Single-shot Pistol - Forgotten Weapons

Henry Deringer’s Remarkable Percussion Pocket Pistols

April 15, 2026 Ian McCollum 22

Henry Deringer Jr was born in Easton PA in 1786 to German parents. As a young man he apprenticed to a gunsmith, then spent 1808 working in the Virginia Manufactory making guns, and then open […]

Carlstrom / Juhasz Concealed Sleeve Gun

April 6, 2026 Ian McCollum 27

Available at Morphy’s here: https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/_N__E__CARLSTROM_SLEEVE_PISTOL__ANY_OTHER_WEAPON__-LOT665729.aspx In 1929 Elek B. Juhasz of Lebanon PA patented this sleeve gun. It is a single-shot, manually cocked firing mechanism with a screw-on barrel and is worn on the inside […]

Pauly/Roux Pistols: The First Self-Contained Cartridges

August 22, 2025 Ian McCollum 4

EDIT: Please note that apparently the Priestel book I used as a major source for this video is partially incorrect, in that Pauly did create a traditional percussion system in France. The fire piston / […]

H&R Handy Gun: A Smoothbore Pistol Killed Off by the NFA

July 19, 2025 Ian McCollum 11

The Handy Gun was introduced by Harrington & Richardson in 1924. H&R took their Model 1915 single-barrel break-action shotgun and cut it down into a handgun. It got a pistol grip and an 8” barrel, […]

So You Want to Design Guns? You Need This Book.

June 5, 2024 Ian McCollum 6

“Firearm Anatomy Book III: The Remington Double Derringer” by David S. Findlay Available through Amazon: https://amzn.to/4daGdYy David S. Findlay is a firearms designer with extensive experience – a decades-long career in the field working for […]

Ballard .41 Rimfire Derringer: An Old West Boot Gun

November 25, 2023 Ian McCollum 11

Charles H. Ballard is much better known for his single shot rifle design, but he also designed, patented, and produced a .41 rimfire caliber derringer. These were popular concealed weapons during the 19th century, and […]

Colt’s .41 Derringers: Buyout and Innovation

November 20, 2023 Ian McCollum 10

When Colt decided that it wanted a piece of the Derringer market, it used a tactic we are used to seeing today: it found an existing manufacturer and just bought them outright. This was the […]

“Alk” – A Unique German Target Pistol

March 27, 2023 Ian McCollum 15

This is a unique and interesting German proofed .22 rimfire target pistol. It uses a simple blowback slide, which locks open after each shot. It is striker fired, with a 12-inch barrel and a quite […]

The Sure Defender: An O.G. Knuckleduster Knife Gun

December 8, 2021 Ian McCollum 12

One of the early combination self-defense guns was the “Sure Defender”, with a combination of brass knuckles, a small and finicky wavy-bladed dagger, and a single shot percussion pistol barrel. The rather complex process for […]

Fancy Martini-System Venus Pistole

November 1, 2021 Ian McCollum 20

This is a great example of an interwar single-shot fancy target pistol. It is chambered for basic .22 rimfire, and uses a Martini system of dropping breechblock to operate.