• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades
  • Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

Who has derringers?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
ASM .31 Caliber with side opening barrel which conceals the cap
 

Attachments

  • 20230628_083614.jpg
    20230628_083614.jpg
    943.7 KB · Views: 0
  • 20230628_083747.jpg
    20230628_083747.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 0
I believe you can use 3f or 4f powder, takes about 5 grans of powder, fun little gun for any collection.
They recommend ffffg but fffg can work too.

It is reported that bullseye smokeless and close to two grains can push that 30 grain projectile at 1200 ft per second. Supposedly it's safe to do so because those guns are made of the same surgical stainless that all of their cartridge models are.

I don't know how true it is but reportedly they were marketing them for smokeless until the ATF told them that that would get the gun reclassified. I do not know how true any of that is.

But I do know that I will stick with black powder because they say it works just fine with that and that's what they say to use. No need to damage the gun or yourself trying to eek more power out of what is already a mouse gun.

If I want More energy I'll just get the 1858 out
 
They recommend ffffg but fffg can work too.

It is reported that bullseye smokeless and close to two grains can push that 30 grain projectile at 1200 ft per second. Supposedly it's safe to do so because those guns are made of the same surgical stainless that all of their cartridge models are.

I don't know how true it is but reportedly they were marketing them for smokeless until the ATF told them that that would get the gun reclassified. I do not know how true any of that is.

But I do know that I will stick with black powder because they say it works just fine with that and that's what they say to use. No need to damage the gun or yourself trying to eek more power out of what is already a mouse gun.

If I want More energy I'll just get the 1858 out
As I said it's built like a tank and from good material, the one in the picture is the one I have and your right it's a mouse gun but it is a neat little gun and I have no regrets. It will or should come with a measuring spoon, Loader, bullets, metal box, to store it in and a few other items, I think you'll like it. I bought a thousand extra lead bullets from the website (good service) but I read where you can use a #4 buckshot in it as well but I haven't tried that although I'm sure their is other projectiles that can be used, if you find something that will work let me know.
 
As I said it's built like a tank and from good material, the one in the picture is the one I have and your right it's a mouse gun but it is a neat little gun and I have no regrets. It will or should come with a measuring spoon, Loader, bullets, metal box, to store it in and a few other items, I think you'll like it. I bought a thousand extra lead bullets from the website (good service) but I read where you can use a #4 buckshot in it as well but I haven't tried that although I'm sure their is other projectiles that can be used, if you find something that will work let me know.
It says that the super companion comes with an extra cylinder with nipples installed and 250 projectiles and a leather flap civil war type holster, the powder measure and the bullet loading press, a small leather bullet pouch and of course the case.

I have heard about the number 4 buckshot myself. But it seems that any available for purchase is not pure round lead.

Heard of people using regular 22 air gun pellets. The problem is the bore of a 22 air gun is 5.5 mm while the bore of a 22 firearm is 5.6 mm. I also heard that the skirt of the regular air gun pellet can't handle the pressure and it's left behind in the chamber.

I recommend checking out the air gun slugs at pyramid airguns. They have the 22 caliber ones in up to 40 grain. These are not shaped like an air gun pellet but more like a regular bullet. A very large hollow point.

I was thinking about ordering some but I think I would stick with 30 grains or less because of the machining inside of the cylinder that won't let a bullet press down more than a certain amount. Perhaps the 40 Grain would be too long? Look for the ones that have a dish shaped base because I think they would obturate to fit the bore better.

As far as being 1/10 of a millimeter less diameter than a real 22 bore... I would think some sort of a wad under the bullet would probably be necessary to reduce chain fire risk.

I have been using toilet paper wads in my 1858 for hundreds of rounds with no chain fire. I know some people might scoff at the notion of a toilet paper wad but all I am trying to do is put some barrier between the ball and the powder charge and it seems to work fine for me. I use one square of cheap Scott toilet tissue for the 1858.

I see no reason why a smaller piece of tissue could not work as a wadding for the air gun slug.

What kind of powder are you using and if you are using wads what sort of wads are you using?

A lot of people are reporting using smokeless powder in it but if you get too crazy with it like over about 1.7 grain they say that you can bend the cylinder pin.

I will just stick with black powder or the synthetic equivalents but it's nice to know that if you had to you could use some smokeless.
 
Last edited:
I have 12mm and .44 derringers.
They are useless at any amount of range. Designed to be fired point blank or stuck in the assailants gut and discharged.
I am a half decent shot with most guns. But they are just gut guns.
It seems like it would be kind of hard to miss center Mass from 5 foot with any sort of firearm.
 
I have 12mm and .44 derringers.
They are useless at any amount of range. Designed to be fired point blank or stuck in the assailants gut and discharged.
I am a half decent shot with most guns. But they are just gut guns.
I was at range yesterday with my Colt .31. 4” barrel. I was determined to find POI compared to POA. At 50 feet. Never gonna happen. POI was all over the place and by grace of angels I got a bullseye that i could not replicate.
Point is, its made for shooting across a gambling table. Anything more is a waste of powder, balls, and caps.
Probably won’t take to range no more, just no point. Will keep as my self protection little buddy and take the big guns to the range.
 
Regarding 3F or 4F in small pistols. I shoot 3F Triple 7 cause its what i have for the biguns. But i do see flames when i shoot the .31. You really don’t wanna see flames because it means you still burning powder after its out of barrel which is a waste.
Issue is with the 10g per shot this .31 burns, its not worth cost to buy a pound of 4F.
So I impress the girls at range with fire and smoke out of little.31
 
I have one of the Screw Barrels but it needs a grip. There was an article in Muzzleloader on making a grip for one out of Antler; maybe I'll try it. I bought a nicer-quality Phila. 'Derringer' from Spain for Ten Bucks at an auction, as they thought it was a cigarette-lighter pistol! Remember those from the '60's? Nicely rifled, about .45 cal.
 
1848 Uberti Colt .31 pocket 4” barrel, 5 shot. My EDC. Ya it really is. Fits completely on jeans pocket. I really hope i never have to use it, but it’s there if I do.
As for availability, I was lucky. Stole it on GB for $240 almost mint condition, slight ring around cylinder, no bidders, i think the no loading lever, most didn’t know what it was. You can buy new for about twice that. Not for sale for 3x what i paid.
Nice ,I have a 49' pocket thats been with me everywhere I go lately
 
It says that the super companion comes with an extra cylinder with nipples installed and 250 projectiles and a leather flap civil war type holster, the powder measure and the bullet loading press, a small leather bullet pouch and of course the case.

I have heard about the number 4 buckshot myself. But it seems that any available for purchase is not pure round lead.

Heard of people using regular 22 air gun pellets. The problem is the bore of a 22 air gun is 5.5 mm while the bore of a 22 firearm is 5.6 mm. I also heard that the skirt of the regular air gun pellet can't handle the pressure and it's left behind in the chamber.

I recommend checking out the air gun slugs at pyramid airguns. They have the 22 caliber ones in up to 40 grain. These are not shaped like an air gun pellet but more like a regular bullet. A very large hollow point.

I was thinking about ordering some but I think I would stick with 30 grains or less because of the machining inside of the cylinder that won't let a bullet press down more than a certain amount. Perhaps the 40 Grain would be too long? Look for the ones that have a dish shaped base because I think they would obturate to fit the bore better.

As far as being 1/10 of a millimeter less diameter than a real 22 bore... I would think some sort of a wad under the bullet would probably be necessary to reduce chain fire risk.

I have been using toilet paper wads in my 1858 for hundreds of rounds with no chain fire. I know some people might scoff at the notion of a toilet paper wad but all I am trying to do is put some barrier between the ball and the powder charge and it seems to work fine for me. I use one square of cheap Scott toilet tissue for the 1858.

I see no reason why a smaller piece of tissue could not work as a wadding for the air gun slug.

What kind of powder are you using and if you are using wads what sort of wads are you using?

A lot of people are reporting using smokeless powder in it but if you get too crazy with it like over about 1.7 grain they say that you can bend the cylinder pin.

I will just stick with black powder or the synthetic equivalents but it's nice to know that if you had to you could use some smokeless.
I have only shot the bullets it came with but have read some of the same material you have concerning projectiles, need to find something else that will work because they seem to be out of bullets at the NAA website and of course no bullet equates to it just being a neat little paper weight! I did see a YT video where some guy converted his into 22lr and they may sell the conversion kit but don't hold me to that.
 
Last edited:
I have one of the Screw Barrels but it needs a grip. There was an article in Muzzleloader on making a grip for one out of Antler; maybe I'll try it. I bought a nicer-quality Phila. 'Derringer' from Spain for Ten Bucks at an auction, as they thought it was a cigarette-lighter pistol! Remember those from the '60's? Nicely rifled, about .45 cal.
Man that Philadelphia was a stroke of luck, Bravo.
 
Looks real quality! Check out the screw-head, though...did the original purchaser get a dedicated turn-screw with it? :)
You're not the first to ask that.. 🤣 , however, what you see is deceiving, yes that is a screw but the back side of the hammer pin with a little decoration on the end.
If you pull in close on the photo you can see it's not a screw at all. :cool:
 
Back
Top