Cartridges and Firearm Identification by Robert E. Walker

Author:Robert E. Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: CRC Press
Published: 2013-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Single-Shot Handguns

Single-shot, breech-loaded handguns such as the Remington XP-100 and the Thompson Contender family of pistols are rarely encountered in a criminal context, unless they are recovered stolen firearms. The Remington XP-100 is a bolt-action arm, using a turndown-type bolt. The Thompson Contenders are single action, and the action is opened by manipulating the trigger guard, which doubles as the release to open the breech. Such pistols may have exposed barrels, or the barrels may be shrouded by a horizontal hand guard, somewhat resembling a small rifle. By virtue of being capable of being fired when held with one hand, and having a chamber that is integral to the bore, single-shot handguns are classified as pistols.

Derringers The term derringer has generically been used to define especially small handguns and may take the form of a revolver or pistol. The earliest examples predate the use of self-contained cartridges, instead relying on percussion design. The term originated from a man named Henry Deringer, a manufacturer of firearms in the nineteenth century. (Note the difference in spelling: The modern term is spelled with rr, while the name is spelled with a single r.)

In 1806 Henry Deringer established a firearms factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began manufacturing flintlock pistols, muskets, and somewhat later, percussion rifles for the U.S. Army. Though initially recognized as a supplier of long arms, Deringer gained renown with the production of percussion dueling pistols, which first appeared in 1825 and were primarily sought by military officers and political officials. The manufacture of a smaller version of the dueling pistol in the late 1840s and the pocket pistol in the early 1850s solidified Deringer’s position as a manufacturer of quality firearms. (FBI 2001)

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