Why are derringers so expensive?

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emccarthy

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I was considering saving up for a derringer but after looking at some of the prices(cheapest I found was around $350) I think a snub nose revolver would be a better choice. Anyone know why thse darn things are so expennsive? They only hold a couple of rounds and aren't accurate much past 7 yards(from what little I've read)

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I paid 100 something bucks for my 38 cobra derringer. it serves its purpose. I think(I am not sure), but they are money grabbers because they draw certain people - they have new kinds, bigger calibres, etc. I finally said: ';the heck with this' and bought the 38 derringer. I made the right choice.
 
If you're looking for a range toy, you should look at NAA mini revolvers (about $175) and those flare gun-lookin' Cobray derringers (like $80). Neither is a weapon I'd want to go to war with, but they're fun and cheap and the NAA is a head turner, even though its the opposite end of the spectrum.

Now, if you're looking for something for serious self defense, i share your opinion. Personally, I'd rather have a small revolver or auto. A 2-shot derringer that has the same frame size and weight as a small auto is kind of pointless to me. I mean, even if the auto fails, you're only getting one less shot lol. And the prices are about the same.

If you're set on a traditional derringer, Id shop around pawn shops and gun shows and see if you can find a good deal. I bet you could find one under priced in a pawn shop, once you haggled the guy down.
 
basically cost of manufacturing / economies of scale.

They do not make huge production runs of these things - they are not mass produced like Glocks.

I have to say too that - this is really old technology. The fact that they only hold 2 rounds highlights the fact that there have been advances in design and materials that allow people to create pistols like the Kahr CM9 and the Rohrbaugh R9. The fact that the Derringers have old outdated designs doesn't make them any cheaper to manufacture.

There are plenty of examples where 9mm Derringers only weigh slightly less - a few onces less than an R9 and are only a fraction of an inch smaller in OA length. Examples too of Derringers actually being larger than and heavier than an R9.

It makes sense that if something has a lot of utility then the price someone can charge for it would go up, and these things don't have a lot of utility so the prices should be lower. However the other side of the price equation is cost of inputs - material, labor, all the usuall fixed costs and marginal costs of running the machinery. It may be a case where these things reall cost more to manufacture than they're worth. They seem to appeal to a niche market of gun buyers. I think there are probably some people who really really want a tiny gun for a last resort who are willing to pay $400 or $500 for some tertiary firearm to go to. And I think there are some people who mainly buy them because of the neato factor.

If I had the money I would have gotten the American Derringer in 9mm just for the neato factor. :)
 
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Bargains can be found. I bought a 9mm 2 shot at a police supply 6 years ago for $35. The pistol was cheap due to fact the officer had broke the extracto having fired machine pistol ammo in it and the cases were stuck. I contacted the manufacturer after purchse and they sent me 2 new extractors free. I shoot cast only so it gets a steady diet of 158 grain Wc´s sized down to .356 and loaded to 38 Special FPS.
Mike in Peru
 
There is definitly the neato factor, but i'd probably be better served with a small revolver, considering the cost should be a little less unless I get lucky and find one really cheap.

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In the 1970s when I had my gun shop I sold a .22lr single shot derringer for $7.00 retail. They were made by General Precision Corp. (whoever they are or were)
They shot. That is about all I can say for them. If you wanted to hit a man in the chest from ten feet you would have to aim at his feet the recoil would raise it up that high.
Wuthuless but I still have one.
Sold lots of them. I forget my wholesale cost but it must have been around $3.00.
 
I love the look of derringers and the weight in the hand and the size... From what I have read (overall) the triggers tend to be terrible and the accuracy dismal and the larger caliber ones supposedly kick like a mule.

I think a small semi auto or a lightweight revolver would be a better choice for SD..

Still they do have a cool factor...
 
I also don't trust the lack of a trigger gaurd on most of them. I understand the safeties they have etc... but no matter what - I cannot be comfortable carrying one of those things with no trigger gaurd.

So if I were to get one I think it would just be a conversation piece, and when I think about the money - there is always other gun related stuff to spend my money on.
 
Derringers aren't expensive. A well-made derringer or an original antique is. They aren't the best choice for self-defense, but they are appropriate for doing a post-Civil War gentleman's impression ( especially the gambler types ). I've been considering one for myself, ( a Remington copy ) as I work as a costumed tour guide in an area where a visible weapon is OK as long as you are known as a licensed guide ( and the weapon is period-type, like a flintlock or a pirate-type cutlass, and secured to one's self ). Seems like the Cobra or the American Derringer model 1 would fit the bill ( the gold Denix non-firing one looks awful and too big). I'd like something to maybe play with at the range- anyone have experience with these two, or other suggestions?
BTW, I'm talking about Saint Augustine, FL - the nation's oldest city.
 
i like derringers. not because of their power or accuracy or speed (lol). to me they are a part of history that interests me. do they work? yes, after a fashion. are they a viable defense weapon today? yes. could they save your life? yes. are there better alternatives? most certainly.

if you like western items then a baseball cap is no substitute for a cowboy hat, an m-16 is no substitute for a winchester. alot of people like collecting different parts of history and gun collectors are no different. while gun technology has advanced i think old style western guns are as popular as ever. while they may be slower to load and slower to fire and they may not have the capacity of modern guns, they are alot of fun and still viable weapons. besides if a derringer was good enough for john wayne (the shootist) then a derringer is good enough for me :)
 
One of the things I see mentioned negativly is the trigger. Is it possible to have a trigger job done one these or is it primarily 'what you see is what you get'?

It looks like the cobra derringers(or at least some of them) have a trigger guard, which is good but if you need two fingers to pull the trigger it'd be no good for my wife. That reason alone would keep me from getting one(at least for her as a SD weapon)

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My guess would be liability insurance which is bound to be higher for the marketing of this antiquated and dangerous design than more modern, safer designs. The added insurance costs are, naturally, passed on to the consumer.
Just a possible guess.
 
Steelbird; I own one "cobra/Davis" derringer and an "American derringer" the former is .22lr, the Am. deringer is .45acp.

Although the "Cobra" is cast alloy frame and barrel, (the barrels have steel sleeves) they are finished well and can be more accurate than some people claim. The "American derringer" is VERY well made, machined from stainless steel, fit and finish is top quality (IMO), Both are as close to the original Remington design as can be.

The trigger pull is stiff, that is intentional to make it harder to accidently fire the gun due to no trigger guard, if you pull the trigger back and down, the pull is reduced and manageable.

As far as the cost, when you buy an American or a Bond arms, you are paying for quality work, when you buy a Cobra, the high quality isn't there, but they are one of only a very few (other) makers out there so they can charge "almost" as much but as long as they are cheaper, people will buy them.


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I also don't trust the lack of a trigger gaurd on most of them. I understand the safeties they have etc... but no matter what - I cannot be comfortable carrying one of those things with no trigger gaurd.
Click to expand...
If you want a derringer and the only thing holding you back is the lack of a trigger guard, check out Bond Arms. Some of their models come with a triggerguard that the user can easily install/remove according to preference.

Here's a picture of one with the trigger guard installed from the Bond Arms website.
gunSS4large.gif

Of course, the trigger is totally non-functional until the hammer is cocked, so a triggerguard doesn't really do anything except when the hammer is cocked. Since no one in their right mind carries a derringer with the hammer cocked, the triggerguard's utility is debatable.
 
As others have said American derringer and Bond arms are quality pieces I own one of each. The AD is a 357 and the Bond is a 45 Colt. Are they the most economical or practical carry guns heck no. They are both heavier than my 442, but you have to account for the cool factor. I realize my lifestyle is mundane enough that the remote possibility of me being in a SD situation is very low, but I spend a fair amount of time in rural KS where I actually shoot my carry guns on occasion. Some of the time I even carry a Colt SAA in 45 Colt and my bond is the only logical BUG. Some people might think I'm not well armed some know better;)
 
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