Henry Deringer Pocket Pistol
Henry Deringer · Pistol · Discontinued · 1852
Also known as: Philadelphia Deringer, Deringer of Philadelphia, Henry Deringer Percussion Pocket Pistol
Overview
The Henry Deringer Pocket Pistol is a single-shot percussion muzzleloading pistol made in Philadelphia from 1852 until Henry Deringer's death in 1868. Chambered most commonly in .41 caliber and firing a single round lead ball, it had a short rifled iron barrel (typically around 2 to 2.5 inches), a walnut stock and German silver furniture, and was small enough to conceal in a coat pocket. Sold in pairs as a backup self-defense weapon, it became so famous that its maker's name entered the language as the generic 'derringer'. One was used by John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 230 g (8.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Barrel Length | 60 mm (2.36") |
| Height | 70 mm (2.76") |
| Width | 25 mm (0.98") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | None |
| Muzzle Velocity | 180 m/s (591 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 136 J (100 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 9 m (10 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .41 Caliber Percussion · primary — also known as .41 cal ball, .41 round ball, .41 muzzleloader
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Single Shot, Muzzle Loading, Back Action Lock, German Silver Furniture, Concealable, Engraved Lock Plate
Service history
Operators
- American civilians
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 15,000 · Production years: 1852-1868
Roughly 15,000 Philadelphia Deringer pocket pistols were produced over about 16 years.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Henry Deringer
Discontinued: 1868
Notes
Calibers ranged from roughly .31 to .50, with .41 the most common; barrel length varied widely from barely over one inch to four inches or more. The pistol Booth used was a Henry Deringer of Philadelphia of approximately .44 caliber. The name was widely imitated, and Deringer won a landmark trademark-infringement suit over copies.
Background
Henry Deringer never patented his pocket pistol, and after John Wilkes Booth used one to kill Abraham Lincoln, the design's notoriety was permanent, so much so that the misspelled 'derringer' became the generic term for any small concealable single-shot pistol.