Anyone carry a NA 22 mag as a backup

[MICHAEL T]

I have one 22mag/22LR . After shooting I went back to my Beretta 950 BS 25 auto more shots faster, better accuracy. Plus I can reload in seconds not mins. . I feel has no real value in pocket.
22mag in short barrel more recoil,noise ,and fire ,than power. Use NAA own FPS and ft lbs chart and see.

I'll keep my Beretta or my P-32

 

[Haywood]

I use mine as a third gun sometimes. I have also used it in pajama pockets.

 

[suzukibruce]

I carry the .22 super companion cap and ball revolver. same gun just no federal involvement in buying one and it shipped right to my door. when loaded up with 4.5 grains of 777 or 2 grains of trailboss it is as powerful or more than the mini mag. the mini mag loaded up with .22mag gets about 900 fps at the muzzle, trip7, and Bullseye get the same or higher. yeah it takes longer to reload but a naa mini isnt what most call a primary carry piece, besides if you cant solve your problem with 5 shots of .22cal 30 grain bullets at 900-1100 fps, i dont think 5 more are really going to help. do a search on this forum about the naa super companion and read all the threads, you will be amazed!

 

[X-Rap]

Never shot one but have no complaints in NAA quality. I don't however see how one would think one of those little revolvers would be close to comparable to the many 380 SA pistols available.

 

[adc]

carry a naa pug .22 mag w/the folding grip, hooks right onto your pants pocket (mimic's carrying a pocket knife) and hardly ever know it's there.....carry 24/7. most of time it is all i carry, powerful pocket cannon!

 

[Tallball]

I prefer my 380 Kel-Tec. It is so light and easy to carry that I have never felt the need for anything smaller.

 

[suzukibruce]

tallball, my gf has a p3at also, she has the armalaser tr1 installed with a +1 mag extension, neat little pistol! light recoil isnt bad and it fits in the hand well. like i said i carry a c&b naa super companion, she teases me about my "mouse gun"... one of my other CCW pieces is this...

 

[MCgunner]

I prefer my .22LR NAA 1 5/8" barrel in a folding grip for an EDC backup. I own a Black Widow in .22 mag, but the little .22LR is lighter and I always have a bigger gun on me. The Black Widow is mostly a church gun, low threat environment, mostly for lunch after church on Sundays. At least I have SOMETHING on me in a Lubys situation.

I like the Black Widow. It's an accurate weapon. I carry Hornady CD in it.

 

[MCgunner]

BTW, I load my supercompanion with 2 grains of Bullseye and an NAA 30 grain conical. I get over 1100 fps out of it, same as .22 mag from the BW. The BW is a much more accurate gun, though, and I don't have to constantly fire and clean it to keep pocket moisture from contaminating the powder. That's also a problem with .22LR, but I just refresh loads once a week in that one, lot less pain.

The supercompanion is actually faster, much faster to reload with a spare cylinder. However, it's not exactly a gun I wanna get into a protracted gun battle with. I did buy spare cylinder for it, was only 40 bucks from NAA.

 

[Sav .250]

Most folks like to carry a small cannon. Seems more like the manly thing to do.

Although, many have been killed by the "small" cal weapon.

 

[mdauben]

Most folks like to carry a small cannon. Seems more like the manly thing to do.

It's got nothing to do with being manly, it's do do with better choices.

Although, many have been killed by the "small" cal weapon.

And many have not even noticed they've been shot with rimfire handguns. Sure, it CAN kill but the NAA revolvers have too many drawbacks IMO (poor grips, single action, slow to reload and, yes, a poor SD round) . I know not everyone would agree, but I would not consider it a first or even second choice for SD. Not when there are so many better choices available.

 

[Tallball]

Suzukibruce, that is a fine looking revolver there!

I wish I could say the same about my P3AT. I have extra large hands and I know that they will be sore afterwards if I run a whole box of ammo through it.

 

[Pyro]

I carry the .22lr version on my ankle as a backup.

 

[shooter1]

The NAAs are fun little novelty guns. I had one of the 1 5/8 magnum models. I had a P32 and a P3AT at the time, so never carried the NAA. I did put a few hundred rounds through it learning to shoot it. Managed to get to the point where I could shoot it pretty well. For me the NAAs are fun but a poor choice for carry. The small autos are far superior for defensive carry in about every way that counts. Just my opinion.
str1

 

[goon]

I think the NAA's are pretty damn cool. I'd like to have one, and when I buy one (a Pug) I'll carry it. Not because it's so great, but because if you're going to have a gun you can carry with virtually no effort, why not stick it in a pocket and carry it?

 

[chicharrones]

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 like your set up. Now I can see a reason for me to carry a NAA mini.

 

[PRM]

Poor Grips - Get the get the Black Widow, it also has the bigger frame, two inch barrel, and enhanced sights.

Single Action - ? Guess that is preference.

Slow to re-load - Yep, but how many rounds do you need in a pocket pistol. If you feel the threat is sufficient, carry bigger and more. The "what-ifers" will always argue you can get into a gunfight with a dozen, 360LB, meth-crazed, gangbangers at your local Sonic Drive In over the junior Cheeseburgers. So in that case its slow.

Poor Choice of rounds- There is always better. A .223 is better than a .45 and so forth. Again, what do you feel comfortable with. I grew up on a farm in the 60s, when just about everyone I knew had a .22 pistol or rifle in their truck. We shot squirrels and rabbits, killed skunks and raccoons in the garden, coyotes in the chicken pen, and put a lot of beef and pork in the freezer. If it was hunting season and you drove to high school, the gun was in your truck . You might even bring it to Agriculture class for show and tell . And when I went to college, ROTC had a marksmanship team.

I don't have an issue with a .22 in my pocket most places I go. I do own larger calibers and carry them when the occasion and activities warrant. But, I never count the lowly .22 as ineffective. It's been in production for 127 years for more than one reason.

 

[MCgunner]

The slow to reload argument has no merit for me. WHO in the hell carries reloads for their third gun? Goofy. My primary is my Taurus 85SSUL in my strong side pocket, speed strip on my belt in my cell phone case, NAA mini in my weak side. On trips to town sometimes or to the big cities, I put a .357 magnum on my belt and the .38s in the speed strip will reload it or my .38. The NAA is there, could come in handy, never know. Why NOT carry it? Folded in its folded holster grip, it's no more a pain to carry than a pocket knife and more deadly from range than any pocket knife. The Kel Tec P32 is bigger, heavier.

 

[herrwalther]

The slow to reload argument has no merit for me. WHO in the hell carries reloads for their third gun? Goofy. My primary is my Taurus 85SSUL in my strong side pocket, speed strip on my belt in my cell phone case, NAA mini in my weak side. On trips to town sometimes or to the big cities, I put a .357 magnum on my belt and the .38s in the speed strip will reload it or my .38. The NAA is there, could come in handy, never know. Why NOT carry it? Folded in its folded holster grip, it's no more a pain to carry than a pocket knife and more deadly from range than any pocket knife. The Kel Tec P32 is bigger, heavier.

The only people I know who carry third guns are LEOs in some very rough neighborhoods. Back when I lived in those areas I had a primary with 2 reloads, and a BUG with one reload. The third gun was in the vehicle, usually a 12ga. All that gun and ammo can get heavy, even for a stiff leather belt.

The NAA sidewinder addresses some of the slow reload issues. Instead of needing to remove the pin and cylinder on a typical NAA mini, the cylinder swings out like a traditional revolver. Albeit to the right instead of the left. Better for more shooting time at the range in my opinion. Can't imagine trying to reload a .22WMR or LR in a firefight.

 

[RJTravel]

Put the folding holster grip on the 5 ounce mini and it exceeds a 6 ounce KT .32. For firepower the KelTec is hard if not impossible to beat.

 

[short barrel]

Not the dumbest, but well within the 10 dumbest things I ever did was sell my NAA .22M. I had Critical Defense loads in it. Tested them on water jugs and they definitely expand and penetrate.

I plan to get another one asap. Not a primary carry weapon, but definitely better than a .25, .32, or .380, IMO. I hope to buy the Black Widow model.

Such a gun is great for those trout fishing outings when you don't want to be careful with something better. A good gun to have in your pocket while mowing the yard. It is an easy way to always be armed.

I practiced with mine and learned a lot. Starting at one yard, I shot five rounds at a large bulls eye target. I kept moving back one yard at a time until I could no longer keep all five rounds on target. That was 8 yards. Twenty-four feet. Not bad for such a little bitty gun.

There are times (and you know there are) when you just don't want to tote a gun. Chances of needing one are next to none at those times. Like going to the dollar store for whatever on a Tuesday afternoon. Nothing is going to happen. Almost certainly, nothing is going to happen. Still, that little NAA is already in your pocket. It can be a comfort in that regard.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I did for years (when I could). As a back up I liked it a lot. Also, was a useful tool to have in snake county if filled with shot.

No, it doesn't beat a full sized weapon but it has it's place.

 

[splattergun]

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 agree and couldn't say it any better.

 

[Stacer]

I have a sidewinder that's almost always in my off side pocket. It makes for a great gun to carry when I can't carry my full size.

 

[Hoppes Love Potion]

The NAA minis are great "everywhere" guns. They are high quality, inexpensive, and are accurate if you can figure out how to hold them. The smaller ones just don't work well in my pudgy hands, but the Black Widow's rubber grip fits the pocket of my hand like it was molded there, and the little gun points like an extra finger. The dovetailed sights allow much better practical accuracy for longer shots. The recoil even feels perfectly mated to a gun of this size and weight.

With the spare .22 LR cylinder, I have put thousands of practice rounds through the Black Widow. I have a lot of confidence in the gun. It's perfect for this climate (Florida) and doesn't require any wardrobe or lifestyle changes.