About a year ago, we published an article telling about muzzleloading double-barreled break-action derringers made by a Czech company called Czechgun. Apparently, the company has been since renamed to Detonics and recently, they announced that they’ve expanded this line of firearms to now include .50 cal muzzleloading and 410 bore shotguns.

Here is how the company describes these new firearms:

Inspired by the success of the Gladiator compact pistols, this year we presented the world’s unique series of Gladiator micro-compact shotguns. They are manufactured with the same high-end technology as our pistols and they use the same internal mechanism. This makes them very reliable and easy to use. The shotguns are standardly equipped with three Stanag 4694 rails with the another option of installing short side rails. They can also be equipped with fixed and folding stock, including the AR stock.

These shotguns will be available in Europe with and without stocks as shown in the above-embedded screenshot taken from the company’s website. €799 is about $870 and €839 converts to roughly $915. To my knowledge, Detonics does not export their products to the USA yet. Would you give these guns a try if they did bring them to the stateside?

The Detonics Gladiator shotguns have 254mm (10″) barrels and the following dimensions: length (without stock) – 339 mm (13.34″), height – 158 mm (6.22″), width – 30 mm (1.18″). The 410 and 50 cal versions weigh about 4 lbs (1855 grams) and 4 1/4 lbs (1925 grams) respectively. The receivers are made of 7075 T6 aluminum with a hard coat black anodized finish. The smoothbore barrels are made of steel with a nitrided finish. The trigger mechanism is double action only.

410 bore versions of these shotguns should be breechloaders and the 50 cal muzzleloaders are presumably loaded like their muzzleloading derringers, where the opened action exposes the percussion cap nipples. On their social media pages, Detonics also mentions that these guns will be available chambered in .44 Magnum and .357 Magnum, too.

I think the general idea of a modern derringer-carbine/shotgun is quite interesting. A lightweight and compact gun like this can be stored in any backpack especially with the barrel block detached or folded depending on the design.  Another advantage will be the possibility of swapping different caliber barrel blocks and adapting the gun for a variety of tasks – anything from pest control to survival/prepping and predator defense. Although there are double-barreled survival guns like the Savage Model 42 Takedown or Chiappa M6, a derringer based one may have a higher modularity potential. Maybe, one of the US derringer manufacturers like Bond Arms should try something like that – a carbine version of their derringers?

Images from www.detonics.com