I have the .45/.410 bond arms snakeslayer derringer. Mine is the snakeslayer IV with the 4 1/4 inch barrel and the extended grip. I suggest getting the extended grip.

It serves the specific intended purpose for me of killing snakes. Our tropical piney woods have muddy logging trails, and as soon as our short chilly season ends, the moccasins sit in the water holes in the trails and wait for any frog bird or whatever happens by. I used to carry my old .410 single shot with me on the 4 wheeler, but the derringer is very handy and keeps my hands free. Last summer getting ready for the deer season I killed either 6 or 7 moccasins(lost count)and one copperhead. Our woods seem to be a breeding ground for the moccasins, and If I go a season and ignore them they seem to come back twofold the following year. Plus, they are just fun to shoot.

The bond arms derringersare a bit pricey, but they are very well made. They are not the traditional derringer you think of when you might consider carrying it in your pocket for a backup gun. I have the BATB high and tight leather holster I ordered from bonds. Sometimes I carry it, but I have a few other guns that I think are better carry options. When I do carry it, I have it loaded with .45 LC. I think it would be much easier to carry than the Judge, because the Judge looks pretty big and bulky to me. Iwouldn't ever see myself using the Judge as a carry gun because of the bulk, but there might be an advantage to having more shots in the cylinder for snakes without having to carryextras in your pocket.

Another cool feature of the bonds derringer is the ability to order different barrels to change caliber. For about $140, you can pretty much change it into any gun by turning one allen screw. I foot the bill for one box of .45 LC shells, and then ordered a Lee Loader to reuse the brass. The little bit of rifling that is in the .45/.410 barrel stabilizes the bullet out to about 12 yards. After that, my .250 gr. SWC's key hole. I'm thinking about getting a fully rifled .45 colt barrel. I wish the law would allow a fully smooth bore.

Here is a creation of mine. It is a .45 LC shell loaded with 8.8 grains of herco, a felt wad, and aprox. 132 grains of 7 1/2 shot on top of that. I shot a snake out in the yard with it, and it killed the snake with ease. My only problem is sealing off the end. The card board wad with liquid glass on the end is coming loose with the recoil of the first shot. This one is sealed with a Styrofoam wad, and a thicker layer of Elmer's glue. I haven't had a chance to try it yet.

C. Davis