What Do I Need To Know About Derringers?

[RedneckRampage]

I've decided I want a Derringer. I think I want a cheaper, .38 special. Accuracy and recoil don't matter, cause if I need it, it will be very close range, and I'll be "in the moment", and not notice the recoil. What is there to know before I buy one?

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[Silver Hand]

Cheap guns fall apart! Buy Quality your life may depend on it.
Silver Hand

 

[RedneckRampage]

What is considered quality, in a Derringer? I obviously don't want junk, but I'm not spending $500 on one either.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I always fancied that High Standard .22 magnum.

Some of those titanium .38 wheelguns kick plenty hard enough for me.. and they hold five rounds.

 

[Trailboss]

Thirty years ago I purchased a stainless double barrel American Derringer chambered in 45/410 with 22 caliber inserts. Paid $135 out the door. Have shot rabbits, grouse, snakes and carried it for self defense. Buy quality, mine is still like new.

 

[Screwy]

Bond Arms makes a heavy duty gorgeous 45 lc/410 g. About $300.

 

[Toxic6]

Derringer....bleh. The ones I have had/shot, you better press teh barrel up against your target if you want even a 50% chance of hitting. I literally stood 3 feet from a fairly large tree stump and missed (hit in the dirt off to the side) with a Davis "big bore" derringer. In comparison, I have hit soda bottles out in the 100 yard range with my full size 9mm.

Haven't shot any of the higher quality ones but have heard good things.....and my understanding is most of them are similar to the Contender type weapons in that you can get multiple different caliber barrels and swap them when wanted. Again, what i have heard.

 

[TCOV]

If you are going to practice much stay away from the High Standard 22mag as it will get loose at the pivot point. Shoots a ball of fire but not ready for prime time. I think the 22lr was ok.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It seems like a lot of them have a cross bolt safety these days. That'd suck. I don't think that Heizer Double Tap has any sort of safety nor hammer. If those have a good rep, that seems viable as you could fire it very quickly.. without cocking it or worrying about whether or not the safety was accidentally engaged.

 

[billdeserthills]

I've decided I want a Derringer. I think I want a cheaper, .38 special. Accuracy and recoil don't matter, cause if I need it, it will be very close range, and I'll be "in the moment", and not notice the recoil. What is there to know before I buy one?

The only derringer worth having is made by American Derringer in Waco, TX
It's the only one made with a spring loaded safety. Any other derringer just feels slow & clumsy
once you have seen an American Derringer

 

[Trailboss]

The only derringer worth having is made by American Derringer in Waco, TX
It's the only one made with a spring loaded safety. Any other derringer just feels slow & clumsy
once you have seen an American Derringer

Agree totally and with the 410 buck shot rounds, I can put four .34 cal balls into a 5 inch circle at 20 feet. Two shots can plant 8 lead balls on target in about one second, not bad for defense.

 

[SomeDude]

What about Cobra? I've seen surprisingly (mostly, but not all) good reviews for them. They are very inexpensive and you can get them with all kinds of different barrels.

Bond arms seems to be the most well built of all by far. My problem with them is most of their models are so big and heavy (and expensive) that you'd be better off getting a 5-shoot lightweight snubbie on all three accounts. That being said, I wouldn't mind owning one just for fun.

As far as the Double Tap ones go, I feel they are WAY to big. They looked cool in magazines, and then I finally saw one in a store. They are huge! The only redeeming quality is how thin they are, but a Ruger LCP is about the same. Height and length are as big or bigger than most pocket .380s. To to it all off, they're about $500. There is not a single case I can make for anybody to ever own one.

 

[SomeDude]

Wow I just looked up American Derringer's website, and you can get them in 10mm, 44 mag, and... 45-70!

 

[Toxic6]

What about Cobra? I've seen surprisingly (mostly, but not all) good reviews for them. They are very inexpensive and you can get them with all kinds of different barrels.

Cobra is just rebranded Davis, same tooling and materials......maybe a little better qc but still the same beast reborn yet again.

 

[edogg]

To throw out another option, check out the NAA mini-revolvers. They're only available in .22 (LR or magnum) but you get 5 shots out of them with decent accuracy. I can get all 5 shots on a man-sized target at 7-10 yards while shooting very fast. And I expect that 5 shots of .22mag would probably have the same detrimental effect as 1 shot of .38 special.

 

[cwegga]

From what I've seen don't get a derringer, get a LCP, P3AT or the like, they are generally smaller and lighter than most derringers and give you 6+1 instead of 2 shots.

 

[CAMc]

I can only speak for Davis derringers, but make sure that sucker is on half-cock while your loading it, otherwise you could put a hole in something you didn't intend to. The hammer rests on the firing pins, and if you don't half-cock it, the firing pins protrude, and when you close the hinged barrels on a live round, BANG!

 

[Dunerunner]

I agree with everything above...

inaccurate
you are the recoil absorber
one or two shots and you're done
big hands have problems with small guns

 

[Silver Hand]

I support the stainless American Derringer -
.410/ 45 caliber Colt Double Barrel American Derringer Corp. Model 1 - YouTube 'Video is Nineteen seconds'
Not the brightest individual shooting over water and using a factory as a back stop then spitting moisture in the tubes, but if he could shoot it any one can.
Although for me it is a five shot titanium .38 +p Wheel Gun / 13 ounces MT. So light you have no excuse not to carry it every day, With this holster.
Bianchi 6 Rust Suede Waistband Holster 10380, 15486, 10371, 10378, 10370, 10376, 10382, 10373, 10374, 10377, 10379, 10381, 10383, 10384, 10385, 10388, 10389, 15487, 18026, 18027, 18028, 18029, 18842, 18843, 19558, 19559. Bianchi Belt Holsters.
Silver Hand

 

[Silver Hand]

I agree with everything above...

inaccurate
you are the recoil absorber
one or two shots and you're done
big hands have problems with small guns

I am not out to start a war! It is a misconception large hands require large grips. My mits won't fit in X-large gloves, I ware a size 13 + in a glove and many are tight.
I have massive hands and find that in my case the smaller the grip the better the feel on any size pistol regardless of the caliber or type.
I have no problem shooting small pistols with the grips swallowed up by my palm and using just two fingers on the grips and one in the trigger hole, covering the back strap with the base of my thumb.
I do have problems with thick grips and fat target grips. Large hands do not require much wood, rubber or what ever to fill the palm as there is much less space to fill.
Lets not forget finger size and length matter also. If someone reading this has big mits and is not comfortable with there shooter, try some skinny, puny grips, Just for Kicks.
Silver Hand