American Derringer M4 - Ultimate Survival Pistol?

[Texas by God]

Far better to run up to a skunk and kick it like a football than shoot one with a .410 pistol. Either way is gonna stink, but you might actually kill it with a kick......

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[Jtarm]

I hate shooting my Davis .38 Special derringer. That little sucker wants to jump out of your hand even with light loads. Shooting 45-70 out of that thing would be awful. I'm guessing hitting anything smaller than a deer at 15 yards will be more luck than skill.

FWIW I'd take a Sig P365 with a 12 round magazine over that thing in just about any scenario.

Assuming you did hit that smaller-than-a-deer critter, there wouldn’t be much left.

[John Guedry]

You could probably be better shooting yourself when the bear started chewing on you.

[Handloader109]

I wouldn't trust it at all. the little derringers are good for making noise, but two shots? I'd bet you'd miss the bear at 10 feet and by then it's too late. 50 feet and maybe 5 bears lines up side by side. Just sayin. Love the poker comment. That sums it up. Now would I want to be hit by anything? nope, I don't want to be shelled by # 10 birdshop from 200 yards either.

[Char-Gar]

Somebody will make whatever anybody else will buy.

[Scrounge]

I have tested a .410/45 colt derringer extensively with the self defense 2.5" .410 loads and trust me, its way better than a rock. It isn't at all hard to shoot and you can't miss at 10'. Stiff trigger is the only complaint. I have plenty of handguns to choose from and this one has a place in the defense of my home.

I can't claim to have tested extensively, but the .45LC/.410 derringer I shot with a .45LC round at 2 feet from the target just barely hit the paper target, and the slug hit on it's side and failed to penetrate the paper target. That is not something that I'm going to be depending on for anything but a paperweight. Not saying yours won't hit, but the one I tried certainly would not.

Bill

[Travisbishop]

I've got a derringer in 45/70. Not sure how it shoots since I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger. There's just something seems "off" about the whole git up

[GhostHawk]

For small, hard to beat this IMO.

https://northamericanarms.com/shop/f...aa-22mbtii250/

But for true SHTF scenario I would be carrying my Ruger Mark 3 22/45 with red dot sight. Terrifyingly good at 10 to 20 feet. And still darn handy at longer ranges. 10 rounds +1, does not have quite the damage potential of the .22mag, yet still lethal.

And the little Beretta 81 in .32acp with 12 rounds is just as good with 2 more shots and a bigger bullet. 80-100 grain means easy double the damage of a .22lr at similar ranges.

All 3 will do the job, but the Ruger will do it at longer ranges and with easily found and carried ammo.