Help me. I want a derringer.

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38specialman

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What are the pro's and con's of a derringer. I have ben looking at one from Bond Arms, but something is stopping me. Let's see...umm.... what is it......oh yea, THE PRICE.:mad: For the money I could buy a full size. BUT I STILL WANT ONE. Somebody help me.:confused:
 
IMO they're only for extremely deep concealment or backup to your regular CC weapon. Two shots, have to cock the hammer each time.

But it's better than harsh language.
 
Derringers are about the same size as a 5 shot J frame. Bigger than a 7 shot P3AT. And when you drop them, they always seem to land on the hammer.

I saw a guy drop one in a gun store many years ago. It hit on the hammer and fired. The bullet - a .45 - hit the metal frame of a stool the owner was sitting on.
Nobody was happy.

Damn things are too bulky for a two-shot. Hard to draw from the pocket. If you're going to carry it in a holster, there are hundreds of better choices.

I don't like 'em!!
 
Carried an American Derringer .45/.410 for years as a "snake gun" but shot it mostly as a novelty on July 4 or New Years Eve - - you wouldn't believe the size of the fireball a 2.5" .410 makes :-)

But it was just that more of a novelty than a serious SD gun, so I traded it away. If you want one I think you should go ahead and get one, but NOT as a primary CCW - there are much better choices out there for that.
 
If you want one, get it. The two that I had (a 22 and a 38sp) both shot about 8" between barrels at 7 yards. They are very hard to shoot accurately and the 38 was hard on the hand. In short they can be fun to shoot but not what I well carry again. The 38 was an American Arms and good quality but a snub is a better choice. ---Bill
 
I'm with Japle.

Dangerous, slow to get into action from concealment, slow for a second shot, no third shot, hard to hit anything with. Pardon the trailing preposition.

Last choice, for me.
 
The derringer is something to buy simply for the reason that you like it. Don't try to rationalize or justify the purchase, because they aren't very practical for anything really.....if you want one then buy one, simple as that.

My father owns one of the Bond Arms .45/410 derringers. It's a hoot to shoot, but really that's about it.....and after a dozen or so shots it's not even fun anymore.
 
I'm assuming a typical two-barrel derringer...

Pros:
*Easy to conceal.

Cons:
*Low round count.
*May be difficult to cock and fire the second barrel quickly.
*Kicks like a drunken mule.
*Not accurate much more than 5 feet away, difficult to aim - strictly a belly button gun.
*Not much good as a club when empty.

If you want one, get one. I wouldn't carry it for PD, though.
 
I have a .357 american Derringer, although a very well made gun, it's Heavy and hard to put into action. You have the hammer which can snag & you have to cock it (no mean feat, especially under pressure). I haven't tested the hammer spring but I suspect it's slightly lighter than a 3/4 ton Ford leaf springs.
 
Bond Arms Derringers are great guns. go to bondarms.com and look at the videos and articles listed there. I have one in .44 mag that throws a 240 gr jsp bullet at 1100 fps. I also have an ADC DA38 that will throw a .357 mag out at well over 400 fpe. It is a double action gun and it makes for a small and light little powerhouse.

Best power you can carry in a pocket in my opinion.

NQ
 
If you can find one an American Derringer is a great item. Just beware of one thing. Their customer service is slow at best. A friend of mine sent his in for repairs and it took just over a year to get it back.

The Bond derringers are also awesome. They are bigger and heavier so they do not hide as easily but they are more fun to shoot. :)
 
derringer

Have been using a Hi Standard u/o .22 mag in a wallet holster for years.
No cocking hammer and fast two pull trigger fires 2-shots.
Easy access from the wallet holtser and very concealable.
 
The one thing I have noticed on derringer threads is that people who got them sooner or later got rid of them. There are some exceptions, of course.

I would offer that if you want to get one, get it, shoot it, and then whatever happens, happens. You satisfied your urge, had some fun and the anticipation of fun, and even if it kicks your hand like crazy, you still had the fun of anticipation.

Go for it. It's your cash and your dream. Live.

The Doc is out now. :cool:

Oh yes, I need your address so I can send you my bill for this advice! :D
 
Had two....Black Widow 22mag.....Bond Arms 45/410.....sold em both....just too many other options that do what it does better. If you like it, it's good...go ahead....as said....their novel. Don't expect to get much for it when you sell.
 
A family member has an American Derringer in .357 Magnum. Being a pipe fitter and owning a plumbing business on the side, he found himself sometimes going into bad areas at night to fix a cranky toilet. This guy is not a small man by any means and can handle just about anything in terms of recoil. I shot this derringer and found it misserable. The recoil is stout for a heavy gun. I am a fair shot but had a hard time putting two hits on an FBI "Q" target. And one hit on the paper didn't count!

Well, this relative didn't want to hear anything, thought his purchase was the absolute best thing, etc., etc. I took out my S&W J frame .357 Magnum, loaded it with the same cartridges being used in the derringer and we both did a presentation drill and fired two rounds on a target at 10' distance. My J frame came out from it's IWB holster and bang, bang, done. This was in a leisurely 2-3 seconds. I took a step back and looked over into the next lane and saw that he just got the derringer's hammer cocked. It took him about 10 seconds to put two rounds down range. And one of his missed as well.

Anyway, I agree that if you want one and your reson is to collect one as a novelty, then by all means do so. If you are looking at one as a serious defensive sidearm, look elsewhere. There are so many better defensive weapon platforms out there that offer more.
 
Mr

Anyway, I agree that if you want one and your reson is to collect one as a novelty, then by all means do so. If you are looking at one as a serious defensive sidearm, look elsewhere. There are so many better defensive weapon platforms out there that offer more.
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What he said:D
 
Derringer vs. mini-revolver

I've got them both. High Standard DM-101 .22Mag that I inherited from my dad, and a NAA .22LR mini-revolver that I have in my pocket right now. The derringer weighs 11oz and has only 2 shots. The mini-revolver weighs all of 5oz and holds 5rds. I like the little revolver better. Loaded with CCI Velocitors, it's rather impressive. NAA also makes a .22Mag version that holds 4rds. To me, the stainless-steel NAA is better than a derringer. My two-cents. :)
 
If you think your upcoming gun fight is going to take place at point-blank range, will be decided by one or two rounds, and you've trained yourself to operate a single-action gun when under stress, the "derringer" might serve.


But if you foresee yourself shooting across a street, firing a fair number of rounds, and going all thumbs under stress, a DAO snub or automatic of the same size and weight as the double-barreled gun just makes more sense.


There are a lot of people on this BB who are avid gun collectors. They will see the value of adding one or more derringers to their collections. But I'll bet they rarely or never carry them.
 
But if you foresee yourself shooting across a street, firing a fair number of rounds, and going all thumbs under stress, a DAO snub or automatic of the same size and weight as the double-barreled gun just makes more sense.


There are a lot of people on this BB who are avid gun collectors. They will see the value of adding one or more derringers to their collections. But I'll bet they rarely or never carry them.
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I guess it depends on how wide the street is that you are shooting across. My Bond is pretty accurate at 30ft off hand. Still, you are right, I almost never carry it. :)

BondTarget3.jpg
 
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