Curator's Corner: Weird Derringers

[@TheGunnut87]

marked For death. i love that movie. that is the first time i ever saw a Chicago palm pistol when I was a kid. I too, found it odd he didn't use it later on.

[@Acekiller1995]

the holster is worn butt rear facing and it is drawn by first raising the arm to allow the gun to slide out(ex. reach for a hat) and then you move the arm down and and grab the pistol as it slides into your hand. this was used by gamblers as it was easy to conceal the slide out of holster by raising cards to your face level

[@1337flite]

I'd think the squeeze actions would be squeeze action as that is probably an easy design to make a simple, compact reliable repeater action, that could probably be fired from a pocket.

[@Whereisthefall]

I really want that last pistol, wonder where I could find one?

[@albertcostello7476]

cool vid , wish I could see the museum

[@Bladsmith]

The squeezers are clearly for people with rheumatism or lost fingers. If you're lacking the necessary digits or can barely flex your fingers, one of those would be a lifesaver. Quite literally.

[@seanpettigrew6314]

Badum TSS!

[@Bladsmith]

Sean Pettigrew Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week.

[@betchalife]

knuckle duster? no its actually called " my friend " ian from Forgotten weapons did a video on all of them.

[@bunnystew]

Imagine just being able to sit down and have lunch with this guy.

[@Jason-gk8jl]

Cole Hart no thanks

[@chrisadams1063]

Hi guys it's good to see you haven't seen you in a long time it's been awhile since I work there I learned a lot while I was there at the History Museum of firearms

[@MikeSnipples]

What's the Italian one called?

[@Aconitum_napellus]

I'd love a derringer, they're such cool little guns.

[@howey935]

Something Dreadful same here and there's so many different models and wasn't it a deringer that John wilks killed lincoln with?

[@slaughterhound8793]

@@howey935 Yes, yes it was. An original Deringer model derringer made in Philadelphia by Henry Deringer, who name was appropriated by society, & misspelled to become the name for all the derringers. Unlike the models of derringer that were shown here, the originals, like Booth used, were single shot muzzle-loaders, like the old pistols of the 1700's. They were also generally of heavier caliber, firing large round lead balls. Booth's was in .44 caliber, but others were in .45, & you probably could order them in other calibers as well.

[@brottarnacke]

If you have a really small gun maybe reducing the number of really small moving parts is preferable for reliability and durability and then a big squeezing mechanism might be the better choice.

[@davidmg1925]

I can see the point of a squeeze gun. No fiddly trigger to find.

[@NJPurling]

He didn't say what caliber the squeeze-action pistols were.

[@slaughterhound8793]

The Chicago one is in .32 rimfire.

[@R5H4D0W]

@zanuha likely, especially if an occupational disability caused the user to lose the index or the middle finger, shooting with the next two would be exceptionally difficult, but if they can grip the stock, a squeezer could be shot.

[@ingohiller3415]

You should wear a space suit also with it to handle those guns

[@MrFlaujac]

the manufrance le gaulois ! a great french derringer! at 4.05

[@church132]

Assassins Creed wrist pistol ;)

[@jarkoer]

Ha! Anti-gunners would have a field day with those guns nowadays. These guns were definitely weapons of last resort. I like good, reliable guns but I LOVE weird guns because they show a lot of ingenuity of thought. I almost wish I was born 150 years sooner.