Bond Arms Cyclops 45 70 Govt 4 25 Stainless Single Shot

About this product

The Bond Arms Cyclops is a single-shot break-action derringer chambered in .45-70 Government, a rifle cartridge better known for lever-action rifles than handguns, built with a 4.25-inch stainless barrel on Bond Arms' standard derringer frame. It's a niche, high-power specialty handgun rather than a general-purpose carry or range pistol, built for shooters specifically interested in handling one of the most powerful cartridges commonly available in a single-shot pistol format.

Why chamber a small derringer in a rifle cartridge like .45-70?

Bond Arms built the Cyclops specifically to give .45-70 shooters — hunters and big-bore enthusiasts already invested in the cartridge for lever guns — a genuinely pocketable single-shot option using the same round. The .45-70 delivers substantially more energy than any standard handgun cartridge, which is the entire appeal for buyers seeking a backup or specialty defensive handgun capable of that power level in a hideout-sized package.

What should I expect from recoil and shootability?

Because the Cyclops is a single-shot break-action design rather than a semi-auto or double-action revolver, it doesn't need to cycle after firing, but the tradeoff is a 7-pound trigger pull and significant felt recoil given the pistol's light weight relative to the cartridge's power. At around 28 ounces unloaded and 27.8 ounces empty, this is a genuinely difficult gun to shoot comfortably with full-power .45-70 loads, and it's built more as a specialty or backup handgun than a primary range gun for high-volume shooting.

Does it need an FFL, and how does delivery work?

Yes — as a firearm, the Cyclops ships to a licensed FFL dealer for pickup, not to your home address, where you'll complete the standard background check and transfer paperwork.

Is this legal to buy and carry in California?

California maintains its own roster of handguns approved for retail sale by licensed dealers, and single-shot and specialty-frame pistols like break-action derringers have historically had different regulatory treatment than semi-auto or revolver designs in some states. Confirm current California roster status and any specific requirements for single-shot pistols with your FFL before ordering — don't assume derringer-format handguns are automatically treated the same as other pistol types.

At 6.75 inches overall and 1.25 inches at its widest, the Cyclops keeps Bond Arms' traditional compact derringer footprint despite chambering a cartridge normally associated with much larger firearms, which is the core novelty and appeal of this specific model within the company's broader derringer lineup.

Bond Arms built its reputation on break-action derringers chambered in a wide range of calibers, from small self-defense rounds up through .45 Colt/.410 combinations, and the Cyclops represents the extreme end of that spectrum in terms of raw cartridge power. Because it's single-shot, follow-up shot speed depends entirely on how quickly the shooter can break the action open, extract the spent case, and reload — there's no mechanical assist the way a semi-auto or double-action revolver provides. That tradeoff is a deliberate design choice for a specialty handgun like this rather than an oversight, and buyers should go in with clear expectations about what a single-shot .45-70 pistol is and isn't suited for before making this purchase. Many owners carry it as a supplemental woods gun alongside a rifle rather than as a sole means of defense, valuing its raw stopping power over any consideration of capacity or speed of follow-up shots.