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IIRC, .410 slugs are are typically 5/8 ounce (about 280 grains) - in the same range as the 45 Colt bullets. ' Guessing maybe 800 fps out of 3" derringer barrel. Not too shabby.

Number 9 shot is not even considered "buckshot" and would be at the very bottom of my list for self defense purposes. Particularly out of a short barrel, I'd save those for things no bigger than a snake. Yes, 9's will put down rabbits at close range, but 6's are far more common (due to better penetration).

Solid projectiles out of of pistol length barrels penetrate deeper than either. Birdshot can make just very nasty surface wound on 2-legged varmints.

Quote/question: " woud definately stop them,,there would be to many places he would be hit to go get seen about.Correct? "

I don't have the book with the specifics handy here, but IIRC, 000 buck pellets are just under 30 caliber - and round. And not necessarily going real fast out of derringer barrel. Possibly not enough momentum to penetrate to central nervous system for a prompt "stop". Assuming they all hit target, about in the same range as a triple-tap from .25 to .380 ... And lots of folks hit with those (and bigger) have certainly made it to the emergency room ...

Quote: "I have put about 100 rounds of 45 Colt through it. The kick is not that bad, for me, but others have said that it is bad."

There's a very broad spread of ammo out there in 45 Colt. The guy I mentioned at range the other day had a box of (typically tame) "cowboy" loads. On the other extreme are loads like
Double Tap .45 Colt +P 255g LSW- Keith (Avg. 1,392 fps from 7.5" .454 SRH) - which can turn some guns into grenades. Or even if not, may rearrange the shooter's physical features. I'd be real careful about what I fed 'em. I know not the details, but did an NRA trade show exhibit in 1996 next to a Waco lady whose son had been killed factory testing what I think was a derringer-on-steroids ...

Quote: "Maybe a revolver would be an option (J-frames come to mind)"

Similar to what I was thinking when a guy showed up at range last week to test fire his new .410/.45 Colt Derringer. "I've got 5-shot j-frames that are not bigger than that thing!"

We normally don't allow "shotguns" at our range, but he had some 2 1/2" buckshot loads that I let him pattern on a B-27 target. He got "groups" with the 3 pellets averaging about 10" at 7 yards. Recoil did not appear to be too viscious with the 2 1/2" .410s, but I still did not ask to shoot it.

I've found that the muzzle blast from some hand cannons can cause chronograph to show "error" every time if the unit is not set up at least 12' to 15' away. And with the spread I saw on that guy's buckshot, I think the velocity check on such needs to be done with someone else's unit.