National Firearms
Here is another bit of American history for you: First model National Firearms derringer from about 1866.
This was one of the first American guns to use a metal cartridge larger than 32 caliber. It is based on a patent by Daniel Moore, who also designed the teat-fire revolver for National Firearms that they sold to circumvent the Rollin White patent owned by Smith and Wesson.
At a time when only Smith and Wesson could legally produce a cartridge revolver in the USA, National Firearms introduced these 41 caliber rimfire derringers.
This is a first model, all metal derringer; the second model had wooden grips.
It was marketed first under Moore's name and subsequently as National firearms.
Only about 6,000 were made in total. In 1870 National Firearms was acquired by Colt and the Moore-designed derringers became the basis for the first two series of Colt derringers.
Roger
