though I always have a full size Smith model 29 on my person it is comforting being able to innocently slip may hand in my pocket and wrap it around the derringer.
I also have the .22LR/Mag. NAA mini relover I picked up to use as as watch fob for the same cowboy set. The two guns are almost identical in overall size. The mini weighs considerably less than the derringer. Once my set is complete and the guns are all relagated to display purposes I will probably pick up one example of each as replacements just to have as carry options there if needed.
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Gunslinger
I was promised a Shortycicle and I want a Shortycicle!
I also have the .22LR/Mag. NAA mini relover I picked up to use as as watch fob for the same cowboy set. The two guns are almost identical in overall size. The mini weighs considerably less than the derringer. Once my set is complete and the guns are all relagated to display purposes I will probably pick up one example of each as replacements just to have as carry options there if needed.
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Gunslinger
I was promised a Shortycicle and I want a Shortycicle!
I had that little Davis .32 Derringer. I took it to the range and after about 20 rounds the trigger wouldn't budge without lifting some of the pressure off the hammer with my thumb. 
I took it to my shop here in OKC and traded it, and a NEF 32 H&R mag, in on a Taurus M605 in .357 mag/38 Special. Much better than either of the two although it wasn't an even trade. 
Oh well, I got rid of 2 problems anyhow. I did like the way I could throw it in my pocket and not worry about it but I didn't feel like it was reliable enough to be worth even owning. YMMV
I took it to my shop here in OKC and traded it, and a NEF 32 H&R mag, in on a Taurus M605 in .357 mag/38 Special. Much better than either of the two although it wasn't an even trade. Oh well, I got rid of 2 problems anyhow. I did like the way I could throw it in my pocket and not worry about it but I didn't feel like it was reliable enough to be worth even owning. YMMV
I've owned a Davis .32 ACP derringer for years. It now resides in a convenient place in the "throne room" (I know, more information than you wanted), loaded with Silvertips.
I recently acquired a Davis in .38 Spl. I load it with 148 gr. 3-D brand wadcutters, and carry it occasionally when working outside around the house or going for a quick trip to the store.
I recently acquired a Davis in .38 Spl. I load it with 148 gr. 3-D brand wadcutters, and carry it occasionally when working outside around the house or going for a quick trip to the store.
I know most folks have had pretty good luck with the Davis derringers but I didn`t. I bought a .22Mag. on a whim to use as an "always gun" and to load with snakeshot while hiking. When I took it to the range I fired exactly 1 shot before the selector in the hammer broke in half (!!!) and tied up the gun. I took it back and traded it in for an NAA mini. I`ve been happy with that ever since. I wouldn`t mind picking up an American Arms derringer in some big stomper of a caliber though. 
Marcus
I wouldn`t mind picking up an American Arms derringer in some big stomper of a caliber though. Marcus- Status