Help Talk me into or out of a great or stupid idea regarding Bond Arms

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To your question, no I don't see a practical reason to get one. You've had a couple of good analyses, particularly form kozak6 that show there are a lot of good alternatives in the same weight class, that likely have better capacity, balance and chance for their owner's survival.

Two bullets vs. 7 or 8 (or more) in my mind isn't a great calculus. Further, a threat may not take the Bond Arms derringer as a real gun or credible threat.

As others have said and done, if you just want it and can afford it, do it.
And please let us know hw you like (or don't) like it.
 
For a dedicated snake gun, I think I'd rather have the .38 Special version with shot capsule loads.
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Not sure why less than half the ammount of shout would be a better thing.
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It's mostly personal preference. But...


Bigger cartridge doesn't always mean better performance. In this case, barrel length is a major handicap (which thousands of Taurus Judge owners have discovered over the last decade).
My gut says the .410 load would perform worse, given the fact that there is essentially no barrel to speak of.


And, after some serious digging through the bowels of the internet, I managed to find three people that chronographed .410 shot shells (#9 and 000 buck out of not just short-barreled handguns, but actual Bond Arms derringers.

Average velocity: 520 fps. (590 fps, 498 fps, 472 fps)
Average advertised velocity: 1180 fps.

Reports on .38 Special shot capsule loads from 2" barrels, on the other hand, are a little easier to find:
Average velocity: 830 fps.
Advertised velocity: 1,050 fps. (1,000 fps for factory, 1,100 fps for handloads using Speer data)

I'll take 1/4 ounce of shot at 800+ fps before I sneeze out a .410 wad with 1/2 ounce of shot just dribbling out of the bore at 500 fps.

I've done a lot of experimentation with shot shells in .44 Mag. Two over-arching concepts apply here:
1. If you want to kill a snake or rodent, velocity makes a big difference.
2. With a short barrel, it's only good for less than 10 feet. So "losing" the pattern by choosing higher velocity isn't much of a sacrifice.


As I said above, though... it's personal preference, more than anything else.
 
Just to clarify not looking for a carry gun. I think I'm more than covered with my current roster of pistols. I have practiced with those 3 a ton and feel comfortable with any of them at my side. If anything I would add a back up gun (maybe) but certainly not looking to replace any of the 3 I already have.

The point of my post is despite the fact that I do not need a carry or a woods gun I still find the Bond Arms derringers appealing for some reason. Not sure if its the multi caliber options or the fact that secretly I never grew out of my childhood cowboy phase.

I was hoping someone here would have a seriously important very practical reason why these guns are better than anything else out there so I could have a legitimate argument for my wife other than "I really really want one and they are soooooooooo cool"
 
Difficult to respond since you say you would not want it for carry, but want a very practical & serious reason why the Bond's better than anything else out there.

Better FOR what?
Better THAN what?

In terms of overall quality, it's the best two-shot derringer made, and offers some serious-caliber ballistics (albeit watered down by the short barrels), and you can easily swap barrels out yourself in other calibers once you buy the base gun.

But it still has the derringer's inherent weaknesses of slow fire, short-range accuracy, dual point of impact regulation with two barrels, and slow reloading.
Added to which it's too heavy & too big to be a true pocket gun.


It's "better" in the sense of construction, caliber options, and barrel interchangeability than OTHER DERRINGERS, but not better than "anything else out there" for target, defense, hunting, plinking, or packing.

Good snake gun, as mentioned, but a .38 snub with shot charges is just as good, in the aggregate.
Denis
 
which thousands of Taurus Judge owners have discovered over the last decade).
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Another internet myth!
I am one of the tens of thousands of Judge owners. A short barreled PD Poly in fact. One that has found #7 1/2 shot @ 10' provides an escape proof pattern for any serpant. With enough kinetic energy to perforat both sides of a soda can, or plastic bottle violently. Regardless of internet velocity claims, a force plenty adequate to deal with venomous reptiles.
So as a snakegun, the Bond Arms 45/410 would do an acceptable job.
 
I can't think of one other than fun at the range. Not sure if my wife will go for that reasoning.
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A little Cheapshooter advise.
Don't you have new shoes, new purses, QVC, IKEA, or the mall to hang over her head?:D:D:D
Works for me!
 
Now that we are avoiding the reason of combat round, we can give an accurate answer.

I can think of no greater training challenge than a derringer. Tell the wife that. Then tell her that it is the most lethal backup gun available.

Then train with it, but don't you dare use. It in combat. Mauser said it all. That thing will fire two rounds of shot that have maybe HALF the energy of a .32 acp. The only good side is that without rotation, they may come in a little smaller spray.

Seriously, those things would bounce off a solid, hard plank of oak. You hit a block of kiln dried ironwood, teak, etc, and you'll probably barely dent it. Seriously, I've seen a guy did giving nails into teakwood beams. A wan with a hammer bent nails while not leaving a chip.
 
Another internet myth!
I am one of the tens of thousands of Judge owners. A short barreled PD Poly in fact. One that has found #7 1/2 shot @ 10' provides an escape proof pattern for any serpant. With enough kinetic energy to perforat both sides of a soda can, or plastic bottle violently. Regardless of internet velocity claims, a force plenty adequate to deal with venomous reptiles.
So as a snakegun, the Bond Arms 45/410 would do an acceptable job.
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I said barrel length matters, and that many Judge owners discovered that the hard way.
I didn't say you couldn't kill a snake with a Judge.

And... Your judge has an extra 2" of barrel, compared to the Bond Arms 3" models.
Performance from something like the Bond Arms Cowboy Defender 3" will be notably less impressive than the already neutered performance of a Judge PD Poly.

You're comparing apples to pears. Both fruit. Both used quite similarly. But both are distinctly different in many ways.


You like your Judge. I get it. That's great. I'm not saying it's a bad firearm, or that people that purchased them are somehow less intelligent. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and their own taste in firearms.
The point was just that the Judge is not a full size shotgun, but some buyers expected 'full size' performance.
And, in line with that... that the Bond Arms derringers are not a Taurus Judge.



If I expected my 7.5" barreled 5.56x45mm AR-15 pistol to have the same performance as my 16" barreled 5.56x45mm AR-15 carbine, you'd think I was absolutely nuts (and possibly mentally handicapped).
 
Practical reason to get it? Its a gun and who doesn't like guns. But really, these Bond Arms pistols are sweet little things! Whether it is for backup, bedside, car gun. They have a lot of good uses even if just for fun. Yeah, you won't want to go out hunting wild bore with it or invade China by yourself but there is nothing wrong with them.

If I'm not mistaken they are also expanding their line into some semi-auto pistols too? I swear I read that somewhere. Maybe something to look out for too?
 
I've owned several American Derringer guns. (Really close to the Bond Arms) They are very heavy for their size. Just imagine a solid block of stainless steel that size. Get the biggest caliber you can, at least that much more steel is drilled out for the bore.

They are highly impractical. Like I said, I've owned several.

If I need a deep, deep concealed gun, I'd rather grab my Seecamp.

But, I still own one. And, sometimes it's just kind of fun to play with. And sometimes, that's just reason enough. :):cool:
 
It's one of the last guns I would buy for concealed carry or anything else. Some might argue but you are severely outgunned with only two rounds.
 
Derringers are like boats.

Q: What are the two happiest days for a boat owner?

A: The day he bought it, and the day he sold it.

My name is Carmady, and I'm a recovering derringerholic.
 
That saying is due to boats being money pits. B.O.A.T= Bust Out Another Thousand. Far from the case with the Bond Arms, as has already been eluded to they can be used as a hammer.
As for my boat and my ex-wife, very good comparison..:D
 
"I can't think of one other (reason) than fun at the range."

The operative word here is "think." After you shoot one once or twice you'll notice your hand hurts, and your target looks the same as it did before you shot at it. If that's your idea of a good time, have at it. You'll save big bucks on ammo.

If you have the fever bad and really need to get a derringer, I'd strongly suggest a .22LR. Just don't expect to hit much, and don't expect the barrels to hit in the same place. At least you won't hurt yourself trying to have fun.

Plain Jane .38 Specials can hurt from a derringer, especially from those with sharpish corners like the Buffalo Arms. ADC's are better, but far from comfy. Much of the imported stuff from Germany, Excam, Tanfoglio, etc is dangerous.
 
Bond Arms Derringers are quality stainless steel beautiful gun. They have lots of accessories. Mine is a 45/410 Snake Slayer that came with oversized wood grip, holster and wood display box. I have a 22LR, 45ACP, and 9mm barrel also.
All in all a fun gun with a western twist.
 
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