How were derringer "hideout" guns carried?

[Naphtali]

Single barrel single shot cap lock derringers - a Philadelphia "John W. Booth" type of hideout gun - seems to be intended for concealed carry in a coat pocket or vest pocket, et al. If carried concealed and capped, how did carrier make sure the cap stayed where it belonged? And how did carrier secure the hammer so it didn't jar itself into firing?

It seems to me to be beyond silly to carry a hideout gun uncapped, kind've defeating its purpose.

 

[necchi]

Put the hammer down on the capped nipple, it's no more complicated then that.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I'm with you, I don't think they were all too concerned about safety in that regard to keep the gun uncapped when carrying it back then.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Many a fellow had his gender altered some by playing pocket pool with a loaded pistol! :shocked2:
Fred

 

[smoothshooter]

On a lot of percussion guns the face of the hammer is only a sixteenth or an eighth of an inch away from the nipple when on half - cock. I wish they were all set up that way. The percussion muskets and modern reproductions of double - barreled shotguns are the worst in this respect. The closer clearance does a good job of keeping the cap from falling off. It seems to me that a lot of the derringer type pistols were made with the close clearance.

 

[Grumpa]

Many a fellow had his gender altered some by playing pocket pool with a loaded pistol! :shocked2:
Fred

:grin: Just curious, any documentation for that?
I would agree with necchi ("hammer down on the capped nipple"). And the pocket would have been in a vest, or coat. Pants pockets, imho, are poor receptacles for a pistol.

 

[FishDFly]

:grin: Just curious, any documentation for that?
I would agree with necchi ("hammer down on the capped nipple"). And the pocket would have been in a vest, or coat.

Seems logical.

 

[mingo]

I read a good artical many years ago that addressed folks packing in the old days.
It included pioneers and immigrants who armed themselves to the teeth.
Many had little or no real experience handling arms.
Anyways the artical noted a great many ADs or NDs occurring from about any situation.
Regarding derringers, carry methods would be limited only by one's imagination. No standards for such a thing exist.

 

[Poor Private]

Many a fellow had his gender altered some by playing pocket pool with a loaded pistol! :shocked2:
Fred

:grin: Just curious, any documentation for that?
I would agree with necchi ("hammer down on the capped nipple"). And the pocket would have been in a vest, or coat. Pants pockets, imho, are poor receptacles for a pistol.

ME also. When I read the post I was going to immediatly ask. But I thought read all the posts first. And lo and behold someone else has the same question. Wheres the provenance???

 

[Poor Private]

I always carry a derringer with me during civil war reenactments. Mine is carried in a small sleeve holster that I made. It is carried on my left suspenders with the butt facing the right. It has a hammer loop. It is one of those Traditions derrigers that are bright brass with white grips(yea they are plastic, and hope to change soon). It has turned into one of my trademarks. Everyone knows I carry it. and would wonder where it is if I didn't.

 

[pondoro]

If you are playing cards in a situation where someone might shoot you then you have already accepted some risk of getting shot. A derringer in the vest pocket or coat pocket with the hammer resting on the cap is probably not a big leap. I wouldn't do it today.

That said I think a coat pocket or vest pocket is safer than stuffed in the pants. I read about a city kid who bought a (probably stolen) single action revolver, stuffed it down his pants, and shot himself.

I found the link. It was not a derringer, it was a 454! http://www.pe.com/articles/titus-673980-robertson-apartment.html

I've also heard that the cops have a satirical code for a kid shooting himself with a gun in his pants - "zero-69"

 

[Billnpatti]

I can personally attest to the dangers of improperly carrying a small revolver. I have a Smith & Wesson Model 1 that I was carrying tucked under my belt with my watch pocket acting as a holster. The gun rode up and was about to come out from under my belt. I simply shoved it back down into my watch pocket. In the process, the hammer hung on my belt and dropped firing the little gun. The bullet grazed my leg for a few inches and taught me a lesson which I have never forgotten in the ensuing 60 or so years.

 

[crockett]

Like others my best guess is the hammer was carefully lowered down on the cap and in the cradled protection of a vest pocket- that was that. I don't recommend that type of carry, I'm just figuring that was how they did it. Today you can make a short metal collar or tube that fits over the capped nipple and the tube long enough to keep the hammer off the cap. In an emergency you can cock the hammer and likely flip off the collar fairly quickly and be ready to shoot. The cap ought to fit well enough that just turning the pistol upside down doesn't cause the cap to fall off, just the collar/tube.
I've read a lot of old diaries, etc. accidents did occur.

 

[Grumpa]

Common sense. You learn from the mistakes of others, or your own - if you survive them!

Many years ago, young and dumb, I carried a derringer hidden behind the front waist top of my pants, snugged by the belt. As I exited my car, the gun popped out, and fell to the pavement. If it landed on the hammer, it would fire. It took a loooong time to fall! Never was I so relieved to hear a CLUNK.
Never again did I carry the derringer that way.

And pants pockets are deep cover, ripe for Murphy's Law.

 

[ccmountainman]

kinda depends on the time period and where.
Some were hidden behind a sash ( cummberbund).
some were clipped inside a hat.
some a pocket in a coat.
And of course the spring loaded attachment up the sleeve.
Some a holster sheath inside or outside the boot.

 

[Naphtali]

On a lot of percussion guns the face of the hammer is only a sixteenth or an eighth of an inch away from the nipple when on half - cock. . . . The closer clearance does a good job of keeping the cap from falling off. It seems to me that a lot of the derringer type pistols were made with the close clearance.

Among replies so far, this carry appears to me to be least dangerous - for accidental firing AND for improving the likelihood the derringer will "go bang" when its user wants it to.

 

[necchi]

Sorry, but I think the biggest problem here is applying a 21st century mind set to a 19th century issue.

 

[azmntman]

:thumbsup: agree

 

[Brokenlaig]

Important to remember that clothing during the Victorian age was quite bulky, and there was a lot of it worn at the same time. Plenty of pockets, lots of room. The original Deringer and the Remington .41, along with lots of other very small pistols were designed to fit into a mans vest pocket, which unlike the pockets on vests today, were used for actually carrying things. The pockets were significantly larger and deeper. A man was not considered properly dressed for going out in public without a coat, vest and hat, and only the poorest "bummers" went without.