General consensus of NAA Mini Revolvers?
- Thread starter west5757
- Start date
My SIL has one. A lot of blast and kick, but he uses it with snakeshot in rattlesnake country. He was surprised by a rattler earlier this year, pulled it out of his front pocket holster and plugged it with one shot at about 6 ft (elevation+distance). So for that it seems to work well!
We shot it at the range and it was surprisingly accurate at least to about 10 ft. I think we were keeping them within about 3" circle. Not something I would want to shoot a lot though.
We shot it at the range and it was surprisingly accurate at least to about 10 ft. I think we were keeping them within about 3" circle. Not something I would want to shoot a lot though.
royal barnes
New member
As a LEO I carried one in my hip pocket as a BUG for years. I still carry it for the same purpose. If I'm working in my yard I keep a shotshell "next up" in case of snakes.
I have the 22 short version. I like it alot. While I feel its not really suited for self defense I still carry it as a backup to my J-frame.
While it is not really a great defencive tool it is better than sharp words and you could CCW it even if you where only wearing a bathing suit.
While it is not really a great defencive tool it is better than sharp words and you could CCW it even if you where only wearing a bathing suit.
I have my Pug in my pocket at this very moment, great gun for household duty since I don't even know it's there .. I love mine, perfect for up-close-and-personal moments ... A .22WMR round isn't a cannonball, but I bet it hurts ... I practice with mine at 7 yards and if I do my part, I can keep all five shots in the 9 ring ... great gun, beautifully made ... it's a keeper ...
wnycollector
New member
I have my NAA .22mag revolver in my pocket whenever I cant carry something bigger. I agree with the other posters in that it's not the perfect SD weapon, but it sure beats not having a gun if push comes to shove.
Captains1911
New member
I've owned the 22LR version for about 7 years. I bought it more for its novelty than anything else, although I have found it convienient for certain situations. I sometimes carry it while jogging in a NAA IWB holster.
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Aguila Blanca
Staff
The NAA mini-revolvers are cute, but I just can't warm up to the idea of an exposed trigger with no trigger guard. Doesn't anyone make similarly-sized revolvers WITH a trigger guard?
Bill DeShivs
New member
The trigger guard would be bigger than the gun!
The NAAs are single action, and you don't carry them cocked-so there is no need.
The NAAs are single action, and you don't carry them cocked-so there is no need.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Double post.
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orionengnr
New member
When they first came out, a friend had the one that mounted to a belt buckle. Back then they were so unheard-of that he could wear it on his belt with a tucked-in shirt and mostly nobody would give it a second look...because it just looked like a big, gaudy belt buckle, and in 1980 a lot of us youngsters in the South wore big, gaudy belt buckles.
At one point I got to shoot his...a cylinder worth. I sure didn't set any records for marksmanship, but that was more a reflection of my lack of technique and skill (or lack thereof) than any reflection on the revolver. I was going to say 20 years ago, but it had to be a Hell of a lot longer than that...it was probably 1980-81.
I was mildly fascinated... it was truly a unique concept. However, I could never justify buying one, for whatever reason.
Fast forward 30 years or so. Another friend bought one recently, and he really likes it. His is not the belt-buckle model (not sure if they still make those); he carries his in his pocket as a BUG. He readily admits that he can't hit anything smaller than a barn door at anything more than ~7 feet.
I might have to try his, to see how much has changed in 30-ish years. While my eyes have definitely not improved, my point-shooting skills have improved from "non-existent" to "passable", which should be reflected in any future attempts at shooting a mini.
Honestly, I think it would be neat to have one, but these days there are so many really good, really small, really lightweight carry pistols and revolvers in "real" calibers, with "real" sights, that I consider those NAA minis to be a bit of a novelty (notice I didn't say "toy").
Not saying I wouldn't/won't buy one...
Pros:
While I have never been a fan of the BUG (in principle), this is likely the most unobtrusive, easiest to carry, most accessible BUG ever designed.
Cons (objective):
Unless your primary is an SA revolver, it's operation is counter-intuitive. In an extremis situation, this is not a good thing...
Carrying one on the belt buckle may put one on the wrong side of CCW laws (depending on where you live)...a consideration, not necessarily a disqualifier.
Cons (subjective): I'm really not a fan of the .22LR as an SD round. I know it's better than nothing, and I'm old enough to remember Bobby Kennedy being killed by a .22 (although it took several point-blank rounds and 26 hours).
Conclusion (mine, and obviously subjective): If I need a small, lightweight BUG, I have an LCP. While I am not crazy about the .380's perfrormance, it is a fair bit better than the .22LR.
JMHO.
Good discussion.
At one point I got to shoot his...a cylinder worth. I sure didn't set any records for marksmanship, but that was more a reflection of my lack of technique and skill (or lack thereof) than any reflection on the revolver. I was going to say 20 years ago, but it had to be a Hell of a lot longer than that...it was probably 1980-81.
I was mildly fascinated... it was truly a unique concept. However, I could never justify buying one, for whatever reason.
Fast forward 30 years or so. Another friend bought one recently, and he really likes it. His is not the belt-buckle model (not sure if they still make those); he carries his in his pocket as a BUG. He readily admits that he can't hit anything smaller than a barn door at anything more than ~7 feet.
I might have to try his, to see how much has changed in 30-ish years. While my eyes have definitely not improved, my point-shooting skills have improved from "non-existent" to "passable", which should be reflected in any future attempts at shooting a mini.
Honestly, I think it would be neat to have one, but these days there are so many really good, really small, really lightweight carry pistols and revolvers in "real" calibers, with "real" sights, that I consider those NAA minis to be a bit of a novelty (notice I didn't say "toy").
Not saying I wouldn't/won't buy one...
Pros:
While I have never been a fan of the BUG (in principle), this is likely the most unobtrusive, easiest to carry, most accessible BUG ever designed.
Cons (objective):
Unless your primary is an SA revolver, it's operation is counter-intuitive. In an extremis situation, this is not a good thing...
Carrying one on the belt buckle may put one on the wrong side of CCW laws (depending on where you live)...a consideration, not necessarily a disqualifier.
Cons (subjective): I'm really not a fan of the .22LR as an SD round. I know it's better than nothing, and I'm old enough to remember Bobby Kennedy being killed by a .22 (although it took several point-blank rounds and 26 hours).
Conclusion (mine, and obviously subjective): If I need a small, lightweight BUG, I have an LCP. While I am not crazy about the .380's perfrormance, it is a fair bit better than the .22LR.
JMHO.
Good discussion.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
had mine for several years now... they are quality made revolvers... reasonably accurate when practiced with regularly... I have carried mine in places not practical for a normal gun ( like events where you get hugged all the time, & get stuck wearing dress pants rather than jeans ) if it's slipped in a pocket, & the "suprise hugger" that grabs you from behind, or off the side, isn't going to know...
that said, I honestly don't shoot too much 22 lr anymore, & once I started collecting antique top break revolvers, I now have some bigger caliber guns, that are slightly bigger, that I can use in the same situations... an example is this lil S&W model 1.5 in 32 S&W, but if a trigger guard & double action is required, the lil bicycle guns work well... but adding the trigger guard & going away from the spur trigger does add at least 1/3 more to the size of the gun... I do load my own 32 S&W cartridges... have 3 loads ranging from mouse fart antique gun test loads, to loads equalling or slightly exceding factory loads that I don't shoot often, & only use in good quality, solid guns, & only for CCW use... the mid range load is what I actually shoot the most of...
this is my 32 S&W custom snubbie ( barrel was chopped & gun re-nickeled long enough ago, it has a full vintage pantina )
This is a "bicycle gun"... this particular one is a Hopkins & Allen Safety Police... I also have a H&R, & an Iver Johnson example... but the Safety Police is the only one I've ever carried...
... Oh, BTW... my NAA Mini is a Snake Eyes edition... & looks like this...
some time all 3 of these should find their way infront of the camera together, so a good size comparision could be made... but if you look at the 1st & 3rd pics, the lil S&W is just about the same size, with just a slightly larger grip frame ( which does help with the "shootability" )
that said, I honestly don't shoot too much 22 lr anymore, & once I started collecting antique top break revolvers, I now have some bigger caliber guns, that are slightly bigger, that I can use in the same situations... an example is this lil S&W model 1.5 in 32 S&W, but if a trigger guard & double action is required, the lil bicycle guns work well... but adding the trigger guard & going away from the spur trigger does add at least 1/3 more to the size of the gun... I do load my own 32 S&W cartridges... have 3 loads ranging from mouse fart antique gun test loads, to loads equalling or slightly exceding factory loads that I don't shoot often, & only use in good quality, solid guns, & only for CCW use... the mid range load is what I actually shoot the most of...
this is my 32 S&W custom snubbie ( barrel was chopped & gun re-nickeled long enough ago, it has a full vintage pantina )
This is a "bicycle gun"... this particular one is a Hopkins & Allen Safety Police... I also have a H&R, & an Iver Johnson example... but the Safety Police is the only one I've ever carried...
... Oh, BTW... my NAA Mini is a Snake Eyes edition... & looks like this...
some time all 3 of these should find their way infront of the camera together, so a good size comparision could be made... but if you look at the 1st & 3rd pics, the lil S&W is just about the same size, with just a slightly larger grip frame ( which does help with the "shootability" )
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Obambulate
New member
The LR minis are hard for me to hold well enough to shoot accurately. The Magnum frame minis are still mini but with a jump in size and heft. With the right grips, they are quite shootable and make a good power-to-size backup gun.
Mine is a Black Widow model with a 2" barrel, rubber grips, and usable sights. I practice with it a lot, can hit reliably with it at self defense distances, and carry it everywhere.
I looked at all the revolvers smaller than a J-frame, and decided the NAA was the only real choice. They are high-quality and there are enough different sizes and styles to offer something of interest to most anyone.
Mine is a Black Widow model with a 2" barrel, rubber grips, and usable sights. I practice with it a lot, can hit reliably with it at self defense distances, and carry it everywhere.
I looked at all the revolvers smaller than a J-frame, and decided the NAA was the only real choice. They are high-quality and there are enough different sizes and styles to offer something of interest to most anyone.