American Derringer

Last updated
American Derringer Corporation
Type Private Company
Industry firearms
Founded1980;43 years ago (1980)
FounderRobert A. Saunders & Elizabeth Saunders
Headquarters,
Area served
Worldwide
Products Derringers and small Pistols
ServicesSales, Repairs and Accessories
Website http://www.amderringer.com/guns.html

American Derringer Corporation is an American manufacturer of firearms, based in Waco, Texas. The company was founded by Robert A. Saunders and Elizabeth Saunders in 1980 and makes a variety of derringers and small pocket pistols.

Contents

History

.380 ACP caliber American Derringer Model 1 American Corp. Derringer M1.jpg
.380 ACP caliber American Derringer Model 1

Founded in 1980, American Derringer specializes in making high-quality stainless-steel derringers and small pistols. [1] Its primary product line is the Model 1 Derringer, which is based on the iconic Remington Model 95 deringer. These modern stainless steel versions are made in over 60 calibers ranging from .22 Long Rifle, to .45 Long Colt and .410 gauge, to even .45-70 Government.

In 1989, American Derringer would introduce the "Lady Derringer" marketing concept. As a result, Elizabeth would become the face of the company and would model in provocative clothing for calendars, posters and gun magazine advertisements. This marketing campaign was highly successful and credited with dramatically increasing sales. [2]

COP .357 Derringer COP 357.jpg
COP .357 Derringer

In 1990, American Derringer obtained the rights to the High Standard Derringer design and produce a larger .38 Special version. These derringers called the DS22 and DA38 are still made and continue to be popular concealed carry handguns. [3] In the same year, they introduced a version of the quad-barrel, double-action COP 357 Derringer and a smaller caliber version called the MINI COP in .22 Magnum, although these were later discontinued. [4]

Semmerling LM4 Semmerling LM4 - Satin Chrome Variant.jpg
Semmerling LM4

American Derringer also makes a small semi-automatic pistol called the LM5, chambered for .25ACP and .32 Auto. The Semmerling LM4 is a five-shot, .45 ACP manual repeating double-action pistol designed as a backup gun.

American Derringer has also made Mini-Revolvers and the Stainless Steel Pen Pistol Model 2, which "Transforms From A 'PEN' To A Legal Pistol In 2 Seconds", [5] although these were also discontinued.

See also

Other derringer manufacturers

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Submachine gun</span> Type of automatic firearm

A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to describe its design concept as an automatic firearm with notably less firepower than a machine gun. As a machine gun must fire rifle cartridges to be classified as such, submachine guns are not considered machine guns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M1911 pistol</span> Semi-automatic pistol

The M1911 is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model adopted in March 1911, and Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the improved M1911A1 model which entered service in 1926. The designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 in the Vietnam War era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derringer</span> Small handgun

A derringer is a small handgun that is neither a revolver, semi-automatic pistol, or machine pistol. It is not to be confused with mini-revolvers or pocket pistols, although some later derringers were manufactured with the pepperbox configuration. The modern derringer is often multi-barreled, and is generally the smallest usable handgun of any given caliber and barrel length due to the lack of a moving action, which takes up more space behind the barrel. It is frequently used by women because it is easily concealable in a purse or a stocking.

The Mini-14 is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Introduced in 1973, the design was based on the M14 rifle and is essentially a scaled-down version chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beretta 3032 Tomcat</span> Semi-automatic pistol

The Beretta 3032 Tomcat and Beretta 3032 Tomcat Inox are semi-automatic pocket pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta. They are chambered in .32 ACP and are small pistols, designed for concealed-carry and use as backup weapons. The Beretta 3032 Tomcat builds on a long line of small and compact pocket pistols for self defense manufactured by Beretta. The allure and popularity is commonly attributed to the loading procedure, which does not require the user to "rack" the slide to chamber a round, but rather place a round in the tip-up barrel before the magazine is inserted. This is especially popular for those with weaker or smaller hands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.32 ACP</span> Pistol cartridge designed by John Moses Browning

.32 ACP is a centerfire pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol. It was introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale, and is also known as the 7.65×17mmSR Browning or 7.65 mm Browning Short.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.410 bore</span> Shotgun bore designed by Charles Eley and William Eley

The .410 bore is one of the smallest caliber of shotgun shell commonly available. A .410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small game hunting and pest control. The .410 started off in the United Kingdom as a garden gun along with the .360 and the No. 3 bore rimfire, No. 2 bore rimfire, and No. 1 bore rimfire. .410 shells have similar base dimensions to the .45 Colt cartridge, allowing many single-shot firearms, as well as derringers and revolvers chambered in that caliber, to fire .410 shot shells without any modifications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.32 S&W Long</span> American handgun cartridge

The .32 S&W Long, also known as 7.65x23mm, is a straight-walled, centerfire, rimmed handgun cartridge, based on the earlier .32 S&W cartridge. It was introduced in 1896 for Smith & Wesson's first-model Hand Ejector revolver. Colt called it the .32 Colt New Police in revolvers it made chambered for the cartridge.

Intratec was a firearm company based in Miami, Florida. The company's most famous product was the TEC-9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auto Mag Pistol</span> Semi-automatic pistol

The .44 Auto Mag pistol (AMP) is a large caliber semi-automatic pistol. It was designed between 1966 and 1971 by the Auto Mag Corporation to make a semi-automatic pistol chambered in .44 AMP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COP .357 Derringer</span> 4-shot Derringer-type pistol

The COP .357 is a 4-shot Derringer-type pistol chambered for .357 Magnum. The double-action weapon is about twice as wide, and substantially heavier than the typical .25 automatic pistol, though its relatively compact size and powerful cartridge made it an option for a defensive weapon or a police backup gun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMT Hardballer</span> Semi-automatic pistol

The AMT Hardballer is a series of pistols that are part of the 1911 platform made by Arcadia Machine & Tool (AMT) from 1977 to 2002. The Hardballer was the first entirely stainless steel 1911 pattern pistol. Other features included adjustable rear sights and a lengthened grip safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pocket pistol</span> Term for a small, pocket-sized semi-automatic pistol

In American English, a pocket pistol is any small, pocket-sized semi-automatic pistol, and is suitable for concealed carry in a pocket or similar space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beretta 8000</span> Type of semi-automatic pistol

The Beretta 8000 (Cougar) series pistols are manufactured by Beretta of Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Arms</span>

North American Arms is a United States company, headquartered in Provo, Utah, that manufactures pocket pistols and mini-revolvers, also called mouse guns. The company was originally named Rocky Mountain Arms when it was founded in 1972. In 1974 it was bought by new owners who renamed the company North American Manufacturing (NAM) and then North American Arms (NAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semmerling LM4</span> Compact pistol

The Semmerling LM4 is a five-shot, manually repeating double-action pocket pistol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kahr Arms</span> American firearms manufacturer

Kahr Arms is an American small arms manufacturer focused on compact and mid-size semi-automatic pistols chambered for popular cartridges, including .380 ACP, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Kahr pistols feature polymer or stainless steel frames, single-stack magazines, and double-action-only striker firing actions. Kahr Arms is part of the Kahr Firearms Group, a US-based firearms manufacturer, which also includes Thompson Auto-Ordnance and Magnum Research. The Kahr Firearms Group company headquarters is in Greeley, Pennsylvania, with a manufacturing facility in Worcester, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handgun</span> Short-barreled firearm designed to be held and used with one hand

A handgun is a firearm designed to be usable with only one hand. It is distinguished from a long gun which needs to be held by both hands and braced against the shoulder. The two most common types of handguns are revolvers and semi-automatic pistols, although other types such as derringers and machine pistols also see infrequent usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bond Arms</span>

Bond Arms Inc. is an American firearms manufacturer located in Granbury, Texas which makes derringers, the semi-automatic Bullpup9 pistol, and will soon be putting a tactical lever-action rifle into production by the end of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colt House Revolver</span> Revolver

The Colt House Revolver was one of the first metallic cartridge rear-loading revolvers to be produced by the Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, in 1871. The same year, Colt's also patented the Colt Open Top, another metallic cartridge rear-loader, but in fact the Open Top production didn't start until 1872, although a pocket version of the Open Top, a completely different design, went on sales as of 1871, the Colt Open Top Pocket Model Revolver.

References

  1. Gun Digest 2014 by Jerry Lee. "F+W Media, Inc.". Aug 12, 2013. page 283.
  2. "What's New at American Derringer?".
  3. Pistols of the World. by Ian Hogg, John Walter David & Charles, Krause Publications. Aug 29, 2004 - Antiques & Collectibles.page 13-14
  4. Pistols of the World. by Ian Hogg, John Walter David & Charles, Krause Publications. Aug 29, 2004 - Antiques & Collectibles.page 13-14
  5. Pistols of the World. by Ian Hogg, John Walter David & Charles, Krause Publications. Aug 29, 2004 - Antiques & Collectibles.page 13-14