What is the thoughts on the Davis Industries derringer?
It looks pretty close to the old Remingtons. It does have a fake rib along the top of the barrel.
Here is an example of the one I'm talking about.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=283078064
Let me start with the statement that the Davis was not reviewed so it was neither approved nor disapproved by Congress, as I had no example to submit. I made the argument that it should be lumped with the Cobra derringers, since Bill Gentry bought out Davis and started making exactly the same derringers, only marked Cobra Enterprises. Sometimes, I have even received Cobra derringers with Davis grips on them as they used up old inventory of parts. That being said, I would offer the following statements
as my opinion only, and the Judge and the Authenticity Committee would have to address this for a final ruling.
First, the small frame Davis would fail for the same reasons that the small frame Cobra failed the litmus test - it is too small. It is about 75% the size of the original Remington, which was the exemplar used in evaluation.
Second, there is the issue of the ventilated (or simulated ventilated) rib. That was the feature that knocked the Cobra Derringers out of the running.
Third, the 25 ACP and the 32 ACP cartridges are not approved calibers. The 25 ACP was introduced by Browning in 1905 for the FN 1905 pocket pistol. The 32 ACP was designed in our time frame (first conceived by Browning in about 1896 or 1897), but was first used in the FN M1900 pistol at the turn of the century. While I am no expert and may have the dates off a little, I would still suggest they would not be approved. In order to get plain lead bullet loads for these, one would probably have to cast and handload them. The Tally Book states:
Approved calibers and loads include any that were introduced prior to or during the period of 1865-1899 and that were originally introduced as a black powder load.
Thus, these original smokeless round don't meet that requirement.
Again, I am only stating my opinion here. Judge Roger Ragland and the Authenticity Committee would have to actually rule on this.