I am still completely confused by my sudden and uncontrolled leap into the world of the two-shot, single-action derringer. Without really paying attention, I have suddenly become part of a two-derringer family. I’m looking for holsters. I’m considering carry options. I’m conducting dry-fire practice with Laser Ammo in my office. All this is despite the fact that I know the limitations of these little guns. I guess now, after I have spent the money, I should be looking for the upside of these diminutive pistols.
But first, let me give you little bit of background. Derringer No. 1 is a nickel-plated western derringer, made in Germany and marketed by Herter’s. My father bought the pistol by mail order back in 1966 for something like $16. It was made before guns had to bear the roll marks requiring shooters to read the instruction books and be careful. It is shiny and stout. The grips are oddly smooth, handmade panels my father carved out of some sort of polymer. I do vaguely remember a story my father told me about the gun cutting his hand the first time he shot it. That might account for the change in the grips. The caliber is a robust .357 Magnum. I will be shooting .38 Special ammunition at first.
The pistol recently returned from a trip to the gunsmith after having safety parts installed on the left side of the frame. My father told me, “I never knew what that hole in the side was for. I always carried it at the half-cock position.” Yeah, well, a safety button belonged there. The parts were easy to find, but no one had any idea how they went in. Luckily, the gunsmith was pretty sharp, and I now have a fully operational western derringer.
The second gun is a cheap FIE 38D model. It has a matte-silver finish with molded plastic grips in an ivory color. Chambered in .38 Special, the gun is nothing special at all and required a half-hour bath in an ultra-sonic cleaner to be presentable. I still cannot for the life of me figure out why I went crazy and spent a whopping $120 on GunBroker.com to have that thing delivered from somewhere in southeast Texas. It’s not that I’m having buyer’s remorse; it’s more like buyer’s confusion.
So, that’s the background, such as it is. Now, looking forward, I need to learn how to fight with these little pocket pistols. From my perspective, they appear to be the ultimate “get off me” guns. They are stout, easy-to-use and small enough to carry anywhere. I love the fact that they will work as two-shot backups in an extremely desperate situation. After I fired my first two rounds, the other gun would help me deliver one helluva haymaker.
Right now, I am considering how and where to carry at least one of the guns. Should I be ready to draw with my right hand or my left? Do I want the guns near my beltline or hidden in pocket holsters? Range drills will all be done inside of 6 feet, and they should likely include some follow-up strikes to help me escape from the situation. What am I missing?
I already know these are not the most efficient pistols in the world, so keep the comments of, “Ditch the derringer and grab a Glock” to a minimum. But as backups for last-ditch ECQB, these pistols each provide two rounds of defensive action. What’s the best way to deploy such a gun? Let’s hear from you.
