The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Handguns => Topic started by: fightingquaker13 on October 17, 2011, 01:34:39 AM
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Ok, I know I have raved about Bond Arms like a school girl with a crush on the latest boy band. Still and all, sometimes its worth it, because sometimes a company deserves it. I recently bought a Bond in .45 Colt/.410 with a 3" barrel. I can't evaluate that barrel set. I very stupidly grabbed a box of the Federal pistol .410s in haste when Gander had them on sale. Problem was that they had them on a table with the OOO buck (which I wanted) on one side of the table and #4 shot on the other. I grabbed a box from the buckshot side without paying attention, and once I got it home I realized it was the #4s. Doh! My bad, and no one but myself to blame. If anyone wants these please PM me as I have no use for them. I will make you one hell of a deal. :-[
However, that is not a big deal as I have always been sceptical about firing a 2 3/4" shot shell out of a 3" barrel and expecting it to accomplish much. That is why I took advantage of their half price sale on new barrels if you just bought a new pistol (even if it was bought used, as mine was). I got a 3.5" barrel in .357/.38. I took it to the range and all I can say is "Damn"!
I was able to get a sub 4" group at 7 yards. The first shot was dead on (lower barrel), the second was low. However it was consistent. Given that this is an across the room pistol, if you shoot center mass it falls well within the "good enough" category. I had zero misfires and went through a bunch of ammo ranging from geriatric .38s to WWB .357s and a few Golden Sabres. The recoil on the .357 was zippy, and the fire ball impressive, but it was very manageable. (As a side note, it is REALLY loud. If you want to attract attention on an indoor range, shooting. 357 out of one of these will do the trick. ;D). The weight of the gun negates the muzzle flip. All told, I love this thing. It fits in a front jeans pocket with zero printing, points naturally, and hits where you aim it at realistic SD ranges. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I was torn between this and the kel-tec .32 as a pocket gun. While I like the kel-tec, I chose a big bullet over several small ones. That's just my POV, YMMV. Still, if its short and ugly, I figure that one .357 is worth two .32s. Just my .02, but I have been carrying this thing since I got it. I might decide that this is just a crush, but for now, it is my BUG of choice. If the G-26 is too big to carry in summer heat, I won't feel under gunned with the Bond. I will post more as get more range time, maybe even some pics if I can get the camera working.
FQ13
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If you had to guess, what's the trigger pull on it? I ask because some years back a friend of mine had an American Derringer in .45 Colt / .410 and the trigger pull was at least 30 pounds! I know American Derringer had some legal issues stemming from accidental discharges, which may have been the reason. I know the company insists it is still in business, but I haven't seen a new American Derringer firearm for sale anywhere in years. They used to be everywhere.
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If it were me, even though I'm no big fan of .410 pistols I would keep the #4 for when you go fishing or hunting keep one in the first barrel for snakes, then you can always put a .45 in the second barrel.
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If you had to guess, what's the trigger pull on it? I ask because some years back a friend of mine had an American Derringer in .45 Colt / .410 and the trigger pull was at least 30 pounds! I know American Derringer had some legal issues stemming from accidental discharges, which may have been the reason. I know the company insists it is still in business, but I haven't seen a new American Derringer firearm for sale anywhere in years. They used to be everywhere.
I'd say slightly North of 10 pounds. Thats if you hold it right. If you choke up on the grip (the web of your finger covering the base of the hammer) its very stiff. Held right its stiffer than a keltec, but there is no LOP to speak of. You just bring the trigger down and back and bang. Its very quick. For what it is I think its quite acceptable. You can order a competionn hammer spring that lightens the trigger up by a couple of pounds.
FQ13
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FQ, I was talking to Charlie at Bond and he told me to leave the hammer cocked on ( unloaded) The gun for a couple days and that will help lighten the effort to cock and fire the gun.