Bond Arms

[JSG81]

Does anyone have and carry one of the two barrel Bond Arms derringers?

I am thinking about picking one up for use while walking the property and fishing. The .410 seems like it would be more useful than my normal shot shells in my .357.

I know am giving up more rounds so is it worth it to you? I’m sure it could handle the roll if need be but I’m not planning on using this for social SD or as a hunting handgun.

What are your thoughts?


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[Bill DeShivs]

They are great big, clunky, heavy things.
Terrible trigger pull.

[Siggy-06]

Here ya go:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=587217

[TailGator]

A proud fellow at the range coaxed me into firing his. I handed it back after one round.

[Pahoo]

Terrible trigger pull.

I'm not into bashing firearms, unless there are safety issues. A buddy of mine owns about a dozen of these and likes them. Another shooting buddy has two and last week offered to let me shoot it. Handled very nice for what it is but could not really shoot it well as I really had no trigger control. Try it yourself before you buy it. ......

These are in the family of forearms that are sold by the pound. For the money they are asking, I'd rather spend it on something else. My only serious issue, is the trigger. .....

Be Safe !!!

[Dfariswheel]

The Bond Arms seems to be more of a idea in search of a use then a really usable gun.

First, it's extremely heavy just for two shots.
For that weight or LESS you could have a 5 or 6 shot revolver or something like a Kahr auto holding 6 to 8 rounds.

It's very large, surprisingly large.
Again, you can have a revolver or auto much smaller and lighter then the Bond with a lot more fire power.

The grip is clumsy at best.
It's hard to hold normally and very hard to hold under recoil.
You can buy larger grips, which rather begs the question; if the gun is going to be that big, why not just cut to the chase and buy a standard revolver or auto with a grip that feels and fits even better.

The gun itself is a long obsolete design.
The single action is an obsolete design, but the single action is still a viable and usable defense and field gun. The Derringer design just isn't.
In order to use it you have to cock the heavily springed hammer a long way while having only a partial grip on it.
During the cocking process it's way too easy to inadvertently have your finger on the trigger to provide more leverage.

It's just way too easy to fumble or even drop.
I tell people to put one in a pocket or even holster, then see how fast they can get it out and get off a shot.
I then ask how secure it felt in the hand. Most will say they agree it would be too easy to fumble it.

Getting off a second shot is even slower and less steady.
Under recoil the gun shifts in the hand and you have to juggle it to get a shooting grip again.

The .410 sounds nice but only buckshot or slugs are useful.
A relative bought a Snakecharmer and his son shot some birdshot at a target stapled to a sheet of plywood.
He was about 6 feet away and some of the birdshot actually bounced off the plywood and hit him in the face. He was wearing glasses fortunately.

The sights are not very good, and the trigger is heavy compared to other small pistols or revolvers.

It's slow and clumsy to reload.

It's easy to accidentally get the cross-bolt safety on and have the gun fail to fire.

On the up side, the gun is definitely a quality product, made of stainless steel and of very high quality manufacture.

[Siggy-06]

I still own my Texas Defender in .410. Basically, if you want a pistol in .410, but don't want to carry a Judge or Govenor, Bond Arms is the way to go. Buck shot works great under 15 yards. The safety can be disabled with the provided set screw. Quality American craftmanship. The trigger is different than a normal pistol, its more of a pivot than a straight back pull, but once you practice, it's pretty good. Mine is around 6lb break.

[Hal]

No - I don't have a Bond Arms - nor do I have a .410 derringer.

I do have a Davies .22 two barrel derringer though. I used to carry it in my shirt pocket when I cut the grass in early Spring, loaded with one shot shell and one CB cap.

A lot of snakes would hide in the rather tall grass & get caught up in the mower blades. I hate to see anything suffer so...

I can say this about a two barreled derringer shooting a shot shell - - anything at all that resembles accuracy is pure luck.
At close range, like @ the distance from a standing person's hand to the ground nearly right in front of them - - hitting a writhing semi-chopped up snake in the head is nearly impossible. You either miss altogether or the shot hits low & on the body - doing little to no damage.
Each and every snake I shot with the shot shell required a follow up with the CB cap to the head.
Not a problem with the non-poisonous ones we have around here, but, I'd hate to have to get that close to an injured copper head or rattle snake.


At the risk of sounding like a PETA nut - why shoot the snake in the first place? Snakes are excellent at keeping vermin in check. Can't you just sidestep the snake and let it live?
If it's close to home or abound you-your family - your dog(s) I can understand that, but out in the wild...
(not preaching mind you - I'm a "kill on sight" person when it comes to spiders - which serve the same role as snakes).

Oops forgot...

The .410 sounds nice but only buckshot or slugs are useful.
A relative bought a Snakecharmer and his son shot some birdshot at a target stapled to a sheet of plywood.
He was about 6 feet away and some of the birdshot actually bounced off the plywood and hit him in the face. He was wearing glasses fortunately.

Plywood is really "springey". I've had both .22lr & .38 spl rounds come back at me after hitting a piece of plywood.
It's all about how the plywood is supported from behind, not so much as what you shoot it with.

[Targa]

My thoughts are that I would like to have one just to have one in my collection.

[JSG81]

Originally Posted by Hal

No - I don't have a Bond Arms - nor do I have a .410 derringer.



I do have a Davies .22 two barrel derringer though. I used to carry it in my shirt pocket when I cut the grass in early Spring, loaded with one shot shell and one CB cap.



A lot of snakes would hide in the rather tall grass & get caught up in the mower blades. I hate to see anything suffer so...



I can say this about a two barreled derringer shooting a shot shell - - anything at all that resembles accuracy is pure luck.

At close range, like @ the distance from a standing person's hand to the ground nearly right in front of them - - hitting a writhing semi-chopped up snake in the head is nearly impossible. You either miss altogether or the shot hits low & on the body - doing little to no damage.

Each and every snake I shot with the shot shell required a follow up with the CB cap to the head.

Not a problem with the non-poisonous ones we have around here, but, I'd hate to have to get that close to an injured copper head or rattle snake.





At the risk of sounding like a PETA nut - why shoot the snake in the first place? Snakes are excellent at keeping vermin in check. Can't you just sidestep the snake and let it live?

If it's close to home or abound you-your family - your dog(s) I can understand that, but out in the wild...

(not preaching mind you - I'm a "kill on sight" person when it comes to spiders - which serve the same role as snakes).



Oops forgot...



Plywood is really "springey". I've had both .22lr & .38 spl rounds come back at me after hitting a piece of plywood.

It's all about how the plywood is supported from behind, not so much as what you shoot it with.

I agree that letting everything live is the best option but we have cotton mouth snakes which are very aggressive. I’ve had too many run ins with them to not have a plan for dealing with them.

Thanks for all the feedback.


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[Cheapshooter]

Clunky, heavy for what it offers, well made, but pricey. Single action requiring the hammer being manually cocked for each of the only two shots.
For a few ounces more weight, and a little less money you can have a 5 shot, double action revolver in the Taurus Public Defender Poly. My PD poly haz been 100% reliable, surprisingly accurate with 45 Colt. Patterns well with Federal 000 buck shot at reasonable SD distances. For a snake gun it produces a group of #8 shot at least to 10-15 feet that will put a bunch of holes in a snake.
Being a big TC Contender fan, the biggest advantage I see to the Bond Arms is the variety of barrels that can be easily swapped out.

[TruthTellers]

For the same amount of money you could buy a Taurus Judge Public Defender that holds 3 more rounds, has a better grip, a better trigger, and better sights.

Bond derringers are novelty guns. Everything Bond makes is a novelty gun. Great manufacuterer, skilled employees, but their guns have no practical purpose.

[TruthTellers]

the biggest advantage I see to the Bond Arms is the variety of barrels that can be easily swapped out.

I think that's an overrated feature depending on what caliber barrel you want. For something like .22 or 9mm, you can buy an NAA mini revolver with a large grip for a little more money and for 9mm, you'd be better off just buying a SCCY or some other budget/bargain 9mm pistol.

For something like 10mm, .327, or .357... I can see the draw to a derringer in those as snub revolvers or pistols chambered for those cartridges are not cheap.

[Carmady]

I’ve had too many run ins with them to not have a plan for dealing with them.

Plan: a pair of suitable boots and a stick

Forget the derringer. Imho

[JSG81]

Originally Posted by Carmady

Plan: a pair of suitable boots and a stick



Forget the derringer. Imho

I agree with you but I now have a two year old. Nothing like being a father that will make you plan for every possibility.

The only cotton mouth I have killed before this was because it fell out of a tree and into my hip waiters. I want to be safe and for my son to grow up enjoying the outdoors as much as I did growing up.

For anyone who wants to say that I made it through all the challenges and made it through my mother in law beat you to it. My job is to make things better for him.

I have a 442 I use for CCW, is it better to use for snakes with the appropriate shot shells with the extra rounds?

I’m not looking to blow money but want the best option for the explained scenario.


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[Cheapshooter]

I’m not looking to blow money

Hum, I think you just gave me Rule #2.
Money is never blown on guns.

Your 442 with shot rounds will probably do. But something else could be better. Like I previously said, my choice would be a Taurus Judge Public Defender Poly. Let me correct that, my choice is a PD Poly. It does double duty. With 3 Federal Personal Defence Handgun 000 buck 410 rounds up first, backed up with two 225 gr hollow point Winchester PDX1 45 Colt it rides between the seat and console in my truck as carjacker defence. But when in search of morel mushrooms, or blackberries the rounds get swapped out for #8 shot.

[Hal]

The only cotton mouth I have killed before this was because it fell out of a tree and into my hip waiters.

Good God Almighty!!!
If that happens again & you shoot it, sell tickets or video it - - shooting a snake inside waders you're wearing would gain about as much of an audience as Superman killing crab lice w/a ball peen hammer!

[JSG81]

Originally Posted by Hal

Good God Almighty!!!

If that happens again & you shoot it, sell tickets or video it - - shooting a snake inside waders you're wearing would gain about as much of an audience as Superman killing crab lice w/a ball peen hammer!

Very funny. I had to wait for what seemed like hours ( really minutes ) to kill the thing. My grandfather gave me options of being very still or die. That is a lot to work through at 17 years old. It is also a lesson I will never forget.


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[agtman]

I still own my Texas Defender in .410. Basically, if you want a pistol in .410, but don't want to carry a Judge or Govenor, Bond Arms is the way to go. Buck shot works great under 15 yards. The safety can be disabled with the provided set screw. Quality American craftmanship. The trigger is different than a normal pistol, its more of a pivot than a straight back pull, but once you practice, it's pretty good. Mine is around 6lb break.

The Bond Arms derringer is The Perfect gun for sliding into your IYBH (that's an "inside-your-boot-holster"), just before sitting down at the poker table with that 'extra' ace card stuffed in your vest pocket, aboard the Mississippi paddle-boat "Delta Queen," that's hitched to a dock off the South Memphis pier.

Problem for me is, ... I hate poker and rarely wear boots.

[Roaddog]

I have one with 45/410 barrels 38/357 barrels.I like them and shoot them fairy well,Spedding time with it is all it takes.

[Skans]

Don't forget, Bond Arms purchased the Boberg line. I have a Boberg XR9S, and it is an excellent, easy to carry, powerful little 8-round 9mm.

[Model12Win]

They are as heavy and large (if not larger) than a J-frame and you've but two shots with a slow reload, they are hard to shoot well, and ballistics of .410 shells from such a short barrel length is miserable.

I think various uninformed people buy these thinking they will have some kind of pocket-sized streetsweeper. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would never, ever get one quite frankly. Even as a snake gun there are better options.

[Ibmikey]

I consider myself an individual and make up my own mind on issues particularly one that may be life threatening. Consequently a weapon carried concealed ,must be light, safe, convient to put into operation at a moment’s notice, of a caliber one can reasonably expect to cause incapacitation with quick accurate shots and still have a reserve should others become a foe. I do not see the Bond derringer fitting into any of those parameters.

[Big4Freedom]

I own one and really appreciate it for it being high quality and solid steel. As others have said, it isn’t super practical for most things but cool to own and shoot. I ordered the 9mm barrel to use for range as it’s actually very fun to shoot. The felt pressure of 45 colt and 410 is among most I’ve ever experienced and not too much fun. I’m not very recoil sensitive and own a few other small hand cannons, just to provide some perspective.

If you can find a holster, I’d probably just go with SW Governor. I own one as well and it’s really enjoyable to shoot, even one-handed with .410. Good capacity too.

One thing I do often while I’m my timber is bring my SW 642 or 340PD and load first two with shot (for snakes) and the rest with .38 special (mainly for larger threats). Very light to carry.

Good luck

[TruthTellers]

I have a Cobray .45/.410 derringer and with .45 Colt I've enjoyed shooting it immensely. .410 tho... that is about as pleasurable as watching a Hilary Clinton speech. How .45 Colt isn't comfortable to shoot in any handgun beats me.