any micropistol NAA Guardian .380 owners?

W

William Jesse Magnum

New member
Im thinking of getting a North American Arms Guardian micropistol in .380 caliber for CCW..... i just havent found any reviews from any owners yet...

Any feedback re reliability/quality/accuracy/etc would be of a big help!

Appreciate it!! Happy & Safe shooting to all!
380big.jpg
 
playboypenguin... Thanks for the post and your rangereport.. il check it out.

Also, iv read your post on the thread title "Smallest semi you'd trust for CC? "

[The smallest would be the Seecamp LWS380. The .380acp round is an adequate manstopper and the size is unbelievable. Also, the quality is second to none.

After that would be the Rohrbaugh R9s. It is the world's smallest and lightest 9mm pistol and it is a real marvel.]


I agree that the smallest caliber a gunowner should only have is the .380.. any less than that (for me) is not good enough for defense.

Is the Seecamp LWS380 & Rohrbaugh R9 really good ones? Im also on the search for a really small acurate pistol for everyday carry. I live in Manila (rather tropical climate almost 365 days in a year) and so its hard to conceal a handgun any larger than a Kahr.

Il try to look for a Seecamp LWS380 & a Rohrbaugh R9, but im sure its going to be a tough find.

My first choice was the NAA....and maybe because that's the only smallest pistol iv seen (the other being the Kel-Tec in which i saw at the gunshow, got the feel of the pistol and sorry to say, didnt believe it would live up to 250 rounds of weekly practice - ive studied reviews of Kel-tec and i was not wrong at all.. besides have you seen how thin the barrel is? )
 
The Seecamp is the best choice for ultimate-concealability. I would always recommend it first to anyone wanting a gun of adequate firepower, top-notch craftsmanship, and the easiest possible concealment. After that I would go with the NAA Guardian if you are okay with the .380acp and size is the biggest consideration for you. If you do not mind a little more size and would rather have a higher caliber then I would say get the Rohrbaugh.

One thing you need to remember is any gun this size is not made to be shot 250 rounds a week. It is made to be shot about 100 rounds when you first get it then put 20 rounds through it ever six months or so to stay familiar. They are carry guns by design...not range guns.

These show the size of the LWS380 compared to the Guardian and the R9s.

Guardian-Seecamp.jpg


R9s-LWS.jpg
 
I have the 380 NAA which functions as it should. I use the black zippered carry case it comes in for summer carry when I wear t-shirt and jeans; other seasons I carry a P45. The NAA is a sob to shoot as it stings like heck...at least in my hand it does. In fact, I use a shooting glove to absorb the sting. But like Playboypenguin says, its not a range gun, but a close up carry gun that does what its supposed to do. I shoot a few mags thru it occasionally but it ain't fun. :eek:
 
PBP, I really appreciate all the trouble you endure to provide info and pics for us at TFL.

Looking at the Seecamp/R9 pic, is that accurate, ie are both pics the same scale? I'm a little surprised that the R9 is that much larger. I know you have both and so I'll trust your answer, I'm just surprised there' that much difference.
 
Looking at the Seecamp/R9 pic, is that accurate, ie are both pics the same scale?
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Yup, both guns are exactely 6/10 scale. The Seecamp is unbelievably small. There is no way the Rohrbaugh culd be even close (especially with an aluminum frame) and still be shootable.

The best way to tell if guns are proper scale is check the triggers. triggers are almost always a standard size on guns that have full trigger guards.
 
PBP - thanks for making us realize that "compact carry pistols not being range guns" .. it does makes perfect sense.

this is why i frequently kill time in forums like these, to help and be helped.

so now comes my next agenda...to be able to find a Seecamp in my area and look it up at our local gun directory...

Thanks again! appreciate it! saved your comparison pics though..just for my own record...
 
NAA Guardians/Accuracy

I have the .32NAA version of the Guardian. It is the same size as the .380 and it shoots a bottleneck .32-380 cartridge. They are certainly not range guns and can be uncomfortable to shoot for long periods of time. That being said though they are surprisingly accurate for such small pistols.

There's a series of pistol challenges ongoing at TheHighRoad. One is titled the "long walk - short pier" challenge and requires shooting a 3" barrel or shorter handgun at 50 ft. and posting the results. Here is my effort at this with the guardian. Six shots two handed at 50ft.

NAA%20Target%207-26-07.jpg


Overall it was a 4 inch spread. The first shot was a bit of a flyer from the main group, of which three rounds cloverleafed.

The NAA Guardian line is certainly well built and capable in a defensive role. I'm looking around for a .380 myself locally.
 
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I have the .32NAA version of the Guardian. It is the same size as the .380 and it shoots a bottleneck .32-380 cartridge. They are certainly not range guns and can be uncomfortable to shoot for long periods of time. That being said though they are surprisingly accurate for such small pistols.
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The .32NAA is actually the least comfortable of the NAA Guardians to shoot. It is comparable to shooting the LWS380. That round is very abusive. Even the add on grips and stuff you can buy from NAA say "Not for use on the .32NAA models" because the grips crack on that platform.
 
Yep. And you can't get the guttersnipe sight option done either. Takes too much metal out of the slide and increases slide velocity to an unsafe level.
 
Guardians

These are tough little guns. They are made of 17-4pH steel. That is what the first uber-magnum revolver parts were made from. I am very confident when I say I feel safe with a certain firearm. If anything is taking a beating it would be the spring.
 
forgot to post this

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Type 17-4PH stainless steel has excellent mechanical properties. For applications requiring high strength and hardness as well as corrosion resistance.
 
Something else not mentioned on this subject is the Gutter Sniping on the 32ACP Guardian. I too use to think sights on a pocket pistol were stupid but since I found this sweeeeet gun I have changed my mind. The difference in ballistics between the 380 and the 32 is minimal out of such a short barrel, so don't take the 32 Guardian off your list.
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The difference in ballistics between the 380 and the 32 is minimal out of such a short barrel, so don't take the 32 Guardian off your list.
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When you get right down to it the only real difference is a slight difference in expansion and a mere couple inches of penetration so the main difference is just the the .32 leaves a slightly smaller hole. If you hit your mark that differnce makes little differnce. :)
 
My only complaint on Guardian is weights more than a S&W snub and shoots a smaller round.
I carry a Ket Tec its relieable and weights a lot less. None of these pocket pistols are 250 rounds a week range guns. Their not made for that porpose. Their to carry and use for SD. and a little range time to keep proficient with it.
 
I will have to check that claim. I have a model 60 and I am positive it weighs more than my Guardian. I have carried it in my pocket and it sagged my pants way more than the Guardian ever does, plus the 60 is probably twice as thick. Not trying to argue with you, maybe you're right, but I have carried both and the Guardian is way easier to conceal. As far as capacity goes, if the package was the same I think I would trade 5-+P38's for 7- 32 ACP's.
For those of you who haven't seen what the gutter sniping looks like here is a pic, sorry for the crappy photo.

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