Meet the Cyclops
Allow us to introduce what may just be the most potent chambering in the smallest package. The Bond Arms Cyclops, built as a single shot on much the same frame as the company’s other derringer designs, is simply a must-see, must-shoot sidearm. The American-made beast uses a 4.25-inch barrel with basic iron sights, full stainless-steel build, and proprietary high-strength grips.
Bond Arms owners will find Cyclops’ controls familiar, with the same fixed sights, left-mounted barrel release lever, and push-button crossbolt safety. At closer glance, though, Bond fans will see the company beefed up its standard two-shot design to stand up to the heavy recoil of the .45-70 Gov’t.
Gone are the usual barrel contours and grooving in exchange for a solid hunk of stainless. Those flat sides on the barrel wear unique and humorous engraving.
From the muzzle face to the words “Verify Clear” near the chamber face, Bond has dressed up this little gem. Grips are B6 resin with a checkered pattern, tested to withstand the stout recoil where other materials failed.
Models
With a solid stainless-steel build and matte finish, our test model Cyclops belongs to the “Rough” series, with a less polished, matte appearance. Bling lovers might prefer stepping up to the Cyclops “Satin Package,” with the firearm showing high polish on all surfaces for an even more eye-popping appearance, not to mention that kit includes the quite adorable matching black leather holster.
The barrel hinge bolt remains similar to other Bond pieces with interchangeable barrels, which may just be another indication of what’s to come. The company has already launched a .44 Magnum version of the Cyclops, which will undoubtedly be a solid seller. But when you can have a statement piece like the Cyclops .45-70, why step down to .44?
About the .45-70
We’d be remiss to proclaim the innovation of the Cyclops without taking a glance at the chambering that sets it apart from anything else on the market. We’ve written about the now 150-year-old .45-70 Government chambering ad nauseum, yet that content almost unilaterally comes in terms of a stout lever action rifle, falling block, or trapdoor design. Remember, this is a serious centerfire thumper launching 300 to 550-grain projectiles.
Heretofore, the lone successful exception has been Magnum Research’s Biggest Finest Revolver, a 5-pound, long cylinder, five-shot single-action revolver with either a 7- or 10-inch barrel. Sure, Magnum Research teased us with a one-off Thunder Snub BFR with a stubby barrel, but that’s a custom.
Now, the .45-70 finds a home in Bond’s pint-sized piece, compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The laser-engraved true-to-scale replica of a .45-70 round on the barrel’s left profile highlights just how long those cartridges actually are – and how much of the “barrel” is dedicated to chambering the round.
To be fair, the Cyclops is not truly a derringer in the sense of a double barrel, but rather a single shot with extra beef to the build. While it would be handy to have a true double-barreled handgun in .45-70, serious concerns about stressed frames, cracked grips, and doubling have us sold on this beefed-up one-shot Cyclops. This gun is built to last, not just as a flash in the pan.
While we’d aesthetically prefer laminate or wood grips, purely on old school personal preferences, company testing has shown that (thus far anyway) only the included resin composite panels can withstand the recoil.
Field Notes
Fit and finish on the Cyclops is tight, with a high level of attention to detail, even though ours is considered part of the Rough series, evidenced by its less polished frame. Our test gun’s trigger broke repeatedly at a hair under 7 pounds, which seems amply heavy, yet suitable enough for this type of piece.
The unloaded rig weighs in at 1.75 pounds, and while it feels hefty in the hand given its footprint, that poundage comes in mighty handy at managing recoil. In fact, at some times, more weight would be welcome.
Lockup is vault-tight right out of the box, and after 55-plus rounds through the gun, including some zippier Federal, Buffalo Bore, and Fiocchi, nothing has changed. Controls are smooth, albeit heavy, just as with their counterparts.
While the textured grips aren’t much to look at compared to some of Bond’s other rosewood or laminate pieces, they offer plenty of hold on the baby cannons and feel friendly in the hand.
It’s no secret that short-barreled handguns, derringers, or pocket pistols are not built for long range or precision target shooting, but where they excel is packability and close-quarters defense. The sights are not adjustable, yet plenty adequate for the purpose. We shot for defense groups at roughly 7 yards and were pleasantly surprised at both the accuracy and controllability on these snubs.
The Recoil
Given the size of the Cyclops, we were pleasantly surprised at how manageable the recoil was; however, that should be qualified by two statements. First, we did most of our range work firing the lighter end of factory loads, including Remington Core Lokt 405-grain SP and Hornady Subsonic 410-grain Sub-X. Secondly, we were wearing shooting gloves – partly because of winter, but only partly. As each of our small group of practiced shooters learned, shooting gloveless revealed a bit of palm bite upon repeated firing.
While we’re no stranger to recoil, there’s manageable recoil, and then there’s an unpleasant category. Quite honestly, stepping up to “hot” .45-70 loads pushed in into the latter. While the gun can certainly handle it, none of our shooters found it overly pleasant.
Stick to the lighter end of the ammunition, though, and the Cyclops is quite a hoot on the range. What’s more, with a little practice on the trigger, grip feel, and sight alignment, shooters can become surprisingly proficient.
Conclusion
