Need help with concealed carry

[Questor]

A friend of mine is considering buying his wife a derringer to carry. I think derringers have some ergonomic problems even for people with small hands. You've got a hammer to draw, they've got the small grips that may be hard to acquire when needed, and they're probably not much ligher than the .357 magnum revolver he already has for her (but which she won't carry because it's too heavy.)

What is the reality of carrying a derringer for self defense?  

My own opinion is that she should pick her own if she's going to carry one, and that it should be a lightweight revolver or lightweight auto with power comparable to at least 9mm.

What do you advise? Have you tried derringers? What does your wife prefer?

Thanks.[/code]

[Savage]

Questor,
You pretty well hit on the limitations of the "Derringer" for carry. I put them in the "better than a rock" catagory. I see the primary disadvantages of derringers to be:
SAFETY-------If you draw and cock the weapon and decide not to shoot, the hammer must be lowered manually. Not all that easy to do under stress, or with limited hand strength.
Limited capacity
Heavy
Slow to get into action
Recoil
Lack of accuracy.
I got over trying to pick my wife's carry guns, she did ok on her own. She carries a P-32 in her pocket and a P-11 in her purse. She seems to have adopted my Glock 36 as a house gun. They suit her, and that's what it takes to get her to carry!
Savage

[jhm]

You never teach your wife to drive, and you never teach your wife to play golf, and finely you never tell you wife this is the gun you are going to carry because she wont, let her try different ones she will know the one thats for her when it is just right.    JIM

[williamlayton]

IMHO, well, I say this to my shame, I guess--I, generally am the one being told by the Hen what I am gonna do.
Well, er, and I listen!! :oops:
Blessings

[Mikey]

Questor old Buddy - tell your friend that jhm is right - never tell your wife this is the gun she is gonna carry.

And, derringers are not for those who are not practiced in their use.  Derringers are either belly guns or only for practiced experts - giving a derringer to someone who is not expertly schooled in their use is just setting up a victim to lose the gun, her life or both.  

Most centerfire derringers are far too difficult to control for someone who doesn't practice a lot (and I mean a lot).  They are far too easy to miss with and have only two shots.  They are slow as all get out to get into play and may not be as effective as hoped.  

A much better suggestion would be either for a pocket 22 or a 38 snubbie.  JMHO.  Mikey.  

ps - you may wish to drop this question down to the concealed weapons forum and see what responses and advice you get there.

[1911crazy]

I have the same problem right now too and I'm looking for that small yet powerful gun to carry too.  I want the smallest, lightest one i can find.  I have a Ruger Security Six w/2 3/4" barrel but its too big. So for revolvers it just maybe a Charter Arms for a small 38 special 5 shot revolver.  The only other choice we have is a .380 auto.  I want something small and light for fishing but i don't want a boat anchor too.  The misses can use one also once she agrees to carry one.  With crime on the rise all over its time to carry for sure.                                                                           BigBill

I was told once he who lives by the sword dies by the sword and then i added its better to have a sword to fight with than no sword at all!!!!!!!    :-D

[southern utah]

I use a S&W madel 60 357 mag  or Berretta in 32 acp for small carry. Trail carry isa 629 mountain gun in 44mag.

[PA-Joe]

Don't rule out a good cheap Makarov 9x18. Better than a 380.

[Lawdog]

I have found that if the person isn’t comfortable and confident in the weapon they carry they won’t carry it.  Always let the person choose their own carry weapon and both they and you will be much happier.  Forget the derringer, as a defensive weapon they are a joke.  Lawdog
 

[TennesseeNuc]

Questor,
Mine carries a .32 Beretta Tomcat.  Tried others, but they were too "big" or "heavy".  This one shoots well and is easy to operate with the flip-up barrel feature.  It's not a powerhouse, but it's there.
Best,
TnNuc

[Arc Angel]

Questor,
Mine carries a .32 Beretta Tomcat.  Tried others, but they were too "big" or "heavy".  This one shoots well and is easy to operate with the flip-up barrel feature.  It's not a powerhouse, but it's there.
Best, TnNuc

 

Yup!  The Tomcat is my second gun, too.  That derringer is a silly idea; but, of course, the wife will never realize it until AFTER she fires, misses, and starts to scream for mercy!  

If it's a good marriage persuade her toward something else.  Impossible?  Naa, remember you're the one who originally talked her into marrying you - in the first place!  By comparison, getting her to switch to a more sensible gun should be really really easy.  

[Mikey]

The idea of carrying a derringer for self defense is folly, unless you are a hardened close quarters combat veteran who has no qualms about getting 'halitosis close' when you slam that 2-shooter into his belly and pull the trigger.  I do not know of too many women who are that hardened and I have to go with Arc Angel's idea that if your friend convinced that woman to marry him then he should be able to convince her that he loves her so much that he wants her to be safe and a derringer won't do it, period.  

If your friend has any buddies with derringers he can set up some range time to practice close quarters drills and that might show the lady that a 2-shooter is not the best option.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Old Griz]

:cb2: I looked at a Bond derringer--thought it looked really neat. However, I almost couldn't cock it. Couldn't believe how heavy that hammer was. If carrying that, in an emergency situation I'd have to call for a time out to cock it. Bad idea.

[Ka6otm]

I don't have a lot of faith in Derringers either but...

There are Double action derringers out there.  High standard made one years ago in .22 Magnum and American Arms makes a couple, including .38 Special and .40 S&W.

By the way, I knew a few people who carried the High Standard in the San Francisco Bay area....illegally....because they were almost impossible to detect.  You'd have to work awfully hard to make one print and it's better than nothing in some Oakland and El Cerrito areas.

Ka6otm

[Ray P]

Those 5-shot titanium-framed s&ws in 38spl or 357 are extremely light & easy to carry; but so many of them show back up at the local dealer because recoil is just too rough for regular practice in such a light gun.

http://www.firearms.smith-wesson.com/contentbuilder/layout.php3?contentPath=content/00/01/32/32/75/userdirectory50.content

[sherpa]

"KEL-TEC" .380

[jgalar]

I will second the kel-tec P3AT 380. I don't have one yet, but have the P11 9mm and am pleased with it. Derringers that I have tried out have hammers that are hard to cock and would snag on everything trying to pull it out to use. The little kel-tec only weighs 7ozs and isn't as likely to snag. http://www.kel-tec.com/products.htm

[rockbilly]

:shock: I'd say, if he wants to get rid of her, then buy the derringer, and make sure the life insurance is paid up.  With a good pay off, maybe he can afford to buy the next wife a better gun.........

Simply because I have collected guns for many years, I have several derringers in the safe.  I have fired most of these little guns, and will admit I can not hit the side of a barn at 10-15 paces.  Unless a woman has spent a lot of time on the range, and has reached a level of proficiency greater than most people, then the gun would be useless unless she is setting in the bad guy's lap.  She may not be able to do much better with a small revolver or auto, but at least she will have more chances of making a hit than she will have with the derringer.