Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Derringers for Self-Defense

I carry a HS everywhere everyday. I know it is not the ideal gunfighter's pistol but it allows me to make sure I obey the first rule of always having a gun on me even if I'm just wearing shorts and flip flops. I haven't found anything that is as small and as reliable for anywhere near the money. A Seecamp would probably fit in thw same place comfortably but I don't have the money for one right now and although I know they are for breath smelling distance, I hate that they don't have any semblance of sights.

I have J frames that are my choice for normal carry, but my dress style means I have to strap on a holster to carry one. The HS goes in my pocket right behind my billfold and I keep a couple spare shells in my opposite front pocket.

It is actually pretty easy to shoot and more accurate than most would guess. I can put both barrels in a 4" circle consistently from the 7 yard line.

Ideal no, better than no gun, I think so.

In a more enlightened age, say the 50's, the first gun i ever bought with my own money was a two shot .357mag derringer, i think under the hawes label, i would have to look. It did have plastic stocks on it which broke from the recoil. Rachel Wells made me a set of wood grips out of some imported wood. Still have it, haven't shot it since at least the 60's.
Also have some other little derringers including cap and ball types.
totally useless for the most part.
I was showing a grandkid recently a little colt semiauto turn of the century pistola in .25auto, an old vest pocket gun.
he looked at the ammo questioning it, and i said it was sufficient when you jam the gun in somebodies nose that was one top of you. Probably would work.

I sold mine.

thanks. Bret Maverick.

I played with my brother's Hi Standard one day at the range. Not for me. I'd sooner just carry a knife.

The little Kel-Tec 32 might be the best 'derringer' nowadays. If not the j-frame.

I consider them to be far more worthless than a knife.




Travis

I had a Davis? in .32 ACP.

I shot an abandoned refrigerator with it one day. The bullet bounced off.

I figured that if I shot someone with it, I'd have to beat their ass afterwards, so I got a bigger gun.

never. not no when, not no how, had a desire to shoot a derringer Neither .22, nor .45-70.

I could see it for an undercover cop in a real dangerous situation, but otherwise no.

Dad had a Baby Browning .25 for a while. When I was young, I asked him one day if we could shoot it at the range. He replied, no he was afraid of getting a finger in front of the muzzle.

That's some Christmas funny.




Dave

I just bought this one for chits and giggles.

^^^This^^^

Smallest gun I carry is either a Ruger LCP 380 or a S&W .38 spec. Bodyguard.

better than nothing, but next to useless unless you are Paladin

That about sums it up

Dude, there was a sweet Cold Steel ad back in the day, that showed one of their early versions of the Tanto IIRC, coming down on some gambler's hand that had a .22 Mag. High Standard Derringer in it. Moral: If you're going to play high stakes poker and pretend you're Doc or Wyatt, have a Tanto handy if somebody pulls a derringer on you.

Hell, I wouldn't want one in a Thompson Contender.
A 45-40 Derringer is insane.

I wouldn't wanna have to trust one with a determined attacker EE, if your that close you may as well slap em down and put the boots to 'em.

I'm sure there are better mouse gun choices made today, can't offer any help cause I don't fool with them.

EE should carry a derringer as his every day carry weapon, it would serve him well for his needs.

I'd carry two of em in a triple bagged pillow case for a club.

Derringers not recommended for others! Unless of course they are in a pillow to be used as a club.

I didn't start the thread because I was interested in one. I've owned several and didn't plan to own anymore unless I came across an original Remington at a "can't pass it up" price. I was shown one at the gunshow a couple weeks back. I don't know if the price the guy said he got it for was true or not. If you know much about them, they are almost always cracked at the hinge. This one wasn't.

I do admit though, I wasn't aware that whoever owns the old High Standard's rights now makes theirs in 38 Spec. I will be on the lookout for one just to look at. Must be a bigger frame than the old 22 Mags.