Derringer: Bond Arms Texas Defender

[ecmp]

Hi Everyone,

Nice forum here!

I've been searching for a derringer and this place has the most information to date. Gun shops here do not stock derringers. Having one ordered means forgoing the luxury to physically evaluate it first.

Bond Arms Texas Defender in .357 tops my list.

However, I'm still short of the following information:
1. Derringer WIDTH
2. User guides / manuals
3. Parts list / diagrams

I would appreciate any information / suggestion / comment regarding this!

Ed

 

[M2 Carbine]

I have a Bond Derringer in 45 ACP.
As far as I know they are all the same size except the barrel length.

The receiver width is 1 inch.
The grips are 1 1/4 inch wide.

If you are totally new to derringers you might consider that they are rather unusual and akward to use. Meaning that you should spend a good bit of time practicing with it.


BTW Welcome.

 

[Ultraman]

You can probably get the information that you seek at their web site ( http://www.bondarms.com/ ) but here are a few pictures for size comparison...

 

[M2 Carbine]

Ultraman,
Good pictures.

Is the round barrel a American Derringer?

I almost bought one at the gun show last week. I'm sorry I passed on it.

 

[Ultraman]

American Derringer

YES, American Derringer. The American Derringer is my personal favorit. I carry a .45 Colt / .410 most always.

 

[James T Thomas]

Yancy Derringer proud

Thanks "ultraman," a picture is worth a thousand words.
The side by side and stacked viewpoints are great.

Remind me not to cheat at cards if you are at the table.

 

[ecmp]

Thanks everyone!

Great collection! The pictures here are far better than the ones posted in the Bond Arms website!

Have been to the Bond Arms website and they do not have the additional information. Also, they have not replied to my email inquiry. Fortunately, this forum have a lot of answers!

The concern is that the derringer would be thicker (overall) than a Smith Wesson small frame revolver. 1 1/4" grip width is already similar to the diameter of the Smith's cylinder!

Ed

 

[M2 Carbine]

About the only concealment abvantage the three inch barrel Bond Derringer has over the 2 inch S&W J Frame is the Bond is a half inch shorter.
I can carry the bond in a front pocket without it being seen but the butt of the S&W can be seen in the same pocket.

If you can't carry the Smith, you probably can't carry the Bond.

 

[sig228]

Derringers

Just of couple observations for what its worth:

I previously owned a Cobra .38 Special derringer. Was a lot of fun to shoot, but scared the heck out of me. Why? because if my hands were sweaty, I was afraid of the gun flipping back out of my hands since it didn't have a trigger guard. If it hit the ground with a second unfired round...well...you get the picture. I sold it back to the shop that I bought it from.

I looked at the Bond derringers at the gun store.

Bond = much more solid build than Cobra in my opinion.

Cobra = much narrower than Bond.

Bond = about 3x the price of the Cobra. (I bought a NAA Guardian .380 instead of the Bond for the same price as the Bond).

The recommended way to carry the Cobra was "half cocked and locked."
Getting it to full cocked, ready to fire was a two handed job. Tough to do, but could be done with practice.

Like I said, shooting it was scary, but a blast. If Bond came out with a DAO derringer, I'd probably buy it. I know someone else has a DAO derringer, but I just don't like the way it looks.

One other thing: They aren't much smaller than the NAA or a J Frame snub.

Anyway, jusy my 2 cents.

Peace

 

[SixForSure]

I have one with 4 barrel sets (.45/410, .357, .22, 9mm). The quality is top rate. They are built like a tank and are meant to be used. The recoil of the .357 is the most stout of what I have and even it is not unmanageable or painful.

 

[Ultimate Ordnance]

American Derringer M-4 in .410/.45LC

The oversized grips are extra, but they keep it in your mitts, even when they are sweaty, which is most of the time here in Texas! This is death and destruction on Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes, with .410 shotgun shells in #8 shot, and I've blasted many of em in the past five years or so that I've owned it. You can even fire Colt .45 or 3 inch triple ought buckshot rounds (five 9mm balls) for a home defense weapon. All stainless steel. Single action. Barrels are automatically alternately selected.

 

[Scoupe]

A buddy has the 45LC/.410 with a different set of extended grips. Shooting the 3" .410 is not really much fun. Those buggers thump ya. The Bond derringer though, is one very nice little piece.

 

[ecmp]

http://www.smallestguns.com/

This website indicates the texas defender's width at 1.5 inch. Anyone who could confirm / dispute the figure?

Could anyone elaborate on the "rebounding hammer"?

Is the crossbolt safety = drop safety?

Thanks again!

Ed

 

[Ultimate Ordnance]

Think of the rebounding hammer as an automatic half cock

The BondArms website http://www.bondarms.com/ifaq.html says: "Think of the rebounding hammer as an automatic half cock. The hammer automatically rebounds to a blocked position off of the firing pins. This allows for safer reloading compared to other derringers. The rebounding hammer is an exclusive patented feature for the Bond Defender derringers" I haven't fired one, but it seems like a great feature. I know that in the heat of the moment, more than one time, I have fired both barrels of my American Derringer, forgot to pull the hammer back, swung the barrels open, loaded two more rounds, and swung the barrels closed with the hammer down and one firing pin protruding. Never had a "bang", but said a couple "damn"'s afterward. If I had known then what I know now, I think I would have bought the Bond Arms instead of the AM Derringer, for just that feature.

 

[No Quarter]

I have one in .44 mag. I don't even use the cross block safety on mine as unless the trigger is pulled in conjunction with the hammer getting hit with enough force to strike a primer and make it go off, the gun is not going to go off. You can't force the hammer to strike the pins unless the trigger is pulled first.

I ALMOST had to sell mine due to starting up a new business and needing some cash, but thankfully I did not have to sell it.

I do shoot it with full blown .44 mag 240 JSP ammo, but I will admit that .44 specials are a pleasure to shoot in it a bit more often.

You can see some pictures and read about my little popper here:

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=200176&highlight=bbq

 

[whm1974]

One other thing: They aren't much smaller than the NAA or a J Frame snub.

I can see that. However from the picture the NAA mini-revolver looks smaller.

Last time I've seen prices on bond arms I thought they are expensive for what you get.

-Bill