First Time Gun Owners

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First Time Gun Owners

Types & Terms:

The most popular handguns for sport shooting and self-defense fall into three distinct categories: revolvers, semi-automatics and Derringer-style handguns. Each type offers its own unique characteristics regarding loading and feeding of ammunition, complexity of operation, and ease of concealment.

  • Double Action – Each trigger pull will cock the hammer, or firing mechanism, and fire a round.

  • Single Action – You must pull the hammer back each time when firing a round.

  • Automatic – A firearm that automatically feeds ammunition as long as the trigger is depressed.

  • Semi-Automatic – A firearm designed to fire a single round and reload the chamber each time the trigger is pulled.

  • Backstop – Anything located behind the target that is intended to stop the bullet after the target is struck.

  • Cartridge – The complete round of ammunition. This includes its casing, primer, powder, and bullet.

  • Dry Firing – Operating a firearm without its ammunition.

  • Trajectory – The path a projectile travels from the muzzle to point of contact.

  • Bond Arms Handgun – The Bond Arms Double Barrel Handgun is a single action precision engineered Derringer-style handgun. We set out to improve the quality, safety, and firepower of the Remington Model 95 over-under Derringer, and in the process created a handgun that we believe belongs in a class of its own.

  • Racking The Slide – In a semi-automatic, the first round must be chambered manually. Grasp the rear of the slide making sure to avoid contact with the ejection port of your gun. Pull the slide back to its rearmost position and release the slide. Be sure to keep your hand clear of moving parts as the slide springs forward.

  • The Semi-Automatic – The semi-automatic pistol utilizes a rebounding slide that cycles the next round after firing. Ammunition is loaded into a magazine and inserted into the handle or grip. To load the weapon, the user must pull back then release the slide to chamber the first round. Semi-automatics tend to have higher capacity magazines, at the cost of complex parts that must be maintained.

  • The Bond Double Barrel Handgun – The Bond Double Barrel Handgun is extremely compact and easy to conceal. We believe that due to its few components, the Bond Double Barrel Handgun is the most reliable of the three handgun types (the Revolver, Semi-Automatic, Derringer-style). Bond Arms handguns utilize interchangeable barrels for a wide variety of calibers and tend to have less felt recoil than others of its kind. Derringers typically have a two-round capacity.

 

Ammunition:

There is no easy way to determine which handgun ammunition is right for you. There are dozens of popular calibers, with dozens of bullet styles and dozens of powder recipes.

Full Metal Jacket

Full Metal Jacket – Full metal jacket rounds (FMJ) are simply a copper jacket completely surrounding a lead core and are most commonly shaped as a ball or a flattened cone. FMJ rounds are inexpensive so they are ideal for practicing at the range. They are not recommended for personal defense because they tend to pass through the target.

Hollow Point Rounds

Hollow Point Rounds – Hollow point rounds, however, are designed specifically for self-defense. The hollow tip of the bullet is designed to expand upon impact. This expansion slows or even stops the bullet shortly after penetrating the target so there is less opportunity to impact whatever may be behind the target. Hollow points are more expensive, so stick to FMJs at the range.

Shot Shells

Shot Shells – Shot shells are special ammunition that contains multiple projectiles in one cartridge case. For handguns, the caliber is .410. These shells are constructed the same way as the more common 12-gauge shell, except they are in a smaller package that is more easily managed in a handgun. Shot shells may contain many small projectiles, or just a few larger ones, and are designed to scatter when fired. This scattering can be beneficial in a personal defense situation when you may not have the time to take good aim.

Rimmed Cartridges

Rimmed Cartridges – Rimmed cartridges serve many purposes, but its most common purpose is to allow the firearms extractor to remove a fired cartridge casing from the chamber.

Rimless Cartridges

Rimless Cartridges – Full metal jacket rounds (FMJ) are simply a copper jacket completely surrounding a lead core and are most commonly shaped as a ball or a flattened cone. FMJ rounds are inexpensive so they are ideal for practicing at the range. They are not recommended for personal defense because they tend to pass through the target.

 

Cleaning & Storage:

  • Always clean your firearm as the manufacturer recommends.
  • Understand the layout of your firearm before disassembling.
  • Always clean your firearm in a well-ventilated area.
  • Store your firearm horizontally on a padded shelf. When storing multiple firearms align them muzzle to grip.
  • Consider using a trigger lock when storing the firearm. A trigger lock covers the trigger preventing it from firing.
  • Consider using a cable lock. A cable lock is the safest option, preventing the firearm from firing, or loading rounds into the chamber.
  • Consider using a gun safe. The gun safe is also an excellent option for convenience, and if the owner has multiple firearms.
  • Store your ammunition in a location separate from your firearm.
  • Typical cleaning products include cotton cleaning patches, double-ended nylon cleaning brushes, mops for your shotguns in the gauges that you own, rags, rubber cleaning mat, a set of dental picks, and pipe cleaners.
  • Cleaning a Bond Arms Double Barrel Handgun is a breeze!
  • Simply spray down your brass bore brush and run it down each barrel from the rear (breech).
  • DO NOT spray directly on the gun itself.
  • DO NOT clean the barrel from the front (muzzle).
  • DO NOT use a steel bore brush.

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