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44-40 derringer first shots today !
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 6892
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.
44-40 derringer first shots today !
Well today would be the best out of next week or more so packed up the derringer and headed to my soggy range after last several days of snow/rain.
Didn't know what to expect out of this little handful of 44-40 but did know what a 45 Colt Bond derringer felt like. I was surprised how well it shot and how well the 185 gr WC rounds I loaded shot. First two rounds were spread out high and then I was able to get some good grouping.
The derringer stayed planted in my hand and I shot 18 rounds thru it with no busted knuckle or hammer bite to the web of my hand. Now you know when you touch one off from the blast and that short 1 1/2 inch of rifling did a great job keeping the bullets on track. It does what derringers do...get a good sized piece of lead to a target within 15 ft. fast enough to do serious damage and it did so fully penetrating 16 inches of ballistic gel and hitting the 6x6 block backstop. Then I tried my luck at the steel plates and did okay with that from 7 yds. Not a range gun but could get you out of a serious situation. Only thing of note is to make sure you cock the hammer all the way back to reset floating hammer insert to next firing position and best of all the hammer did not take off on this one!
Didn't know what to expect out of this little handful of 44-40 but did know what a 45 Colt Bond derringer felt like. I was surprised how well it shot and how well the 185 gr WC rounds I loaded shot. First two rounds were spread out high and then I was able to get some good grouping.
The derringer stayed planted in my hand and I shot 18 rounds thru it with no busted knuckle or hammer bite to the web of my hand. Now you know when you touch one off from the blast and that short 1 1/2 inch of rifling did a great job keeping the bullets on track. It does what derringers do...get a good sized piece of lead to a target within 15 ft. fast enough to do serious damage and it did so fully penetrating 16 inches of ballistic gel and hitting the 6x6 block backstop. Then I tried my luck at the steel plates and did okay with that from 7 yds. Not a range gun but could get you out of a serious situation. Only thing of note is to make sure you cock the hammer all the way back to reset floating hammer insert to next firing position and best of all the hammer did not take off on this one!
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- JEBar
- Town Marshal / Deputy Admin
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- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:58 pm
- Location: central NC
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
nice shooting ... I've never accomplished targets like that with my 44 Spl Derringer
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- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 6892
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
What brand derringer do you have? One thing that did surprise me was how light the rifling cut is in the barrel like just barely there but somehow it works.
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- Vaquero
- Ranch Boss
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- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:56 am
- Location: Somewhere between Memphis & Nashville
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
Looks like you did get the hang of it.
Good shooting.
RP
Good shooting.
RP
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Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012

Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament

Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
Nice job Forty. Probably better than I could of done.
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Don't let the old man in
H001T .22LR
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SIDE GATE 38-55
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 6892
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
Another good thing is it didn't smack or sting my hand and could have shot more but only had 25 rounds loaded and just needed to see how it shot.
Happy with it and my throw together holster worked well also.
Happy with it and my throw together holster worked well also.
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Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
Looks like you’re ready to hit the local saloons for some poker.
Glad that little monster didn’t bite the hand that feeds it!

Glad that little monster didn’t bite the hand that feeds it!
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- JEBar
- Town Marshal / Deputy Admin
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- Location: central NC
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
Bond .... my accuracy issues are completely mine, it really shoots surprisingly well
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- daytime dave
- Administrator / Owner
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- Location: Upstate NY
Re: 44-40 derringer first shots today !
Great shooting. I'd say that derringer would have done the trick back in the day and today.
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Some days I'm Andy, most days I'm Barney........
Eaglescout, NRA Life Endowment member, BCCI Life Member
Eaglescout, NRA Life Endowment member, BCCI Life Member