Bond Arms makes the world’s best
derringers. That is a strong statement, but to anyone who has
handled and fired one, it is a true statement. Made of stainless
steel, tightly fitted and beautifully finished, the Bond
derringers are strong and powerful. I have owned my Snake
Slayer for almost three years now, and it has proven to be a
handy and reliable weapon. I carry mine often when out in the
woods during warm weather, when rattlers, copperheads, and
cottonmouths are crawling. Around the farm, these creatures like
to lay under equipment and such, and I won’t tolerate them
around the area where my grandkids and their wonderful grandpa
play and work. Loaded with a payload of 410 number 8 shot, the
Bond makes quick work of dispatching venomous snakes.
A Bond derringer is also very handy to wear
while driving. I carry mine is a Bond driving holster, which is
a cross draw that holds the weapon horizontally on my belt, just
to the right of my belt buckle, me being a left-handed shooter.
A three inch 410 shotshell loaded with five pellets of 000 buck
or something like the Winchester PDX1 makes a formidable
car-jacker repellant. Even a load of birdshot at close range
into the face of an attacker is very effective. I have covered
most everything in detail on the Bond pistol before in my review
of the Snake Slayer, so I won’t plow that same ground here
again. In that review, I mentioned the wide assortment of Bond
derringers available, and in this piece, I will spotlight just a
few.
First up is a Bond Mini with some pink grip
panels. This is the "Bond Girl" gun, and has really
been a hit with the women to whom I have shown it. Pictured
here, the Bond Girl pistol is chambered for the 38 Special/357
magnum cartridges, but as with any of the Bond Derringers,
switching to another set of barrels is very quick and easy to
do. Nicole really liked the Bond, and shot it very well, both
with the 38 Special cartridge, and then also with the three-inch
410 shotshell, after switching barrels with my Snake Slayer.
Also shown here is a Bond Mini chambered for
the 45 Colt cartridge. This weapon has barrels that are too
short for the 410 shotshell, and is a good choice for those who
want only to shoot the 45 Colt cartridge. Again, extra barrel
sets can be purchased to allow the use of several different
cartridges on any one Bond frame.
Another derringer shown here is the Bond USA
Defender. It is chambered in 45 Colt/410 shotshell, but with
shorter barrels, to use the two and one-half inch shotshell,
sacrificing a bit of shotshell payload for better
concealability. The laser-engraved grip panels are beautiful,
with the American flag replicated on the laminated wood.
My favorite of the guns shown here is the
Ranger II. It is also chambered for 45 Colt/410, and has a
trigger guard, which distinguishes the Ranger II from the
Ranger. The black grips look good with the stainless pistol, and
the black driving holster is both beautiful and functional.
Well-balanced with its longer barrels, the Ranger II just feels
right to me.
The special cased gun and knife set shown
here is Bond’s tribute to the Texas Rangers. Not the baseball
team, but the special division of the Texas state police. As
indicated on the upper barrel, The Rangers have been in service
since 1823, commissioned by Stephen Austin, and have been around
almost continuously ever since, except during the reconstruction
period after The Confederate States were aggressively invaded
from the north and lost that war, along with their sovereignty.
The Texas Rangers are some of the most respected law enforcement
officers in the nation, and have a colorful and interesting
history in the formation of the Republic of Texas, as well as
the state.
The Bond Texas Ranger derringer in the cased
set is chambered for the 45 Colt/410 Shotshell combination. It
comes cased with a special Buck knife, laser-engraved with the
Bond Arms logo. The pistol grip and the knife scales are made of
Texas mesquite wood, and have replica Texas Ranger badges
inlaid. This is a good-looking, highly collectable Bond
derringer with special serial numbers, and is available for a
limited time. The pistol commemorates the 200th Anniversary of
the Rangers, which is still twelve years away, but the pistols
are only available for a limited time. I like the idea of having
the guns done early. Many times, gun manufacturers will issue a
commemorative, and by the time it finally gets into production,
the anniversary has passed. Bond is thinking ahead on this one.
Anyway, it is a beautiful gun and knife set, cased with a glass
top, and in production now. These Texas Ranger sets can be
ordered direct from Bond Arms, and they will take care of
getting it delivered to your gun dealer.
Speaking of knives, Bond now has commissioned
Buck to produce knives for them. I remember a time when just
about everyone carried a Buck 110 folding knife. These Buck
knives that bear the Bond logo are made in the USA, open
quickly, and lock open for safety. The three and one-quarter
inch blades are stainless, and the scales are available in
laminated rosewood or black ash, and have a stainless steel
pocket clip.
Like all Bond derringers, the ones shown here
are fine examples of craftsmanship, and are made in the USA.
Check out the line of Bond firearms, knives,
holsters, and accessories online at www.bondarms.com.
To find a Bond retailer near you, click on
the DEALER LOCATOR at www.lipseys.com
To order a Bond derringer online, go to www.galleryofguns.com
Jeff Quinn