The Sharps 4-Barrel Derringer by "Sixgun"

The Sharps derringer in this short story is another one of those "take home & clean" antiques from Targetmaster. These guns were made from about 1860 to 1872 in Philadelphia and this specimen is in remarkable condition for being made around 1868. Yes, its the same company that made the big buffalo guns but I just don't know why the derringers were made 30 miles down the road from where I live which probably explains why I see them all the time.

This particular gun is chambered for the .22 short but the company also made them in .30 & .32 rimfire. It has a fixed 4 barrel unit with a rotating firing pin which rotates to the next barrel each time the hammer is pulled.

So.........in respect to it's age I load up the gun with Colibri .22 short "caps" which have only priming compound and no powder and then went outside and blasted away. I was shooting fence posts, in the pond, the burn pit, horse piles, even a few towards the neighbor's cat. The accuracy was somewhat amazing and if I held real tight and squeezed 'em off slowly, it would be no problem hitting a man sized target at 25-35 yards.

Yea, I know, the energy level would not do much but...........in those days, the recipient of a chunk of lead was more afraid of getting a bullet in him that would most assuredly cause an infection with a slow death than he was a bullet passing clear through him. (Anyway, thats what I read...I really don't think anyone wanted to get shot with anything, whether it stuck in his gut or passed through a meaty section.

Ok boys, here she is.


The "action" slid forward...


Here's a pic of the firing fin. Its a pretty neat arrangement. This baby turns to the next barrel with each pull of the hammer.


Here's an 8 shot "group" which I fired somewhat fast. Some holes look like they keyholed, but they did not--its just the way the paper reacted from the tremendous blow of the 20 grain bullet.


The other side.


Sixgun

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Links:
- Gun Parts Corporation Schematic