Anyone Here Shoot A Bond Arms Derringer?

[billt]

I ordered it last week from Davidson's. It's the Century 2000 Model in .45 Colt / .410, 2 1/2" & 3". I've always wanted one, and they are built like tanks. All Stainless Steel and Rosewood. No plastic or Aluminum. I was scrounging up .410 ammo I had laying around, and found several boxes. One was a box of 5 Remington rifled slugs with the $1.78 K-Mart price sticker still on the box.

I'll probably pick up some of the more modern self defense ammo in .410, like the Winchester PDX-1, and such, just to play with. This gun comes with the removable trigger guard. Anyway, These things have always fascinated me. Much like the NAA Mini Revolvers, they ooze quality.

Just a few quick pics. I'm liking the "Whore House Red" faux fur lining on the storage box. Reminiscent of the Riverboat Gambler image. 

[Hazcat]

Another one of those guns with no real use or purpose today.  They are big, heavy and only have two rounds.

DAMN, I WANT ONE ANYWAY!

[PegLeg45]

I always wanted one back in my motorcycle riding days as an inside the vest gun. I have a NAA mini that served that role and I never got around to purchasing the Bond.

I'd still like to have one to keep handy as a snake killer. I have dispatched a few in the past with the NAA and CCI snakeshot, but the larger caliber would be nice.

[tombogan03884]

FQ swears by his.
Also, like the T/C Contender, barrels change out to offer multiple calibers.

By the way Haz, it makes a much better club than our Kel-Tec's do.
Even if it does get there quicker

[Hazcat]

FQ swears by his.
Also, like the T/C Contender, barrels change out to offer multiple calibers.

By the way Haz, it makes a much better club than our Kel-Tec's do.
Even if it does get there quicker

And they are just ''cool''. 

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

That to
Got that Brett Maverick thing going . 

[billt]

I've been reading up on these things, trying to educate myself on them. Turns out Bond Arms came from a pretty interesting story. Greg Bond, (Gordon Bond's brother, and designer of the Bond Arms Derringer), used to work for American Derringer. It was owned by Bob Saunders at the time.

Greg Bond wanted to incorporate many of the current features Bond Arms guns now enjoy, like a cross bolt safety, a rebounding hammer, quick release barrel latch, and octagonal barrels machined from a solid block of steel, into American Derringer guns. Bob Saunders wanted none of it. Business was good, and he saw no reason to change the design of the gun. This in spite of the fact Greg Bond warned him the gun was dangerous if loaded and dropped on the hammer, much like a single action Colt with all 6 chambers loaded.

One day he up and fired Greg Bond during a meeting. Greg Bond left and decided to start his own company, producing the Derringer the way he wanted it. A safer, and more robust design. Bob Saunders tried to sue him, but did not prevail. The court decided his ideas were not "stolen" from American Derringer in any way. He got some prototype guns made and took them to the SHOT Show, and they were an instant success, with many orders being placed. As they say, the rest is history.

Soon after that Bob Saunders fell ill and died. Then there were 2 large lawsuits against American Derringer. One from an employee's family who accidently shot himself in the abdomen with a .410 round at the American Derringer plant. He later died. Then there was a cop who dropped a loaded American Derringer, and it discharged wounding him. Between all of that, and the success of Bond Arms, American Derringer more or less went under.

I say "more or less" because Bob Saunders wife, Elizabeth who took over after his death, maintains American Derringer is still very much in business. Although I've never seen one of their new guns for sale in several years. It's all a bit ironic. Had Bob Saunders promoted Greg Bond, instead of firing him, who knows what the outcome might have been? American Derringer might have grown into what Bond Arms is today. It doesn't get any better than getting fired, then starting your own business manufacturing a better product, and running your old boss out of business. Fighting back with pure capitalism, instead of lawyers. It all sounds like something they could make a movie out of.

[kmitch200]

It doesn't get any better than getting fired, then starting your own business manufacturing a better product, and running your old boss out of business.

True!

You ever get some advice, (usually from someone older, but not always), and later find out that the advice you got was right on the money?
Someone should have told Bob, "this is one of those times".

[MikeBjerum]

I have the Texas Defender.  Only difference between the Defender and the Century 2000 is the standard barrel.  Yours is a 3 1/2" and accepts 3" .410 shells, and mine is a 3" and accepts only 2 1/2" shells.  However, That could be fixed with replacement barrels if I choose.

I love the little gun and playing with it.  The only thing that takes some getting used to, and you will, is the trigger.  I finally went to the wall drill to get it down.

[Majer]

I have one with .357 mag,.45/.410 and .45 colt barrels.Like it a lot.