Who's shot a north American firearms 22 revolver?

[Gallahad]

I've seen one that comes in the form of a belt buckle!  I had thought that I read somewhere that they are double action. This was strange to me because of the derringer style trigger(tiny lil thing). Im particularly interested in a mag. wondering how they shoot/perform, and if they are d.a. Whats your opinion about them for a self defense gun.  We don't have c.c in Wisconsin yet,  :roll:  but hopefully we will in 2005. Thanks for any response, and God Bless!

[greenjeans]

Single action as far as firing goes. Must be cocked each time. Not positive, but I think you have to take the cylinder out to reload. Never shot one, but think it would be a hand full in magnum.

[TOGO]

I have one, it's a nice pocket gun. It is SA only. The only safety feature on it is little notches machined in the cylinder so the hammer is not resting on a round, oh and it also has a half cock. Mine has the Mag and LR cylinder. It's accuracy is good within 15 ft, after that the rounds spray and key hole in targets. I shot five rounds into a 25yrd target and only 2 hit the paper. To reload it you must put it into half cock, remove the cylinder pin, the cylinder will drop out, most of the time you will have to use the pin to push out the fired shells. I usually carry the .22 in my pocket and a 9mm in my waist band.

[leverfan]

I carried a NAA mini in 22 mag as my go-everywhere pocket gun for a long time, until the Kel-tec P32 came out.  Loaded, with holster, the NAA single action sheath trigger gun still only weighed about half a pound.  It took a lot of practice to master the sights, and the odd grip, but it was an easy gun to shoot (just hard to shoot well).  TOGO is right, it's not a long range gun, even if you master the sights.  As slow as it is to reload, you've got to plan on keeping shots close, just to be sure they count.

The P32 only weighs a couple more ounces in my pocket, it's no wider, and it holds 8 rounds rather than 5.  It also reloads quicker.  But, if you're a revolver guy, the NAA is a very good, reliable last-ditch defensive gun.

[Ron T.]

I bought & carried a tiny North American Arms .22 rimfire revolver right after they came out a good many years ago.  This was before NAA wisely added the indentations between the chambers on the rear of the cylinder in which to rest the hammer.

I understand that North American Arms will exchange cylinders with owners like me who have the old style cylinders, but since I rarely carry the mini-gun anymore, it isn't worth the trouble to send it back to the factory to have that done.

As a result, my NAA’s mini-revolver does NOT have the small indentations between the chambers. It is single-action only... and is obviously meant as a VERY close range, last-ditch, self-defense revolver.

For safety's sake, I loaded only 4 rounds rather than the 5 rounds the tiny cylinder will hold and left the hammer down on an empty chamber when I carried the tiny revolver.

The standard NAA's .22 rimfire revolver is considerably smaller & lighter than the .22 magnum model... and is definitely a "belly-gun".  If used only at very short range (10-15 feet or less), it can be an effective self-defense gun.  I found it to be reasonably accurate as well as long as I put my shooting hand's thumb on top of the little revolver's frame when I fired it.

This usually resulted in getting some slight powder burns on my thumb... but they didn't seriously hurt... and doing so made the little revolver considerably more accurate.

Like the single action revolvers of old, one should not carry an older model like mine with the hammer resting "down" on a loaded chamber since the firing pin (the front of the hammer) will be resting on a loaded cartridge... and a hard "bump" against the hammer spur could fire the cartridge.

Another safety consideration is that one should NOT carry any hard objects (like coins, pocket knives, etc.) in the same pocket with the minature revolver because the rear of the cartridges in the chambers are exposed and, if somehow struck by a hard object, it is possible the round might fire... possibly resulting in serious injury or even death.

Soon after Kel-Tec announced their P3AT (.380 ACP), I bought one to replace the little North American Arm's .22 rimfire long rifle mini-revolver I carried that I loaded with hyper-velocity .22 rimfire hollow-points.

Naturally, the little NAA .22 mini-revolver is smaller and more concealable than the small Kel-Tec .380, but the Kel-Tec's .380 rounds are considerably more powerful and the Kel-Tec carries a total of 7 rounds... 6 rounds in the clip plus one round in the chamber and is also VERY concealable.  As a result, since I got the Kel-Tec, I stopped carrying the mini-revolver.

Some of my friends have jokingly teased me about the small pistols I carry... but I tell them that I'm not out to start a "war" with either the North American Arms mini-revolver OR the Kel-Tec .380 ACP.

I point out that I had to pull out the the little NAA's mini-revolver only once... to stop an unwarranted attack by a bigger, younger aggressor... and when the goblin found himself looking down the "business end" of the little .22's barrel with the other gleaming hollow points "looking" at him from their cylinder holes, he decided that "discretion" WAS the better part of valor... and wisely stopped his attack IMMEDIATELY.

In that short moment, the total purchase price of the mini-revolver became fully justified.

Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

[rockbilly]

:roll: Fifteen feet?  Why the heck would you want to carry a "pop gun" into a gun battle?  You can get a real gun for about the same price and it won't weigh much more, be faster to reload and have a greater capacity.  As for the belt buckle thing, I thought only 007 used that kind of trash.

The little .22 is a nice little toy, but not one I would want if my life were in jeopardy..................All of that from a guy who has been know to carry a little Colt .25 as a back up gun.  :oops:

[Gallahad]

Well rockbilly, I'm not plannin on being in any gun battles any time soon, but as far as that goes, (if its ever legal here) i'd be carrying a 45 auto, prabably a bersa thunder, or something similar.  Thinking of the 22 for the wife. She said she'd want something VERY small, small enuf to carry on the thigh as she only wears dresses and skirts, with little recoil.  Inside a building, or walking to a car, any aggressor is going to get close. Reliability is also an issue when thinking of a gun for the lady. Simplicity is another thing that comes to mind. A small 22 revolver seems to fit the bill. having her practice would be cheap to! BUT if anybody thinks a particular small auto fits the bill id be happy to hear it!

[rockbilly]

Gallahad, I think I would have more confidence in the Bersa.  You never know what a bad guy may be hopped on these days, I hate to think my wife had to face a dope head with a .22.  I know this can be debated forever, my friend who is a cop in LA and his partner were trying to put a bad guy in car, he had already been cuffed, the guy slipped out of the handcuffs, ripped the back door off the cruiser, took my friends service gun from him, then shot him in the hip.  My friend's partner popped him twice in the chest, the guy turned and walked away.  As far as I know he has not been caught.  

I'm not sure, but I think the cops in LA were mostly carrying a 9mm at the time.  The little .22 may get the attention of a sober or fairly sober person and cause them to back off, but what about those that don't?

As for the gun fight, today you never know who is packing.  That's also a good reason to avoid any confrontation on the highway, some fool with a gun may start popping caps because you look at him after he runs you off the road.  I pack, and am prepared to use the gun if necessary, but still belive the best prevention is to avoid as much confrontation as possible.  If it ever starts, I don't want to be the one holding a five shot .22 when in all probability the bad guy is, at least, packing a high capacity 9mm.

[greenjeans]

Suggest you take a look at the Kel-Tec in .32 or .380. They weigh about 6.5 ounces and are 1/2" thick. I have the .380 and it has been 100% reliable, but does have a kick. Have neve shot the .32 which would be less. Neither are going to be as cheap to practice with as the .22 but sure fit the bill as small and light.

[Gallahad]

ROCKBILLY, Thanks for bringing that up.  Very good point that deserves as much thought as anything else.   As I mentioned, I WOULD carry a .45, but the wife isn't going to carry something she's not comfortable with, Whether its too bulky, kicks too hard to handle etc. Rockbilly, what would your min. caliber be? Greenjeans mentioned .32 & .380  Personally, Id prabably reload anything thats not a 22, and that way I can pick the best bullets for the job. helps on cost a bit too, as long as the gun feeds it . At any rate I think reloading can increase stopping power a bit. Thanks for all the feedback guys. Greatly appreciated.
   GOD BLESS!

[gwhilikerz]

Man it used to be that 9mm was "state of the art" as far as the "modern" self defence people were concerned. The older "gurus" said it had to be 45 or nothing.  Now it seems the 9mm is just a toy to those same modern self defense guys. They have migrated to the latest, newest, greatest caliber in the latest auto action. Funny how what worked very well in the past is now woefully inadequate. The best self defense gun has always been the one you have with you.  Now Gallahad's wife is not going to carry a large 45 or even a 9mm.  My guess is that she is not overly knowledgeable about guns and especially not complex autos. Sounds to me like she is a candidate for the little NAA, or better, a 38 spec. ultralight. My opinions.

[Gallahad]

I think that hit the nail on the head.  Just got done lookin at some guns on the net.  the naa 22 is single action. I think wife should have D.A. so looked at them. revolvers are just easier to use. specialy D.A.O.'s. no slide, lock, or safty to work before you shoot. Simply pull, point, and shoot. I can't find a 22 smaller than the smallest 38 sp., and since thats not too much for her to handle Id say thats the best bet.  So a 38 sp. D.A.O., or concealed hammer, preferably a light weight model looks great to me. A 200 gr. soft lead flat nose or hollow point at a nice slow 700-800 fps. will knock down most.   Now I'm thinking about a D.A. 45 long colt for myself. Taurus make a nice lookin one with a 2" barrel. Id like to find one with an interchangeable barrel for hunting.  Any Ideas?

[rockbilly]

Gallahad.  I'm blessed, I have a wife that loves firearms almost as much as I do, In all the years we have be together she has never had any problem with me purchasing guns.  That said, I have a safe full and carry several different guns.  As I said earlier, I often carry a little Colt .25 Auto, but thats only when dressed in a suit and tie and out of my vehicle doing business or at a Gem Show where I'm working.  If I'm working out on the farm, I usually carry a S&W model 60 .357.  I carry it so I can shoot .38 shotshells for snakes. Any other time, I'm packing either a .357 Sig, or one of several high capicity .40s or a .45.  My wife usually carrys my .380 Bersa or the .380 Mauser HSc she bought for herself.

Anytime I travel on business, the .25 goes, but there is also a big bore as well as my 12 ga. loaded with eight rounds of 00 buck.  Of course you have to be careful where you park if you are going to be away from the vehicle and must always take the time to hide the two that are left behind.

As for your choice of guns for the wife, I'm glad you decided to move up to the .38.  Once she gets use to shooting it try to move her up to some +Ps.  That should be good medicine for the bad guys.

[Bikenut]

I have the little NAA .22 belt buckle revolver. Cute little thing and it really does look good as a belt buckle. However, I refer to it as my "nose gun" simply because the accuracy (at least with me) is so miserable that I'd have to stick the barrel up an attacker's nostril in order to hit anything... and even then I might miss!  :grin:  First time on the range with it I kept moving closer to the sheet of typing paper I was using as a target, reloading many times (which is a time consuming process of pulling the pin and removing the cylinder).... and finally got one round to hit the paper.... at 6 feet! My hands are too big and the gun is too little for me to hang onto it so I know the dismal accuracy is my fault.

But, doggone it, it sure is a cute little gun!

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

I've carried and owned one of the .22 mags for over 10 years now.  I love it.  The little gun will do most of what a .38 will do in close work, but is slow to reload and not as fast in firing as a double action.  Mine used to ahve outstanding accuracy, but I've worn the barrel at an angle from carrying it so much that the accuracy isn't there anymore.

I would recommend to gravitate towards the titanium/airlite style of .38 DAO and have her get very comfortable with that.  If having more than 5 shots available is necessary, then get a .22mag titanium Taurus and have 8 or 9 (I can't remember which right now) at hand, sans reload.

If you carried the firepower to take out a drug freak, then you wouldn't even be talking about this class of gun.  I know that we try to prepare for "all" emergencies, but sometimes one needs to accept the limitations thrust upon them.  If we were to carry enough "gun" to take out this hopped up kind of trash, then I would start to recommend a battle rifle, with at least on magazine for reload (trash= the kind of druggy that was commmented upon in an earlier post).

[Dali Llama]

I think reloading can increase stopping power a bit.

Dali Llama remark that some argue against any use of reloads in defensive weaponry, as such practice supposedly be particularly assailable by attorneys.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

I think reloading can increase stopping power a bit.

Dali Llama remark that some argue against any use of reloads in defensive weaponry, as such practice supposedly be particularly assailable by attorneys.

There has been much talk about the supposed stupity (sorry, I meant legality) of using reloads because one "might" be sued by some lawyer.  There has yet to be a case where the reloaded ammunition is the determining factor whether or not the shooting is justified.

I myself am using nothing but reloads, and they aren't "super-lightspeed-mankillers" either.  But they will get the job done, because they will go where I need them to.

[rockbilly]

:eek: I ran across a new one to me at a gun show today.  It was a 25NAA.  Neat looking little gun, shoots a .32 necked down to .25.  The dealer said it would smoke a 38gr bullet at 1200fps.  It's smaller than I like, but may make a good woman's gun, or a good back-up for the big bore.

[Dali Llama]

I think reloading can increase stopping power a bit.

Dali Llama remark that some argue against any use of reloads in defensive weaponry, as such practice supposedly be particularly assailable by attorneys.

There has yet to be a case where the reloaded ammunition is the determining factor whether or not the shooting is justified.

Dali Llama say thanks, as he glad Bubba carefully scrutinize all relevant court cases in all city, county, state and federal jurisdictions of United States and report his findings to us. :eek:  

[leverfan]

Dali Llama say thanks, as he glad Bubba carefully scrutinize all relevant court cases in all city, county, state and federal jurisdictions of United States and report his findings to us. :eek:  

Dali, as your mastery of the English language grows, and reading becomes easier for you, try picking up some articles by Sheriff Jim Wilson and Dick Metcalf.  They have been researching this for the past several years, and neither one has been able to find a relevant case.  If you know of any case, by all means, tell us, and give us some details so that we can track it down and read it for ourselves.  Perhaps you could write to Metcalf and Wilson, as well, so that they can share your insights with the nation.

The dangers, if any, of using reloaded ammo are more likely to surface in an expensive civil suit, rather than criminal court.  Carry factory ammo, or carry a good insurance policy, if you plan to own firearms for self defense.  In today's climate, getting sued isn't exactly an unlikely scenario after a self defense shooting, regardless of the ammo used.

[Dali Llama]

Dali Llama say thanks, as he glad Bubba carefully scrutinize all relevant court cases in all city, county, state and federal jurisdictions of United States and report his findings to us. :eek:  

try picking up some articles by Sheriff Jim Wilson and Dick Metcalf.  They have been researching this for the past several years, and neither one has been able to find a relevant case.  

Carry factory ammo, or carry a good insurance policy, if you plan to own firearms for self defense.  

Dali Llama say leverfan seem to contradict himself. :?  :?  :?

[leverfan]

Perhaps it should simply have stated, "Carry a good insurance policy if you carry for self defense."  Simple statements are always better, and easier for some to understand.  I did make that point at the end of my reply, but I'd like to clarify it here for folks.  You could get sued no matter what you carry.  Carry factory if you think that gives you an edge in court.  However, if your handgun is loaded with a factory round named "Macerator," then carrying that factory load probably won't help your court case.

Dali, thanks for reminding me of that basic principle.  I've sent you a PM.

[Dali Llama]

Perhaps it should simply have stated, "Carry a good insurance policy if you carry for self defense."  Simple statements are always better, and easier for some to understand.  I did make that point at the end of my reply, but I'd like to clarify it here for folks.  You could get sued no matter what you carry.  Carry factory if you think that gives you an edge in court.  However, if your handgun is loaded with a factory round named "Macerator," then carrying that factory load probably won't help your court case.

Dali, thanks for reminding me of that basic principle.  

Leverfan be quite welcome, respond Dali Llama. :grin:

[rockbilly]

:roll: My friend, fishing buddy and former County DA has often told me, the best way to prevent a civil suit is to ensure the individual you shoot can not testify against you.  In other words, if you have to use a firearn against another person, then make sure that person is DEAD.  Of course the family may bring suit, but your defense can function much better if the person you shoot can't teftify.

His concern, and mine, would be hitting a bystander.  That;s why it's always best to "try to out talk a reasonable individual and only shot the fool.

[zoyter2]

:roll: My friend, fishing buddy and former County DA has often told me, the best way to prevent a civil suit is to ensure the individual you shoot can not testify against you.  In other words, if you have to use a firearn against another person, then make sure that person is DEAD.  Of course the family may bring suit, but your defense can function much better if the person you shoot can't teftify.

His concern, and mine, would be hitting a bystander.  That;s why it's always best to "try to out talk a reasonable individual and only shot the
fool.

His greatest concern if he is ever forced to shoot is now "whether or not anyone remembers he is willing to kill to ensure someone cannot testify against him."

This advise is just stupid....plumb stupid.....just , hell just stupid.

[S.S.]

I never could hit anything with mine,
but they are neat little guns and better than throwing rocks.
(although I am more accurate with rocks)
The bad guys would at least be busy trying to get out of
the way! Mine was retired to carrying snake shot during my
fishing trips. It works really well in that role.

[Jim101]

I've had a NAA .22 Mini-Mag for a few months now and it will be my summer carry(something is better than nothing) I keep it loaded with CCI V+ and have a pocket holster coming from Graham Leather Holsters, really nice.  I just like the gun and am getting better shooting it..


Jim

[totallycustom]

Has anyone carried, owns or shot a 4" mini master revolver i would imagine that that would be quite accurate.  maybe not.
I have been in the market for my first little 22 revolver something inexpensive maybe used, i would like it for CC in the woods and some up close hunting.  I was thinking one of those would be cool, maybe an old HR, I would really like a Ruger but i think price is an issue.  

Well let me know what you think of those 4 inchers. TC