Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/423221
FIREARMS TACTICS 32 Law Enforcement Technology December 2014 www.officer.com dramatic improvement in the quality of handguns like the Charter Arms revolv- ers and Smith and Wesson autos. All Bond Arms guns are made with modern manufacturing processes that include old world craftsmanship. Bond Arms guns are made in Granbury, Texas using parts made in the United States. They are made entirely of stainless steel and other parts that complete the pack- age—like the grips—also made in the US. The Bond Arms brand has only been around since 1995. They took an ancient design—the Remington Model 95, which was first released in 1865— and modernized it. This is an interest- ing approach as derringers have a long history of being cheap, one-time-use, inaccurate guns. The Big Bear weighs just shy of 20 ounces, unloaded. It has a three-inch barrel, which is quite short for a car- tridge that can have an overall length of 1.6 inches. It has a satin stainless barrel and a textured subdued frame. The stocks are made of a soft rubber. It is heavier than it looks and the stocks completely fill the hand. The Brown Bear is essentially the same model with the same dimensions, except it is not matte finish. The stocks are hardwood and they sport the same logo in the grip, only it is carved, not moulded. Let me dispel the first reservation a shooter would have about my gun. Since the top barrel sits only slightly higher than the web of the hand, and the bot- tom barrel is actually at the level of the palm, it has comparatively light recoil. No, you didn't misread it: The Bond Arms Derringer barely kicks. I would compare it to a compact 9mm auto. Let's put this in perspective. For 141 years, no one ever has described the 45 LC as an "inadequate" cartridge. For this test, I used cartridges that ran from 255 to 300 grains, fired at 700 to 800 feet per second. The bullets are twice the weight of a 9mm duty round and about the same number of foot pounds of energy, even considering the short barrel. They expand to several times the expansion of a 9mm, resulting in similar cartridge performance of any modern duty round, even with three inches of barrel. For the officer who carries this gun as a third gun, I recommend the Hornady 185-grain FTX Critical Defense cartridge. It was designed for (and tested in) a three-inch barrel, which gets it up to 920 fps. What do I mean by a "third gun"? Most officers will carry a backup gun. A third gun is for unusual circumstances. It has to be completely reliable, impervious to the elements (including sweat) and effective. The most important thing a third gun has to be is simple. The firing mechanism has to contain the fewest moving parts and it must be immune to cartridge failure. Bond Arms guns have simple firing and loading mechanisms. Not only are they easy to use, they are completely safe to carry in unconven- tional methods and can be brought into action quickly. I prefer to carry guns with which I can make a shot designed to rescue a hostage. I define this shot as a reliable headshot at seven yards. Some of my guns, like my Glock 22, can consistently make the same shot at 25 yards, but pocket guns have to do it closer. My philosophy behind this is from knowing other officers who needed to make an off duty OIS. Most of them did not have a fully exposed target. Seven yards is about the limit of the accuracy of my Bond Arms Big Bear. Granted, it was definitely capable of The Big Bear and Brown Bear are nearly identical in dimensions. One is bright, the other subdued. Both are impervious to things that are hard on handgun finishes. The loading and firing mechanisms are simple to master. I recommend Sticky Holsters for pocket carry.