Bond Arms Honey B Review

Earlier this year, Bond Arms released its Honey B with the new B6 resin grips and Rough Series finish (below). Part of the Stinger RS series, the derringer features a replaceable barrel that is compatible with all other pistols in the series. Chambered in your choice of .22 LR, .22 Mag (new), .380, .38 Special, and 9mm, barrel swaps are simple. As a result, you can swap between calibers right at the range with the included Allen wrench.

The Bond Arms Honey B in Hand

Much like the Cyclops (that I shot a couple of weeks ago), the B6 resin grips fill the hand nicely and are very comfortable. Although it is much smaller than the Cyclops, the Honey B has a good heft to it at 17.5 ounces. As a result, the diminutive pistol successfully mitigated the felt recoil for both shots.

I’ve noticed with both the Cyclops and Honey B, the grip angle raises the muzzle with a straight wrist grip. In order to properly align the sights, I have to angle my wrist downward as if aiming low. This was not a game changer or uncomfortable, just something I had to be aware of with each shot. I did find that I had a couple of shots that were kind of high due to this.

Unlike on some other models, the trigger guard is not removable. But I am okay with that, as this will be designated for pocket carry, and I prefer the extra coverage. In addition, the safety and locking lever are well-placed for easy actuation.

Swapping barrels is very easy, whether at home or on the range, and Bond Arms includes the required Allen wrench. However, to make the job a little easier, I used the small screwdriver in the Real Avid Smart-Torq & Driver Master Set. It easily fit into my range bag and gave me a little extra leverage, ensuring the barrel was properly tightened.

Shooting the Honey B

A couple of weeks ago, I took the Cyclops, chambered in .45-70, out to the range to shoot some pumpkins. Unfortunately, I learned a lesson about how deceptively hollow pumpkins actually are.

For as much stuff as there is in a pumpkin, it is not a dense target. So, the pumpkin didn’t provide as much entertainment as I had hoped. But this time, we filled one with water and got much better results.

I shot the Honey B along with a couple of friends, and we all agreed that it was a lot of fun to shoot. This will most likely make every range trip with me, just for a fun way to wrap up the day. Not to mention, it would be good to regularly practice with the angle of the grip. Although, at close quarters, as this is designed for, it really is negligible.

Although I didn’t measure it, the trigger pull is fairly heavy, and I have heard reports of around 7 pounds. You have to be very deliberate when you pull the trigger.

Shooting the .38 Special was easy to manage and would be a good round for new shooters or smaller statures. However, the 9mm was a little sportier, and the Hornady Critical Defense won out as the round I will be carrying.

As a short-range belly gun, I didn’t shoot for accuracy testing. However, at roughly 7 yards, I was on the pumpkin without any issue. And once we filled the final pumpkin with water for the last shots, we got the mess we were looking for. It was quite satisfying.

On April 25, 2023, Personal Defense World reported:

There’s an old joke in the outdoors community. When someone yells “Bear!” everyone looks around and asks, “where?” But when someone yells “Bee!” everyone runs. Even the great Muhammad Ali once said, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” And now Bond Arms makes that more feasible for us mere mortals with its new Honey B derringer. Chambered in .22 LR, .380, 9mm, or .38 Special, the pocket pistol makes a great backup or close-quarters solution.

The Bond Arms Honey B

Building on the success of the new B6 grips and Stinger Rough Series, Bond Arms brings a welcome mashup. Utilizing a stainless-steel frame with the Rough series finish, the Honey B is rugged and substantial in hand. Weighing a total of 17.5 ounces, the Honey B provides a manageable weight that helps mitigate recoil impulse.

Likewise, the addition of the new B6 grips helps to ensure a solid purchase and secure retention when firing. The grips are constructed of B6 resin and have diamond texturing for additional grip. The extended grip features a hand-filling palm swell and pinky cut to help lock it into the hand.

The Honey B comes with a 3-inch stainless-steel barrel chambered in your choice of .22 LR, .380, 9mm, or .38 Special. However, the barrel is interchangeable, so you can buy one caliber and swap out the barrel for a different caliber. This works well if you would like to practice with .22 LR but carry 9mm, for example.

But it is worth noting that .22 LR is not available as an accessory barrel. So, if you want .22 LR, you must start with a full .22 LR pistol. Then you can switch to any of the other calibers because the other three are all available as accessory barrels. It is also important to know that the Honey B is not compatible with hand cannon or original Stinger barrels.

Like the Stinger Rough Series, the Honey B has retracting firing pins and a patented rebounding hammer. The single-action pistol features a 7-pound trigger pull and is secured via a cross-bolt safety. As a result, the pistol carries safely in the pocket or in a holster until ready to fire.

Availability

The Bond Arms Honey B is available now with an MSRP of $320.00. For more info, please visit BondArms.com.

Bond Arms Honey B Specs

Caliber: .22LR, .380, 9mm, .38 Special
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Grip Material: B6 Resin
Grip Size: Extended
Sights: Fixed
Length: 5.5 inches
Weight: 17.5 ounces
Ammo Capacity: 2
Action: Single Action
Trigger Pull Weight: 7 pounds
Trigger Guard: Yes
MSRP: $320.00