Bond Arms Derringers — First Impressions (Stinger .22 LR & Roughneck .357/.38 Special)

Joshua Wethington
Sep 16
3 min read

Bond Arms reached out and sent me two derringers to review — a Stinger in .22 LR and a Roughneck in .357 Magnum / .38 Special — so I grabbed them from my FFL and wanted to share first impressions before Range Day with the Squad Drills crew. I haven’t fired either yet — this is straight-from-the-box thoughts, a little history, and what I plan to test when we run these two-shot pocket rockets.

Why a derringer?

Derringers are tiny, simple, and unapologetically old-school — the original pocket pistol. Historically they served as a last-resort, deep-concealment option: very short barrels, tiny profiles, and extremely limited capacity. The tradeoffs are obvious: limited rounds and short sight radius, but excellent concealability and simplicity.

As a mostly 9mm, striker-fired, modern-pistol guy, derringers are more of a curiosity and a challenge tool for me. They force you to slow down, prioritize fundamentals, and accept limits — which makes them interesting to test with the Squad Drills family.

About Bond Arms

Bond Arms modernized the derringer concept. Their break-open, stainless-steel frames are beefy and well-built, with interchangeable barrels and robust construction. Folks respect Bond Arms because their guns are simple, durable, and available in a wide range of calibers — from plinking .22 to true centerfire packers. Bottom line: they’re not novelty shelf queens — they’re real, usable firearms.

The two models I was sent

Stinger — .22 LRThe easy, fun one. Low recoil, cheap ammo, ideal for practice and introducing new shooters. Expect plinking and fundamentals work.
Roughneck — .357 Magnum / .38 SpecialThe serious one. Short barrel, centerfire power — expect noticeable recoil and muzzle blast. This is the derringer that reminds you small doesn’t mean weak.

Important: Bond Arms sent these to me for review because they liked my content and wanted my take. I didn’t buy them — they’re review samples I picked up from my FFL.

First impressions from handling

Size & weight: Compact but pleasantly heavy — the heft helps tame recoil, especially on the Roughneck.
Controls & ergonomics: Break-open is simple; trigger is single-action-style and fairly crisp. Sights are basic — these are point-and-shoot close-range pieces, not long-range rigs.
Build quality: Solid fit and finish; barrels look tight and the frame feels built to take real use.

What I’ll test at Range Day with Squad Drills

Reliability — especially feeding/ignition with .22LR.
Practical accuracy — 5–15 yard groupings.
Recoil & follow-ups — how fast can you get that second shot on target, especially with the Roughneck?
Ergonomics across shooters — pass them around the crew: big hands, small hands, different grips.
Reload speed & manipulation — two rounds make reloads critical; I’ll time and evaluate.
Carry & holster options — practical concealment and day-to-day use considerations.

For my fellow 9mm fans

I live in the modern pistol world — high-capacity, low-recoil platforms are my comfort zone. This review is about seeing how those instincts translate to a two-shot mindset. Derringers aren’t trying to replace your carry gun; they’re a different tool. I’m excited to see what lessons they teach about fundamentals and shot discipline.

Model breakdown (initial, pre-fire thoughts)

Stinger (.22 LR): Great for cheap practice, introducing newbies, and low-stress drills. Expect forgiving recoil and fast learning curves for new shooters.
Roughneck (.357/.38): Compact but packs a punch. Short strings will be educational (and potentially humbling). Not ideal for high-volume shooting, but a meaningful tool for deep concealment or demonstration of fundamentals.

Next up

I’ll get these on a range, shoot groups, run reliability tests, and pass them around the Squad Drills crew. I picked up ammo and targets for these at Brownells — use code BOP10 if you want to save a little — and I’ll report back with photos, groupings, reload times, and whether Bond Arms’ derringers earn a spot in the “practical novelty” or “actual defensive tool” column.

If you’ve run Bond Arms derringers before — ammo you prefer, holster recs, reload tricks — drop tips below. Bond Arms sent these for review because they liked my content; I’ll give them an honest, hands-on look and report back.