Derringer

Ammunition: .22 or .40
Capacity: 1-2 rounds
Price: $100

A derringer is generally the smallest usable handgun of a given caliber. They have been used by women because they are easily concealable in a purse, or as a stocking gun. Derringers are not repeating firearms – repeating mechanism such as used on semiautomatic handguns or revolvers would add significant bulk to the gun, defeating the purpose.

The original cartridge derringers held only a single round, usually a pinfire or rimfire cartridge, usually around a .40 caliber, and the barrel pivoted sidways on the frame to allow access to the breech for reloading. The famous Remington derringer design doubled the capacity, while maintaining the compact size, by adding a second barrel on top of the first, and pivoting the barrels upwards to reload. Each barrel then held one round, and a cam on the hammer alternated between top and bottom barrels.

The Remington derringer was originally sold in .41 Rimfire caliber, and achieved wide popularity. The .41 Rimfire bullet moved very slowly at about 425 feet per second (130 m/s or about 290 mph or 470 km/h). It could be seen in flight but at very close range (such as at a casino or saloon card table) it could easily kill.