The Booth Deringer pistol

[STS Lincolnite]

(12-18-2016 08:36 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I think your best replies on this, Kees, will come from both Joe and Wes Harris of this forum.

P.S. Somewhere and sometime, I read (or wrote about) a story that Booth's deringer pistol was given to him by an acquaintance after the man witnessed an altercation between Booth and an angry husband. Also, wasn't it unique in that it had a rifled barrel?

I agree with Laurie on who would have the best info regarding Booth's derringer.

Several years ago Wes spoke at the Surratt Conference and addressed a couple of relevant points so I hope he chips in here too...and corrects me if I am not remembering his talk correctly (I did take some notes but they are not where I can get to them at the moment).

1) The caliber. I seem to remember Wes saying that there would be something with the wadding that would account for the a .44 caliber pistol firing what was likely a .42 caliber ball, with some lead loss accounting for smaller mass/size when measured. Wes had the exact measurements in his talk and a very well reasoned explanation for all.

2) Rifling. Wes believes (along with one of the world's foremost firearms experts) that the derringer did not have a rifled barrel in spite of a more modern FBI report stating that it did. He contends that the grooves that can be seen from the exterior are decorative only. Rifling was intended to help the accuracy of firearms over a long distance. It would seem unlikely that rifling would be necessary in a gun intended solely for short range use and with such a short barrel. Even if rifling was present it would be inconsequential.

I will try to track down the rest of my notes from Wes' excellent talk and see if there is more there to add to the discussion (or make corrections in case my memory is faulty! ).

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(12-19-2016 10:03 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  I once read (don't remember where) that also a Deringer pistol was found on Booth (after he was shot at Garrett's farm) and I remember (but not sure) that it was suggested that this Deringer was one of the matching pair which were in Booth’s possession, since the Deringer pocket pistols were sold as pairs in the 1860s. I think it is absolutely not true that a Deringer was found on Booth! As far as I know the firearms which were found on him were a Model 1860 Spencer carbine, serial number 24304; a .36 caliber Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver, serialnumber 117808; and a .44 Colt Model 1860 Army revolver, serialnumber 20407. All weapons were not used.

I have never read any account stating a derringer was found on Booth after he was killed. The various trial transcript accounts, though they do vary to some degree, do not to my recollection ever record a derringer as being in Booth's possession at Garrett's farm.

While derringers may have been sold in pairs from a "dealer" in the 1860s there doesn't seem to be any evidence that clearly shows that is where Booth obtained the derringer he used to shoot Lincoln. He could have borrowed it or it could have been given to him by a friend. He could also have bought if from a pawn shop, a random acquaintance, or anyone off the street for that matter. While there likely was a twin derringer, that doesn't mean Booth purchased them together or even ever had the other in his possession.

I am curious about the derringer that Gifford had. Is it possible that was a "stage gun" that Booth might have used in one performance or another? That may explain how it came into Gifford's possession.