Bond Arms

my exchange of comments with someone from bond arms here:



“me: please offer the lighter stinger in 22lr (and 32).”
“bond arms: we’re working on it.”

i kinda fell into bond arms derringers ten-ish years ago. i read the cartoonish b.a. advertisements in the rifleman magazine and pretty much dismissed them as a cheap novelty. i read more and then bid really low on gb.com, and surprisingly won a used original gen2 b.a. 410/45lc derringer. i tried and liked it, especially 45lc. then i started to add barrels and patiently won bids on a few more derringers (never at full price)… so begins an addiction.

i enjoy b.a. derringers for what they are: well built/finished (after one failed try i avoid the cheaper rowdy/roughneck versions). 100% steel. 100% american (texan to be precise). a small, privately-held business with a hands-on boss, not a wall street lawyer or mba in sight. single-action shooting that savors the experience (and slows the ammo burn rate). reliable, simple, safe. changeable barrels are great for ammo scrounging. my only complaint is on me, i don’t reload and 45lc is pricey.

i don’t worry about what b.a. derringers are not: tactical. cheap. able to quickly spew mass quantities of ammo. a do it all, one and only handgun.

cheers!
 
aaaaa said:
Does anyone here suspect that I maybe have Bond Arms Derringer fever? I know I will not be satisfied just to have a Rowdy. Surely I will also need another barrel or two. If I am only interested in large caliber (but for possible .22 at range), I have ordered the .45 Colt/.410 so there only remains .45 ACP and .44 Special on my list.
Click to expand...

you really need barrels in 45lc, 357/38, 9mm, 380acp, 327/32, 22lr too.
no, please don’t ask me how i know this truth…
 
Look how cheap some of these BA Derringers are if you subtract the barrel price from the total price of the gun:

Rowdy:
A 3-inch barrel MSRP is $160.
The Rowdy MSRP is $299
Subtract the barrel get $139.

Roughneck at $277 minus 2.5-inch barrel at $130, you get $147

Stinger RS at $279 minus $160 (3-inch barrel) is $119

But if you want wood extended grips and a leather holster, the Girzzly is the deal of all deals:
Grizzly at $377
minus wood grips $50 ($83 comparable ones on their site minus $33 standard rubber grips)
minus leather holster (prob worth about $60 at least, but this particular one not sold separately)
Minus 3-inch barrel at $160
balance is $107 :)

Kind of thinking I should'a ordered a Grizzly, but no matter, that $77 I saved will go towards a barrel, and the standard grip keeps it more compact, more pocketable.
 
Barrel costs for the 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4.25, and 6 inch all come out to about $52 per inch (range $51.43 to $53.33).

However, if we consider the chamber to not be part of the barrel (it is not in a Revolver), and we just use 1" chamber for simplicity, then we get the following cost per inch of barrel beyond the 1"

2.5-inch barrel: $87 per inch
3-inch barrel: $80 per inch
3.5-inch barrel: $72 per inch
4.25-inch barrel: $69 per inch
6-inch barrel: $62 per inch

So therefore, based on my reasoning (faulty as it may be) the 6-inch barrel is the best deal!

Now, as nice as all this is, I think it is maybe a bit of effort to unscrew and re-screw a different barrel onto the gun, especially if you want to shoot multiple calibers at the range, so I propose that given how stinking cheap these guns are in the Rough series (Grizzly, Rowdy, and Roughneck) one should have at least two BA Derringers, maybe three. Then add a few more barrels and the fun really begins.
 
WisBorn said:
I may add a set of barrels or a Stinger.

I also have a few other guns on my list.
Ruger LCP Max
Shield 45acp
A 10mm
Ruger American lefthanded
Click to expand...
As I posted earlier I don't have an endless pot of money and would like to buy other guns.

Bond Arms Derringers are cool little guns that are very versatile, but the different cartridges that are offered can be reduced to a few based on cartridge capabilities.

45acp, 45 Colt, and 44 special are so close in real world results you only need one of them.
The 410 is a beast of its own and every BA admirer needs one.

380, 9mm, 40, 10mm, ext...or 38/357. To me the 38/357 covers it. The others won't do anything the 357 can't.
When talking about ccw guns the the only advantage semiautomatic cartridges have over revolver cartridges is capacity. With the derringer it's 2 and the rimmed cartridges load/unload easier.

That said the appeal of BA is the interchangeable barrels so you can have a barrel that matches up with all your favorite cartridges.
The other end of the BA appeal is that they make so many different models that are collectable.
I would like a Stinger in 38/357 to go with my Rowdy and I have it covered. If I have a little extra money a 6" 45/410 barrel would be cool.

Enjoy collecting the BA barrels or guns. If you see a Zombie killer addition (the bright green one) maybe pick it up you never know if you will need it!!!!!
 
aaaaa said:
Look how cheap some of these BA Derringers are if you subtract the barrel price from the total price of the gun:

Rowdy:
A 3-inch barrel MSRP is $160.
The Rowdy MSRP is $299
Subtract the barrel get $139.

Roughneck at $277 minus 2.5-inch barrel at $130, you get $147

Stinger RS at $279 minus $160 (3-inch barrel) is $119

But if you want wood extended grips and a leather holster, the Girzzly is the deal of all deals:
Grizzly at $377
minus wood grips $50 ($83 comparable ones on their site minus $33 standard rubber grips)
minus leather holster (prob worth about $60 at least, but this particular one not sold separately)
Minus 3-inch barrel at $160
balance is $107 :)

Kind of thinking I should'a ordered a Grizzly, but no matter, that $77 I saved will go towards a barrel, and the standard grip keeps it more compact, more pocketable.
Click to expand...
The problem is, you can get replacement barrels for sale. I’ve yet to see solely the frames for sale. Otherwise I’d gladly buy a used polished steel frame if I found a good deal. The only options I’ve seen are to buy whole derringers or barrels.
 
Autodidactic said:
The problem is, you can get replacement barrels for sale. I’ve yet to see solely the frames for sale. Otherwise I’d gladly buy a used polished steel frame if I found a good deal. The only options I’ve seen are to buy whole derringers or barrels.
Click to expand...
Yep, and the barrel offerings are rather slim for the budget "rough" series. As I have a Rowdy on order, I guess a Roughneck would be a good way to expand, pick up a different caliber barrel and then keep looking for an ebay deal on other barrels. Maybe wait for a .38 Special or .32 ACP Stinger.
 
aaaaa said:
Yep, and the barrel offerings are rather slim for the budget "rough" series. As I have a Rowdy on order, I guess a Roughneck would be a good way to expand, pick up a different caliber barrel and then keep looking for an ebay deal on other barrels. Maybe wait for a .38 Special or .32 ACP Stinger.
Click to expand...
You can put any standard steel barrel on the Roughneck. Completely interchangeable. You are right that the official Roughneck barrels are limited. The .357/.38 barrel I have is a normal steel one for the polished series.
 
I pinged Bond about other calibers coming for the Stinger. They said they are working on it. I would really like to see it in .38 and that should be easy to do. 32mag would interest me, but I know that is more niche. Almost any centerfire with a rim would be good for me. Read somewhere online (not official by any means) that .22LR was coming out for the Stinger which does little for me.

The lighter of the 2 Stingers in .38 really appeals to me. If other barrels come out after that I would have to ponder it. 45LC would be nice but it may not fit in that smaller frame.

Bond did answer quickly and were really nice online which is refreshing these days!
 
WisBorn said:
As I posted earlier I don't have an endless pot of money and would like to buy other guns.

Bond Arms Derringers are cool little guns that are very versatile, but the different cartridges that are offered can be reduced to a few based on cartridge capabilities.

45acp, 45 Colt, and 44 special are so close in real world results you only need one of them.
The 410 is a beast of its own and every BA admirer needs one.

380, 9mm, 40, 10mm, ext...or 38/357. To me the 38/357 covers it. The others won't do anything the 357 can't.
When talking about ccw guns the the only advantage semiautomatic cartridges have over revolver cartridges is capacity. With the derringer it's 2 and the rimmed cartridges load/unload easier.

That said the appeal of BA is the interchangeable barrels so you can have a barrel that matches up with all your favorite cartridges.
The other end of the BA appeal is that they make so many different models that are collectable.
I would like a Stinger in 38/357 to go with my Rowdy and I have it covered. If I have a little extra money a 6" 45/410 barrel would be cool.

Enjoy collecting the BA barrels or guns. If you see a Zombie killer addition (the bright green one) maybe pick it up you never know if you will need it!!!!!
Click to expand...
That’s my only thing. BA’s are very cool, quality, unique, and collectible. I’d like to pick up at least one more barrel (making three), but I also have other firearm desires/priorities. For example, .357 mag revolver, an AR, etc. I also just bought a shotgun, and a .38 revolver. What I’m torn on is whether to get a big bore BA such as .410, or go smaller with .380 stinger or hopefullyyyyy the advent of a .22 or .32 acp one. There are .327 barrels available here and there. I guess I don’t want an ultra heavy all steel, small bore BA
 
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Ohen Cepel said:
I pinged Bond about other calibers coming for the Stinger. They said they are working on it. I would really like to see it in .38 and that should be easy to do. 32mag would interest me, but I know that is more niche. Almost any centerfire with a rim would be good for me. Read somewhere online (not official by any means) that .22LR was coming out for the Stinger which does little for me.

The lighter of the 2 Stingers in .38 really appeals to me. If other barrels come out after that I would have to ponder it. 45LC would be nice but it may not fit in that smaller frame.

Bond did answer quickly and were really nice online which is refreshing these days!
Click to expand...
.38 only (not .357) would be good in stinger.
 
The thing is if you use the BA Derringer for concealment, the 4.2-5 and 6-inch barrels are only range toys. Actually the Roughneck right now gives a decent array of barrel options: 9mm, .38/.357, and .45ACP in the 2.5-inch barrel. If only they had provided one or two other barrel options with the Rowdy because it has the 3-inch barrel. However I am pretty happy with the Rowdy at .45LC/.410 so long as I can get decent groups with the .45 and the minimal rifling. Really the .410 is probably the better defense option for a 2-shot gun anyway.

For kicks what if they offered the 2.5-inch barrel in .410 either a 2.5-inch cartridge right to the end of the barrel (cut a half inch off your 3"inch .410 barrel), or I think they make .410 cartridges in 2-inch length (harder to find than an Orthodox Jew in a Christian revival tent). Problem with .410 is they are very scarce. I spent a couple hours and finally got a box of #4 buck ordered. Game shot is much more available. Or if you want to pay $2 a round it is easier to find.
 
While only a couple barrels are needed, one big bore, one medium bore, any extra barrels in other calibers that can be picked up cheap online will expand my shootability in an ammo shortage by giving me additional caliber options. If I buy another of these it likely would be the Roughneck in .38/.357. If I buy only a barrel, it will likely be another big bore, maybe .44 Special, which oddly is only offered in the 3-inch.
 
Apparently the .45Colt/.410 barrel is the most popular, or at least most offered as a gun purchase. My review of BA's selections indicates barrel/gun availability:

.45 LC/.410 available on 21 guns
.38/.357 Mag available on 11 guns
9mm available on 5 guns
.45 ACP on 2 guns
.45 LC on 3 guns
and .380 ACP on 2 guns

There are six other calibers only available purchased separately: .30 Carbine, .327 Federal Magnum, 10mm, .40 S&W, .44 Special, 44-40, and .45 Glock.
 
Picked up my Bond Arms .45/.410 today and what a blast. I shot 25 (corrected from 50) rounds of 180 grain cowboy loads, 2 rounds of Hornady 185 gr Critical Defense HP, and three #4 Buck shot shells. The shot shells are devastating! I was surprised that none of it had bad recoil. I don't remember the muzzle even moving up but then such a small gun hard to see. It was mild shooting the cowboy loads. The Hornady and the the shot shells were more recoil but not bad. I even shot the cowboy one handed left and right. I am highly impressed with this gun and am glad I got the Rowdy .45Colt/.410. The first two shot shells did not want to extract but I pushed a plastic ink pen into the muzzle and they came right out. The third shot shell came out easy. Rarely used the extractor, just picked them out with my fingernails. Came easy usually. Some deposits (below) may have caused a problem loading. Towards the end I had trouble pushing a cartridge into the chamber. The deposits are in the barrel and in the firing pin area.

Now a question. What are these copper colored speckles I see after shooting this gun:
upload_2022-9-26_11-20-33.png
 
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aaaaa said:
Picked up my Bond Arms .45/.410 today and what a blast. I shot 50 rounds of 180 grain cowboy loads, 2 rounds of Hornady 185 gr Critical Defense HP, and three #4 Buck shot shells. The shot shells are devastating! I was surprised that none of it had bad recoil. I don't remember the muzzle even moving up but then such a small gun hard to see. It was mild shooting the cowboy loads. The Hornady and the the shot shells were more recoil but not bad. I even shot the cowboy one handed left and right. I am highly impressed with this gun and am glad I got the Rowdy .45Colt/.410. The first two shot shells did not want to extract but I pushed a plastic ink pen into the muzzle and they came right out. The third shot shell came out easy. Rarely used the extractor, just picked them out with my fingernails. Came easy usually. Some deposits (below) may have caused a problem loading. Towards the end I had trouble pushing a cartridge into the chamber. The deposits are in the barrel and in the firing pin area.

Now a question. What are these copper colored speckles I see after shooting this gun:
View attachment 1105231
Click to expand...
Nice! Congrats on the new derringer! I’m surprised the .410 wasn’t bad. Although, was it bird shot?
 
Autodidactic said:
Nice! Congrats on the new derringer! I’m surprised the .410 wasn’t bad. Although, was it bird shot?
Click to expand...
It was #4 Buck, this stuff, it definitely had recoil but not near what I expected. I could have got the Roughneck with the .45 ACP but that was a shorter barrel and I kind of like having the .410, so I made the right choice even though I was waffling right up to placing the order. The salesman helped me cinch it as he has the same gun.
516551304068_1.jpg
 
aaaaa said:
It was #4 Buck, this stuff, it definitely had recoil but not near what I expected. I could have got the Roughneck with the .45 ACP but that was a shorter barrel and I kind of like having the .410, so I made the right choice even though I was waffling right up to placing the order. The salesman helped me cinch it as he has the same gun.
View attachment 1105233
Click to expand...
GEM said:
Story about the Roughneck: https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/09/23/bond-arms-roughneck-review/

They are what they are. They worked for Paladin and the Sharps for Yancy Derringer. Of course, TV is realistic. I'd get one just as I have a bunch of totally unrealistic 'tactical' knives that I wouldn't carry but they are dangerous of course.
Click to expand...
good for collection and fun. Also, one thing I always say is, any functional gun such as a derringer hasn’t magically lost its function that it had in the past. The change is simply there are better options for serious defense or combat.

One time I wore a tweed elbowed professors jacket I have, with velvet lining inside, and had my bond arms in the inside vest pocket. I liked it and it felt like I was a gambler in 1875.
 
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