Anyone carry a NA 22 mag as a backup

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george burns

george burns

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I had one about 15 years ago when they were like 100 bucks or so. I asked the largest dealer in FL if he sells many at the gun show. We have become acquaintances after a half dozen guns I have bought over the years. He said that he sells about 20 on average at every gun show.
I have spoken to several dealers who swear by them, as a weapon as last resort, "like when someone is on top of you pounding your brains out".
Has anyone taken to carrying one as a backup or backup to your backup? They are cool looking little buggers, but I remember them being just too small to even get a grip on, and not very accurate, "but how accurate does it have to be at belly gun range"For the same price you can pick up a 2 shot derringer with a 38 or 9mm round in it.
 
I don't carry one, but my friend's wife has one for a backup. It has the small grip and she only keeps the .22 WMR cylinder in it.

I've fired it on a few occasions. It is much harder for me to use than something the size of a pocket .380 pistol. The grip is small so the gun moves in my hand when fired. Manually cocking the hammer for me is a PITA.

It is loud in .22WMR and puts out a nice fireball. Accuracy is plenty good enough for "get off me" range.

Honestly, if someone made a new version of the High Standard DAO derringer but with 4 barrels, I think a few NAA owners wouldn't own NAA mini revolvers for backup. :evil:
 
Yep, and sometimes that is all I carry.

The little NA .22 Mag dislikers will tell you how horridly inadequate they are, and how inaccurate they are, but that's OK. :)
 
I carry a Black Widow every day and most of the time something more but the BW is always with me. It is a 22 mag and with practice it is accurate out to 20' and beyond.
 
NAA .22Mag is a great little backup gun and have carried it before as such. Sometimes it was a primary gun for running or other deep concealment. Unfortunately it was sold so am looking forward to getting another with the spare cylinder. I was pretty accurate with mine, was able to consistently shoot milk jugs at 15 yards without much issue using the stock grip.
 
My 1 5/8" .22 Mag NAA is in my pocket today as my primary, loaded with 40 gr. Gold Dots. I bought it in 1999 with the LR conversion cylinder included, and it has performed perfectly.

Make sure to check for excessive cylinder gap, as you need all the velocity you can get with these
guns.

Minute-of-felon accuracy is easily obtained out to 25 yards with practice, regardless of what the "bigger gun or nothing" crowd says.
 
I have, and carried it loaded with "birdshot". It makes for a dandy "marking" piece.
 
There are many guns you CAN carry but a Black Widow you WILL carry. The grip is just right, it disappears in any pocket, and when your 4lb .45 is at home your Black Widow will be there. There's always lots of arguement but do you know anyone that wants to take 5 .22 mags? I don't.
 
I would much rather have a 380 semi-auto like the P3AT / LCP than a .22 single action revolver.
The 380 (LCP / P3AT) disappears in a pocket, offers a 7 round capacity, can be fired quicker than a single action mini revolver, and has a larger diameter bullet.
 
I carry one in an ankle holster as a backup to my .38 iwb. The .22 mag Speer gold dots are the best I've shot in it as far as reliablitliy, accuracy and power. Word to the wise if you do get one do NOT dry fire it, even with the cylinder out like the manufacturer says you can. They are reliable pieces but the springs and parts are small. I broke mine that way but naa fixed it quick no problem. The weapon is stone reliable at the range as long as your ammo is (Speer gold dot). Also re loading the standard non swing out cylinder ones like the one I have requires extra pre caution so you don't loose a finger. All that said I like mine. It's a lethal tool that's up for its intended job. Make no mistake
 
bought a couple naa 22mags back in the mid 80s....still have em both... have always carried one for backup... if you practise you will be suprised how accurate they can be.... i think they are darn good little stingers.... i don't plan on a 100 yard gun battle...with any hand gun i would be moving towards my ar 15...... dirt
 
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Used to, not any more. Kinda miss it, but not really. They are remarkably well made little wheelguns for the size and money.
 
How's the trigger on these things? I don't mean the actual delivered trigger --I assume it's tiny and heavy and derringer-like-- I mean the mechanism inside; can it be lightened up to what we normally think of from SA revolvers?

I've always wanted to buy one of these and stretch it out into a 16" folding pack rifle, sort of like those Chiappa Little Badgers but both classier and more capable :cool:

TCB
 
Trigger is good. Accuracy is good at its intended range. They make a target model but I've never met anyone who shot one. It is a bit of a pain to reload but a great deal less complicated than your average .380 for beginers or those with older or weaker hands. Also less recoil and no danger of slide bite. Stainless steel and black rubber, they take a beatin' with no apparent ill effect.
 
Guy I work with bought one, presumably for carry. As a last ditch gun, I don't know if I'd want that or something a little easier to grip and manipulate. At Treyvon range, a sharp as heck assisted opener stuck between a couple of ribs would better suit the bill, but that's JMO.

My wife liked the little NAA revolvers, until she tried to cock back the hammer. She's not weak, but even she said under stress, might as well chuck the thing at the bad guy. For the size, a little Taurus pt25 would be my choice.
 
I've carried the short barrel version Wasp for quite a few years, sometimes solo and sometimes as backup. The point of the NAA guns is that you ALWAYS carry them. I do a lot of practicing with mine in the 5-20 foot range. At 20 feet I've gotten to the point where I can keep it on a 25 yard target square which is about 12" x 12". At 5-10 feet I can keep it almost always in the black. The new short barrel .22 Mag self defense rounds are "something else".
Stu
 
Carry one every evening when the wife and I walk the dog around the neighborhood as a back up to a walking stick and a 9mm. First round is loaded with bird shot. Loud noise and being peppered with shot worked perfectly to persuade 2 aggressive dogs that didn't take the hint to back off. Perfect for the role I picked it up for.
 
I sometimes slip the NAA into a spare 1911 mag slot (left side IWB double mag carrier)
I have a pocket holster for it, too - but I'd carry my KT p32 if I was going to pocket carry.

They take practice, but they're also the most gun you can fit into that small a space.
And the new Hornady/Speer loads are good performers based on my testing on water jugs.

barnbwt - over on rimfirecentral, user "TeddyBearRat" has made the gun you're imagining. It is highly amusing, he says it works well but requires an odd grip because of cylinder gap, if I remember correctly.
 
I carry a 1 5/8ths .22 mag with folding grip most days. I carry it IWB most usually with the belt clip hooked over my jeans at 4 o'clock, belt over that. It stays put during a hard days work and will be right there at the end of the day. Also in jeans pocket with no issues or printing.
As far as I'm concerned, the folding holstergrip is a must-have for this gun.
Accuracy is minute of liter bottle at 15yds.
 
Roger that Kbbail, 15 yards is a stand off weapon..... so much better then a sharp stick.... it just takes a bit of practice.... dirt
 
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Yep, and a lot of days it's my primary. I bought the Black Widow in .22 Magnum/.22LR. The bigger magnum frame, 2 inch heavy barrel with enhanced sights and over sized grips make it a very accurate and comfortable gun to shoot. Although not the top of the food chain - I'm pretty comfortable with 5 .22 magnum hollow points.

If i feel the need I've got larger caliber guns I can carry.
 

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