How many carry derringers?

A

Alex Johnson

New member
How many of you have carried derringers for defense before, such as Davis, American Derringer, etc? I know that they aren't the best choices for defense, but they often provide a lot of power in a small package. What is your opinions on them?
 
My dad's got the 45 acp, seems to me he paid about $150 for it at a gunshow a few years back. I wouldn't mind running into one of those deals.
 
i cant say for derringers, but i carry my north american arms 22 magnum 5 shot revolver daily. The gun fits in the palm of my hand, is light as a feather and shoots very well at close range. I call it my gun that goes with me when my big gun cant.


Tim :)

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Why dont you get rid of that nickel plated sissy pistol and get yourself a glock. :::Tommy Lee Jones:::
 
I carried a High Standard .22 Magnum derringer as a back up backup when I was in police work. I figured that if it ever got to the point I had to use it, the resulting flash and "crash" may give me enough time to escape. That little sucker is loud.

The major problem with derringers that copy the old Remington design is that they tend to land with the barrels aiming back at you if you were to drop them.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
I carry an American Derringer .44 mag. in addition to my 6" model 29 Smith. I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying the derringer alone but do like having it for a back up. But anything is better than nothing at all.

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Gunslinger

TFL End of Summer Meet, August 12th & 13th, 2000
 
I carried a Sundance Point Blank Derringer
.22 lr loaded with Stingers for a while if I had to tuck my shirts in and had no other carry option. Not such a bad choice. It is a pretty cool, cheap copy of the High Standard and in it's role, it works. I have a KelTec P-32 for super discrete carry now.

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"I learned a thing or two from Charlie,don't you know. You better stay away from Copperhead Road" Steve Earle
 
I have an F.I.E. derringer in .38 special that I inherited. Its a cheap one. I've shot it exactly four times and have no interest in more. It practically takes both hands to cock and the trigger is stiff. Can't hit anything more than 15 feet away and that's pushing it. I'm sure some of the more pricy derringers work far better, but I'd opt for a small .38 revolver ala $&# 442 or something like a Kahr MK9 once you hit the $300-$500 dollar range. They're not that much bigger, pack more punch and are way easier to shoot. For that matter I'd rather have a Raven Arms .25 acp. I could get off all six .25's with better accuracy faster than I could cock the FIE.

If you get one, make sure you handle it first if its a cheap one.
 
I have been teaching CCW classes since 1994. In that time I've seen three derringers in my classes. None of the three could reliably hit a 30"X18" cardboard silhouette beyond spitting distance. I don't mean hit it in the middle, I mean hit it at all, anyplace consistantly.

Sorry if this offends anyone but derringers are a joke. You'd probably be better of with a good knife.
 
I have an American Derringer in .44 mag. I carry .44 specials in it.

Dave T is pretty close to being right. At 7 yards it shoots about 2 feet low. Aim for the head, hit 'em center mass. :(

I carry it as a very last resort. It's much better than nothing. :) See my signature.

Rick

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I prefer armed combat to unarmed combat. It's easier on the knuckles.
 
Interesting comment. I can consistantly keep both shots within the 8 ring of a B-27 target out to 21 feet with an ADC Derringer .45 Colt/.410 shooting Federal 225gr. SWCHP (.45 Long Colt).

Keep in mind that majority of the people that attend CCW classes are people who have never shot a gun before...and are definately inexperienced.
 
I had an American Derringer in 38/357 and, actually, at seven yards it was okay as far as accuracy was concerned. But, the felt recoil with the .357 was awsome. 38 was okay but IMHO there's a whole lot of better choices for concealed carry than a derringer.
 
For years I carried an Intratech .38 double action "plastic" derringer in the woods -- loaded with one round of snake shot and one hollowpoint.

It's a fast two shot with NO hammer cocking which is the motion that I think makes other derringers unuseable.

The derringer is not for long range predator shooting... It's for up close and in the clutches. For aimed fire it's fine to 15 feet and that's longer than most any in-the-house shot.

I carried it and used it for snake and dogs. It has worked effectively several times.

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Talk is cheap; Free Speech is NOT.
 
Sometimes carry a Davis D-38 in .38 Special. Favorite ammo is Strike Three. I'm convinced that this stuff was made for derringers. It packs three .30 caliber buckshot balls into a one of Speers plastic shotshell housings. I also developed a home-brew load for the same. Instead of three lead balls, use slingshot ammo and put four STEEL balls at .25 caliber, plus you can squeeze a fair amount (more than a .22LR shotshell) of #12 birdshot into the case with it. Devastating at close range to snakes, varmints, and most medium size critters. I wouldn't recommend it for bear, but it should be effective against two legged varmints (at close range).
 
I have a Davis .32 Derringer. I carry it to work ONLY because I have no other option due to my dress cose at work. I have to wear a shirt tucked in and that narrows my choices down. Dave T is right, they are a joke really, but if I get confronted I would rather put that in the bg's face instead of a knife. As others have stated though the hammer is hard to cock but only because of the gun's size. Any other time I carry something bigger and much easier to use.

As far as accuracy, it sucks, but I figure I am not trying to snipe anybody with it I just want to have SOMETHING other than my lunchbox to defend myself. At 10 yards I can hit the target but it has about a 1 foot pattern. Don't expect alot of accuracy out of them but they are good for close work. If I could do it over again I would have saved my money and bought that Kel-Tec P32.

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Until the antis put a sign in their front yard that says they don't own guns, they are riding on the shirt-tail of the safety that we provide by owning them.
 
i also have a high std in .22mag. in the old wallet holster it is a nice discreet carry. better to have a.22mag with you than you (insert cal here) at home. of course my main carry varies between a g19 or a 640 revolver
 
I personally can't imagine a good reason for carrying a derringer over almost any standard semi-auto. First off, they're hard as hell to hit anything with, and you get two shots and you're done. I'd much rather have the similarly sized Keltec P32 than a derringer if I needed a really small gun.
 
One reason for the derringers is that the
Davis ones are small and around here (TX),
you can get an 32 ACP one for $89.

That's a significant saving over even P-32.

I met an older gentleman who made a little IWB holster for his out of an old clip on eyeglasses case. That was what he could afford.

Given the positive value of a deterrent that a gun offers - he is better off with it than without.

Another thing, I never see those HJS 4 barrel Sharp types around. Are they made anymore?

I once saw them in Florida but I was paying an FFL fee for such an inexpensive gun. I wanted it as cute gun to join my other mini 22s.
 
I'm not in any way advocating that somebody carry derringer as a primary gun; however, I must point out that the American Derringer in 45 ACP packs one hell of a lot more punch than the Kel-Tec P32 does. If you find yourself in a situation where you have only one shot between yourself and the great unknown I'd want that shot to be the most powerful I could possibly get. You can talk about carrying a bigger gun until your blue in the face, but the fact is that a lot of people don't do it. I would dare to say, that probably some on this thread are carrying pocket guns as we speak. So what it really comes down to is which pocket gun are you going to carry? I for one don't have much trouble hitting the target with a derringer at normal defense ranges.
 
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