Bond Arms Derringers?

so does anyone have an opinion good or bad on the Bond Arms models? I know for MD we need to have the trigger guard. Looks like a lot of them are on the roster. Have the beginnings of an itch to get one in 45lc/410... intended usage? hell I dunno...

I have one. It's ehhhh a novelty. You'll only bring it out to have friends shoot it. It's expensive to feed in 45lc

I have one with the .45LC/.410 barrels as well as 22 LR and 40 S&W barrels. As mpdc4511 states, its a novelty. I usually bring it out when someone mentions derringers. I rarely shoot it, but it is a cool looking handgun.

How comfortable is it to shoot? mpdc4511 said "It's expensive to feed in 45lc", but I was thinking the opposite, insofar that a gun that is not shot often does not cost much to feed. Being lighter in weight and smaller in grip, I do not think I would be firing a derringer often if I had one.

I sometimes carry mine on a walk in the woods... have actually taken at least two squirrels with it with .410 shells. It has some heft so the recoil isn't too unpleasant. Personally speaking, I like it. Also have .357 barrels for it. Swap out is very easy. The one I have has a removable trigger guard so you can take it off with an Allen wrench once you have it.

Trekker said:

How comfortable is it to shoot? mpdc4511 said "It's expensive to feed in 45lc", but I was thinking the opposite, insofar that a gun that is not shot often does not cost much to feed. Being lighter in weight and smaller in grip, I do not think I would be firing a derringer often if I had one.

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It appears to be a hand cannon but it's actually pretty heavy so recoil isn't as bad as expected. The hammer is actually kind of hard to pull back and trigger stinks but both are to be expected for its purpose.

I guess I gotta quantify expensive to feed. You'll have a box of 45lc laying around vs a box of 22. I don't have any 45lc weapons but this thing. The only gun I'd less rather take to the range than this one would be single shot shotgun cuz it would be just as boring

Answer #1 - Bond Arms Derringers ( as well as ADC) are high quality, well made guns .

Answer #2 - They are novelties . If you want one as a range toy, and show off to your friends, have at it, and enjoy . If you do CAS , and want to compete in the Derringer side matches, good for you .

I know, I know , any gun is better than no gun for defense . ( And by extrapolation , any BUG is better than no BUG ). But big bore Derringers are surprising large and heavy . Either a .25/ .32 / .380 ( looking at you MinuteMan) pocket pistol, or an alloy J frame , will be smaller, lighter, be exponentially easier to make rapid hits, and have much larger capacity . Yeah, I am notorously under impressed with increments of double digit capacity . But even to me , a five shot revolver is a huge improvement over a two shot pistol.

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All that said , ( the hypothetical, generalized ) you might still want one, just because. And also want any of your firearms to have something of defensive value, even if that their primary purpose. So a few observations :

1. In order to have any meaningful velocity at all (hence any slightly meaningful power ) , you have to be cognizant of Case Expansion Ratio. Very simplified , the ratio between case volume ( think case length ) and bbl length. The effective rifled length, not the external length .

Whats that mean ? Since.45/ .410 was mentioned, lets look at .45 cal . A .45/.410 with 2.5in chamber in a " 3 inch " bbl, only has an effective bbl length of 1/2 inch ! .45Colt ammo is doing good to break 400fps from that.

At same bore size and bbl length ,chambered in .45acp , you would have over 2 inches of effective bbl length . Still short by normal pistol standards, but 4x the raw length, and 5.6x the expansion ratio.


Your great- great grand parents weren't stupid . The original Remington over/ under Derringer hit the sweet spot of small and light, yet sorta shootable/ controlable with modest power levels .( But could stand slightly more horsepower than .41 short rimfire).

Remington sized derringers are best size / effectiveness ratio for defense . The 1950s era Great Western in .38s&w was actual a decent choice . Modern alternatives include .32acp,.32Mag , .380acp . 9mm is getting marginal for recoil ( control ), and .38spl +P marginal for recoil, and .38spl marginal for expansion ratio generally.

You could buy a 5 shot, S&W "J" frame revolver for around the same price. The size and weight aren't terribly different. IMO a much better choice.

Pretty much what everybody else said. I have one in .45 Colt/.410. Since I reload .45 Colt it's not too hard on the wallet, but it's never the best gun for anything and when I need to shoot a snake it's never close by. The only time I would actually use it (other than is a toy) is at my family's place in Colorado (where I don't live--just visit). If a rattler is up around the main house where it could molest kids or dogs it gets dispatched. On the trips I remember to bring the derringer an shovel is quicker and easier. This summer I forgot to bring it along and it was no great loss.

It is very well made, I just don't have a job (other than the snakes) that it's the best at.