Best defensive load for .22 Magnum NAA Mini Revolver

What is the best option for a defensive load for .22 magnum NAA Mini Revolver?

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The gun: NAA Mini Revolver .22 Magnum with 1 1/8" barrel.

The question: What would you recommend for a defensive load?

The disclaimer: I already know the .22 magnum is not the ideal defensive round. I already know the NAA Mini Revolver is not the ideal defensive weapon. I'm asking for your opinion of how to get the best defensive performance from it as a BUG or in those situations where I cannot conceal anything larger.

The options (that I'm aware of):
Ball - better penetration.
Hollow Point - bigger hole.
Snake Shot - blinding shots to the face, big spread from this short barrel.
Some combination of the above.

Thanks in advance!
 
I would suggest CCI's 40gr GamePoint Jacketed Soft Point round, Part #0022. It generated 1875 fps with 312 ft/lbs of energy. Of course you won't get that from your NAA Mini but when you start with high velocities you are better off than with a slower round. The GamePoint bullet provides controlled expansion for deep penetration. I like the 40gr bullet better than the lighter 30/32/36gr bullets and 1875 fps is darn good for a 40gr bullet and the weight of the bullet should add a little extra punch over the lighter bullets.

Federal has a 50gr GameShok round which is reported to generate 1510 fps but I don't know if that starting point is high enough since you will be firing it from such a short barrel.
 
Go heavy, get whatever penetration you can out of it. You want it to be able to penetrate skullbone should you end up in a bad grappling match and get it against the attackers head.

Snake shot is probably a very bad idea.
 
Well, unless you must carry the NAA due to "deep cover"* considerations, I would recommend stepping up. A Kel-Tec P32 can be concealed just as easily, but if using it or the NAA I would recommend ball.

If you don't have a "deep cover" need, then continue stepping up to either a small 9mm (Kahr PM9) or .38 (S&W 642) which will still conceal easily in a pocket holster.

*"deep cover" = "I will be in big do-do if my weapon is ever discovered", as in "Before they enacted CCW in this state, I carried legally and illegally for the past 18 years", as stated by my first CCW instructor.
 
I would suggest CCI's 40gr GamePoint Jacketed Soft Point round
Click to expand...

+1


Snake shot is probably a very bad idea.
Click to expand...

+1


Penetration is key with any .22, once inside they tend to rattle and tumble and in the process do a lot of damage, but they have to get in there to do that.
 
I carry CCI Maxi-mag HP 40 grain in mine.So far haven't found any volunteers to step forward to test the effectiveness of this round.It's quite accurate out to 21ft,sub 5" groups.BTW it's the 1 5/8" barrel verson.
 
Hollowpoint. Out of a mini, it's not going to have the velocity of a rifle for which hollow points are designed. I imagine expansion will be more of a flattening of the nose which is better than none. Ball ammo in .45 is pretty pathetic. In .22, I don't know if you'd even know you'd been shot, at least until the next morning when your coffee started leaking down your shirt. :rolleyes: :D

I don't know that it really matters, though. You're going to need to shoot for the eyeballs to stop regardless of the bullet. In this calliber, a CNS hit is the only way to stop the fight anytime soon if the attacker is determined. Really don't matter how the bullet is made. I'd definitely choose the load for ACCURACY and ignore bullet construction.

Mine's a LR version. It's very ammo picky, but shoots Fed Lightening bulk pack about as good as any. I can hit near the eye if not ON it at 7 yards. I can hit a head at 15 yards off hand with one well aimed shot. Damned sights ain't easy to acquire quickly, though. It ain't the best self defense weapon I own for more reasons than horsepower. LOL! But, it if absolutely, positively has to be well hidden in minimal clothing, it beats a knife or pepper spray all to hell. .32 ACP ain't enough more gun to be any better. A P3AT is a porkster compared to the NAA. You could hide a mini-revolver in a nudist camp! You don't have to cram it anywhere, a little bit of duck tape and don't spread your legs. :D
 
I have carried my NAA Magnum (1 5/8") with the CCI 30 gr. TNT, various 40 gr. FMJs, the Remington 40 gr. PSP, the Federal 50 gr. JHP and the CCI Gold Dot 50 gr. JHP (discontinued).

Today, it is loaded with the 40 gr. Remington PSP and is currently sitting in my desk drawer at work as I write this. I have heard the the PSP load is the same thing as the Game Point, and is loaded by CCI for Remington.

Yesterday, I fired my "carry ammo" out of the gun to replace it with fresh stuff. Shooting at a torso sized piece of plywood, I got two good hits at 15 yds followed by a nice three shot COM grouping at 7 yds. 5 out of 5 hits- not bad for micro gun like the NAA.

Hear is some chrono results I got from mine last year-

A. CCI 30 gr. TNT JHP- 1151 fps (88 fpe)
B. CCI 30 gr. +V JHP- 1183 fps (92 fpe)
C. CCI 40 gr. JHP- 1015 fps (91 fpe)
D. REM 40 gr. PSP- 1016 fps (92 fpe)
E. CCI 50 gr. Gold Dot- 883 fps (87 fpe)
F. Federal 50 gr. JHP- 897 fps (89 fpe)

Not a lot of difference in energy values.
 
So far 15 to 7 in favor of hollow points. I was kind of expecting the opposite based on some of the threads I've read. I guess the ball crowd is just more outspoken.

Thanks guys.
 
Lets go to the jello test

22MagnumMiniRevolverBlock.JPG


Firearm : North American Arms .22 Magnum revolver with 1 1/8" barrel

Shot 1 - CCI Maxi-Mag HP +V 30gr, penetrated to 11.4". No expansion/deformation present.

Shot 2 - Winchester 40gr Semi-jacketed hollowpoint (part #X22MH), penetrated to 10.6". No expansion present.

Shot 3 - Winchester Supreme 34gr JHP (part #S22WM), penetrated to 11.0". Minimal expansion of copper jacket took place, no deformation of the lead inner core.

Shot 4 - Remington 40gr JHP (part # R22M1), penetrated to 9.0". No expansion present.

Shot 5 - CCI 40gr TMJ (FMJ bullet), thru penetrated the 16.0" block and was not recovered - estimated penetration depth was 12.5" plus some.

http://www.brassfetcher.com/NAAminiRevolver22Magnum.html

I've got mine loaded with CCI Maxi-Mag HP +V 30gr, I thought they would work good when I got them, looks like they are all about the same.

If there is anyone who thinks the .22 Mag mini revolver is not lethal or could not be effectively employed, think again.
 
Use anything you like except snake-shot to the face!

I can see it all now:
(blinded gang-banger with a white can, being led into the civil courtroom by his lawyer)

Yikes! :what:

rcmodel
 
I used solids - I have used a High Standard derringer for occasional slaughter and I use solids there.

As John Dean Cooper is reported to have said - "shoot'em in the tear ducts" - with reference to unpleasant individuals not to slaughter - slaughter something like midway on a line between the ear and the eye. At that point all the penetration I can get is none too much and a bigger hole without penetration doesn't mean much. See also Jim Cirillo and assorted others on shooting to get inside the brain.
 
The NAA mini's tend to be a good choice for Personal Defense concealed carry for two main reasons:
#1 - We take them everywhere ~and~
#2 - Most personal defense shots take place at under 15 feet. At that distance, a .22 magnum in any configuration will penetrate skull bone, chest bone - pretty much any bone it hits on the way to vital organs. Within the skull it will tumble around and cause more trauma than a larger, heavier bullet "just passin' thru".

At least that last part is what I read and hear. I've not yet needed to try it out in the field. As for the first part, I carry this little popgun everywhere, and I'm the only one that knows it.

My best results for groups at 7 yards are with jacketed ball (solid) slugs loaded in the cartridge. I like Federals and CCI's best.
 
I'm not here to argue the merits of one bullet choice over another but the last I knew more people were killed each year from the .22 than any other bullet.

I say that knowing fully well that they are by no means a man stopper but when nothing else works they are an excellent choice.

My wife use to carry a P99c in 9mm for self defense. She has been battling RA which is in her hands the most right now so her primary piece is a Smith 351PD because it's the most powerful gun she can handle safely.
 
Trying to keep this on the level, I want to point out that the failure rate with .22 rimfire is obviously going to be greater than with larger rounds. Think about Serpico, who took a bunch of .22s in the head at point blank range on a NYC drug bust.
 
Trying to keep this on the level, I want to point out that the failure rate with .22 rimfire is obviously going to be greater than with larger rounds. Think about Serpico, who took a bunch of .22s in the head at point blank range on a NYC drug bust.
Click to expand...

I'd be interested to know which .22s those were. I remember a forensics class where we studied a case where a .22 short could not penetrate a skull at nearly point blank range, but I doubt the same would apply to a .22 magnum.

What failure rate are you pointing out? Failure to kill, failure to incapacitate, failure to stop, failure to fire?
 
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