In House Shipping:
Make: Remington
Model: Elliot’s O/U Derringer, Model 95
Serial Number: Not Serialized, assembly number 879.
Year of Manufacture: 1899-1910
Caliber: .41 Rimfire
Action Type: Single Action Over/Under Barreled Derringer with Tip-Up Barrels & Manual Extractor
Barrel Length: 3”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade integral to the barrel. The rear sight is a large “U” groove in the boss at the top rear of the barrel at the hinge.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber. There are some scattered little nicks and light marks. The checkering has minor rub wear but is generally strong. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Nickel
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bores are dark and the rifling is visible where not interrupted by erosion. There is pitting throughout the bores. In this writer's opinion, the bores rate 3-4 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 95% of its metal finish. The hinge has been weld-repaired, the current profile does not allow the barrels to be opened up as far as normal. The new finish is generally strong with the most notable wear on the hammer, trigger, and extractor. There is minor erosion under the finish. There are some weld-pores under the finish at the hinge. The markings are clear with soft edges. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. Overall, this derringer is in Fair condition as refinished and repaired.
Mechanics: The hinge has cracked and been weld-repaired. The current profile does not allow the barrels to be opened up as far as normal. The action otherwise functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: Shortly after the American Civil War, a New York dentist-turned-firearms inventor named William H. Elliot designed a revolutionary pocket pistol to fire the .41 Short rimfire caliber metallic cartridge. At the time, it was the most powerful small handgun cartridge on the market. This compact but hard-hitting pistol was immediately embraced by riverboat gamblers, ladies of the night, messengers, travelers, shopkeepers and anyone else who needed an easily concealable, large-caliber weapon for self defense. Its novel design featured twin, over-and-under barrels that swung open from a top hinge for loading and cartridge extraction, a "spur" trigger and large, comfortable grips. This was one, but not the first, of the more than 130 firearms patents Dr. Elliot would be granted over the last half of the nineteenth century. The Elliot’s Over/Under Derringers were made by Remington from 1867 to 1935, with the barrel address changing as the name of the company changed, and with the address moving from the web between the barrels to the top rib. They made over 150,000 and they were offered in either blue, nickel, or a combination of the two. This is a neat example of a vintage firearm of a type favored by gamblers, lawmen, and ladies of the night in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Please see our photos and good luck!