Is there any point to derringers/low caliber pistols anymore?

Posted by Ok_Mud_8998@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 16 comments

I am not a firearm collector. I'm a practical firearm owner. (I can't afford to collect or I would, I still think guns are rad.)

With that being said, is there anything practical about a derringer/Ruger LCP/kel Tec p32 now that things like The LCP max and Bodyguard 2.0 exist? Or is the LCL just that much more concealable that those former designs still have a practical purpose?

[-]

2allegedly@reddit

I collect them, but no home defense, range, or hunting value at all.

[-]

xosxos@reddit

P32 is still the smallest centerfire pistol on the market, so no, it is not obsolete.

[-]

TacosNGuns@reddit

Sure, a kel tec .32 fits in a dress shirt pocket. I have an ancient Colt vest pocket .25 acp. Is it ideal? No, but it’s more powerful than my fist in my late 50’s. I carry it with a 357 j-frame. And there’s a lot to be said for a handgun you can have in hand, but hidden in a pocket. Faster than an appendix draw.

[-]

DashMcGee@reddit

No role for a two-shot Derringer. As for mouse guns, I have two .380's and plan on getting the new Keltec .380 that holds 13 rounds in an internal magazine. They are so easy to carry, easy to shoot, and have such manageable recoil that you can get 2-3 rounds on target before a bad guy stops running at you.

[-]

calentureca@reddit

Any gun is better than no gun.
Sometimes carrying a gun with good capacity and stopping power is impossible due to its size, or what you are wearing. (A woman in a tight dress with a tiny purse. Summertime, wearing shorts and small t shirt. Or even just a gun that can be easily concealed around your house.

[-]

Agammamon@reddit

If you put two holes in somebody, no matter how small they are, its gonna make them reconsider their life choices.

[-]

bikumz@reddit

Will touch on a few things.

Small calibers handguns are still the bees knees. Yeah they can get tiny and have low recoil, but where they really shine is the tip up beretta design. You can have a handgun set up ready to fire without ever having to rack the slide. For older people or people who have limited hand strength for whatever reason you can still have an option to defend yourself that you can load independently. People will point to revolvers, but I still think it’s harder than the tip up designs for most people to load.

Derringers, particularly the bond arms, are cool just because you can buy different barrels to shoot different calibers. I don’t think that’s super useful but if you’re someone who worries about it sure the barrels are cheaper than a new gun in most cases. Where I think they really shine is a tiny trapline gun to dispatch animals. You can get a compact handgun that can confidentially be used to put down anything you’d trap for.

[-]

youkilledkenny3211@reddit

The keltec p32 is just the most convenient pocket pistol on the market, the belt clip(don’t carry one of in the camber unleaded holstered) makes it easy to carry no matter what your wearing, yeah the bodyguard is a great gun but I wouldn’t throw away my p32 for it. The same argument can be made with the lcp but I prefer the 32acp for as small as they are. Hundreds of rounds through mine no problems. I’m not a fan of derringers personally but I know people that carry them for a back up back up lol. I think everybody should have a pocket pistol especially for summer time carry

[-]