Eve Flanigan 01.09.23
Bond Arms – of Granbury, Texas – all the time manages to develop their number of eye-catching derringers yearly. About a 12 months in the past, I reported on the brand new, skinny Stinger mannequin, then in 9mm and 380. In late 2022/early 2023, the Bond manufacturing unit launched two new weapons, each chambered in 22LR; the caliber most everybody likes to shoot. I had the nice fortune to check each at house in addition to on the indoor vary of Texas Star, a store situated in Grapevine, Texas. Here’s the way it went with the Bond Arms Rawhide and Stinger.
Bond Arms Stinger 22LR Rough Series (RS): The acquainted Bond Arms Mama Bear profile is repeated right here, because it was with the 9mm and 380 Stingers, however this time in 22LR and with a rough-out chrome steel end. Plans for continued manufacturing of the super-lightweight Stingers have been stymied in early/mid 2022 by a veritable drought the place aluminum is anxious. Bond Arms’ aluminum provider went out of enterprise abruptly, leaving the corporate with plans to supply this new 22 however no materials to work with. No downside, the dearth of aluminum led to the delivery of the steel-framed Stinger. The Rough Series model has a body that’s not undergone bead-blasting as a sprucing course of. The result’s a gun that’s much less obtrusive in measurement, weight, and look, to not point out comparatively economical as manufacturing price and ending instances are decreased. The uninteresting end of Rough Series (RS) weapons affords what I believe is a lovely distinction to the polished barrel, cross-bolt security buttons, and barrel launch.
Shooting the Stinger 22LR RS is as candy because it will get. There’s nearly no recoil from the 2 rounds it fires from a three-inch barrel. It’s solely 18 ounces in weight, 5 inches lengthy general, and slim. Fatigue isn’t an element for me with this gun as it may be with fatter, higher-caliber Bonds. I even discovered myself having fun with the method of experimenting with varied factors of purpose at 5 yards to find out the hold-over for the second, backside barrel, and bought an affordable thrill out of placing two rounds in a single gap twice through the course of. While that’s nothing for most individuals with a single-barrel gun, it dues require a little bit of research with a double. The Stinger 22LR Rough Series has a $269 MSRP.
Bond Arms Rawhide Rough Series (RS) 22LR: The Bond Arms Rawhide shares the identical primary profile and end because the Stinger 22LR RS, however there are a number of variations. The Rawhide sports activities a shorter, 2.5-inch barrel, and is thus half an inch shorter general at 4.5 inches. The set off guard was dropped from the mannequin, a preferred request from many derringer followers. And it’s chunkier and extra paying homage to the traditional Bond Arms Mama Bear profile, weighing in at 21 ounces.
Of course it’s gratifying to shoot, however of the 2, my favourite is the Stinger, just because I fatigue slower with a lighter gun and there’s no profit that I understand from the extra weight with 22 ammunition. I additionally discovered myself struggling a bit to take care of sight alignment because the thicker barrel hinge makes the highest of the barrel, and its matching entrance sight, a bit too camouflaged for my liking. And if it’s going to be carried for self-protection, a lighter, thinner gun is mostly simpler. The Bond Arms Rawhide Rough Series 22LR has an MSRP of $269.
Both weapons labored flawlessly with the 22 LR CCI Mini-Mag ammo we ran on this take a look at. It will not be advisable to run 22 brief ammunition in these weapons, by the best way. At the gun author’s occasion at Texas Star the place I first met the brand new Bonds, a pair folks had the query of whether or not a 22 WMR model is within the works. Probably not, got here the reply from Bond Arms proprietor and designer Gordon Bond. The difficult ballistics of that cartridge don’t contribute to dependable operate in a derringer.
On the house vary trials, these weapons continued to impress. The aluminum case extractors labored effectively with out ever gumming up, one thing that’s certain to occur ultimately with 22 ammo however the CCI ran fairly clear in these weapons. The spring-loaded, cammed locking levers on each weapons work effectively and are the identical each time.
A enjoyable reality we writers realized taking pictures these 22s indoors is that they make a muzzle blast that surprises. It made for some nice images, considered one of which turned the subject for an internet “guess the caliber” recreation Gordon Bond put his followers as much as on Facebook. It was entertaining to look at the responses, which most began with “4,” and know that we have been solely just a little rimfire.
In the previous, I’ve discovered Bond Arms weapons just a little difficult by way of remembering that the set off operates by shifting downward extra so than rearward, not less than that’s how they really feel to me. But each Stinger I’ve tried, in addition to this new Bond Arms Rawhide RS, have a extra conventional really feel to the set off pull. It nonetheless angles downward considerably, however the acquainted straight-back pull will impact a “bang.”
At the identical time I used to be testing these weapons, I additionally had a pair of concealed carry leggings available for assessment. The gun pocket is kind of small, and I used to be grateful to have a Stinger available because it makes an ideal match for that garment, and the draw was simpler to carry out with it than with a Glock 42. These two 22s can put a smile on just about anybody’s face. They certain try this for me. I’ve tried a very good variety of Bond Arms’ weapons. Some impress with energy in a small package deal. These are only a pleasure.
