Derringer suggestions...

[forrestinmathews]

Hmm, ok sounds interesting. I was wondering if the .410 chamber took a lot away from accuracy. There is a big jump for the bullet there. I watched the Bond Arms video of a supposed new to derringers shooter and she did well with the .22 WMR which has the barrels offset inward making them closer together and also with the .38 in a .357 barrel. The Long Colt was not so good and clearly did not stabilize the projectile as they tumbled at seven yards. This got me started thinking about jump off the bullet, the amount of rifled barrel in relation to the length of the chamber and also the amount of contact surface area the projectile has with the bore. The 10mm is sounding better and better all the time. The .22 WMR would be only a curiosity at best, but it did perform best out of all the barrels in the accuracy department.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I love American Derringers and buy them when I run across a decently priced one. They really don’t recoil all that bad. The 10mm is a little snappy but not as bad as you would think; my step dad has one. I have a 45 Win Mag that is basically a .451 projectile traveling at 44 Mag velocities. Full powered rounds aren’t fun, but 45 cap velocities is. I have a 44 Mag barrel to swap into it someday, but it isn’t as easy to swap as the Bond Arms. In my opinion, the 44mag and 357 Mag are the best versions. You have the option of a lower pressured round.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I had a Davis in 38 spl years ago. It broke after only 20 rounds. A friend is a Derringer nut and has the Bond in 357 mag. The recoil isn't too bad. He also has one of these in 7.62x39.

Yeah, it's a handful.

Based on my limited experience I would recommend something strong enough to take a beating.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I commented earlier on my 45 Win Mag when I first woke up. I love everything about the American Derringers. I shot my firs tADC in 32 Mag when I was probably seven years old. I think it makes the most sense to have one in a caliber that you may not ever own a small gun in but matches a larger gun that has a purpose. There aren’t too many options in a pocket 44, pocket 45Colt, pocket 10mm, or a rifle caliber. Since your a relaxer you can load whatever you want. Example being a 10mm loaded to 40s&w specs, and then you can resort to 10mm loads when needed.

I find big Bore calibers make the most sense, but those tend to bring the most money. I don’t see the need in an ADC in 9mm, 380, or even something smaller.

 

[kaaskop49]

Hi: The 357 & 45colt/410 were most accurate by pairs fired on paper. I have been using 125 gr ( Super Vel made under the name --Qualifier), I have also tried Speer Gold 135gr SB ( sku: 23917 ), both allow me to make hits on paper plate at 7 yds with both barrels. I use a 250 gr XTP in 45 colt loaded by R & R Enterprises out of Wisconsin. I have been using their ammo for more than 20 years through 9mm/ 40 S&W /223 for paper, and their 240 XTP 44 magnum for hunting.

I have not measured every group- My skill level does allows 1" - 5" groups with the derringers, depending on the day. Some days two rounds touch, other days they are 5" apart, But still in the paper plate. I like them both. Be Safe,

To be brutally frank, that's what you're hoping for: "minute-of-paper-plate." If you buy the ADC, you will receive an instruction sheet that absolutely must be read. It says the ADC is designed for nasty, close-up work, spitting distance or less (my expression). Talk about being brutally frank! I practice with ADCs at 6' or less. I'll open up to 10' with the Bond. That's it. I don't know about 'accurate' with these guns, although the Bond does shoot reasonably close to POA.

Some very savvy derringer folks above! I would restrict a purchase to a large bore caliber: why buy a .357 derringer when small, lightweight revolvers in .357 are available? Hope this helps. And a warm hello to my fellow "D" fans!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Loyaljeeper]

The Derringers shine in calibers you can’t find a small revolver or small auto in. I do have an all aluminum .380 ADC that weighs about 9 oz on loan to my father.

 

[jimmyj]

Many years ago I purchased a "Maverick" .44 Magnum two shot derringer.
I shot it once, just once

 

[forrestinmathews]

I'm fancying the 10mm more and more given the circumstances surrounding derringers. It would seem that they need to be big bore shorter cased cartridges. The barrel length should max out at about three inches for two reasons: aesthetics and practicality. If it's too long it looks hideous and becomes closer to the size of the small auto or revolver. The bigger bore requirement is also based on two reasons: diminished expansion of hollowpoints at the slower velocity and not overlapping the capability of a j frame. The shorter case is based on something that our forum mate Erich stated in his post about the .45 ACP being more efficient than the LC. I have looked into rifling twist rates and powders and bullets and settled on two: Speer Gold Dot 180 gr Short barrel and a 200 gr hard cast for woods and hiking.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I agree that the 10mm has a lot going for it, and if you are a handloader there is even more incentive to go with it. A nuclear 10mm load, and us 10mm guys know what that is, is honestly the most powerful round I want to shoot in the derringer. A 45acp would be of interest to me also.

All of this makes me want to get my 44 magnum barrel put in mine.

 

[forrestinmathews]

I agree that the 10mm has a lot going for it, and if you are a handloader there is even more incentive to go with it. A nuclear 10mm load, and us 10mm guys know what that is, is honestly the most powerful round I want to shoot in the derringer. A 45acp would be of interest to me also.

All of this makes me want to get my 44 magnum barrel put in mine.

I'm not at all invested in .44 mag so that's a non starter. I have some contraption chambered in .460 S&W that eats 52 grains of Win 296 at a time.
.45 ACP is more of a competition caliber for me. I have a couple of carry .45's but they are all guns that I don't use a lot. I could probably sell off that caliber and be happy with just my LC's.
Funny that you mentioned nuclear 10mm loads. I was thinking about some AA#9 loading that would be perfect and likely have enough oomph to get the hollowpoints to work. I figure I have to get a bullet that works for a .40 and push it 1100 fps to get it working. I have 1.750" of rifling to do so. I'd like to see if I could get a hold of some 135 gr Short barrel gold dots, but they don't seem to sell those. Maybe if I make some phone calls. I might be able to push conventional HP fast enough to work. I've got XTP and the Delta precision clone in 200 and 180.
Further along the 10mm route I was considering having the extractor cut omitted on my barrel and fashioning a dowel into a ramrod with a lanyard. That way I'd have totally supported case heads to really make the magic happen.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I think you have enough case support, and have no need to eliminate the extraction cut.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I also recommend a caliber that CCI Shotshells can be bought in.

 

[forrestinmathews]

Ohh is that the 10? You think that's good enough to push a 180 with 14.6 of love potion number 9? I dunno...

 

[Loyaljeeper]

That’s the 45 Win Mag. I don’t have access to the 10mm right now. I believe the 10mm case and the derringer itself is capable of handling any recipe you can find for 10mm.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I've only owned one derringer - this Hi-Standard .22 LR. I used to carry it discreetly back in the dark ages. Figured it might be useful as a last-ditch "get off of me" deterrent. Big plus was lack of recoil, and it was actually pretty accurate - with care, I could "two stage" the trigger into a decent single-action simulation.

For discreet carry in a larger caliber, I now opt for a 442 or 642 J-frame in .38 Special. I don't think a centerfire potent caliber derringer is a wise choice for EDC. The J-frames offer more shots and way more control for not much more weight, if any.

John

 

[vipermd]

There is a big jump for the bullet there. The Long Colt was not so good and clearly did not stabilize the projectile as they tumbled at seven yards. This got me started thinking about jump off the bullet, the amount of rifled barrel in relation to the length of the chamber and also the amount of contact surface area the projectile has with the bore.

Not to stray too far from target, But what type of accuracy are shooters getting with the S&W Governor ?? With 45 ACP, VS 45 COlt, it would seem as though one would work better than the other?? I do not know , never tried them. Be Safe,

 

[Loyaljeeper]

Not to stray too far from target, But what type of accuracy are shooters getting with the S&W Governor ?? With 45 ACP, VS 45 COlt, it would seem as though one would work better than the other?? I do not know , never tried them. Be Safe,

Great point! I read onenpersons review who stated 45GAP ammo gave them the best accuracy in their Governor.

 

[kaaskop49]

Kaaskop,
Is your American a .45/.410 by chance?

Sorry for delay, I missed your ?. No it's not, but I did purchase the longer .45/.410 bbl (among too many others!) so I could chamber the 3" .410 shells. I did not experience keyholing of the .45 rounds, but I don't know about reduced velocity with the huge amount of freebore before the bullet hits the 1/4" or so of rifling at the muzzles.

As to .410, there is a 2.5" slug load by Brenneke that recoils as much as the 3" W-W loads, if you're looking at the shorter 3" bbls. WM has a good supply of .410 buck and slug loads that you can try if you go the .45/.410 route.

Hope some of this is helpful!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. Yankees get Stanton.

P.P.S. There is a YouTube video showing MVs with different bbls on the Bond.Remarkably, the .40 S&W with 155gr bullet, IIRC, clocked higher than the 158gr .357.

 

[forrestinmathews]

There's a lot of helpful information so far and many good ideas floating around.

What do you think about magnumizing the .45 Cowboy Special with trimmed .454 brass an trying out some 296 or #9 loadings? Insert better short barrel powders please...I'm figuring a.45 ACP length chamber and a rimmed case with extractor for convenience. Practice with the gun would be very easy that's for sure.

The other option appears to be the 10mm because I dislike the .40 S&W for many reasons. I think I'd go 180 grain all around there so that I could practice with the gun and have relatively close POI. I'm already loading this.

I'm set up for these two shells and the trimming operation is very easy.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I don’t think you will shoot anything more powerful than a 10mm except in an emergency, and you will hesitate before you do that. I let off one round of a factory 45 Win Mag and I will never do it again.