Is a derringer good for self-defense?

A derringer is a small handgun that is neither a revolver nor a semi/fully automatic pistol. It is not to be confused with mini-revolvers or pocket pistols, although some later derringers were manufactured with the pepperbox configuration. The modern derringer is often multi-barreled, and is generally the smallest usable handgun of any given caliber and barrel length due to the lack of a moving action, which takes up more space behind the barrel. It is frequently used by women because it is easily concealable in a purse or a stocking.

The term “derringer”  became a genericized misspelling during the reporting of the Lincoln assassination, which was committed with a concealed Philadelphia Derringer. Many copies of the original Philadelphia Deringer pistol were made by other gunmakers worldwide, and the name remained often misspelled; this misspelling soon became an alternative generic term for any pocket pistol, along with the generic phrase “palm pistol‘”, which Deringer’s competitors invented and used in their advertising. With the advent of metallic cartridges, pistols produced in the modern form are still commonly called “derringers”.

5 Best Derringers

Today, many people choose to carry a Derringer as a backup weapon, or as an easy pocket carry option that still has the power to stop a threat with authority.
That said, most people default to similarly sized pocket guns like the Ruger LCP and the like now, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
A small gun, with a heavy trigger, difficult-to-operate hammer, and a perilously short sight radius isn’t exactly an ideal self-defense gun, especially when there are so many easier to use options available.

If you’re interested in a modern derringer, you have a few options to choose from, and you should think long and hard about what you need and whether or not you’re getting a quality product.

Looking for something that’s tiny, cheap, and chambered in a caliber starting with “4” is a great way to accidentally buy a hand grenade if you aren’t careful. Be sure to do your research thoroughly.

Or you can just get one of the great derringers on this list bellow.

1. Bond Arms Backup

Bond Arms is a name you’ll hear a lot when looking at derringers, and with good reason: they’re basically the industry standard, and to my knowledge one of very few manufacturers that put serious effort into derringers these days.

The Backup is one of their most popular models and is chambered in a wrist-friendly caliber: .45 ACP. Like most of their products however, you can quickly and easily do a caliber swap and drop in different length and caliber barrels as you see fit.

The best things about the Bond Arms series of derringers. There are about 20 different calibers available to choose from when it comes to accessory barrels.

This one ships with a 2.5” barrel, which is plenty of barrel for the type of “get off me” shooting these guns are designed for. I wouldn’t want to have to shoot much past 7 yards, but inside that distance, which is where most self-defense scenarios happen, this thing is more than capable of ruining a bad guys day.

2. Bond Arms Snake Slayer

The Snake Slayer is Bond Arms’ most popular model, and comes with a 3.5” barrel, and is available chambered in either .357 Mag/.38 Special, or .45 LC/.410. Either way, you get a little more barrel, a little less recoil, and a lot more accuracy over the Backup model, especially with the .357 Mag version.
Overall, I’d say the Backup is probably ideal as exactly that…a backup. Whereas this is better as a primary weapon. The sight radius, such as it is, is almost usable, and the caliber options give you a little more flexibility as well.

The .45LC/.410 one, in particular, is a favorite of hunters and outdoorsmen in snake country, as you might have expected from the name, and the .357/.38 version gives you more options when it comes to defending yourself against two-legged threats.

As with most of Bond Arms’ products, you can swap barrels out to your heart’s content, but for me, I like the .357/.38 one an awful lot. Between those two cartridges, you will never struggle to find ammo, and you’ll be well equipped to deal with most anything short of a bear or other dangerous game.

3. Bond Arms Ranger II

It does all the same things as the other derringers, but there’s one place you may see them that you wouldn’t otherwise expect: cowboy action competition. These things are wildly popular there, and I can only imagine it’s because they are positively tame when shooting soft-recoiling cowboy action loads.

Even if you’re not planning on living out your wild west fantasies, the Ranger II is a great choice. For one, if you’re locked into getting a derringer, this is one of the most practical ones out there.

You get all the solid upsides of a derringer in that it is simple, easy to use, and virtually bombproof, and in a fairly usable package that you can either take into the woods as a backup, or keep on you to have a fair chance of defending yourself when you don’t feel like taking a larger or heavier gun.

And of course, for something that’s just plain fun to shoot at the range, or during a cowboy action match with a little silly with, there are few things better.

This derringer won’t beat your hand up like the others either, so you won’t shoot it once and leave it in the back of the safe until you decide to trade it in towards a J-frame or something similar.

4. American Derringer Model M-4 Alaskan

Are you looking for a survival derringer? I mean a derringer that will help you survive almost anything? Well, the American Derringer Model M-4 Alaskan may be exactly what you need.

This thing has a 4.1” barrel chambered in .410/.45LC, which is pretty standard for derringers like this. They gives you the option of the big .45LC throwing serious bullets around, and also the versatility of the .410 which gives you a wide variety of options for what you can do with the gun.

If you’ve ever shot a rifle chambered in .45-70, you probably felt it in your shoulder the next day. I personally have no desire to ever shoot one again. No thank you. In a pistol? Not even a full-size revolver, but a derringer? I hope you have good insurance cause your wrist is in serious danger of splintering into a bunch of little pieces.

Seriously, .45-70 Govt in a derringer that only weighs about a pound? I don’t know that I could even hold onto such a thing…or that I would want to.

I trust my life to a shotgun in big bear territory, and I think that this shouldn’t be your number one option, but as a light back up? As a last ditch effort to get a 1000lb Grizzly off of you, or at least take the big asshole with you? I’ll take it over trying to hit the thing with an empty shotgun or revolver, that’s for sure.

Is a derringer good for self-defense

Derringer is a first strike weapon. Not for self-defense. It is meant to be concealed while getting close to your victim, pressed against them and fired. It is useless from a distance greater than across the poker table. It is a murder weapon.
The gun itself is very small, but that doesn’t mean it only shoots small bullets – this little firearm packs a serious punch and can stop a threat when needed. Can fire .45 and .410 shells. Great backup or close quarters weapon. Not meant as a main or service weapon. Fits in your pocket and some fit the pocket watch pocket. They load quickly with practice and can be accessed quickly. Very accurate at 6 yards.

Read more…………..