Bond Arms Rowdy XL: Small Size, Big Hitting Power

by Zac K

Published: June 27th, 2024

bond arms rowdy xl small size big hitting power

What if you want a Derringer-style pistol… with lots of hitting power… and you want to be able to actually hit what you’re aiming at? If you were designing a pistol like that, you might end up with something like the Bond Arms Rowdy XL.

Bond Arms @ TFB:

Beefing up the Rowdy Derringer

Like much of Bond Arms’ lineup, the Rowdy XL is a big-bore handgun, chambered for .45 LC or .410 Bore. While .45 LC isn’t a magnum round, it’s a lot of cartridge for a small-frame, lightweight handgun like a derringer. Shooters might have found the original Rowdy Derringer a bit of a challenge to shoot accurately with its smaller grip and 3-inch barrel. So, we get the Rowdy XL, with some parts built up for easier handling. As per Bond Arms’ website:

We took the things you love about the Rowdy such as a solid frame, quality engineered parts, and the power of the .45 Colt or .410 bore and then we improved it with

- A slightly beefier 3.5" barrel for better accuracy, and

- B6 Grips with a smooth backstrap for a superior hold!

While 3.5 inches is still a very short barrel, it should make a particularly noticeable improvement for shooters who are using .410 Bore shotgun shells in their derringer.

A mostly-familiar formula

Still, the Rowdy XL is a lightweight, compact pistol, with an overall length of 6 inches and a weight of 22 ounces. Bond Arms used stainless-steel construction, like its other derringers, meaning it should last a long time and is legal in jurisdictions that ban so-called “pot metal” guns.

Fixed sights are standard, and of course, the Rowdy XL uses a standard derringer break-action design.

The Bond Arms Rowdy XL has been on the market for a few months now; its MSRP in 2024 is $349. For more photos and information, check out Bond Arms’ website here.

Zac K

Professional hoser with fudd-ish leanings.

More by Zac K

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2 of 4 comments

Evan 3 days ago

Derringers are stupid. Bigger derringers like this one are even more stupid than a smaller one in .38 or something.

For that price, you can get a used Glock 43x, which is about the same size and exponentially more useful.

1 Reply
Hoyden 13 hours ago

.45-70 or GTFO

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Bond Arms Rowdy XL: Small Size, Big Hitting Power

Beefing up the Rowdy Derringer

A mostly-familiar formula

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