Philidelphia Derringer

Big Shrek · June 20, 2015, 09:16 PM

Picked up a Philly Derringer at an LPS today for $30

Barrel is marked Dikar, Spain, .45 Cal.

Unknown if it is a Jukar/CVA or a Dixie Gun Works one, but its a neat little pistol.
Took it apart & cleaned it, the trigger return spring is broken, .
Trigger just wiggles and clanks around...but works and is around 2 &1/2 pounds pull.
Front Sight blade is missing...

Looks just like this one, minus the sight.

Any info from Anyone would be helpful

Like, what kinda sight blade goes on it??

Jbar4Ranch · June 21, 2015, 10:39 AM

Some had a front sight and some didn't. The sights I've seen were a short length of triangular brass with a stud on the bottom that pressed into a hole in the barrel. Some just had a crosspin through the wood to hold the barrel on, while others had a decorative brass escutcheon plate on each side the pin also went through.

I've currently got 4 of them -

I took the cheapest one of the bunch ($26.01 on gunbroker a dozen years ago - 1st one on the left above), shortened the barrel & fore stock, and reduced the grip to make it more "derringer sized". Here it is alongside one of the others (3rd from left above). Two of these, including this one, came without a trigger guard, so I made them out of flat brass stock.

The other three I paid $40, $50, and $51.01, all about a dozen years ago. Dixie and CVA just imported them - they were made by Dikar/Jukar in Spain, which are the same company - somewhere along the years the name was changed from Dikar to Jukar.

James K · June 21, 2015, 01:52 PM

One of those "real true honest history" channels showed one of those recently as the gun that killed Lincoln. Aaaarrgggh! The same doofusses who showed an AK-47 and an SKS in a story about Bonnie and Clyde, and WWI pictures of the French attacking - the British!

Jim

noelf2 · June 21, 2015, 05:37 PM

The trigger wiggles around in mine too. Didn't know there was a spring for it. I build the kit in the 70's, and don't remember a spring...??

Jbar4Ranch · June 21, 2015, 06:20 PM

Nope, no trigger springs in these.

bedbugbilly · June 21, 2015, 07:33 PM

Lots of these were assembled from kits. They were available in the 60s and 70s. Many will not have the barrel pin plates on them as they were pretty rough cast brass pieces and a PIA to try and inlet. Easier to leave them off.

noelf2 · June 21, 2015, 07:39 PM

The brass pin escutcheons on mine are pretty nice and detailed. I don't remember polishing them when I was a kid. They have a nice patina on them now. I didn't inlet mine, but they're on it.

**4V50 Gary** · June 22, 2015, 06:16 AM

To elaborate further on what James K said, the Hystery Channel is about entertainment, not history.

noelf2 · June 22, 2015, 07:18 AM

This site really puts me to work. I got my old philly derringer out of the safe and looked it over. I never did a good job finishing the wood when I was 16. Had a kind of varnish on it that my dad let me use. I took it all apart and sanded the old finish off of it. Then used some good stain, and will polish it with some of my wife's beeswax / oil formula. Already looking way better. If all works well, I'll start on my dad's old CVA colonial pistol. Inletting the brass pin plates has me intrigued as well. Shouldn't be hard, but I'll have to file down the pin to make it work.

Big Shrek · June 23, 2015, 05:23 PM

Thanks for all the info so far!!

Any idea when Dikar changed to Jukar??
I'm still trying to estimate the date...and the serial doesn't seem like much help.

With mine the brass sideplates hold the barrel pin in place.

It has a hole for a sight, so I'm going to order that.

Decided to go with Brownell's Plum Brown on the barrel, I use it as a hot application tho,
found out that it makes cold blue products work a LOT better

Haven't totally finalized the choice on a stock stain, other than a darker one...
mostly it depends on what I have in my stain cabinet

AKexpat · June 23, 2015, 06:20 PM

Quote:

To elaborate further on what James K said, the Hystery Channel is about entertainment, not history.

That is probably true when it comes to most well documented historical events.

I watch H1, H2, and AHC quite a bit. If one knows history, one can always glean certain points of view that do not fit well into what is taught as conventional wisdom/conventional history.

Storied university historians have a penchant for believing their version of "history" is absolute gospel when many other non-storied scholars can punch holes in their beliefs.

Just sayin'

Jim

Jbar4Ranch · June 23, 2015, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Shrek

Any idea when Dikar changed to Jukar??

Mid-70's to early 80's sometime.

Big Shrek · July 7, 2015, 08:03 PM

Ok, due to getting frustrated with the stains I had on hand...
The Wifey got involved...
so now its going to be a Pink Pirate Derringer
to go with her Naughty Pirate Wench costume

Stock will be Pink with Skull & X-bones motifs, Barrel will be Plum Brown,
the hardware will get a good polish, but stay the same.
Did have to sand the stock skinnier for her hands...so its smoother/thinner than norm...

Weird thing, all of the sudden Plum Brown bluing has been dropped from Gander & Academy sports...
so I have to order that in...

Fun part, she'll be fully armed at all times in costume, and nobody will know it

foolzrushn · July 8, 2015, 12:16 AM

OK, I was totally blind-sided by that pink mind picture....literally made me LOL!

Doc Hoy · July 8, 2015, 06:40 AM

Quote:

To elaborate further on what James K said, the Hystery Channel is about entertainment, not history.

True of the news channels too. There is no such thing as "news media". There is "news entertainment media".

Big Shrek · July 8, 2015, 04:45 PM

Quote:

OK, I was totally blind-sided by that pink mind picture....literally made me LOL!

So was I...but heck, whatever Wifey wants

I did a Marlin 60 stock for her awhile back in pink, still have a ton of the stain left...
so it'll be easy

June 20, 2015, 09:16 PM	#1
Big Shrek Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: NorthWest Florida Posts: 1,358	Philidelphia Derringer Picked up a Philly Derringer at an LPS today for $30 Barrel is marked Dikar, Spain, .45 Cal. Unknown if it is a Jukar/CVA or a Dixie Gun Works one, but its a neat little pistol. Took it apart & cleaned it, the trigger return spring is broken, . Trigger just wiggles and clanks around...but works and is around 2 &1/2 pounds pull. Front Sight blade is missing... Looks just like this one, minus the sight. Any info from Anyone would be helpful Like, what kinda sight blade goes on it?? __________________ Marlin Specialist Calico Specialist A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

June 21, 2015, 10:39 AM	#2
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	Some had a front sight and some didn't. The sights I've seen were a short length of triangular brass with a stud on the bottom that pressed into a hole in the barrel. Some just had a crosspin through the wood to hold the barrel on, while others had a decorative brass escutcheon plate on each side the pin also went through. I've currently got 4 of them - I took the cheapest one of the bunch ($26.01 on gunbroker a dozen years ago - 1st one on the left above), shortened the barrel & fore stock, and reduced the grip to make it more "derringer sized". Here it is alongside one of the others (3rd from left above). Two of these, including this one, came without a trigger guard, so I made them out of flat brass stock. The other three I paid $40, $50, and $51.01, all about a dozen years ago. Dixie and CVA just imported them - they were made by Dikar/Jukar in Spain, which are the same company - somewhere along the years the name was changed from Dikar to Jukar. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015 Last edited by Jbar4Ranch; June 21, 2015 at 07:38 PM.

June 21, 2015, 05:37 PM	#4
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	The trigger wiggles around in mine too. Didn't know there was a spring for it. I build the kit in the 70's, and don't remember a spring...?? __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

June 21, 2015, 06:20 PM	#5
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	Nope, no trigger springs in these. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

June 21, 2015, 07:33 PM	#6
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	Lots of these were assembled from kits. They were available in the 60s and 70s. Many will not have the barrel pin plates on them as they were pretty rough cast brass pieces and a PIA to try and inlet. Easier to leave them off. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

June 21, 2015, 01:52 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	One of those "real true honest history" channels showed one of those recently as the gun that killed Lincoln. Aaaarrgggh! The same doofusses who showed an AK-47 and an SKS in a story about Bonnie and Clyde, and WWI pictures of the French attacking - the British! Jim

June 21, 2015, 07:39 PM	#7
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	The brass pin escutcheons on mine are pretty nice and detailed. I don't remember polishing them when I was a kid. They have a nice patina on them now. I didn't inlet mine, but they're on it. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

June 22, 2015, 06:16 AM	#8
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,840	To elaborate further on what James K said, the Hystery Channel is about entertainment, not history. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 22, 2015, 07:18 AM	#9
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	This site really puts me to work. I got my old philly derringer out of the safe and looked it over. I never did a good job finishing the wood when I was 16. Had a kind of varnish on it that my dad let me use. I took it all apart and sanded the old finish off of it. Then used some good stain, and will polish it with some of my wife's beeswax / oil formula. Already looking way better. If all works well, I'll start on my dad's old CVA colonial pistol. Inletting the brass pin plates has me intrigued as well. Shouldn't be hard, but I'll have to file down the pin to make it work. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

June 23, 2015, 05:23 PM	#10
Big Shrek Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: NorthWest Florida Posts: 1,358	Thanks for all the info so far!! Any idea when Dikar changed to Jukar?? I'm still trying to estimate the date...and the serial doesn't seem like much help. With mine the brass sideplates hold the barrel pin in place. It has a hole for a sight, so I'm going to order that. Decided to go with Brownell's Plum Brown on the barrel, I use it as a hot application tho, found out that it makes cold blue products work a LOT better Haven't totally finalized the choice on a stock stain, other than a darker one... mostly it depends on what I have in my stain cabinet __________________ Marlin Specialist Calico Specialist A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

July 7, 2015, 08:03 PM	#13
Big Shrek Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: NorthWest Florida Posts: 1,358	Ok, due to getting frustrated with the stains I had on hand... The Wifey got involved... so now its going to be a Pink Pirate Derringer to go with her Naughty Pirate Wench costume Stock will be Pink with Skull & X-bones motifs, Barrel will be Plum Brown, the hardware will get a good polish, but stay the same. Did have to sand the stock skinnier for her hands...so its smoother/thinner than norm... Weird thing, all of the sudden Plum Brown bluing has been dropped from Gander & Academy sports... so I have to order that in... Fun part, she'll be fully armed at all times in costume, and nobody will know it __________________ Marlin Specialist Calico Specialist A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

July 8, 2015, 12:16 AM	#14
foolzrushn Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2015 Location: middle of the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 396	Big Shrek OK, I was totally blind-sided by that pink mind picture....literally made me LOL! __________________ If you feel that you're pretty important...you should think about your significance to the Universe....and re-evaluate ! certified 'soap welder'