Pedersoli's petite derringers

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Naphtali
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Pedersoli's petite derringers

Post by Naphtali »

Pedersoli manufactures two derringers, Philadelphia (near copy of the Lincoln assassination pistol) and Liège. Both pistols are percussion cap lock single shot. Both shoot .452-inch projectiles. The Philadelphia derringer is a muzzleloader. The Liège is a screw barrel "breechloader."

Anyone who owns and shoots either, anyone who has shot one a bit - please describe their shooting quality and lawyer-independent power.
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Ray
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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

Post by Bill in Oregon »

It would be interesting to test the Pedersoli Philadelphia for powder combustion at close distances. I had one of those big, clunky CVA derringers built from a kit. No comparison to the original.
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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

Post by piller »

I wonder just how much penetration those derringers actually had. Were they typically loaded to enough power to do much, or were they loaded light due to the relatively weak steel? I have heard about some of the 1800s and older firearms having catastrophic failures in the first 2 or 3 firings. Am I misinformed about that? It seems to me that the short barrel of the derringer would lose a lot of potential power from the flash and flame gasses not being held in. For more than an inch or two. Even with a similar powder charge to that in a 4 inch barrel revolver, wouldn't the derringer fail to achieve a similar velocity? I have inherited one of the old Leinad kit derringers from about 1975 that was put together. It is sort of unpleasant to shoot with a typical factory load of .45 Colt with a 230 grain bullet. I have done some handloads for it that bring the velocity down as low as I can get it. Just shooting it at alive Mountain Cedar trees is not very impressive. The penetration seems as if it might go a few inches into flesh, but I am not sure about it going into bone. I used some foam and two old shoes with a bench vise to hold the pistol while using a string to pull the trigger for the first 10 shots. I was behind some 3/4 inch thick plywood. It held up.
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Ray
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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

Post by Ray »

A quick search using keywords "lincoln autopsy" finds several site with notes from the examination.....

The descriptions of the bulging eye infers adequate shock even at the bb gun velocities.....


Mister Cumpston tested a jukar built and C.V.A. marketed "philadelphia" derringer with a .440" patched ball with a lubed "wonder wad" over 30 gr. of goex fffg at 419 fps. and 30 gr. swiss at 579 fps. He states that a nominal one inch pine board at an actual 3/4" to 7/8" thickness could be penetrated at 20 ft.

I'm not sure how to compare a pine board to live bone.....

https://www.amazon.com/Percussion-Revol ... oks&sr=1-1
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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

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When taking Kenpo, we were taught that breaking a 1 inch pine board was equivalent to breaking a bone. I do not know if that is accurate. I never tested that comparison with a bone and any instrument to test force used to break it.
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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

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Re: Pedersoli's petite derringers

Post by Ray »

Bill in Oregon wrote: Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:01 am It would be interesting to test the Pedersoli Philadelphia for powder combustion at close distances. I had one of those big, clunky CVA derringers built from a kit. No comparison to the original.
Walking by a brace of those clunky spaniards inspired me to load them and carry them to walk down the drive to fetch the mail. One is a 70s jukar cva and the other a 80s dikar tourist trap souvineer.....
IMG_20191206_085543_kindlephoto-1207039756.jpg
Load is 30 pyrodex pellet, card, desperado brand 170gr. conical, smear of grease, and card over top......
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