Experiences with NAA Guardian .32?

K

Kestrel

New member
I'm thinking about getting a Guardian .32 for pocket carry. Can anyone tell me their experiences with this gun? Are they durable? What is the longevity suppose to be (rounds)? How reliable are they?

I use to have a Seecamp .32 and didn't really care for not having sights.

(Also, I'm not interested in a Kel-Tec, Taurus, Beretta .25/.22, etc... I'm also not interested in the Guardian .380, because of size. I'm also not interested in a Kahr MK9, because I've never seen one, they are larger and they are more expensive.)

Thanks for any help,
Steve
 
I would hardly call what the guardian comes with as sites. But you can have it customized. It is heavy for its size, but mine is very durable and reliable. I have almost 500 rounds through mine with no degridation in performance or tightness. There was a thread very recently about the guardian .32 you may want to search for.
 
It's a great gun for when you can't really carry a "gun". It is well made and reliable. I have about 700 or so rounds through mine and it functions flawlessly. I agree about the sights (or lack thereof). I carry it in a mini Pager-Pal holster and it is completely concealed and out of the way. I can even wear it while working out with gym shorts....have done so for nearly 2 years and no one has noticed. If you need a gun of this size, I highly recommend it. Especially over the other junk guns in its size.
 
There is the Beretta Tomcat in .32 now. A little big though.

I shot the NAA once, one mag, made my trigger finger numb for about 10 minutes. Not much fun to shoot. It seems to be a great gun though, I would either get that or the Kel-Tec if I was looking for a .32.

Also, NAA has proven to be a great company (at least to me).
 
As I've said, I have a little "Pocket Pistol" collection.

I own all the pistols mentioned. When I purchased my Guardian (an early model), it would not chamber a round. They would just jam into the feedramp and stop without going on into the chamber. Off to NAA it went. NAA returned it in less than 10 business days and it chambered and fired everything I tried. When the new (and slightly longer) Cor-Bon .32ACP came out, I bought some. Jams again. Off to NAA again. It came home in LESS than a week this time, with THREE new mags. It now chambers the new and stronger C-B's. I'm so happy with my Guardian that I purchased the Hogue, Pau Ferro grips. It looks and, more importantly, functions perfectly!
It IS a little heavy. I compensated for this by buying a RJ Hedley back pocket holster where it seems much lighter. I also have a Ron Graham "hip" holster (no foolin') and that's a super way to get around the weight problem.
I've also heard about the "numb finger" stuff but I've never experienced that. However, I did "shear" off a thumb-nail once when my grip got a little high! OOOOOooooooowwwwwww!!

Kentucky Rifle
 
Steve, I own none of the guns in question, but I am shopping in this category, and have narrowed the choices down to either the Beretta Tomcat .32 or the Kahr MK9, depending on the size and how it 'fits' me when I get it all worked out.

What concerns me a bit about the NA Guardian is that the barrrel is bored into the frame. IOW, there is no seperate barrel... the frame is the barrel. So, if anything goes wrong, you're hosed. That equates to a disposable gun, to my way of thinking. With any of the others, you can always change the parts, and it should be less expensive to do so, since swapping a barrel has got to be less expensive than swapping a frame.

Just random thoughts from the peanut gallery. :p
 
I have the Guardian.32 and love it. Yes I have had the finger bite..caused by the snap of the recoil pinching your finger between the bottom of the trigger and the trigger guard...I found out that if I used the first pad of my trigger finger, I no longer have this problem. As far as the barrel being part of the frame...this would be a concern for me too if it wasn't for the warranty and the excellant customer service they give...got a problem..send it to them and they fix it and send it back...free. I use CorBon in mine(as per KY rifle's suggestion) and have no problem with accuracy....and I too like the RJ Hedley and Ron Graham holsters. Good Shooting.
 
Good gun, Great Company!

Like Kentucky Rifle, I had one of the first Guardians and it choked feeding once in awhile. I still have it, sort of. NAA asked me to send it in to "polish the feed ramp." They did.

They also rebuilt the pistol from the ground up with the latest part designs (extractor, mag release, stainless grip screws, etc.), did a first class trigger job (all trigger components, hammer, and spring were replaced and I have yet to find a Guardian with a better pull), and polished off a few minor tooling marks and scratches. One of my magazines looked like it might be cracking, so I had sent that in with the pistol too, and *4* brand new magazines came back with it. All at no charge.

It feeds fine now. I guess the moral of my story is that I would suggest you get a recent production Guardian to save a possible trip back to the factory. But if you do find a used older one, and you have problems with it, a trip to the factory ain't such a bad thing. Customer service is 1st class all the way.

If you want a Seecamp with sights, this is it. Since sights are a requirement for you, I second the post suggesting the addition of aftermarket sights. The factory sights work, but they're tough to find and would be nearly useless for that reason in a defensive situation. Check out www.naaminis.com. NAA offers a few after market sight options in their custom shop.
 
I have a .32 Guardian. I don't carry it. It is very well machined. I did have a problem in the 1st box of ammo with the trigger stopped functioning. A trip to NAA with a quick return and free mag and it seems fine.

It is what I would call an "oh, darn" gun. Its sites might as well not be there. Its good for a couple of feed. If I were to buy again, I would take a serious look at the .380.

Can I recommend it? I can't say just yet. I need more range time before I trust it with my life.
 
NAA 32 feedback

I've had a 32 NAA for a year and am impressed with the quality. It's solid as a rock. The supplied sights are tight on the eye but a dab of orange glow paint on the front post makes sighting lots easier. Close up I know I will hit what I aim at. Having AO Dot sights would be great but I can't justify the add-on cost right now. If I were buying new I would have them factory installed before delivery to save shipping and handling after the fact.

When I drop it in the right front pocket of slacks or shorts it sits just where I want it and at the perfect angle for access. An Uncle Mike's #1 pocket holster is good and tight and keeps the pistol vertical but I like the feel and speed of the naked gun, no holster to shake loose. In loose cargo pants it doesn't print at all.

Comments on finger pinch reminded me I felt some early on but the addition of Hogue Pau Ferro custom grips offered as one of NAA's monthly specials provide a hand filling grip and the pinch is gone. Handling, recoil, accuracy and looks have all improved. I highly recommend them. I also added SS hex grip screws to replace the black slotted originals to provide a tighter lockdown. I have a very classy pistol, all stainless and wood. Great combo!

All in all, I'm quite happy. I fire a couple of magazines through it
whenever I'm at the range. Feels good, looks good, shoots good.

Herb Fredricksen herbfred@cpcug.org
 
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