The Bond ArmslPup9 design is based on the previously available Boberg Arms XR9-S. Shipments of Boberg XR9-S pistols started in the third quarter of 2011 and continued through 2016 when Bond Arms acquired Boberg Arms, including their handgun designs and patents. After a short transitionary period, an improved XR9-S based handgun is available again. It’s now manufactured by Bond Arms and sold under the Bond BullPup9 name.
Bond Arms’ Take on the Bullpup
Over the last 22 years, Granbury, Texas-based Bond Arms has become famous for providing their customers with any handgun they want as long as it’s a stainless steel single-action double-barreled derringer.
The company considered expanding beyond their core firearms for some time before opportunity met ambition with the Boberg Arms acquisition. Now in their second year of ownership, Bond Arms has started limited production of the BullPup9 pistol, and processes all orders directly from their customers. You won’t be able to find a new Bond BullPup9 at your local firearm retailer yet.
At first glance, you have to admit the BullPup9 has a strikingly different appearance. The radical trigger-forward and mid-grip design give the first indications that there is something pretty special about this pistol. It’s a bullpup pistol, but what does that really mean? Bullpup pattern rifles have been in service for many years. A Bullpup is typically a design in which the trigger group is in front of its action. This results in an overall shorter firearm. The BullPup9 is the only commercially produced bullpup pattern handgun available at this time.
The BullPup9 squeezes an exceptionally long 3.35-inch barrel into a very small 5.1-inch long pistol. To accomplish this required many changes to more traditional semi-auto handgun design. Several of these key design elements will be discussed in detail, and are highlighted in the accompanying images. 
Review
Summarizing the pistol specifications, the Bond BullPup9 is a double-action only, hammer-fired semi-auto handgun designed for discreet concealed carry. It features a rotating barrel locked breech and reverse feeding system unlike any other sub-compact 9mm currently available on the market. Swimming upstream against the proliferation of polymer-framed pocket pistols, the handgun has an anodized aircraft aluminum (7075 for purists) frame paired with a bead blasted stainless steel slide. The BullPup9 is chambered for 9mm Luger cartridges. Bond Arms cautions that excessive use of 9mm +P ammunition could shorten the service life of the pistol.
Handling the Bullpup9 for the first time, I was very impressed with the overall fit and finish of the pistol. The matte black anodized frame and bead blasted slide was flawlessly done. The Bond signature rosewood laminate grips and polished stainless steel accents enhance the overall look of the pistol. All the sharp edges on the slide and most on the grip frame have been gently beveled for concealed carry comfort.
The Controls
External controls are limited to a magazine release button and combination slide stop/takedown lever. Both controls are located on the left side of the frame and do not add to the overall width of the pistol. The two-piece wraparound rosewood grips are smooth on the backstrap with deeply carved scale texturing on the sides. The ambidextrous grips have a gentle contour that functions as a palm swell on one side and thumb shelf on the other. The grips are the widest part of the pistol.
The slide is fitted with low-profile sights that are windage adjustable in their dovetails. The white three-dot sights are large enough for accurate shooting, but not large enough to snag when drawing from concealment. Ample cocking serrations have been added to the rear of the slide. In stark contrast to the XR9-S before it, Bond Arms decided to go bold and engrave the make and model on the slide of the BullPup9.
The BullPup9 does not have a magazine disconnect safety or automatic slide lock. The takedown lever can be used as a slide lock by retracting the slide and turning the lever 90 degrees. Turning the lever 180 degrees releases the slide from the frame. A passive firing pin safety blocks the movement of the firing pin until the trigger is pulled. The pistol is hammer-fired double-action only with infinite restrike capability.
Trigger Time
The trigger has a medium-wide face that has been edge beveled for comfort. The author found the trigger to be one of the most interesting, and enjoyable, features of the pistol. The 7-pound trigger pull is intentionally long, breaking near the back of the trigger guard. Much like a double action revolver, the trigger must return all the way to the beginning of the trigger stroke before it can be pulled again. In use, the trigger feels lighter than seven pounds. Unlike most double-action revolvers, the BullPup9 trigger pull is exceptionally smooth and free of any stops, pauses, or grittiness. Stage the trigger with your fingertip, or stroke it with the distal joint of your trigger finger. It works equally well in both cases.
Differences
With the basics out of the way, here’s where things take a turn for the different. With most other semi-auto pistols, the slide pushes cartridges from the magazine, up a feed ramp, and into the barrel chamber. The BullPup9 magazine is positioned under the barrel so cartridges are pulled from the magazine, and lifted to chamber height before they are pushed by the slide into the barrel chamber. The positioning of the magazine and loading sequence are the design features that allow the BullPup9 to have the longest barrel of any handgun of similar overall length. Pictures detail the tongs pulling cartridges from the magazine and the lifter positioning them for loading into the barrel chamber.
BullPup9 magazines have a stainless steel body with a polymer base plate. Generous witness holes provide great visibility of rounds loaded in the magazine. Cartridges are loaded directly on top of the magazine spring. It’s weird, but it works. Eliminating the unnecessary magazine follower allows the short magazine to hold seven cartridges when other magazines of similar size hold only six. Empty magazines drop freely from the magazine well when the magazine release is pressed. Magazines with cartridges remaining must be pulled from the frame when the magazine release is activated.
The Design
The BullPup9 is a rotating barrel locked breech design. An unlock block mates with a lug on the barrel to control the rotation of the barrel as the slide cycles. After firing, slide momentum pulls a fresh round from the magazine, ejects the fired case out of the action, activates the lifter, and pushes back the hammer so the slide can pass over it.
All this activity eats up much of the recoil energy generated by the fired cartridge. The recoil energy is still there, but it gets used up performing the loading sequence. Which brings me to the last big difference between the BullPup9 and similarly sized sub-compacts. The recoil spring assembly.
With the unlock block positioned under the barrel, the recoil spring had to be moved to another location in the frame. With so much recoil energy being used for the loading process, a very thin and light recoil spring was used. It is positioned on the left side of the frame. The recoil spring absorbs very little recoil. Its primary purpose is to push the slide back into battery. The light resistance of the spring makes retracting the slide very easy.
Both the barrel and unlock block are stainless steel. Without proper lubrication, the barrel lug and unlock block could gall with the heat and pressure of sustained firing. Boberg recommended a moly-based anti-seize paste for this lubrication application. It was messy and could cause functional failures if too much, or too little paste was applied. Bond went in another direction and now applies a permanent RF85 coating on the barrel and unlock block. It provides the necessary lubrication with only the occasional drop of gun oil required.
Reliability
Bond Arms has made additional changes to the original XR9-S design to enhance the reliability of the BullPup9. XR9-S pistols often required several hundred rounds of break in shooting before all the parts mated and satisfactory reliability was achieved. Bond BullPup9s are reliable right out of the box with no extensive break-in period required.
MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS
Due to the two-step, pull from the magazine then push into chamber, feeding system of the BullPup9 not all brands of 9mm ammunition will work with this design. This has been a point of discussion and misinformation across the internet. Bond Arms is very forthcoming with this information on their website and has published a list of ammunition that is known to work, as well as a short list of ammunition to avoid. The same ammunition recommendation information is also included in the Owner’s Manual.
It’s important to note that the majority of commercially produced ammunition will work in the BullPup9. For the excluded brands, it’s all because of the amount of taper crimp the manufacturer applies to hold the bullet in the cartridge case. Without sufficient taper crimp, the rearward force of the tongs pulling the cartridge from the magazine can cause the bullet and case to separate. When that happens, the bullet stays in the magazine, the empty cartridge case tries to load into the chamber, and powder gets dumped into the magazine and lifter mechanism. Stick with the approved ammunition list, like I did, and you will avoid this unpleasantness.
With that said, I did push my luck a bit and tried Black Hills 124-grain XTP JHP and SIG Sauer 115 grain V-Crown JHP ammunition in the BullPup9. They weren’t on either the approved, or avoid, lists and both worked fine for me. Which brings us to range time.
ON THE RANGE
The BullPup9 operates just like any other semi-auto handgun. Once you train yourself to load the magazines correctly, with the bullet nose going into the magazine first, it’s pretty much business as usual. The seven round magazines are easy to load to full capacity after you practice on the first few. You won’t feel like you need a magazine loading tool for assistance. Magazines filled to capacity lock easily into the magazine well. No slamming required.
Charging the pistol for firing will require some attention the first time you do it. The slide pulls back easily at the start as the hammer is pushed back by the slide. With the hammer fully extended, the slide becomes very easy to retract until it hits a stopping point. You might think you are done pulling back the slide at this point, but the stop you feel is the activation point of the lifter that raises rounds to chamber height.
Give the slide another tug and it pulls back another eighth of an inch and the lifter activates. You can now release the slide and first round will load into the chamber. Once you see how the loading process works, briskly pulling back the slide in one motion is the best way to charge the pistol for firing. You just need to be sure to pull hard enough to activate the lifter.
Getting a Grip
Stepping up to the firing line you really start to appreciate the hand filling grips and the way the pistol balances in your hand with the grip forward design. Most will be like me and will only be able to get two fingers on the front strap. I got a solid two finger grip and curled my pinkie under the magazine base pad. There is plenty of room on the grip for your support hand. If you have a habit of hooking your support hand index finger on the front of the trigger guard, don’t do it. There really isn’t room for it and it will be dangerously close to the muzzle.
Manageable Recoil
In my experience, sub-compact and micro 9mm handguns can be pretty punishing in the recoil department. That’s not the case with the BullPup9. With the forward grip, more of the frame rests on the web of your thumb. As the pistol recoils, there is less muzzle whip and less of that uncomfortable feeling you get when the trigger guard slaps your trigger finger. Spent case ejection is brisk. You will find your empties about 10 yards behind your right shoulder. Each case will be deeply dinged and most likely unfit for reloading. Better to leave them where they land.
Advantages on the Firing Line
The main advantage of the bullpup design is squeezing a longer barrel into a short pistol. After running several different varieties of ammunition over the chronograph, I was pleased to see several of the self-defense loads moving across the sky screens at over 1100 feet per second. Without getting into a long discussion on the terminal performance of handgun ammunition, I’ll just net it out that speed is a good thing for hollow point expansion performance.
I’ve previously mentioned the very smooth double action trigger on the BullPup9. It makes it very easy to wring the accuracy out of the pistol. Accuracy testing was done standing off-hand at 10 yards. I felt this was a fitting test for a concealed carry pistol. Using my no BS accuracy test target, I fired four test groups using four different self-defense loadings. Measuring to the outside edge of each group, the average group size for the four loads tested was just under 1.7 inches. That will work.
I had the opportunity to get the BullPup9 out to the range several times during this review. Every trip was as uneventful as it was enjoyable. I didn’t experience a failure of any kind in over 400 rounds run through the pistol. If I kept my targets within 25 yards or less, I felt confident and comfortable with my ability to hit the target. That’s really what you want in a carry pistol. Something that inspires confidence and you feel comfortable shooting. If you find that combination, you might find yourself practicing more often.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Bond Arms believes in continuous incremental improvement. They are following that approach with the BullPup pistol. After setting up BullPup9 production, and on-going service support for previously produced Boberg Arms pistols, Bond is now turning their attention to the future. The company plans to introduce additional finish options, grip choices, and night sights for the BullPup9. They will also re-introduce the Boberg XR9-L and XR45 models with similar improvements to those they applied to the original Boberg XR9-S design. Bond Arms is committed to the BullPup. So much so that they recently registered a trademark on the Bullpup name. It will be very interesting to watch the future development of bullpup pistols under the leadership of Bond Arms.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of your willingness to embrace a bullpup pistol for your own needs, you have to admire the innovative thinking, engineering, and problem-solving that went into the development of the BullPup9 pistol. Arne Boberg’s patented design has been taken to the next level by the folks at Bond Arms. I give credit to Bond Arms for staying true to the original design while enhancing reliability, eliminating required break-in, simplifying maintenance, and reducing the base price of the pistol.
The BullPup9 should have the greatest appeal with buyers looking for something different that offers more value than just being a range toy. Throughout the review, the BullPup9 demonstrated the reliability and accuracy buyers should expect from a handgun designed primarily for concealed carry and personal protection. If this review has piqued your interest, head on over to the Bond Arms website for more information about ordering your own BullPup9.
For more information about Bond Arms, click here.
To purchase a Bond Arms pistol on GunsAmerica.com click here.
What is its price??
I’d try one then decide. I do like several described aspects of it.
The big things I’d be looking for are the ability and energy of racking.reliability and accuracy.
$1000 would be worth it if the above was correct to my tastes
Try to read the comments and you gotta be amazed at the number of irrelevant comments and opinions; many based on no knowledge of any kind, not to mention experience with the gun that was reviewed.
General rule of thumb when it comes to pistols – if it was a good idea, Smith & Wesson will make a copy of it.
A grand for a Bond firearm? No thank you. I have had a few Bonds in my time, the draw was the affordable price and reliability. $1,000 for a ccw 9? I’d spend the cash on a Kimber compact first. Bad price point IMHO
Damn near smallest 9 mm semi auto made. Same size as the Ruger 380 max I carry now. Bond is the highest ratio of barrel length to OAL. Almost no recoil. Mako is known to print 1st rd off test of group as it goes into battery differently during “ slingshot” or slide release than recoil from a fired shot
Ordered one, and will definitely order the .45when available. A .45 smaller than my CSX!!!
Just last night on the local news there was a story of an older guy that was nearly killed in his house by a drug crazed woman wielding a hatchet. He was awoken late at night when she broke in and he immediately reached for his gun. He said it jammed and he took a number of ax blows before he was able to stop the attack (and not with his gun). I don’t buy cheap, ‘cuz it could cost you your life someday. My philosophy is if you do it right, you’ll only have to do it once!
I think Bond Arms should lengthen the slide on both ends, scale it up to shoot .40 S&W, add a H&K P7-like squeeze-cocking feature to the grip & make it look like a Hand-Phaser from STAR TREK (the original series)! MY main problem with it is that it is 9mm and DAO. In addition to fixing BOTH of those problems, MY suggestion would make it look COOL!
I appreciate BondArms and truthfully think this is a bad move on their part as far as marketability of this pistol. If you look at what’s available today and designs that will shoot anything you can feed them with, this will see limited sales at best. A better comparison in size would be the Beretta Nano, it’s a bit smaller in all aspects except the length which is about 3/8 of inch longer. The plus to the Beretta, you could buy two and no ammo list as to what to feed it! To each their own, it’s your money!
Respect the engineering and craftsmanship.
Currently carry a LCR in 38 SPL. Compared to LCR, Bullpup is almost an inch shorter and a quarter inch narrower, about same height. Loaded Bullpup is several ounces heavier. Like the revolver, as I can shoot it from inside a pocket (have done that), not sure how the Bullpup would cycle in a pocket (would like to try it). Use Underwood all copper defense round in the LCR, get around 1100 fps, similar to Bullpup velocities. Late last summer, just after dark, a group of raccoons were maurading the garbage can- I had chased the out previously with a garden hose. They made an awful mess and noise. This eve, I went out with the LCR and had it talk to a couple raccoons. I was pretty surprised how effective the little gun/ copper loading was, quite effectively anchored a fat pair. While not a drugged out addict wanting to cause harm, the load did a great job.
If I were in the market for a new carry gun, would give the Bullpup serious consideration.
I’ve got two of these on order right now for my wife and me. According to Bond it’ll be the last week of January when they arrive.
I am confused about how the gun locks back after last bullet is emptied. You stated it does not have a slide lock. So, does the slide go backwards to where the hammer holds the slide in place? What am I missing here? Nice gun!
The review says in has no slide lock. It does not lock open after last round.
A lot of haters here it appears. This would carry, oh so nice in the waistband.. Maybe a VM2 from Milt Sparks or similar holster. I don’t know why spending a little more would even be an issue for something that would disappear on your hip? Having something that is a pleasure to carry will make you carry more. Put it in perspective.
You can get 2 Kimber micro nines on sale for that price. Ask me how I know.
I bought my Micro 9 for half that price, with Crimson Trace laser grips. IMHO, Bond Arms will have to lower the price to 1/2 or 2/3 of what is listed in this article to make it sufficiently attractive.
A Kimber is nowhere as nicely built pistol as the Bond.
Interesting. I would make a minor suggestion, purely aesthetics. When asking near a grand for a gun, I don’t want to see cheap hardware store Phillips screws.
Sounds great but I’ll just stick with carrying my S&W Model 15 with a 2 lb DA and drop the hammer when you think about it SA! 😎
Have a Safe Great New Year everyone!
I take a few things from a well written review.
If the firearm, as presented, works for a fella and the price is affordable to him then the price is right. Ford Focus buyers have no business complaining about the price of a Cobra Mustang let-alone a Porsche or Ferrari.
If a fella owns and carries one of these as a dedicated defense weapon, I should think that ensuring that it is fed the best ammunition available would over-ride not being able to shoot gun-show, zip-lock-bagged re-loads or other relative crap.
Let’s be realistic about this, within its ownership parameters, it’s not like one will be required to scrounge 9mm ammo from dead bad-guys or post-apocalyptic floor scrapings of gun shops.
To use the car analogy again – the owners of this are not going to find themselves in the scenario of a diesel owner prattling on about how he can make his truck run in an emergency on restaurant grease traps or perfume!
lastly but not exhaustively – I LOVE the relevance shown in comparing the Glock barrel to the Bond barrel. Answers a couple of the initial questions in my mind with a single image.
Todd.
The only true dedicated defense weapon is one that will fire anything of the proper caliber that’s cambered, even reloads! The choice is yours I’ll keep my shoot anything carry! A defense weapon is not like picking a fancy car over a practical car, price has little to do with overall reliability but mainly building cost aspects and marketing, a defense weapon is a tool that goes bang with anything!
“The only true dedicated defense weapon is one that will fire anything of the proper caliber that’s cambered, even reloads!”
That’s a goofy criterion and is justified using very lazy thinking.
There is a long history of firearms–both sporting and military–that are designed to work around a very specific loading. Deviate from that load too much and you WILL experience failures. No gun is immune.
While it’s lovely that you imagine a SD gun should eat whatever ammo you feed it, it is the epitome of foolishness to assume that Gun X will shoot Ammo Y with 100% reliability. Even Glocks have ammo that they don’t like. Simply put, you need to verify that your ammo of choice works, and then stick with that ammo. Period.
You have a weird assumption. Your definition fits a long term survival weapon more than the “defensive” weapon the bond is! i
A defensive weapon merely needs to shoot the brand/type of ammo you put on it!
Imagine! A 9mm the size of my Ruger .380 max, and an inch shorter than my CSX.
Ordering one tomorrow, and getting on the list, if there is one, for the similar .45
I’d go buy 4 surplus 9mm’s first ,like a CZ or something ,,, LONG LONG before paying a grand for this puppy. And say what you want ,,,I’ve had 3-4 different “center grip design” guns before and did not like them at all.
Gun manufactures have gone more than just silly on prices,,,more like ,,berserk on there MSRP and are pricing themselves right out of the market IMHO.
No way, that half the guns even available today would even peak my interests for what there asking for them. I just laugh and go about my way when I see there prices.
Well, Les, different strokes for different folks. I’m a gun carrier as is my wife and I bought them for their concealability and because if you look at a Bond firearm the quality is quite easy to see.
I’m a great believer in both performance and quality. We drive a Toyota Tundra pickup and a Z06 Corvette.
The price is silly.
You might be able to get it for $800 however that’s still not worth it.
I can get two handguns for the price of one.
Yeah you can go buy 6 or 7 Hi Points for the cost of one of these or buy a 1,200.00 Kimber and have to send it back because it wont cycle certain shells.If you like the pistol and want to spend the money good for you its on my lists of guns to get.
This concept has always been interesting, but I would never pay that kind of money for a firearm that comes with a list of ammo that won’t work in it.
Agreed!
Waiting on the BullPup40/357 or BullPup45 or 50GI… but would settle for a BullPup10mm
Glad to see that BondArms has brought it back with upgrades.
Great looking small 9 mm. But like most from NAA it is over priced for the many who carry for protection. I suggest the price to be lowered and it might happen with modern production cost and competition from other mfg’s.
“Without sufficient taper crimp, the rearward force of the tongs pulling the cartridge from the magazine can cause the bullet and case to separate. When that happens, the bullet stays in the magazine, the empty cartridge case tries to load into the chamber, and powder gets dumped into the magazine and lifter mechanism.”
Now that’s quite a malfunction.
That’s why Bond tells you which ammo to use.
You don’t put cheap gas in a Porsche either. When Boberg was still making them they were hand finished. What makes anyone think they are not made with the latest manufacturing techniques?
Bruce great review except per BONDARMS as of 1 JAN MSRP is $1099 also, a magazine loading tool to fully load the magazine greatly needed as not as easy as you describe. Otherwise perfect review. As far as edteach comments: You go ahead and get your two GOOD CCW pistols and I will have my one OUTSTANDING CCW BULLPUP 9. My life depends on it. Quality does cost but 100% reliability is worth every cent. This pistol is not a novelty or a toy. The BULLPUP 9 is a true break through in 9MM CCW and I can only believe that those that make these statements have never fired one. I own two BULLPUP 9 pistols. One for CCW and the other for practice to remain proficient. In closing each must choose what CCW they want for protection their life depends on it. For me it is the 100% reliable BULLPUP 9. Safety be with you. Dave
A real break through, yes, if you step back a century or two.with only a short list of ammo available to use and if you don’t pick the right one you’ve got nothing but a paper weight!
Actually the list of ammo is quite long. I own micro 9, 938, Kahr, Rohrbaugh, etc. I find the Bullpup to be well worth the price as a high quality concealed carry option. It is beautifully made and smaller than all of the above. While it is a bit thicker, it is also smaller than my Pico in every other dimension. Excellent trigger and is very accurate with light recoil
How thick is it
.965″ with polymer flat grips. 1.3″ with the rosewood grips shown in the review.
I like the design and I’m not a fan of polymer handguns. I also live in Crap-achusetts so it will most likely never be sold here. Ballistically speaking, my .25 baby Browning with Hornady critical defense and shoot thru holster is just as effective in up close personal defense. Striker fired and about 2 pounds of pull the micro gun size allows me to go anywhere ccw. However I do like the bullpup design of this pistol.
See also: F**k Maura Healy
Your .25 is as effective as a 9mm? Wow, ammo tech must have come a long way since I owned a .25? Mine wouldn’t even dent a 55 gallon drum!
Check out the YouTube video .25 Hornady XTP ballistic gel test. Over 10 inches of penetration after going through 4 layers of denim. Yes, you could say that bullet technology has come a long way. You will be amazed.
but how does that make it as good as a 9mm?
it doesn’t,
a bigger bullet will do more internal damage. it’s much easier for a tiny .25 cal. to pass thru gel, but it won’t exceed the wound size of a 9mm. if all you can shoot is a .25 cal. then good for you for carrying. but don’t tell me it’s just as good as a 9mm. if it was…. everyone would be buying .25 cal.’s instead of 9mm. and last i checked the over whelming majority is buying 9mm’s.
I carry a .45 cal. now tell me how your 35 gr hornady has as much stopping power as my 230 gr.
Whose Maura Healy?
If you’re not from MA than you may not know that she’s the attorney general who went rogue on the law abiding citizens and took away the sale of all AR style rifles. Did not matter that we already had Mass compliance rules. So at the cost of repeating myself:
F**k Maura Healy
John, I used to be a Security consultant. One day I took a client to s gunshow so she could look over a large variety of guns. She was looking a t a mouse gun like ours and the gun guy opened his shirt and showed her a scat on his chest where he’d been shot with a .25 and told her the slug was still lodged in his breast bone. She immediately bought a .45.
I’ve got every size pistol available from 22 .25 .380 .38 9mm and .45. I have revolvers and auto as well as SAO DAO S/DA I carry them all but sometimes, almost all the time my Browning is in my front pocket.
they also make these in 9mm. so if your hornady is so good in your .25 cal 35 gr. just think how much better it is with 115 gr. 9mm., even hornady will tell you their 9mm will do more damage. Not once has anyone ever tried to tell me that they prefer a 25 cal over a 9mm for self defense. not even women, who choose 380 cal far more than .25 cal.
Nicely made good looking compact 9mm conceal carry handgun with just the right barrel length but at a $1,000 price tag I hope they do not have expectations of selling very many… Realistically; it might be successful if the price was around $495 or less because the market is flooded with 9mm’s of that size at prices from $250 to $500. If I found a nice clean used one at a gun show at under half of retail price, I just might be tempted.
Sigh, standard, “Why $1,000 etc. etc. etc.”. “I would rather buy 2 CCW type pistols for the price and feel that I got a better deal” Uh huh…hamburger is cheaper than a Porterhouse steak…but the simple question is, do you need 2 pistols, are you buying in bulk, lower price is not always the better deal.
I’ve got a Boberg 9mm…amazing pistol. It’s accurate, soft shooting (lots softer than my Rohrbaugh 9mm) and has good sights. Yes, it’ll shoot Tula stuff, in fact it’s on Tula is on the recommended ammo sheet on the website. I like neat/interesting guns. A Lorcin is cheaper than my Sig 210, H&K PSP and Ed Brown Kobra Carry…but I work hard to afford neat stuff. Glad to hear Bond is improving the pistol…I’m pretty pleased with the old Boberg, but Bond said they could do the mods on my Boberg using the new barrel/link…but if it’s working OK, just keep using it. Good for them.
While all well and good for you as an owner, fact is in this day and age of CAD/CAM and CNC manufacturing, That price point for a product competing in a VERY competitive industry heavy with that particular type of product is NOT justifiable.
Although a unique design with SOME advantages, the price and disadvantages negate the gain for many people.
Only time will tell, and because Bond has a seemingly sound production base doesn’t mean it can carry this product at that price for long.
And honestly, your meat analogy is very weak.
While true that “lower price is not always the better deal”, the moniker ‘You get what you pay for’ is NOT always true.
Poo pooing those who balk at the price when there are so many similar guns at a FAR lesser price point with established reputations comes across as elitist poppycock.
“Meat Analogy Weak!?” I’m crushed, crushed I tell you. Actually, it’s pretty apt. Do you need a expensive pistol/steak/car/clothing? Is a Kobe beef steak worth $100? To me, nope. BMW convertible? Me, no…to my wife, yes. Designer clothes? Me…no. Will I buy Alaska salmon vs. fish stick…oh hell yes…if Mrs. Pauls is your taste-you can have mine. It’s ECON 101, if the item is not worth it to the customer, he won’t buy it….BUT, and it’s a big but (“and I can’t deny”)…to the target market, the price may be fully acceptable. Firearms are luxury items, you don’t “need” a gun. It’s not overpriced if you like it and feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Didn’t “Pooh Pooh” people who balk at the price…I did love the “Elitist Poppycock” label though…didn’t call anyone a peasant or hoi-poloi for not buying an expensive pistol (but I did comment on someone spending the same amount buying 2 cheaper pistols)
Jealousy will always be there, and it’s sad there are people who will always find problems and knock those who buy something they may want, but won’t/can’t pay for…cars, guns, hobbies, clothes. There’s a world of people happy with a Mossberg A1…an excellent pump gun…I like my old Winchester Model 12s better…so what?
We’re not a communist country with central planning (she lost). I want the choice to buy whatever I want at a price I decide if it’s worth it (compared to mandatory obama-care with the horrid price increases). Don’t want it, don’t buy it…so simple. Haven’t heard anyone whining about bass boats, motorcycles or video-game systems costing too much and flapping their hands on how there are so many “better cheaper deals” out there.
A lot of negativity. At first glance, I was impressed with what looks to be a well made and good looking handgun.
I have probably removed myself from any additional firearm purchases at my age, but I congratulate the manufacturer for expanding their market, and making more choices for the gun enthusiast at the local gun shop, or seeking to purchase something new. Whoever makes the decision to expand, invest, produce, and manufacture in the USA deserves everyone’s support and best wishes.
why would I want an expensive complicated weapon that would be used in extremely close confrontations?
what’s complicated about racking the slide and pulling the trigger? and you would use it for self defense as it is designed as a conceal carry weapon.
I Like it and I’m not a stryker fire or DAO fan, as my ccw weapon is a 1911 SAO. It may be expensive, but new technologies and designs often are in the beginning. quality costs more, but reliability is priceless.
If you look at the schematics, it’s actually not that complicated. It’s different yes, but the number of internals is actually not excessive for a DA hammer fired gun and has fewer parts than a Beretta M9. The only “complicated” thing seems to have been getting the manfacturing process down–it’s clearly not a gun that was designed with an assembly line in mind.
And why do you think this is only for “extremely” close confrontations? The review mentions “25 yards and in” which is normal engagment range for most SD guns of any size.
Cool design and I love the looks of it… but, just under $1,000 for a 9mm pocket pistol?? I would rather buy 2 CCW type pistols for the price and feel that I got a better deal.. Just seems quite overpriced in my opinion.
You could buy several Chevys for the price of a Lamborghini, but which would you rather drive? (and you won’t be using regular gas either.)
Over priced toy. If you have the money to waste and love the design go for it. But if you want a CCW there are better choices out there at half or less the price. I would rather have two good CCW pistols over one of these things. Its another solution looking for a problem.
Agreed – I would rather have a Beretta PX4 Storm in 9mm for $550 +/-
Yep an expensive novelty like Bond’s derringers, which are nicely crafted little things but you still only get 2 shots.
The G43 in photo isn’t the best comparison. It’s actually about the same size as Kahr’s smallest 9mm’s with a 7-round magazine inserted. My Kahr CM9, not fancy but well-proven, is actually smaller and lighter with the stock 6-rounder in it. And you can buy a sack full of mags and other goodies for the difference in price.
I have had a kahr cm9 for around 5 years now and it has never had a single malfunction. Its got at least 2k round thru it, which is pretty high for a micro 9 Imo. Its eaten my really light cast and powder coated loads i make for range fun, through hot hornady xtp hand loads, to 158gr 38spl cast bullets sized down to .356 and loaded as sub sonic rounds just for the heck of it. For $350 Its pretty amazing I think. If they want to pick up customers outside of the people who buy everything weird or the people with more money than they can spend, I think they’ll have to lower the price substantially as well. If they can hit $650 i bet they’ll have a winner though.
I carry a Kahr Cm9 as a pocket piece as well and so does the little woman after I carried this one a bit.You really can’t beat em for the price.
“The G43 in photo isn’t the best comparison. It’s actually about the same size as Kahr’s smallest 9mm’s with a 7-round magazine inserted. My Kahr CM9, not fancy but well-proven, ”
Not really. The CM9 is more comperable to the old Boberg XD9L (L=”long).
Here’s a photo comparison of these two: https://www.northwestfirearms.com/attachments/bup1abh-jpg.116738/
Even hree, the Boberg design is slightly more compact, and it had a 4.1″ barrel as well.
Good review- I’m glad to see these back on the market, with Bond Arms putting some effort into updating and refining these firearms.
Your definition of a bullpup is backward.
He said the trigger group is in front of the action. Sounds right to me… Unless its already been edited.
Jamie & Michael,
Michael pointed out an error that was induced in editing. It has since been fixed. Thank you for pointing it out!
Best,
Laura
You’re welcome. Very interesting article.
But will it shoot cheap aluminum? Is Tula verboten?
Unless Tula has fixed their 9mm case design…I wouldn’t use it in ANYTHING.
Tula is actually on the approved list.