American Derringer

I owned one of these small beauties chambered for .357 magnum, but I usually shot .38s from it because a small gun like this isn't easy to control with the kick of the .357 magnums.

This firearm was of fine craftsmanship, but it just wasn't my kind of gun. While it worked great, I just never got too comfortable with it. For one thing, I couldn't hit anything with it beyond 10 feet or so. Of course that's understandable, because this is a Derringer with its very short barrels. To be honest, I found the Derringer sort of a useless firearm; it doesn't have any range, and there's only two shots. It might have a good fright factor if you're up close to someone, and I'm sure it could kill if you could hit with it, but honestly ... if I'm that close to someone in a fight-to-the-death situation, I'd feel much more comfortable using a good, solid knife.

But that's just me. Honestly, this was a great gun, just not my thing. Still, this isn't a weapon I'd want to stake my life on, and it's definitely not something I'd want to take into a firefight. It does make a great collector's piece, especially for those who seek out modern versions of old West guns.

Made by the fine folks of the American Derringer Corporation.