Horror, Sleaze and Trash.

 

 One of the deadliest weapons of the nineteenth century was the derringer, a small pistol with one or two barrels, which could easily be hidden in the hand and used with deadly surprise. It was the weapon with which John Wilkes Booth killed President Abraham Lincoln. In 1890, a small, flat, rotary-disk magazine, seven-shot derringer pistol, using .32 caliber extra short center-fire or 32-rim-fire extra-short cartridges, was developed. Named “The Protector,” it was manufactured and sold by several companies for about 20 years. Gangsters loved the weapon, as it provided a surprise to an unsuspecting mobster or policeman. It was easily completely hidden in the hand. The barrel was only 1 5/8 inches long. When used, the barrel could be extended between the third and fourth fingers, and seven shots could be quickly fired. The low velocity, inaccurate bullet was lethal at close range. The gun became known as the “Chicago Palm Pistol,” because of it’s manufacturing markings and use by Chicago mobsters. Like most derringers, it was favoured by gamblers, who could easily hide the weapon up their sleeve.