Re: School me on Derringer's?
I had a .38 Davis Derringer that I inherited from my grandfather when he passed on. He carried it in his pocket every day for at least 10 years and very rarely shot it. I think he fired MAYBE twenty rounds of 158 LRN out of it.
I got it and dropped it in my pocket... Thought "it's small and it's a .38 (I kept 125gr Winchester SJHP in it) good to go." Well... Not quite.
Derringers are VERY heavy for what they are. The crossbolt safety (if you want to call it that... you could push it through the frame and literally out the other side... ALL THE WAY OUT... in all respect to derringers in general, this was a $90 pawn shop special he picked up) was poorly placed so I only carried the top barrel loaded, hammer down on the empty bottom chamber. Problem solved? No. Cocking the single action hammer on it was difficult on a nice day at the range... I am glad that either my grandpa or I had to do that under stress. Also, the trigger pull was absolutely atrocious. Granted this was meant as a screw it in the eye socket type of piece, still not conducive to even 3 yard shooting. Accuracy was pretty much minute of torso to about 10 yards, more than adequate for what my grandpa got it for.
Keeping in mind the limitations of derringers (heavy, low capacity, small grip that isn't conducive to recoil control which with the 125 Win. SJHP's in that small gun there was PLENTY OF, slow to cock, snag hazard from hammer/trigger area), I think most people would be MUCH better served with a piece other than a derringer for actual defensive use. North American Arms Mini Revolvers in .22 (.22 WMR with 1 5/8" barrel would be my choice in these) are easier to shoot, smaller, offer 5 (4 if carried hammer down on empty chamber as opposed to hammer in one of the slots in the cylinder) shots as opposed to 2, lighter, and significantly easier to cock and shoot. If it were me, I'd go with one of the newer pocket guns out there or a classic Centennial type J Frame Smith. But that's just MHO and YMMV.
Great reads on here. Lots of good knowledge.
