Gun Review: North American Arms Mini Magnum Revolver .22 WMR

As more and more citizens take advantage of their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, specifically with respect to concealed carry, it seems that nearly every firearm manufacturer is racing to produce ever smaller pistols to fill this niche.  The names we have traditionally associated with compact pistols, such as Kel-Tec, Rohrbaugh, and Seecamp, have been joined by a host of others, some new, some old:  Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Kahr, Diamondback, and Taurus, just to name a few.  But one company has been producing "pocket pistols" of the highest quality for about forty years, and continue to do so today:  North American Arms.  NAA has a large selection of firearms, from pocket sized semi-automatics to what may be the "definitive" NAA product, the Mini-Revolver, in .22 Short, .22 LR, and .22WMR (aka ".22 Magnum").  Today, I will be looking at the NAA Mini Magnum, a five-shot mini revolver in .22 Magnum, which I purchased from my friends at Tri Cities Gun Depot.

Image courtesy of northamericanarms.com

The North American Arms Mini Magnum is a palm-sized, five-shot, single-action revolver.  The revolver frame is milled from a solid billet of stainless steel.  This particular model is available with either a 1 1/8" or a 1 5/8" barrel, either ported or non-ported.  There are also different grip options available, including standard rosewood, imitation mother-of-pearl (black, white, or pink), as well as a folding holster grip which covers the trigger when folded and has a handy clip to keep the gun properly aligned while in your pocket.

Image courtesy of northamericanarms.com

These guns are extremely well-made.  Everything on the revolver - from the frame, to the cylinder, to the grips - everything is tight, polished, and well-fitted.  No machine marks to be seen.  The trigger is fantastic and the cylinder lock-up is rock solid. My Mini Magnum is truly one of the best looking firearms I have ever owned.  And just in case something does fail, NAA offers a lifetime warranty to the original registered owner.

The model I have is the 1 1/8" non-ported barrel with rosewood grips.  The revolver is 4 3/4" long, 2 7/8" high, 7/8" thick, and weighs in at a whopping 5.9 oz empty.  It completely disappears in my front pocket (I made a pocket holster out of leather in order to keep the gun properly indexed while in my pocket, as well as to help keep lint from clogging up the works).  This really is a gun you can take with you anywhere, regardless of what you are wearing.

Pocket-sized personal protection

The Mini Magnum's cylinder must be removed in order to load and unload the firearm.  This is accomplished by pushing in a button on the end of the cylinder pin, then pulling the pin out of the front of the firearm.  Placing the firearm on half-cock, the cylinder may then be swung out for loading.  In unloading, the cylinder pin may be used to push out stubborn empty cases.  Once the cartridges are loaded, the cylinder is then replaced into the frame, the cylinder pin is replaced, and the gun is ready to fire.  Reloading this gun does take some time, and is not something that one would want to undertake in the heat of the moment.  You have five rounds:  make them count.

Shown with cylinder removed for loading.

Since the revolver does not have a hammer-block safety, one would normally only load four of the five chambers, so that the hammer may be rested on an empty chamber to alleviate the chance of accidental discharge.  North American Arms has developed an ingenious work-around for this, however.  Between each chamber, there is a shallow safety notch, in which the hammer may be rested, thus allowing the weapon to be carried fully loaded.

Cylinder removed, showing safety notch
 (and powder residue in the chambers)

Shooting the NAA Mini takes some getting used to.  For one thing, the grip is very small.  I can only get three fingers on the grip, with my pinky curled under it.  Also, the gun is single-action, requiring the hammer to be manually cocked before each shot.  I have found that I obtain the best results by using a two-handed grip, with my support-hand wrapped around my shooting hand, and using my support-hand thumb to cock the hammer, thus eliminating the need to change my grip with each shot.  The .22 Magnum, while a rimfire cartridge, is a powerful round.  Firing one out of a gun not much bigger than a Zippo lighter is, well...  exciting.  There is no painful recoil, but the entire gun tends to rotate barrel upward in your hand when it is fired.  With practice, one can learn how to control this tendency, however.  One thing I would stress is that hearing protection is a must when practicing with these revolvers:  the .22 Magnum absolutely roars out of this tiny little gun.

The NAA Mini is every bit as accurate as a revolver with a 1 1/8" barrel can be, once you learn how to shoot it.  I have found that using the front sight to aim results in shots being consistently below the point of aim.  Sighting along the top of the barrel, however, gives much better results.  Shooting slowly at a range of fifteen feet, I am able to get consistent three inch groups.  Rapid point shooting at the same distance, the groups open up, but I can still put all five shots inside of the 8-ring.  With more practice, I think I will be able to shrink that down to the 9-ring.

I do not pretend that the .22 Magnum is the best cartridge for self-defense.  However, I do believe that it is a serviceable round, and would certainly be capable of stopping a threat if one knows how to use it.  Nor do I think that a gun with a tiny barrel and rudimentary sights is the best option for a gunfight.  The NAA Mini Magnum is an up-close-and-personal "get off of me" gun...  what some people have called an "E.N.T." gun - short for ear, nose, and throat, meaning that the face, head, and throat would be likely areas to target with this type of weapon.  Thus, I will not be replacing my everyday carry gun with the NAA Mini Magnum.  However, I do believe that the Mini makes a great back-up gun to my S&W Model 60.  And on those occasions when I cannot carry "the Chief," at least I do not have to be completely unarmed.  The NAA Mini just gets popped into my front pocket, and I am ready to go.  In fact, since I purchased "Maggie," I have not left the house without her (so far I have been able to avoid the post office, courtrooms, and airplanes).  The Mini Magnum is one of the best ways to live the mantra:  always carry, never tell.

My (almost) matching pair of magnums:
S&W Model 60 .357 Magnum and NAA Mini Magnum

For more information:

North American Arms

Gun Shop Review: Tri-Cities Gun Depot, Elizabethton, TN

Today, I thought I would write my first review, and as my subject, I have chosen a local gun shop.  Before I begin, however, let me make a couple of things clear:  first, the following comments are my opinion only.  I do not hold myself out to be an expert in this field, I am simply sharing my experiences at this particular establishment.  Second, my commentary is based solely upon my own experience with this particular dealer.  I make no guarantees as to how your own experience may relate.  Caveat Emptor.

Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, let's talk gun shops.  I love gun shops.  I like few things more than to walk into a gun shop, peer into the glass cases at the polished steel of revolvers, handle a quality 1911, and stare longingly at the racks of rifles and shotguns hanging on the walls.  I can spend hours perusing accessories:  lasers, spare magazines, replacement grips, cleaning supplies, etc.  If I could design my own air freshener, it would smell like Hoppes #9.  I like hanging around other gun people, discussing things only other gun people care about, like twist rates, drop-in replacement hammers, or how much IMR 4350 to put behind that Barnes 168 grain Triple Shok X boattail.

But when I am shopping, I am also concerned about such things as customer service, a good selection of quality items, and competitive prices.  I am not a high-maintenance shopper:  I do not require someone to hold my hand and walk me around the store to find certain items.  However, I do not want to be ignored, either.  Recently, I spent ten minutes standing at a counter waiting for a sales rep to assist me, while the employees were busy talking to one another about their previous evening's exploits.  This is unacceptable behavior (and will be discussed in a forthcoming review).  When I find a store that has what I am looking for, in terms of service and selection, I will continue to send them my business.  And I am willing to drive a bit farther down the road in order to patronize a shop that has these qualities.

Tri-Cities Gun Depot, in Elizabethton, TN, is just such a place.  TCGD is locally owned and operated by two great guys, Tom and Brian, who really know their guns.  They are friendly, and are always helpful.  Not once have I felt as though I was being ignored, and in fact, most times I have been in the shop, the guys have gone out of their way to make sure I was getting the information I needed.  What is more, it seems like they have personal experience with just about every type of firearm in the shop, which is useful when you are comparing similar firearms.

The shop boasts a great selection of firearms and ammunition, and they offer a number of accessories as well, such as Blackhawk and Uncle Mike holsters, optics, cleaning kits, and even OC sprays and stun guns.  Gun brands include Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Glock, Kahr, Kel-Tec, Taurus, Kimber, Springfield, Walther, Remington, Savage, DPMS, Rossi, H&R, and many more.  Pistols and revolvers, rifles and shotguns, this store has it all...  and if they do not have it in stock, they can probably get it.  Want a stripped lower to do your own AR build?  They got it.  And the complete parts kit to build that lower, as well.  Or, if you are not so mechanically inclined, you can get an AR, already assembled and ready to go to the range.  Or perhaps you reside in the AK state of mind...  they got you covered as well.  870 with adjustable stock and heat shield?  Yeah, they've got that.  Too pedestrian for your tastes?  What about a Saiga 12?  Check.  With the drum.  Oh yeah, now we're talking...

What is more, you get all of the above, along with very good prices to boot.  TCGD is usually within just a few dollars of the lowest prices I have seen on comparable guns for this area.  And to be honest, I am more than willing to spend a little more for gas to drive a few miles out of my way for the good service, especially since I know I will be making up the difference with the lower prices.

To date, I have bought five firearms from TCGD, and that includes the last four firearms I have purchased.  And while I still go to other gun shops, I doubt seriously that I will buy firearms from anyone other than the Gun Depot.  I highly recommend this dealer to anyone who is looking to make a firearms purchase.  Stop by and talk to Tom and Brian, and see what the Tri-Cities Gun Depot has to offer.  I do not think you will be disappointed.

Tri-Cities Gun Depot
1760 West Elk Avenue
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 543-ARMS