Philly Derringer from Gary Peacemaker.

[Griz44Mag]

Since the for sale thread is closed, I will post here along with a picture.
This little piece gets lost in my oversize hands, which is pretty cool actually.
It is indeed brand new and unfired. It will not be that way after the weekend passes.
Thank you Gary for a smooth deal from start to finish.

 

[bigted]

That looks just like the first kit gun i assembled waaaaay back when. I liked mine an awful lot and bet you will enjoy yours as well.

Mine was 45 cal and sold by CVA in the early 1970's. Fun kit to put together and i even carried it in my pocket time to time. Very fun little deringer.

Have fun.

 

[FishDFly]

Wish I had seen it, I always wanted one. Do not know why, but they are cute.

 

[azmntman]

I had one, they are cute. I hear some can be shot at a close target. Mine?, couldn't hit a 48" diameter pine tree at 7 yds. I'd say, at least mine, was good for an against the body persuader gun. Had a alot of fun for a few months shooting at 90 yds and seeing who could come closest to a bucket (IRRC it was about 20 yds, and that only once)

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Looks like a good gun for an assassination...

 

[azmntman]

...from a foot away

 

[Eutycus]

Have a CVA just like it. Mine only fires half the time. Weak coil spring maybe? Is yours a 45?

 

[Griz44Mag]

Have a CVA just like it. Mine only fires half the time. Weak coil spring maybe? Is yours a 45?

Yes, it's a 45. I did drop a couple of caps on it to make sure it is reliable. Seems to be. (The dogs panicked and the old lady thought I had finally shot myself) Guess I should warn them before doing that. BTW, the large diameter glue sticks fit right down that barrel and a 2" piece will fly the width of the garage....
I am going to have WAY too much fun with this one....

 

[gary peacemaker]

I am happy you like it.never thought about glue sticks.maybe the new thing glue stick shooting in the living room.

 

[Bighorserider]

I too built one of these CVA derringers as my first muzzle loader. Mine fired reliably, but seemed to have a leak between the barrel and breech plug. I couldn't feel anything, but you could see the results of a gas leak.

 

[Eutycus]

Since my glue gun went kapoot I've been wondering what to do with leftover gluesticks.

 

[hawkeye2]

Since my glue gun went kapoot I've been wondering what to do with leftover gluesticks.

You can cast round balls & bullets with a glue gun and sticks.

 

[Eutycus]

You can cast round balls & bullets with a glue gun and sticks.

Well sir you got my attention , do tell.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I have been loading 45 cal glue sticks into "unmentionables" for many years. All you need is a cap or a primer.
A game of garage balloon board can be a break from a long rain spell when getting out seems wrong...
Oh, the glue sticks are unharmed by the act and can be re-launched many times.

 

[jdw276]

Have a CVA just like it. Mine only fires half the time. Weak coil spring maybe? Is yours a 45?

Check the lock screw holding it in the stock. Pull hammer back, is the screw head shiny? Mine was, to long ,hammer falls, slides on screw, slows down the hammer and not enough force to make it go bang. Doesnt take much to slow it down.

 

[Eutycus]

Thanks will give it a good looking over.Cant right now, kids are here.

 

[Eutycus]

jdw276, you just gave an idea about that lock screw. I dont think its the screw itself being too long. But the lock not sitting into the stock recess deep enough. The hammer doesnt sit directly over the nipple. Its sits to the right just alittle but maybe just little enough. Wouldnt removing a bit of wood move the lock to the left? And maybe the hammer would be square over the capped nipple?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Remove the lock. Soot up the internals of the lock and reinstall. Cycle the action and remove the lock to look for traces of marking. That will tell you if something is dragging and if any wood needs to be removed. Most likely culprit is the lock is too deep and the tumbler or spring are dragging in the lock mortise.

Use some inletting compound (inletting black, candle soot, lipstick) to mark the internals. You need to know what is rubbing before you take off any material or crank that lock deeper into the mortise.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I finally go out to the range today to do some pistol popping. The little Philly Derringer is quite an act.
I started with 20gr of fffg and a 440 ball. Put 5 rounds through it and decided to try and set up a bit closer than 40 meters. (I had been shooting the Lyman Plains 54cal and 40 meters is a gimme with that one. The Philly is very reliable, every shot went bang and the ball went - somewhere ----.
I moved to the plink range and set up at 7 yards. It took 5 rounds to figure out where the ball was going. After that, it was fairly consistent (if you call 1' groups at 7 yards consistent). After 15 shots or so I upped the powder charge to 30gr, and it became erratic. Back down to 20 and back on target.
All told, this is a fun little gun at the range or in the garage with a glue stick.
I was a bit concerned after reading above about unreliable ignition, but after 35 shots or so, the only issue I had was a cap that did not go bang, but after pulling it and looking, it had no stuff in it. That's a first for over 600 CCI caps I have fired.
Now I need to find out what the nipple is so I can order some spares. It's a keeper!

 

[Eutycus]

Heres one for the historians out there. How did the "Philadelphia" part get incorporated into the name?