POTD: Williamson Patent Derringer – Rimfire and Percussion in One Gun

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a Williamson Patent Derringer manufactured 1866 to 1870, chambered in .41 rimfire, and including a percussion adapter for converting between cartridge and cap operation.

The 1860s were a transitional period where percussion and metallic cartridge systems genuinely coexisted. Not everyone had access to rimfire ammunition everywhere they went, and not everyone was ready to abandon their percussion equipment. Williamson’s solution was to build a gun that handled both. The percussion adapter let you run whichever system you had ammunition for.

It’s a practical idea and an interesting piece of that transitional moment in firearms history. David Williamson’s patent design used a hinged breech for cartridge loading, and the adapter slotted in when you needed cap-and-ball operation instead.

2.5-inch barrel, brass and walnut construction, standard for civilian pocket pistols of the era. These competed against Remington and other derringer makers during the immediate post-war years.

Most of our POTDs utilize images from our friends at Rock Island Auction Company, the premier firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse their current auctions – who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!

“Williamson Patent Breech Loading Derringer Pistol.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5031/728/williamson-patent-breech-loading-derringer-pistol. Accessed 28 May 2026.

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