Derringer recoil

A derringer thread appears annually... and here it is! I'm a D guy, so I have to check in! I have the Bond model with several add'l bbls. I have no problem in firing it with any bbl full charge. My problems are the weight of the gun and the difficulty in cocking the hammer and pulling the trigger.

I removed the useless trigger guard and Bond's folks cut back the frame in front of the trigger. Frame is still much too heavy and there is a trick in pulling the trigger DOWNWARDS, instead of backwards, IIRC. Not something desirable in a last ditch-type gun. I understand Bond has revamped their trigger/hammer action, but I'm not going to get involved in that. The gun IS friendlier to shoot than the American Derringer guns altho their actions are superior. I do love the .45LC snub bbl!

I have advised another retired LEO forum member on this matter; he turned down the Bond and selected one of the mini 9mm SAs for EDC. He thanked me for my counsel. Recoil is not the issue, IMO. Handling,weight, and firing are.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
My problems are the weight of the gun and the difficulty in cocking the hammer and pulling the trigger.

Good points! I had forgotten to mention that I sent my Bond derringer to Bob Munden years ago to do a trigger job on it. When I got it back, it was better, but not much better. I called Munden and asked him about it. He explained that you don't want a gun that size with a super light trigger.

I think many of the folks here have summed it up pretty well. Bottom line...there are better options out there.
 
Good points! I think many of the folks here have summed it up pretty well. Bottom line...there are better options out there.

I know my chances of winning it are less than me becoming Tzar of Russia but if I do and with the present cost of one, I could trade it for two more LCPs.
 
I don’t have the Bond, but it’s a .45/.410 and it’s not too bad. I always remember that it’s only 2 shots
 
I would be very careful using two hands to shoot a derringer. It is far too easy to let your support hand's index finger meander in front of the barrel.

As a general rule I find derringers extremely hard to cock and then shoot well and if the hammer is tricked out like for cowboy action side match competition then it's likely too easy to shoot.

I really don't like those single action derringers much.
 
I have an ADC and a Bond both .45 Colt. Of the two, the Bond is the most accurate and friendly to shoot. I have fired 300 grain bullets out of the Bond and they were very stout and very accurate.
I find the ADC to shoot high and very high with light loads. I have not fired heavier bullets yet as they will impact even higher. The recoil is heavier in the ADC than the Bond with the same load.
The statement that you don't want a light trigger on a derringer is foolish one. Their factory pull weights impede their accuracy. You want a three pound trigger.

I've fired a few hundred rounds through my derringers. What do I know?
I know that:
Hollow points don't expand fired from these guns in .45 Colt.
Hard cast with a big meplat is your friend.
Carry a pen or rod that fits down the bore to eject stuck cases.
Practice regularly.

Also I'm a huge hypocrite. I decided against a .45 Colt two years ago and now have two. They were good deals and much cheaper than the American ordered in 10mm would have been. They're fun, but I feel the Bond is a better design.
 
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People who carry these...
How much spare ammo are you carrying and how?
I'm carrying four spare rounds in a watch pocket. Seems like enough.
 
I will watch someone else shoot it and I darn straight wouldn't own one over a .22 cal.
The guns aren't cheap to buy and I can think of several other guns I would rather buy for the same $$. I am not fond of bone rattling hand cannons.
 
After all the heartbreak about the recoil, I feel inclined to comment further. I shoot the Mini in .45 Colt. That puts me at a minimum bullet weight of 150 grains for plinking ammo. I have run 200 and 300 grain bullets through it as well. You wouldn't want to shoot the 300's for very long, but the 200's and 150-160's are child's play. The cowboy action commercial loads are very, very enjoyable to shoot. For me things only became oppressive when I approached Ruger loads with a 300 grain bullet. As you may presume, you are innately aware that the gun has fired at this point. I feel like the recoil was similar to that of an Old Model Vaquero with a short barrel. I've fired magnum handguns and rifle caliber handguns and I still believe that the .357 scandium snubnosed revolver is worse than this gun has potential to be. I'm just not seeing the violence in the recoil to cause injury as long as proper firing grip is maintained.
 
have one in 45/410, have shot a few 410 loads in it. It does let you know you have touched it off and would not want to shoot a box of shells in one sitting but can live with it. The tough thing is the different trigger pull, instead of your"normal" straight back pull on most guns it is more of a roll down pull and may be the reason you see many folks looking like they flinch, it takes getting used to and have not yet mastered the difference, have shot to many Smiths.
 
The tough thing is the different trigger pull, instead of your"normal" straight back pull on most guns it is more of a roll down pull and may be the reason you see many folks looking like they flinch, it takes getting used to and have not yet mastered the difference, have shot to many Smiths.
This is very true.

I have also found that the full cock notch is very deep and poorly fit in some models which leads to a long trigger pull. Due to the weight involved folks may be jerking to get through it much like a shotgun trigger.
 
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