Deringer Model 1842 Navy

Naval history of the Model 1842 Dellinger

Henry Dellinger was so famous for his pocket pistols that many ended up using the common name (and misspelling) "Derringer" (note the double "R"). In 1842, he commissioned the U.S. Navy to provide their first rifled-barreled percussion cap pistol. The strike system increases the reliability of the long-life flintlock type, while the rifling increases the range and stability of the fired bullet. The pistol in question became the "Henry Derringer Model 1842 Navy", with production spanning from 1842 to 1847, with a total of 200 to 1,200 produced (various sources).

These pistols bear the "US Derringer Philadelphia" branding on the lock plate.

Externally, the pistol has a design typical of the time. The body is wooden (walnut) with a locking plate on the right side. Brass is used for the trigger ring, stock cover and single barrel strap. The barrel is attached to the wooden body in the usual way, with brass tape for structural stability. The hammer was relocated to the right rear sight and adjusted to land on the nipple where the primer was.

The barrel is short and powerful and holds .54 rounds. Ammunition and gunpowder charges are manually inserted through the muzzle, and an included metal push rod is used to push the contents closer to action.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes