Time for another Derringer thread discussing what else? Derringers of course!

As I recall, John Wayne in The Shootist carried a derringer, also.

The bottom line on derringers is really simple - nobody likes to get shot with anything. So those who choose to carry derringers still have a gun when needed.

My walking the dog gun is a J-frame. I used to carry the NAA in the picture in my post above but I just felt like I needed something more and something easier to handle. M649 does the trick. My High Standard robe pocket gun discussed above will either end a fight or give me time to get to something larger. In my house they're everwhar!

Remington manufactured their derringer from 1866 to 1935. .41 Rimfire was in production for a long while. Part of the cartridge's and gun's success was the lack of proper medical care.

The .41 Rimefire is an anemic even by yesteryear's standards. What made it deadly was that getting gut shot by something meant that you were still probably going to die anyways due to the lack of sanitary and proper medical care. Infection was the biggest killer, especially for a criminal.

The thought of getting shot in the gut, getting sepsis or some other infection, and dying a week later was something that deterred a lot of folks.

It was a great deterrent.
 
Boy,, I guess none of You guys have watched Paladin down a bad guy with his derringer. He never misses. Oh, I have a NAA 22mag/22lr mini revolver with both cylinders. Walking the dog gun. The 22 mag shoots right on @ 7-10 yards.

Love it! Just started watching the series a few months back. Wished there were more than 6 seasons. Still working thru the 20+ seasons of gunsmoke.
 
As to the Mini-Revolcers...it's all in the grip...

Was just shooting my NAA Black Widow yesterday with the LR cylinder. At 7 yards had about a 2" group...hit two 6" steel plates at 20 yards with two shots... The grips on the BW and Mini-Master along with the mini-Novak style sights makes the guns very shootable... Had several of the standard .22 LR and Magnum guns pictured above and would never bother with them again...

Bob

Very true Bob.

If you ever want to put one of these in your pocket comfortably AND be able to perform accurate shots, NAAs website offers a wood grip in between the large rubber "Black Widow" and the tiny rubber birdshead. The woods design profile has only been around for a 150 years or so. 🙂

I really appreciate mine.

Find it funny when people complain about the accuracy of the NAA.

Compared to what?

They seem to work for their intended purpose imo. And work pretty well.
 

Attachments

  • 20221109_095806.jpg
    20221109_095806.jpg
    56.8 KB · Views: 14
  • 20230515_164756.jpg
    20230515_164756.jpg
    115.5 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:
Back in my Puppy Dogs I gave a High School Talk on the Civil War.
I Borrowed a Single Shot Percussion Deringer from a local Mentor Lady Friend.
It was carried by her Grandfather who had been a CSA Doctor.
Several other folks gave excellent talks, but I was the only one with a Authentic Relic of the Era!
 
Last edited:
I always wanted an O/U Derringer to play with.. buddy had 2.. 38 special & 22lr.. he was getting rid of one... the 38 would keyhole at 10 feet... the 22 was dead on to 15 yards... he offered the 38 of course... I passed

and for the record Rusty... I thought Rick was the best Derringer... lol another birthday brother for us.. lol
 
Last edited:
What was the olde expression "set it and forget it"?

NAA Wasp in .22 Mag.....doesn't do too bad with such a little barrel.

Stu
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1115 copy.jpg
    IMG_1115 copy.jpg
    111.7 KB · Views: 160
What was the olde expression "set it and forget it"?

NAA Wasp in .22 Mag.....doesn't do too bad with such a little barrel.

Stu
attachment.php

A shot at point blank with that in the gut or neck will get any baddie off of someone.

Rosewood
 
My first derringer was a Bond Arms Snakeslayer that I used in Cowboy Action shooting. It was a .45 Colt/.410 with the 3-1/2” barrel. I sold that off after I stopped shooting those matches.

I picked up another one a while back. This one came with a 9mm barrel set, but I added the .38spl/.357 and .45 Colt/.410 barrel sets.

 
Very true Bob.

If you ever want to put one of these in your pocket comfortably AND be able to perform accurate shots, NAAs website offers a wood grip in between the large rubber "Black Widow" and the tiny rubber birdshead. The woods design profile has only been around for a 150 years or so. 🙂

I really appreciate mine.

Find it funny when people complain about the accuracy of the NAA.

Compared to what?

They seem to work for their intended purpose imo. And work pretty well.

No problem or issues with pocketing a rubber gripped NAA... Bought one of these Stoner pocket holsters and carry while working in the yard...

Stoner Front Pocket North American Arms
 
In today's world of compact handguns it is hard to argue with that statement.

Fun, maybe, if you like the noise and the recoil and make sure to not shoot off a fingertip.

Novelty? Of course, but see fun above....

Anecdotal evidence of survival using one is great but, still, in today's world....wait, I said that....

I have a few........

Remington .41 rimfire (Unfired AFAIK)

iscs-yoda-albums-miscellany-picture24883-remington-41-centerfire-derringer-illion-ny.jpg


NAA Mini-revolver .22Short - has to be the smallest one they ever made. (Unfired/NIB in its little velvet box)

iscs-yoda-albums-miscellany-picture22005-naa-mini-revolver-22-short.jpg


High Standard .22 Magnum (NIB I might add - unfired, anyway, I am not sure that I still have the box)

iscs-yoda-albums-miscellany-picture13627-hs-22-magnum-derringer-black-grips.jpg


And then there is this one, the one that gives the lie to "I can't see where the derringer fits in....." - another High Standard .22 Magnum, BUT.....

iscs-yoda-albums-miscellany-picture13625-hs-22-magnum-derringer-galco-aow-holster.jpg


....the but is that in this ATF approved "garment" it rides in my robe pocket every day, 365, so I am NEVER unarmed, even inside my own house.

Did you shoot any of those .41RF cartridges from Navy Arms? Decades ago, a friend got a box and we shot some in a Remington O/U. they were a bit hot for the gun and we wound up with a cracked hinge.
 
As to the COP, "Forgotten Weapons" has a funny video out with one being used in a BUG match.
The only Derringer I have owned was a HS in 22 Mag. It shot OK, albeit the POI for each barrel was different with about 12" between them at 7yds. someone wanted it much worse than I and it went. It does fill the very narrow gap between a LCP and a Benchmade Griptilian :)
 
Herter’s once sold an inexpensive O/U Derringer. It might have been made in Germany but I remember little about it. I bought one in .38 Special back in the late 60s. It wasn’t much fun to shoot so I fired it only a few times and did not keep it very long. Anyone else remember the Herter’s Derringer? I would like to see a picture of one just to refresh my memory.
 
Last edited:
I carry a 1 1/8” NAA. I have both cylinders but use the 22mag. It’s my better than nothing gun. I want to try it with shot shells because there’s a water snake hanging around my pond that I don’t like. Figure it’s easy to carry on a mower. What would really do the trick is a Bond Arms with 410 shells.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5377.jpg
    IMG_5377.jpg
    59.1 KB · Views: 12
I also carried a HS derringer as an Onion Field gun. At the time the only viable alternative was a .22 or .25 pocket auto and with HS I was guaranteed 2 shots. After a coworker shot himself in the gluteous maximus when the .25 in his hip pocket discharged I was confirmed in my choice. Today there are plenty of reliable .32 & .380 autos. I currently have an RM 380 that fills that niche and a Remington .41 derringer that fills a small space in my safe.
 
No problem or issues with pocketing a rubber gripped NAA... Bought one of these Stoner pocket holsters and carry while working in the yard...

Stoner Front Pocket North American Arms

I got the pocket holster for my PUG from a $5 trade in bin at my LGS. It wasn't made for the NAA, but it fits it perfectly.

Plus, how can you lose for $5? 🙂
 

Attachments

  • 20220313_205902.jpg
    20220313_205902.jpg
    114.4 KB · Views: 11
  • 20220313_205558.jpg
    20220313_205558.jpg
    112.1 KB · Views: 16
Last edited:
Years ago I was at a local show. There was one table that had a brand new Davis derringer .22 iirc. Black with faux pearl stocks. It was 85.00 I think.. I told myself “man you need to get it!” So cool! “Ok.. I’ll walk these couple isles and if it’s there when I come back it’s mine!” It was gone
 
Years ago I was at a local show. There was one table that had a brand new Davis derringer .22 iirc. Black with faux pearl stocks. It was 85.00 I think.. I told myself “man you need to get it!” So cool! “Ok.. I’ll walk these couple isles and if it’s there when I come back it’s mine!” It was gone

How many times does that happen!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top