Remington derringer

[another okie]

I have inherited a Remington derringer which apparently is in .41 short. I have no real desire to sell it, but I would like an idea of value, and I would like to know if anyone still makes ammo for it. Is this smokeless or black powder?

 

[glockman19]

Is it single shot? rimfire?

The Remington Elliots single shot Derringer in .41 rimfire cartridge 2.5" round barrel spur trigger, walnut 2 piece grip approx. 10,000 produced between 1867 & 1888 98%=$1,750.

 

[Jim K]

There were three Remington derringers made in .41 caliber rimfire. The first was the single shot "pocket pistol" or "saw handle derringer". Its oddly shaped grip is the best identification. Then came the Remington-Elliot single shot, marked "Elliot Pat." Last and best known is the Remington double derringer, of which there have been almost as many legends as there have been copies.

In really top condition, the first will bring about $1000, the second $1500, and the last, depending on the variation, from about $800 to over $2700.

A note about the double derringer. Many have broken hinges; those that don't eventually will have if they are fired. So don't fire them.

Jim

 

[another okie]

It's the over and under double barrel. It has "Remington" right on the top strap. For sentimental reasons it would be nice to fire it once, but I don't plan to blast off a box or anything. My mother's husband was an engineer and salesman of mining equipment who carried it for many years in Latin America, including many places in which it was illegal to have a gun and suicide not to have a gun. He liked good stuff, and it's in good shape.

 

[Ron James]

As Jim Keenan stated, the many legends of the Remington derringer, and if the truth were to be known, the .41 rim fire was only a little better than throwing a rock. In fact the rock would probably do more damage. They did have a nice look about them.

 

[Jim K]

One aspect of the legend is that most people who talk about those guns have never fired one. The legends don't tell you that the hammer is hard as hell to cock, and a quick "double tap" would require a super thumb.

I stand by my recommendation not to fire it, but ammo is made from time to time and may be available. If you decide to fire it, check the hinge joint in the frame carefully, inside and out. Use a magnifying glass and look for any cracks. If the hinge joint is sound, it might stand a few shots. If it is cracked, firing it will make things worse.

Jim

 

[Ron James]

Aww, you've never seen Jimmy Steward ( Destry Rides Again) Use a Remington derringer and from 30 feet (with out aiming)across a saloon, shoot those little knobs off the wheelie thing?

 

[Gordon]

"and if the truth were to be known, the .41 rim fire was only a little better than throwing a rock. In fact the rock would probably do more damage."

I totally disagree, after shooting several hundred shots out of 3 guns, a #1 Colt, and 2 Remington O/U. Ok the Colt and the earlier (1879) Remington had much looser barrel, even being in very good shape and gave velocities in the low 400Fps range. They would bury the bullet to the base in a 4x4", being Navy Arms loaded in Brazil in the 70s copper cased ammo I bought 7 boxes of in the early 80s. The later post WW1 Remington Derringer was a whole different proposition , having a smaller bore it would blow thru a 2x4" and almost penetrate a 4x4" because it had 600+fps velocity on that .41 bullet !
I got this pristine later gun from a long deceased local town constable who carried it wrapped in a silk hanky in his watch fob pocket during the 30s and 40s as a BUG. I carried it as such a few times in the 70s and 80s before selling it a couple years ago as part of a collection of derringers(Chicago Palm pistols, sharps pepperboxes, elliot, clover leafs, brownie and bar pistols ect.) for close to 5 figures. I sold the remaining box and a half of ammo too along with the weird sharps and other ammo .

 

[Ron James]

Well Gordon, your experince is different than mine, I shot a .41 Remington Derringer from 15 feet at a old fence post and it stuck with half the lead exposed. Vaya con Dios

 

[Gunfixr]

If you must fire it, you might try Old Western Scrounger for ammo. But as noted earlier, the hinge is known to crack. If you crack it shooting it, and it's in good shape now, much of it's value will be lost.

 

[Jim K]

Remington double derringer:

New or near new and unbroken hinge, up to $3000 depending on the variation.

Hinge broken, $500 tops.

Hinge "repaired" with great globs of brass, priceless, as in $000.

Jim

 

[rmbrad]

I know this is an old thread, but I have several questions about an old Remington Double Derringer I was given.

This is a .41 rimfire in about 95 to 100%. The firearm is marked "Remington arms--U.M.C. CO,Ilion, N.Y." across the sight rib. The serial number is L (or 4) 963XX.

I know a little of the history of this firearm. I know it was used in a shooting in Denver, CO. The firearm was passed down to my Dad, and he passed it down to me.

I am looking for a manufacture date, and estimate of price. I know that Smith and Wesson has a historian that will tell you when a certain S&W firearm was made, and where it was shipped. I am wondering if there is anyone like this that can research this firearm?

Any assistance with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jim Watson]

The UMC address marks it as a Flayderman 5E-046, Type III Model 4, the second most common variant. 55,000 made from 1912 til 1935. I don't think anybody understands Remington's serial numbering practice on those well enough to tie it down closer as to date of manufacture. Dollar value is several hundreds, if as above, the hinge is sound.

 

[rcmodel]

and if the truth were to be known, the .41 rim fire was only a little better than throwing a rock. In fact the rock would probably do more damage.

One should keep in mind that during the Remington .41's heyday, Penicillin and other modern antibiotics hadn't been invented yet.

A filthy dirty outside lubed .41 RF in the belly was almost certainly a long & painful death sentence from infection / septis.

I have read that old time lawmen & gunfighters would rather be shot with a .45 Colt then a .41 RF.

At least if it didn't kill you outright, you had some chance of a clean through & through wound you might survive.

Not so with a .41 RF stuck in your craw.

rcmodel

 

[Jim Watson]

The same principle applied to the .25 and .32 autos of the next couple of generations. A penetrating hit with about anything was hazardous to life and limb. Any firearm was a deterrent to a civilized man, even if it lacked stopping power on a Fuzzy-Wuzzy.

 

[rmbrad]

The .41 rimfire that I was given came with a story of it having been used in a shooting in Denver, CO. This was the result of a dispute over a card game. The gun was fired through a card table. The victim died from the wounds.

I do not know if the person that gave my Dad the firearm was the original owner or not. I do know that he cowboyed all over the country, and spent time in Colorado.