# Were sleeve derringers ever a thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902 "2015-12-20T04:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/1 "2015-12-20T04:44:40Z")
In movies you’ll occasionally see someone with a small gun stowed up their sleeve in a rig that would make it pop out into their hand (I presume when they twist their wrist). Is this purely a movie invention or did anyone ever use them? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/2 "2015-12-20T05:09:44Z")
I’ve seen a lot of tiny, easily concealable guns that were used in the old west, including one that was worn as a ring (didn’t look like it would be very effective or powerful). I’ve never seen one that popped out like the typical movie type, though, at least not in the old west. I have actually heard of a real-world pop-out type sleeve gun, though. It was used by the British during WWII, and it was designed as an assassination weapon. I don’t know if they ever actually used it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/3 "2015-12-20T05:37:06Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > In movies you’ll occasionally see someone with a small gun stowed up their sleeve in a rig that would make it pop out into their hand (I presume when they twist their wrist). Is this purely a movie invention or did anyone ever use them? Well, no, it seems to me to be SO impractical to wear … if it worked at all in any way usefully, it would be “the done thing”. Sleeve holsters have been made, but for the non-shooting arm … you use your shooting hand to grab the pistol out… hence the release mechanism isn’t spring loaded, and its only going to let go when the human hand is working it. Its not going to be dropped while pouring a drink… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/4 "2015-12-20T05:55:22Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > In movies you’ll occasionally see someone with a small gun stowed up their sleeve in a rig that would make it pop out into their hand (I presume when they twist their wrist). Is this purely a movie invention or did anyone ever use them? You talkin’ to me? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/5 "2015-12-20T06:14:18Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > (I presume when they twist their wrist). That explains all those bullet holes in doors back then. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/6 "2015-12-20T08:17:34Z")
A funny movie scene from Andrew Dice Clay’s “Adventures of Ford Fairlane”, has Clay using one of those; it popped out and threw the gun to the criminal! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/7 "2015-12-20T08:27:01Z")
I did a little poking around on the net and found this page about the British sleeve gun I mentioned in my first post. > **[World War II - The National Archives](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/world-war-ii/)** > > Take a fresh look at the biggest conflict in history. This resource has been archived as the interactive parts no longer work. You can still use the rest of it for information, tasks or research. Please note that it has not been updated since its... > [@](#): > > METHOD OF USE. The gun is carried up the sleeve until required, it is then slid into the hand and the muzzle pressed against the victim, at the same time operating the trigger with the thumb. After use, the gun returns to its position up the sleeve and all evidence such as the empty case is retained in the gun Pictures and more info on the web page. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/8 "2015-12-20T09:01:18Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I did a little poking around on the net and found this page about the British sleeve gun I mentioned in my first post. > > [World War II - The National Archives](http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/worldwar2/theatres-of-war/western-europe/investigation/resistance/sources/docs/4a/) > > Pictures and more info on the web page. As an aside, I love how matter of fact that user manual is. Not for the SOE euphemisms about “kinetic operations”; no, they’re issued with a “short length, silent murder weapon”. Quite refreshing :). ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/9 "2015-12-20T09:53:01Z")
A long way from the 007 image. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/10 "2015-12-20T12:51:08Z")
Dr. King Schultz used one quite well. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/11 "2015-12-20T13:43:49Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > METHOD OF USE. The gun is carried up the sleeve until required, it is then slid into the hand and the muzzle pressed against the victim, at the same time operating the trigger with the thumb. After use, the gun returns to its position up the sleeve and all evidence such as the empty case is retained in the gun We do like our innocent fun. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/12 "2015-12-20T14:09:12Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I did a little poking around on the net and found this page about the British sleeve gun I mentioned in my first post. > > [World War II - The National Archives](http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/worldwar2/theatres-of-war/western-europe/investigation/resistance/sources/docs/4a/) > > Pictures and more info on the web page. IIRC from a book I read many years ago, that gun had basically a bungee cord attached to the lanyard ring at its rear. After firing, the user had only to release his grip and the cord retracted the gun up his sleeve.Getting the gun In the firing position initially was still a two-handed task. The Brits and their American understudies in the OSS came up with all kinds of James Bondish weapons during the war. My guess is that the guys in the field preferred and used more conventional weapons. Colt 1903 and 1908 pocket hammerless autoloaders were widely issued to loak and dagger sorts. The Welrod pistol and De Lisle carbine were exceptionally quiet silenced weapons known to have seen use. The more fanciful the weapon gets, the more likely it was developed but never used. The single shot guns disguised as tobacco pipes and cigarette lighters come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/13 "2015-12-21T16:16:27Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > After firing, the user had only to release his grip and the cord retracted the gun up his sleeve. :eek: Wouldn’t the barrel be awfully hot? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/14 "2015-12-21T16:24:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > :eek: > > Wouldn’t the barrel be awfully hot? Not from a single shot, which is all it held. The whole idea of the gun retracting up the sleeve strikes me as fairly ridiculous. Better to wear gloves and just drop the gun by the body after having made the shot. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/15 "2015-12-21T16:33:12Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I did a little poking around on the net and found this page about the British sleeve gun I mentioned in my first post. > > [World War II - The National Archives](http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/worldwar2/theatres-of-war/western-europe/investigation/resistance/sources/docs/4a/) I never thought of the sleeve Derringer as an assassin’s weapon. Of course my image of it comes only from Westerns where the user activates the mechanism only when already in danger, not even firing it if it’s emergence is enough to halt the threat. It probably had an accuracy best measured in inches, I’d think an assassin would opt for a longer range weapon. He might as well use a knife for that close-up scenario, which would also be quieter and odor-free. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/16 "2015-12-21T16:51:17Z")
When I was a kid, I must have seen James West do it once a week. Had to be true. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/17 "2015-12-21T16:53:53Z")
I actually owned the “Wild, Wild West” toy that did this. If you bent your arm just right it popped the derringer into your hand. Lots of fun until you did it just a little bit off and it bent. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/18 "2015-12-21T17:28:56Z")
When we were kids my brother had a belt buckle gun. There was a derringer embedded in a fancy belt buckle. It was locked in place, but there was a small release lever. Then if you expanded your stomach, the gun would swing out on a hinge and shoot a plastic bullet. Of course it tended to shoot before the gun swung to a full 90 degrees so it was pretty hit or miss (mostly the latter). You could also simply remove the gun from the buckle if you wished. I wonder if anything like that ever was really used. I know there were belt buckles with derringers in them that you could remove, but I don’t know if there were any which had this particular shooting method. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/19 "2015-12-21T17:51:09Z")
[Nazi buckle gun.](http://www.mouseguns.com/blast/alagov.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902/20 "2015-12-21T17:57:01Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Not from a single shot, which is all it held. The whole idea of the gun retracting up the sleeve strikes me as fairly ridiculous. Better to wear gloves and just drop the gun by the body after having made the shot. Don’t forget to take the cannoli. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-sleeve-derringers-ever-a-thing/740902.md?page=2)