Alternatives to the NAA mini-revolver

[PaladinX13]

I do not, at all, begrudge or berate someone who buys one to own one or even carries one because they want to. I'm asking what's the practical benefit of carrying a NAA mini-revolver compared to alternatives in the same size/weight envelope in a defensive situation and related carry issues.

Generally speaking, I think most people agree any gun is better than no gun... but is the NAA mini-revolver better than something else? Martial arts, fighting pocket sticks, and pocket knives aside, the thing that comes immediately to mind are pocket sprays- mace, OC, pepper, etc.

To me, these would seem quicker to draw, easier to use, and potentially more effective than the NAA under similar circumstances. As a carry related issue, if you're in an environment where arms are frowned upon, I'm guessing a NAA mini-revolver is going to land you in much deeper trouble than a mini-mace spray if your carry is ever compromised. Neither are ideal by far, but I'm inclined to give the mace the nod as a better choice over the NAA.

What do you think?

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I had to pick between being hit in the face with mace/pepper spray or a .22 mag mini-revolver, I would pick the chemical any day of the week. If someone was attacking me, I'd rather not be so considerate of their preferences.

 

[Seancass]

carry the spray and a walking cane with a nice heavy brass head. give them a nice little spray, when the cover their eyes give them a baseball swing *WHAP*, and you can walk away whistling and spinning your new favorite cane. no legal technicallities.

but heck, given the choice i'd just shoot em.

 

[johndoe1027]

The sound alone stops most people dead in their tracks.

People can still attack you after being pepper sprayed. My buddy (he may chime in) was in the French Navy of all things. During training, they rounded up all of the guys in a room, tossed a pepper spray grenade in, closed the door until it dissipated. He is not scared of pepper spray anymore. He said its more panic than anything. If you stay calm, its not so bad. Seems like a sick, sick person could train themselves to be unaffected enough to still function after a spray.
A point blank 22 mag to the face or sternum will stop anyone thats not on PCP, in which case you're screwed anyway unless you have a holster for the 2 shot 12 ga stubbie. You might still have to reload from what I've heard and seen.
Also, had another buddy get sprayed by campus police while he was in college. He was being harassed unnecessarily BTW. He said it made his eyes water and he started snotting quite a bit but it pissed him off more than anything. I wish I had been there. My brother was there and said he continued to blow snot rockets all over the back of the CP car until he got to the station. LMFAO
That being said, I still carry pepper spray in the car (not so much for self defense, more for a grudge which has nothing to do with the high road), but the mini goes in my pocket if I don't feel like carrying the 9mm.
Good question!

 

[MacEntyre]

I have mine hidden with a spare wallet, spare keys, knife and some other things, in case I get caught flat footed, so to speak.

Also, it's what I carry when I'm going to get wet. A little petroleum jelly on the bullets keeps them dry.

To my knowledge, there is no other firearm that fits in a eyeglass case, or inside a woolen mitten.

 

[PaladinX13]

I have no question that the .22LR proves the greater lethal threat under ideal circumstances, but I'm thinking that a single-action NAA is not going to be as reliably deployed as a spray under stress. You have to get the right hold, draw, cock, aim (sorta), fire, retain control, and repeat. Spray seems a lot more forgiving under the same circumstances. Maybe for your attacker too, but it's not about killing him but defending yourself. Some OC to an attacker's face is of more value (however limited) than a round- from any gun- never fired.

 

[Sean85746]

You know....I have two mind ya TWO of them. Cute little buggers. I have one in .22lr, and one in .22Mag. I even have that dandy little belt buckle gizmo (no, never actually worn it, but it DOES make for interesting conversation).

I have never carried one as my primary BUG, however, I have carried the .22Mag as a secondary BUG.

We can argue the relative merits or demerits of mouse guns until we are blue in the face, I know this, I've seen some of us do it.

The truth is...virtually any gun is better than no gun, and the little NAA beats the socks off one of the .22 cal derringers on the market.

AND....they are fun as heck to shoot. I am one of them "ANY TRIGGER TIME IS GOOD TRIGGER TIME" types. After the so-called serious shooting is done, I love burning up bricks of .22lr in any number of the .22lr wheelguns, autos, and rifles I own.

IN MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION.

 

[Soybomb]

If you haven't held one a keltec p32 or p3at is quite tiny. I think it fits in my pocket better than a 2oz can of pepper spray.

 

[sm]

I am a believer in mindset, training, and "Options".
The more tools in the tool box , the better as far as I am concerned.
Thinking out of the box is one huge tool I believe in as well.

NAA mini- revolver - to me, is a valuable and useful tool. I personally like the .22 lr , with 1 1/8" barrel.
I also suggest the factory lanyard ring.

The .22 lr ammunition is very affordable and allows for a lot of quality practice.
This ammunition is found everywhere.

Stop an immediate threat - if matters are such, this small firearm made so well , might be the best last ditch effort one has.

I have /do use[d] a crotch holster with a J frame, Beretta Jetfire, and NAA .22 lr, with 1 1/8" barrel.
I know others that have and still do.

For whatever reason, matters go south.

Those concerned with being kidnapped often think out of the box. If one finds themselves "south" , disarmed of other sidearms, edged weapons...etc.,...well...
Same reason hidden handcuff keys and razor blades accessible if hands in front, or in back.

Ladies have practiced being in their trunk and getting out. They have also practiced using a NAA from "neck", bosom and other areas.

If hands are bound, feet as well, can one access and actually use a "tool" ?

Where are your hands, and what "reach" do you have".

Take a lady , disarmed, one BG holding and spreading her legs and - you get the idea.
Other BG is down on her chest, face in hers or lower and- again - you get the idea.
Bad breath distance and shot to eye, up nose, into mouth - stops what is happening to allow her to roll, get distance - anything, like keep moving, fighting and what it takes to survive.


I will reiterate. No Holy Grail

The gentleman is in the mental hospital (last heard, been years) that stuck a 4" .357 revolver in his mouth and pulled the trigger with a .357 load.

We did the organ harvest on the lady where a .22 short, got her aorta.

 

[lawson]

My brother carries an NAA .22 everywhere. He says he picked it because he can hide it in a pocket no matter what he's wearing. He knows of comparable guns in similar sizes, but he refuses to own anything but single action revolvers.

He practices with it at a range of about five feet, point shooting center of mass. The last time we went shooting, I was pretty impressed with how functional it can be with practice.

 

[MacEntyre]

My brother carries an NAA .22 everywhere...

"Beware the man who owns only one gun."

 

[Phaetos]

Maybe I should have taken the trade on that NAA some guy was offering me. I was getting rid of a Rock Island Commander .45 for $300. He offered me the NAA .22mag + $200 for the .45. Shoulda took the trade.

 

[lesjones]

I've got an NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum with a 2 inch barrel and an S&W 642 .38 Special with a 2 inch barrel.

The 642 gets more use. Conceals fine in a pocket. Recognizable to the other guy as a gun. Much more effective if I have to use it.

 

[obxned]

Currently my smallest is a KelTec P3AT. I have owned and shot the mini, and will probably get another sometime, probably in .22 mag. For its size it is the best thing out there. All others, including any non-lethals, are larger and heavier, even my P3AT.

 

[george29]

My NAA .22 magnum is my always everywhere. I especially like it for places where it is illegal to carry, and it is the gun that clips on my Hanes Boxer Briefs around the home. Mine is filled with 5 snakeshot loads as the plan is if I need the NAA, then I need to stop someone right-now and IMO, blinding someone from 2-3 feet is the only option, hope it never comes to that. I have shot at junkyard cars from 10 yards and it scorched the paint right off and kept the spread at about 12" radius, think what it will do to a face at 2-3feet? I have carried one almost constantly for 2 decades or more, never needed it but it is a comfort when nothing else is available. It is my BUG and also BUG 4 BUG. I have owned a Kel-Tec P-32 and still prefer the NAA, but the scenerio in which it is needed is scary indeed.

 

[WeedWhacker]

I've chosen to carry five FMJ .22WMR 40gr solids in my NAA mini. While hoping I'll never need them, I figure that's three shots at the body, one at the face, and maybe one up the nose, depending on when the attacker decides to quit.

Being the optimistic type, I carry five more cartridges for a reload, but as I've previously mentioned, the finger gymnastics required for reloading just will not be possible after an adrenaline dump.

I'm all for the "shooting to stop" theory, but I don't want to 1. limit my only target to a very small spot (the eyes), 2. be a test case for "shooting to maim". To each their own, of course, since both 40gr FMJs and snakeshot are still lethal force.

As for the mini itself, there's simply nothing else in its class.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I gave it serious thought, but went with the P3AT too.

If I am wearing so little clothing that I can't carry the P3AT I'm probably in a swimming pool.

That said I will get one of the NAAs eventually just for the cute and cool factor.

I especially like it for places where it is illegal to carry,

Damn brother, don't believe I'd a told that

 

[hso]

I carry a P3AT in a wallet carry.

I understand SM's mindset,training and options approach where a .22/.25 weilded with conficence and competence could "disarm" an attacker that was less than 110% commited to doing harm to you.

That said, since all handguns are poor performers when a one stop shot is desired, I carry as much as I can possibly conceal at all times.

 

[Sistema1927]

I don't know that you want to carry 5 rounds of birdshot in the NAA if you are going to use it for defense.

You don't have a legal right to blind an attacker. I can see this causing you legal grief when they lead the guy into court by the hand and he is carrying a white cane. With something this small penetration is your friend, keep to the 40 grain solids.

 

[tuna]

I've finally upgraded my Mass license to "unrestricted", and now carry pretty regularly. My wife (she shoots, and will carry pepper spray, but won't carry a gun - yet, besides, she still has the restricted license) was fine with the idea of me carrying, until I started putting a holster on.
She asked me to "let her get used to the idea", so instead of fight, I offered a compromise and told her I'd carry my .22 derringer (I went cheap when I was going to buy a NAA and got the derringer for $50 - kicking myself now). She was fine with that, as unless I tell her, she doesn't know, plus, I'm still in the "everyone knows I'm carrying" phase of CCW, and I'm POSITIVE that everyone knows that I've got a derringer in my pocket.
A couple times she's slipped her hand in my (back) pocket (Hey, we've been together over 10 years, and we still hold hands and she still thinks it's cute to put her hand in my back pocket while we're walking. I'm no Brad Pitt, so I think I'm doing pretty good!) and will feel the gun. She just looks at me, and says "I didn't even know" (smart enough not to say "gun" in public in Mass, another plus for her).
I figure it will take another few weeks until we're both comfortable with me CCW, but in the meantime, I'm still carrying. And I'm less scared of it going off accidently than I am of the pepper spray going off in my pocket.
Is it perfect, nope. Is it a good start for a learning curve, sure. Eventually it will wind up as a BUG, but I'm getting comfortable with it.

 

[mike101]

According to NAA, a .22 mag. Mini, using CCI Maxi Mag + V ammo, will have a muzzle velocity of 1250 fps. Coming right at your head.

If I were a mugger, I think I'd rather face the pepper spray.

 

[thexrayboy]

I own one of the little NAA 22's , its a nice little item. The grip folds around the gun and it can be slid into the pocket just like a folding knife making access very easy. Would never think of it as a primary means of defense but it weighs next to nothing and is simple to use and carry. And if I was at grabbing distance I could reach up, stick the barrel under the guys chin and see what happens. A 22 round into the underside of a BG's head may not kill him but it will sure distract him, perhaps permanently. It's not the best option but it is better than a lot of other options.

 

[WeedWhacker]

Stock NAA minis are tricky enough as-is for self-defense, and don't need further complications:

1. five shots
2. single-action
3. slow/impossible reloads
4. small size (bird's head grips can be held only by one finger)

I'd purchased a specialty pocket holster from Pale Horse Holsters, designed for the 2" NAA Black Widow. The pistol goes in the holster and only it and the holster goes in my pocket. The holster ensures the NAA mini stays in the same position all the time.

With that folding grip, you have to draw, OPEN THE PISTOL, and cock it. That's just too much to suggest for a self-defense pistol. K.I.S.S.

 

[bogie]

No other small handgun will fit unobtrusively in a speedo thong.

 

[TargetTerror]

Mine is filled with 5 snakeshot loads as the plan is if I need the NAA, then I need to stop someone right-now and IMO, blinding someone from 2-3 feet is the only option, hope it never comes to that. I have shot at junkyard cars from 10 yards and it scorched the paint right off and kept the spread at about 12" radius, think what it will do to a face at 2-3feet? I have carried one almost constantly for 2 decades or more, never needed it but it is a comfort when nothing else is available. It is my BUG and also BUG 4 BUG. I have owned a Kel-Tec P-32 and still prefer the NAA, but the scenerio in which it is needed is scary indeed.

I know that this thread is 6 months old, but I just have to say that I thought this was an EXCELLENT point. OC is designed to incapacitate through blinding, primarily, and the other reactions in the sinuses. It would seem that snakeshot should do the same thing only with FAR superior results. Basically, the NAA can be used like an OC on steriods. I like