Colt Third Model Deringer
Colt · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1875
Also known as: Colt Thuer Derringer, Colt No. 3 Deringer, Colt 3rd Model Derringer, Colt .41 Deringer No. 3
Overview
The Colt Third Model Deringer is a single-shot, .41 rimfire pocket pistol and the best-selling of Colt's three deringer models. Designed by Colt engineer F. Alexander Thuer and produced from 1875 to 1912, it has a sheathed (spur) trigger, a one-piece bird's-head grip, and a steel barrel that pivots sideways about a pin to expose the breech for loading and to lift the spent case clear. Its compact size made it a popular concealed-carry and gambler's gun of the late frontier era. Around 45,000 to 48,000 were manufactured, many factory scroll-engraved and nickel-plated.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 200 g (7.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 124 mm (4.88") |
| Barrel Length | 64 mm (2.52") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 130 m/s (427 fps) |
| Effective Range | 7 m (8 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Nickel Plated |
Calibers
- .41 Short Rimfire · primary — also known as .41 RF, .41 Short, .41 Rimfire
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Hammer Block
- Features: Single Shot, Pivoting Barrel, Spur Trigger, Birds Head Grip, Scroll Engraving, Varnished Walnut Grips
Service history
Operators
- Civilian
Production
Estimated total produced: 45,000 · Production years: 1875-1912
Estimates range from about 45,000 to 48,000 units; the most-produced of Colt's three deringer models
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: F. Alexander Thuer
Discontinued: 1912
Notes
Also called the Thuer Model after its designer; the standard barrel length was 2 1/2 inches (about 64 mm). Serial numbers ran roughly 1 to 45,000. Weight and overall length are approximate, as period pocket deringers are seldom listed with a published mass. Unlike the laterally-tipping First and Second Models, the Third Model's barrel rotates to the side around a central pin.
Background
After buying the National Arms Company in 1870 and inheriting Daniel Moore's First and Second Model deringers, Colt had engineer F. Alexander Thuer redesign the pistol into a cheaper, sturdier single-shot with a side-pivoting barrel. The resulting Third Model became a fixture of the American West, small enough to hide in a sleeve or boot and famously favored by gamblers, making it the classic 'derringer' of frontier lore.