Booth's Gun Questions

[J. Beckert]

Hopefully Wes Harris chimes in here. He's done a lot of research on the assassination weapons.

Deringers were sold in pairs. As far as where Booth got his, there's a story it was given to him by a friend after he had an altercation with a man over a woman. I've heard nothing else about it's origins.


As far as practicing with it, I highly doubt it. It's almost pointless. Deringers were notoriously inaccurate and good only at very close range. I'd think hitting anything beyond 20' would be a gift. The shorter the barrel, the less accurate the gun is and like you stated - that gun is tiny.

Booth did go to firing ranges and was said to be an excellent shot.