Marston Derringer
W.W. Marston · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1852
Also known as: W.W. Marston breech-loading pistol, Marston single shot percussion pistol, Marston & Knox pistol
Overview
The Marston Derringer is a mid-19th-century breech-loading single-shot percussion pocket pistol designed by New York gunsmith William W. Marston. Based on his 1852 patent, it chambered a distinctive cartridge using a heavy paper or cardboard case with a leather base pad that doubled as a self-cleaning bore wipe, remaining in the chamber after firing until pushed forward by the next round. Offered in .31, .36, and .44 calibers with barrels from 4 to 8 inches, it represented a notable transitional step from muzzleloading toward fixed-cartridge handguns, though it never achieved commercial success against the combustible cartridge designs of the 1850s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 794 g (28.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 235 mm (9.25") |
| Barrel Length | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Action Type | Breech Loading |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 229 m/s (751 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 152 J (112 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Brass |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Percussion (Cap and Ball) · primary — also known as .36 cal, .36 percussion, 9.1mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Breech Loading, Leather Base Cartridge, Tang Peep Sight, Bag Grip
Service history
Operators
- Civilian market
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,000 · Production years: 1852-1860
Approximately 1,000 breech-loading single-shot pistols made circa early-to-mid 1850s in .31, .36, and .44 calibers with 4- to 8-inch barrels.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: William W. Marston
Discontinued: 1860
Notes
Roughly 1,000 examples were produced in the early-to-mid 1850s in barrel lengths from 4 to 8.5 inches across .31, .36, and .44 calibers; only about 250 were built with the distinctive brass frame. The top barrel flat is typically marked 'CAST STEEL / W.W. MARSTON / PATENTED 1850 / NEW YORK', with the serial number repeated on the lower barrel flat and breech; some later examples carry a 'W.W. MARSTON & KNOX / NEW YORK 1854' address. Barrels are part-octagon/part-round and blued, with brass-frame guns weighing roughly 1 lb 12 oz (~794 g). The breechblock slides via a lever under the grip to admit a single leather-base paper cartridge from the right. This single-shot percussion pistol is distinct from Marston's later three-barrel rimfire pocket pistols of the 1860s.
Background
William W. Marston was born in England in 1822, the son of a gunmaker who emigrated to America, and was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1843. Working in New York from 1844 until his death in 1872, he amassed at least six firearms patents, including the 1852 leather-base cartridge that powered this pistol.