Look What the Mailman just Brung Me!

[La Longue Carabine]

Ain't it cute?? 

It's a Philadelphia Darringer PC .45 cal, w/3-1/4" rifled barrel... 

Could someone recommend the best overall load, ball, patch, or what ever would be best for me to shoot a pistol with the barrel being this little. 

This little devil is going to be fun to play with... 

Thank's for looking,
Danny.. 

[Pete G.]

I've got one of those that I built years ago from a kit. Kit cost $29.95 .
 Load it with a .015 patch, .440 bal and about 20 to 30 gr of FFF.
We also tried 20 gr of FFF and a double patched 16p nail. Makes a weird noise, but its hard to hit anything with it.

[frogwalking]

That looks like one that Dixie used to sell 35  years ago.  I would have to change the screws in the trigger guard as soon as I was able.  When you shoot it, do not shoot at anything hard, like a dead hickory tree.  I did that with a similar gun when I was young and stupid.  The ball bounced straight back and hit me.  It did hurt.

[Randy Hedden]

That looks like one that Dixie used to sell 35  years ago. 

Dixie probably did sell them, it is a CVA derringer. 

Randy Hedden

[flintman-tx]

If frogwalking had not said what he did, I probably would not have told this story. Quite a few years ago, I put one of these together and decided to shoot it. I don't remember the charge, but I shot it at a hard Texas Oak. The ball bounced back and hit my boot. That was the last shot out of that gun.

[LynnC]

I was shooting mine at about 10 yards and the balls would bounce back a few feet

I could see them plow the grass so I picked them up and shot'em again

Really had to thick patch and up the charge to stick'em in soft wood.

Not very accurate....

[La Longue Carabine]

  So basically ya'll are telling me that this little pistol is unsafe to shoot?? Do i need to send it back?? I for sure don't want to shoot at a target, only to have the ball come back and hit me  . That would kinda suck...

Is there any evidence that this was a pistol in use during the 19th century and would it have killed or wounded its intended target??

[lew wetzel]

So basically ya'll are telling me that this little pistol is unsafe to shoot?? Do i need to send it back?? I for sure don't want to shoot at a target, only to have the ball come back and hit me  . That would kinda suck...

Is there any evidence that this was a pistol in use during the 19th century and would it have killed or wounded its intended target??

is this not the same style pistol that killed lincoln.you would have to get up close and personnel to inflict any real damage.

[Daryl]

Shoot at 'soft' targets only. I used about 30gr. 3F in mine and at card-table ranges, it would shoot a descent group - of course. Back off 15 feet and you're out of it's accuracy range 7 out of it's entended range.

[LynnC]

That's why I was shooting at ten yards - about double rebound range ;-)

[SR James]

But if you start shooting that gun, won't you have to change your handle from La Longue Carabine to La Shorte Pistola?   

[Fullstock longrifle]

I built one of these back in the 70's and had the same experience when I tried it out.  I shot at an oak tree and the ball bounced off and whizzed by my head.  Only shot it once!

Frank

[Randy Hedden]

So, I guess my question is, why is everybody trying to kill a tree with a derringer??  The safety factor related to these little derringers is in the mind of the shooter.  Shoot at softer targets and forget trying to kill an oak tree.

Randy Hedden

[flintman-tx]

Well...I was there...and the tree was there...and...well, I needed a backstop...and there ya are!

[eseabee1]

My mother owns one its fun to shoot but like others have said don`t shoot at anything hard

[Fullstock longrifle]

Randy, it was the 1970's I wasn't as smart then as I am now! 

Frank

[Frizzen]

If the balls are bouncing back, your not using enough powder. I have had one for 35 yrs and I
always use 40 grs FFF and a .445 ball in pillow ticking. Shoots good!

[billnpatti]

I'd stick with 20 grains or less.  It will never be a target or hunting gun so no need for heavy loads.  All a heavy load will do is make it kick harder.  It is small and lightweight so you will get plenty of recoil, noise and smoke from 20 grains.

Have fun and be careful.

[La Longue Carabine]

So, I guess my question is, why is everybody trying to kill a tree with a derringer??  The safety factor related to these little derringers is in the mind of the shooter.  Shoot at softer targets and forget trying to kill an oak tree.

Randy Hedden

Dang good idea there Randy. Other than dropping a few acorns on my head, oak tree's aint never done nothing to me to deserve getting shot... Besides, i'd much rather hang my target on old dead tree's or stumps anyway.

[Bill of the 45th]

Sounds like the Red Ryder of Derringers,"You'll shoot yer eye out".  First gun I assembled back in the early 70's also, and I think I chose an old Silver Maple as my backstop.  It did a ric off and took out the rear side window of my Dad's Studebaker in the driveway. A 57 Silver Hawk.  Cost me half my summer job money to replace it, three times what the gun cost.

Bill

[La Longue Carabine]

I'd stick with 20 grains or less.  It will never be a target or hunting gun so no need for heavy loads.  All a heavy load will do is make it kick harder.  It is small and lightweight so you will get plenty of recoil, noise and smoke from 20 grains.

Have fun and be careful.

Yeah i think i'll try 20 grains of 3f and no more than 30 grains. My shipment from TOTW just came in, so i reckon i can go shoot the gun tomorrow or saturday. I jumped the gun and ordered .445 round balls and .010 patches, but it seems like they are going to fit pretty good.

Thank you fella's for all your time and attention. Wish me luck and i'll let ya'll know how she did and hopefully i'll come back home with the same number of holes in me that i left with...

Danny..

[eseabee1]

The tree we tried to kill well lets just say it might have about 200lbs of lead in it from over the years of my family shooting into it we couldn`t even burn it done

[Canute Rex]

I have one of these and I am convinced that someone would have to swallow it to have a reasonable chance of getting hit. I am on the side of the smaller powder charge, tight ball, and low hold. The muzzle kicks up something fierce. Lube up the lock well - the mainspring on mine isn't that strong, so cap detonation isn't 100%. All that said, it's kind of fun having that little cannon go off in your hand. And of course you should stand sideways, in classical dueling style.

Make sure you have a big, soft backstop. From 15 feet away you will be lucky to hit a 4' x 4' target area, at least the first few times. The rifling in the 2 1/2" barrel is kind of a humorous decoration.

Useless trivia: The manufacturer of the Lincoln assassination pistol was named Deringer with one "r." A  newspaper misspelled his name in the aftermath of the shooting and the wrong spelling stuck. Even now the computer is red-underlining his name as a misspelling. Now you know.

[ghchristian]

I look at Dixie Guns Works site and they still show a kit for $149.95 I woundn't mind putting one of those together. I,ve always wanted one of these little fellows.

[Daryl]

Mine doesn't kick much with 30gr. 3F or whatever a .44 mag case holds level witht he top- maybe 35gr.  it does turn up with the barel pointing vertical, though, due mainly to only one finger holding on pluss the trigger finger, of course.  I also enjoy shooting 275gr. cast bullets at 1,275fps from my 4" M29 as well.