Author Topic: The New NAA TOP-BREAK Mini Magnum (Read 6305 times)

Rangr44 · « **on:** May 24, 2010, 03:43:38 PM »

A limited number will be available this September - Watch for the June edition of the "Soapbox", on NAA's website.

[EDIT: Here's the NAA website statement]:

http://www.naaminis.com/sandy1.html

"I’m happy to confirm the poorly kept secret that NAA has been slowly but diligently working on the development of a .22 caliber breaktop minirevolver.

I can also confirm that we have made a commitment to manufacture a “limited production” (see note below) lot of up to 500 pieces. We anticipate the first of these should become available around September 2010, but we’ve made projections like this before and haven’t come close; that might happen again.

Yes, we will likely offer an “Early Bird” program, giving friends of the factory/our Message Board community a limited opportunity to purchase one of these 1st Editions. Custom serialization will not be available.

No, it will not be available for sale in CA unless/until we manufacture a 4” barrel model (on a production basis, if we reach that), obviating the requirement of dealing with that state’s expensive and moronic regulations regarding “not unsafe” firearms.

Yes, it will be more expensive than other pieces in our line, but not “ridiculously" so (<$500, we believe). Because we are so confident that most will recognize and appreciate the quality and value of these pieces, we will offer a 30 day money back guarantee. Of course, these pieces will also enjoy the standard NAA lifetime guarantee of reliable functioning. One reason for the expense is that these pieces take minirevolver engineering to the next level, with fit and finish moving even closer to the standard of “watch-like”.

Generally speaking, the piece will be dimensionally “identical” to the 22M. It will be manufactured on the magnum frame only, with the possibility of replacing the cylinder with one fitted for LR cartridges.

One of advantages to the breaktop is that you don’t need to remove the cylinder to load/reload. While this process will be appreciably quicker than with our current models and require almost no manual dexterity, reloading will not be “fast”. Because the cam-operated cylinder star extends only about 3/8”, the cartridge cases will not be fully extracted.

Limited Production should NOT be confused with Limited Edition. It is our hope that this new model will become a regular offering from our factory, based on the level of interest and sales success this first batch enjoys, but it may not. Contrary to some suggestions, we do NOT know what these pieces will ultimately cost us; we have made thoughtful estimates and have some experience from the several iterations of prototypes we’ve already made, but we’ve “been fooled” before. We obviously expect to learn a lot from the manufacture of this first edition. With the exception of the internal components, which are common with our existent minirevolvers, the entire piece of these first editions will be machined from barstock. If we decide to go into ordinary production, we will then make the investments in molds/tools/dyes/fixtures/et al., which investments are substantial but which will help to reduce the costs of manufacture, we hope, and may allow us to reduce the sell price of the “next generation” of production pieces"]

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coyotejoe · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2010, 06:52:00 AM »

An interesting concept but why bother? This isn't the kind of gun with which one will spend a day at the range plinking and for use as self defense at close range one will never get the chance to reload. The low cost of the simple solid frame design is one of the very few things the mini-revolvers had to offer.

AkRay · « **Reply #2 on:** September 16, 2010, 09:33:36 PM »

That is one cool looking little revolver. It might not be easy to shoot, but it would probably be fun to shoot. I like it.

jcn59 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2010, 04:38:33 PM »

I think it's beautiful!

With all this talk about rimfires being usless for self defense, I can't help but wonder if maybe rimfires are being underestimated. A man in Wisconsin has little business trying to convince a jury that it was self defense if there is time to run away and hide in a closet or under a bed. (Wisconsin is screwed up that way). So realistically if it is going to fly as self defense, you better be old and close when you shoot someone. I imagine if the perp caught 6-10 .22s in the face at that range (5-15 feet), even the most deranged would be out of the fight. I think there is a place for a .22 here.

Keith L · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2010, 01:39:32 AM »

That may work of your attacker is willing to stand there and get shot that many times at 5-15 feet. In reality, an "attacker" will do just that: attack. You may get a couple of shots off if you are lucky. If you are trying to draw your gun the time is even shorter. If it is a gun with such a small handle (hard to grip quickly), in a pocket that does not facilitate quick access, the attack is over before the gun is useful at all.

jcn59 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2010, 10:49:00 AM »

I have average skill with a handgun and I know I wouldn't have any trouble stopping a moving attacker with multiple headshots from a .22 at 5-15 feet. Maybe you need to practice more, and no, I wouldn't use that dinky .22; maybe a Buckmark or Ruger, and more than likely it would be a .38 in my hand.

We do most of our recreational shooting with handguns at 20 or 25 yards, so when we shoot at "across the bedroom" distances, our shooting looks pretty impressive. Even my shooting, and I'm sure no expert.

Keith L · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2010, 05:05:40 PM »

A real gunfight is nothing like you are imagining it to be. I hope you never need to find out.

jcn59 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2010, 07:32:56 PM »

Keith, I have no interest in gunfights, and I've been successful in avoiding them for 65 years. Regarding self defense in my home, I'm plenty well equiped and trained to do that, but still young enough to learn more. What advice do you have for me?

Keith L · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2010, 09:22:50 PM »

The best thing to do in your home is to have a "safe room" where you and family can go if you have the notion that your home is being invaded. Inside your house you need to be in a position that gives you the advantage. Call 911 and report the invasion. Hunker down behind whatever solid barrier you can find. Have your weapon ready aimed at the doorway. Wait for the police to get there. If you think an attacker is outside the door warn them you are armed and ready for them. If need be fire a warning shot. Most of the time this will be enough to chase them off.

When you practice with your weapon use center body mass as the target. Chances are if you are truly in a defensive situation you will not have time to do much aiming. Your fine motor skills will be gone anyway. It needs to be muscle memory that gets your weapon on target. Head shots are not practical. Your attacker will not be posing. I recommend to people to use the biggest weapon you are able to shoot well. I prefer a 45 ACP, but if it is a 9mm so be it. I want even a less than great hit to take large chunks out of the target, and the noise and concussion should be scary.

If you haven't taken any training I recommend the NRA personal protection series. It is well put together, and spends as much time training to avoid a fight as training what to do if you are in one.

beerbelly · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2010, 07:09:25 AM »

If you are in bed asleep and someone kicks in your door, you may have time to get your gun if it is laying on the night stand by your bed. You will not have time to go any where!
When he gets in sight shoot him with some thing that will stop him. The more gun the better. A large chunk of lead dose a better job of stopping a man than a smaller one.

jcn59 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2010, 07:22:11 AM »

I guess my dog will keep me informed if someone comes into my house long before anyone gets to where I sleep.

I took the NRA Instructor course for "Certified Pistol and Personal Protection In The Home" a while back and more recently obtained a concealed carry permit with some brief time behind the gun. I live in town with neighbors on both sides so the biggest cartridge I want to shoot here is 38 special.

We had an elderly couple down the road that were killed by a misguided teenager a few years ago. The old guy kept his guns safely hidden in his upstairs closet. That's a senario that won't happen at my house.

beerbelly · « **Reply #11 on:** September 19, 2010, 07:53:44 AM »

I like the old .45 Colt. At 255 grains of lead at 900 feet per second will put a dude down! And is not so powerful as to worry me about taking out the neighbors.
As for the little pistol shown here it holds no interest for me. For $500 you can buy some fine pistols. That thing is nothing but a waste of money.

Keith L · « **Reply #12 on:** September 19, 2010, 08:25:58 AM »

I think they are really a neat looking little piece of work. The seem well made and look good. They are not my idea of protection.

joeinwv · « **Reply #13 on:** September 19, 2010, 08:35:14 AM »

Quote from: Keith L on September 18, 2010, 01:39:32 AM

... If it is a gun with such a small handle (hard to grip quickly), in a pocket that does not facilitate quick access, the attack is over before the gun is useful at all.

Totally disagree - I carry a P3AT and have carried a NAA pistol before. The strongest advantage that this type of gun offers is the ability for me to have my hand in my pocket, with the gun in my hand. Also, these allow you to carry a gun in areas / locations that you could not carry anything else. Sure a full size 1911 / Glock 21 is a great HD/SD weapon, but they are heavy and hard to conceal. My dad keeps his NAA in an eyeglasses case in his shirt pocket - so it encourages people who might otherwise not carry to be armed.

There is no quicker draw than having the gun in your hand already. I guarantee I can hold an NAA revolver in my hand and talk to you, and you will not know I am holding the pistol.

The disadvantage of the NAA is the heavy single action trigger and short site radius. The advantage is that is may be fired point blank or even pressed against the target.

Keith L · « **Reply #14 on:** September 19, 2010, 10:37:18 AM »

If that's what you want to do knock yourself out.

Bitterroot Bob · « **Reply #15 on:** September 20, 2010, 06:50:57 PM »

Wow!
That is pretty cool. Word has it that H&R had to give up on their 999 top-break as the machine work and hand-fitting madee the guns too expensive to produce. NAA seems to have figured out how to build a Mini with an ejector at long last.
My question is: Why so freakin' small? I'd like one with a 4" barrel about the size of a J-frame with real handles on the back. Maybe hold 8 shots. It could be the size of a kit gun. Like a mini-Schofield.
While I marvel at the engineering, I don't like shooting a handgun with only one finger wrapped around the grip.

Bitterroot

goldhound56 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 20, 2010, 07:55:18 PM »

I have a NAA .22LR , i've carry every day for the last 5 yrs. loaded with 2 stingers & 2 rat shot . I'm to old to fight or run . I HOPE !!!!! NEVER to have to use it , but if I do I'm going for the face !!!

Kal52 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 21, 2010, 09:48:02 AM »

i have a NAA in 22 mag, its fun to shoot if you can hold on to it, ex wife gave it to me as a gift.

I would love to have all of these guns, not so much as users per se, but the new wife has nick nacks, I want some to, they can go into the same case even.

I agree if they could make these bigger, actually useable for hunting or target, it would be awesome, the guns now are made very well and the customer service is exceptional.

Dave

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2010, 10:20:46 AM »

This is a cute 22 fer sure . As far as defense maybe if you can manage to draw it cock it and point it where it needs to be pointed all in about a second and a half . Keep in mind if you see your attacher comming at 20 yards he will be on you in a second and a half. Also most attackers don't stand still and wait to get shot. Now a small gun like this with a short bbl will not always go into someones head unless you help by sticking the gun in the mouth , eye, nose or ear as you fire. That can be hard to do in a fight you didn't know you were in a second and a half ago. As for home the average time from breaking in an outside door to getting into the master bed room is 45 seconds average . Do you need glases to see? grab gun and flash light ? How well do you handle someone turning on a bright light and still being able to see ?
As a defense gun any mouse gun would be a last choice . My 340 PD weighs 12 ozs and fits in my front pocket. How much does this all SS gun weigh ?
If anyone is serious about toting this gun then prove your ablity to yourself , go to a range place a 3"X5" index card about 7 yards in front of yourself . then see if you can draw and fire hitting the card in a second and a half or less . If not better choose another gun. Try it at 4 feet . Its difficult to do with a S&W J frame revolver .
Defense is about surviving nothing else , a cute little gun won't cut it if you can't make the shot that fast. As the one being attacked you start behind the 8 ball and need to afford yourself every advantage you can even cheating is OK to winand live. Like the man said "if you are in a fair fight your tatics suck ".

mechanic · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2010, 01:04:09 PM »

Like many, I prefer the largest caliber I can have if I were to need it....but I am a small man and concealing a large pistol is not practical all the time. Do I think a 22 will stop a raging attack? Very unlikely unless one were to get very lucky. But if the option is that or nothing, I'll carry the mini.

I travel in my work, often to places with a "no weapons" policy. I have to have something that will go un noticed in a visual inspection of my vehicle. Otherwise, I would have to carry nothing at all.

Not all situations are perfect, nor the solution. No, a man cannot shoot the bullseye out with a derringer. But in a close combat situation, if I can place it to your cranial cavity, I've increased my odds a bit.....JMO.

Ben

Keith L · « **Reply #20 on:** September 21, 2010, 02:14:43 PM »

If I had to go with something that small I would get one of the two shot derringers in 45 colt, and load it fairly light so I could hold on to it.

jcn59 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 21, 2010, 02:51:58 PM »

Every month in the American Rifleman "Armed Citizen" there are stories about citizens fighting off armed attackers with various types of weapons. Oftentimes the attacker loses his willingness to fight when he receives a bullet from most anything, and runs away.

Still, it's always good advice to use the biggest gun you have on your person or that is accessable to you.

Most people can run 12-20 feet in the time it takes to raise your arm, gun already in hand, and hit an 8x11" target from 15'. If you have a gun next to your bed, might as well have a big knife there, too, because if someone charges at you from the bedroom door, he will probably be on you before he dies.

bckskin2 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 22, 2010, 02:53:10 AM »

I've got a single six I use around the farm, but want to move up to a center fire. I like my SS, but if the critter is bigger than a coon or possum I feel more comfortable with at least a .38. As a matter of fact since both of my dogs are totlly useles I have thought of replacing my night stand gun with a 20 gauge.

joeinwv · « **Reply #23 on:** September 30, 2010, 09:39:20 AM »

I think some here are missing the point of this weapon - which is specifically to be concealable where nothing else is able to be concealed.

Certainly, given the option, I would choose to carry a full size handgun OWB - in fact, I do this often when not at work. However, there are many social situations where it is not convenient or possible for me to do so. In those situations, I prefer carrying a smaller weapon. I compromise capacity, power and accuracy in order to gain concealment. A big part of CCW is the concealed part.

In a HD / SD situation, my first choice will be not to get in a gun fight. My second choice will be a long gun. Coming in a distant 3rd will be a handgun, regardless of size / caliber.

bckskin2 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:05:47 AM »

I still think I would go with the solid frame over the top break for CC. I have thought of the solid frame to carry around the farm just because it's smaller & liter than my SS & it's stainless. I live in one of the only 2 stated that don't have CC and probably won't unless Chicago is made a separate state so CC isn't an option.

joeinwv · « **Reply #25 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:11:57 AM »

If you live somewhere without concealed carry and are looking to upgrade from a single six, I recommend the Glock 19. Mid-sized gun, still allows a full grip. Holds 15+1 of 9mm. Dead simple, totally reliable. More effective than a 38 (but I have one of those also)...

Savage · « **Reply #26 on:** October 03, 2010, 07:48:41 AM »

The only niche I can see for a mini revolver is for a novelty. One of the .380 Kel Tecs/Rugers/Taurus,(and likely others) are lighter, faster, just as easy to conceal, and much more powerful. If one of the mini's were all I had, I'd carry it. I played with a department owned mini for a few months. I enjoyed playing with it but never considered using it as a backup. Anyone who carries one should use it in an IDPA BUG match. That would be an eye opener I'm guessing----------.
Savage

bckskin2 · « **Reply #27 on:** October 05, 2010, 10:43:59 AM »

I have thought of the Glock as a nite stand and farm carry gun. It weighs about the same as a model 60 empty and carries a lot more ammo! With the rite ammo hard to tell a 9MM from a .357. The only dis advantage is I've never reloaded for a semi auto & the 9MM I have owned made picking up the empties after plinking anything but fun!

beerbelly · « **Reply #28 on:** October 07, 2010, 05:45:56 AM »

I have a .40 cal. made by star that I love to shoot, but forget finding the brass. I doubt I find a third of it.

P.A. Myers · « **Reply #29 on:** October 08, 2010, 12:28:46 AM »

I like it, but trapped in CA. You can hide thes little guns in anything bulkier than a swimsuit. You might put them behind your ear disguised as a hearing aid. With these 'target' grips you can actually aim and shoot the magnum.