Quality | NAA .22 Magnum Mini Revolver

I purchased my NAA .22 Magnum Mini Revolver three days ago, and have already fired 300 plus rounds through it. I bought the gun with both the .22 long rifle and the .22 magnum cylinders because I knew I would probably be addicted to shooting the gun, and the .22 long rifle is one of the, if not the most, affordable cartridges available on the market. Well, my hunch turned out to be correct. I constantly daydream about taking the gun to my practice area to shoot targets. But before I get into the semantics of shooting, let me relay my first impressions of the gun.

Before I first opened the hard plastic case enclosing my new revolver, I had butterflies filling my stomach. I had been doing a lot of reading and research leading up to my purchase, but I'd never actually seen one of these revolvers in person. As I opened the case, I was struck by the diminutive size of the gun sitting on its egg crate foam liner. Even with the longer 1-5/8 inch barrel, it's tiny.


Picking the gun up by the beautiful laminated rosewood birds head grip, it's much heavier than it looks like it should be. The finish on the grip is superb, with no noticeable ridge between the wood of the grip and the metal frame between. Running your fingers along the barrel; past the cylinder; over the hammer and trigger reveals a tactile feast. The smooth surface of the barrel gives way to the sharp edge of the cylinder. The hammer and trigger are both ribbed for better traction with sweaty fingers.

"You could own a Mini Magnum revolver just for the sheer tactile qualities the gun exhibits."

At first, it's difficult to grasp that this is a real gun that shoots real bullets. You immediately want to play with the hammer and trigger. But first, you need to verify the gun is safe. With most single shot revolvers, you just flip open the loading hatch and spin the cylinder on half cock. With an NAA revolver, you remove the cylinder entirely to do a safety check. To do this, just pull the hammer to half-cock, remove the cylinder pin and gently remove the cylinder from the frame. A quick glance shows five empty holes, and the cylinder is placed back into the gun's frame. After replacing the cylinder pin, it's time to actuate the hammer.

You would think, with such a small gun, the hammer would be relatively easy to pull back. But, given the gun shoots the same ammo as full-frame revolvers, it's no surprise the hammer has the same spring tension. Cocking the hammer on an NAA mini gives the same series of satisfying clicks as any other revolver, and the tiny size makes it that much more incredible to listen to. That sound is your first indication this revolver means business.

The Mini Magnum has a combination of brushed and polished finish that, in photos, makes the gun look a little ugly. I almost didn't buy the gun because of that. Boy am I glad I ignored that impression! The gun's barrel and grip; the flutes in the cylinder; trigger; hammer and top of the frame are all brushed. The side of the frame surrounding the cylinder, as well as the rest of the cylinder itself, are polished. In the hand, the look is stunning. You want to keep the gun in your pocket just so you can run your fingers over its surfaces.

Even if you never intend to shoot a gun in your life, you could own a Mini Magnum revolver just for the sheer tactile qualities the gun exhibits. Of course, you'd be missing out on 99 percent of the fun you can have with this little gem, but that's for a later post.

(Photos Copyright 2010 Reggie Paulk All Rights Reserved)

Welcome To The World of Miniature Firearms

I've recently become the proud owner of two new NAA mini revolvers; a Black Widow and a Mini Mag conversion revolver with 22 long rifle and 22 magnum cylinders. Before my purchases, I scoured the Internet for anything I could find about these intriguing little revolvers. I've found a wealth of information about these guns that dispels any myths that might surround their diminutive size.

As with any subject as polarizing as guns, there are a lot of highly opinionated people out there. Most of the opinion surrounding these revolvers centers around their conceal-ability as well as their potential to stop a bad guy. Almost all agree that these guns are about the easiest to conceal of all currently available firearms, but opinion quickly shifts to the negative when it comes to stopping power, including aiming ability.

There is plenty of readily available information that dispels any concern about stopping power, but the myths persist. After shooting more than 300 rounds through my new favorite guns, I can say without doubt that NAA minis will hit man-sized targets in hand-sized patterns very reliably at self defense distances.

This blog was created because I wasn't satiated by what I've found online, and I have a desire to create what I would have liked to see about these wonderful little guns. If you have any specific requests, please ask!