WestKentucky
Member
Recent thread responses got me fired up a bit with folks making comments about how you can’t hit squat with a derringer. I don’t believe that to be true, and I just so happen to own one of the worst Derringer’s for accuracy because my zinc barrel with multiple rounds down the pipe is pretty well shot out and has developed its own straight scars which likely negate what little rifling was ever there to begin with. I can still get hits with this gun, but I would contend that mine is among the worst.
Gun: Butler 22 short. Modified to allow colibri ammo to chamber.
Distance: 21 ft measured with a tape measure.
5 shots, no warmup, no fliers.
target, 1/4 plywood with a 3” orange dot.
results... not stellar, but 5 hits. Plywood is roughly the size of an adults torso so I’m calling a hit on plywood a decent hit. Group size from opposite impact to opposite impact, 5 inches. Shots all roughly toward 10-11 o’clock position. Furthest shot from bullseye, almost 6 inches.
Now, this gun sucks. Blunt truth. It was not made to be shot, but I do shoot it a bit. My frustration is that this gun is horrible... trash trigger, awful grips, dismal sights, sewer pipe barrel... but it still hits, so why do so many people bash Derringer’s as inaccurate and unreliable for defense because you can’t even get a hit at 7 yards? It’s bunk. Here are the pictures. I would do more but I’m headed back to work to train the night shift crew.
really interesting that I had one stop in the plywood and was able to dig it out and see a relatively un-mangled colibri bullet. I have tried and couldn’t catch a good one but now I do catch one shooting wet plywood...
yes I know it’s just a 22 and I’m shooting the weakest ammo commonly available. That doesn’t change how the sights line up or change where the bullet hits.
Gun: Butler 22 short. Modified to allow colibri ammo to chamber.
Distance: 21 ft measured with a tape measure.
5 shots, no warmup, no fliers.
target, 1/4 plywood with a 3” orange dot.
results... not stellar, but 5 hits. Plywood is roughly the size of an adults torso so I’m calling a hit on plywood a decent hit. Group size from opposite impact to opposite impact, 5 inches. Shots all roughly toward 10-11 o’clock position. Furthest shot from bullseye, almost 6 inches.
Now, this gun sucks. Blunt truth. It was not made to be shot, but I do shoot it a bit. My frustration is that this gun is horrible... trash trigger, awful grips, dismal sights, sewer pipe barrel... but it still hits, so why do so many people bash Derringer’s as inaccurate and unreliable for defense because you can’t even get a hit at 7 yards? It’s bunk. Here are the pictures. I would do more but I’m headed back to work to train the night shift crew.
really interesting that I had one stop in the plywood and was able to dig it out and see a relatively un-mangled colibri bullet. I have tried and couldn’t catch a good one but now I do catch one shooting wet plywood...
yes I know it’s just a 22 and I’m shooting the weakest ammo commonly available. That doesn’t change how the sights line up or change where the bullet hits.