ExArmy11b

Here's an excellent web article about these guns, they discuss this very topic, about how .22 WMR and the .22 Hi Velocity rounds don't offer much advantage out of the tiny revolver. HP's fail to expand due to low velocity.

Educational Zone #122 - Product Evaluation - The North American Arms Mini Revolvers - Page 1


Here's another one:

North American Arms Mini Revolver

The box 'o truth guys decided, through chrono testing and the "water jug" test, that .22 WMR offers only a slight ballistic advantage over the hotter .22 LR rounds like Mini Mag. They seem to think the blast and recoil isn't worth the trade off, and that .22 WMR needs a longer barrel to really be effective. But the penetration of the .22 LR out of the NAA is more than I thought it would be.

"Pop guns" can be neat, but again, I'm not one of those guys who puts CCI Stingers in my .22 and thinks he has the next best thing to a .357......there is a lot of information out there about .22 LR and WMR for defense. I also have a .25 Beretta and this is another "pocket popper" but it can do the job when I can't carry anything else.

Caliber choice is entirely subjective. I believe in different tools for the job. I wouldn't hammer in a nail with a wrench, but if I had to, it could do in a pinch. If I were planning a road trip, or a trip to some "bad" areas I would not pack just an NAA Mini revolver, or even a small pocket auto. I would make a point to dress around my gun, so I could conceal a .357 revolver or my 10mm pistol.

Carry in the home is also becoming surprisingly common. Even in my "sleepy little town" there have been home invasions, usually elderly women are targeted but you never know...........people on meth or PCP don't care, if you have something they want. If you were so inclined to want a gun on you at home, the little NAA revolver would be ideal. You could watch TV or do whatever and not even feel like you had anything on you. It could buy you precious seconds to get to a more substantial weapon.

303lithgow

Thanks for the links.

Smithy

I too have selected the mini mag rubber grip for my second NAA mini, but the holster grip offers a level of concealment that an extended fat sticky rubber grip would not and that's why I went with the holster grip (clip removed) in an inside the pants holster. At one time I had a set of 22 short, 22 LR, and 22 Mag, and let them get away from me and now I can't replace them since I live in California. There are actually four NAA choices for CA residents: the standard 1 1/8" barreled 22LR and the same in 22 Mag. The other two are the 4" and 6" barreled Earl's since they are exempt from the CA safety requirements. I would have one of each if I could since I love NAA products. Smithy.

RJTravel

Get the boot grips - you can then actually get some control with two fingers. It is longer and a bit wider but I can't really notice any difference for conceal. As already mentioned ALWAYS use a holster - one that covers the hammer and secures the cylinder from turning. A rimfire is very malleable and easy to crush and detonate - it doesn't take much. Also, the inherent accuracy may be surprising. I used a red dot scope and can get close to an inch group across my basement - about 22-24 feet.

terry_p

You put a red dot on a NAA revolver and shot it in your basement????? Help me out here what am I missing?? Can you post some pics??

Rivers2k

I always thought these were cool! I can be all thumbs some times and since they are so small I am afraid I will shoot my self in the hand, so I haven't got one yet. But congrats on yours they are very cool little guns.

ExArmy11b

Now THIS is just absurd! A bayonet for the NAA mini! Might as well just carry an extra folding knife......



I have seen these, they seem like a "tacti cool" accessory but for CC I would have no use for this. At the ranges an NAA would be used, a laser would just add needless bulk to the gun. By the time you draw it, and turn the laser on and then cock it, you could have already fired the gun. But, I can't help but want one of these just as a "toy" for the NAA

I found out NAA makes the .22 LR version with a 1/2" longer barrel than mine, along with the .22 WMR with the same size barrel. I don't know how much 1/2" of barrel would help velocity, but it would probably bump it up 50 fps. or so.



I'm also kinda interested in one of these, the NAA Guardian .32 Auto. It seems like a very small pistol, and it's DAO. They have a .380 which is a little bigger. The smallest auto I have is my AMT Backup .380, and I don't like the "cocked and locked" mode you have to carry it in. I also have my Beretta .25, but .25 is a weakling of a SD round, and the Beretta Tomcat .32 seems bigger than the Guardian. A lot of people love the Guardians and say they are as well made as the little revolvers, and the price is only $350. Certainly not a "range gun" but few people buy micro pistols to use as shooters.

RJTravel

terry_p You put a red dot on a NAA revolver and shot it in your basement????? Help me out here what am I missing?? Can you post some pics??

Pretty easy to understand. You miss nothing - shouldn't need any "help". Anyone can clamp a lazer or red dot on a mini to see inherent accuracy. No thinking person would leave it on for carry. We have 5 naa revolvers and one can do good work with either the iron-sighted Blk Widow or M/Master, but the std minis have no real sights and it's nearly impossible to hit anything without optics.

terry_p

Post a pic I have to see it.

ExArmy11b

Putting a laser on a Mini is one of those things I would do "just to do it"

A "tactical" pocket popper

I need to shoot my Mini more, just for fun, so I can learn where to hold the front sight blade above the frame to get it to hit.

I also like to push the limits of my guns, so I can see myself trying the Mini out to 50 yards to see if I can actually hit anything.

I shot my .32 S&W short S&W break-top revolver out to 100 yards once and surprisingly was actually able to score hits on a B-27 target........at that range, the bullet probably wouldn't have the energy to stop a field mouse, but there were holes in the target and I was shocked that I didn't even have to aim all that high.

NAA made these Minis in .17HMR but they had issues with them jamming up from the fired cases swelling and hitting against the recoil shield,jamming the gun, so they stopped making them. They are desirable to NAA collectors now.

I would love to see a .32 short NAA mini, it would be a fun little toy. I know we'd never see it, but a DA Mini would be neat too.

RJTravel

terry_p
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2007
...Post a pic I have to see it...

Done it with both red dot and laser - works with both. Scroll up to post by ExArmy to see pic. It is very elementary.

ExArmy11b

Just read about Quik Shok .22 LR ........looks promising but I wonder if the mini can generate enough velocity to make these effective.