Black Widow?

[Mr. Tettnanger]

I am seriously considering the NAA Black Widow .22 mag(with .22LR conversion) for a always there pocket carry. I normally carry a S&W 642. Although the 642 is not a heavy gun, I find myself leaving it at home more and more. I have also considered the Kel-Tec P3AT. But, I am really a revolver fan and I am unsure of the reliability of the Kel-Tec. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[BluesBear]

Having carried the long barrel standard .22 Mag NAA for quite a few years I also a couple of years ago was thinking about the Black Widow.

What I didn't like about it was the "offset" cylinder pin. It just seemed much harder to remove. Now I know that no one is going to be doing any sort of speed reload with these revolvers, but it just didn't feel right to me.

With both of the ones I tried in the store, you had to fight with the pin to remove it. The three standard ones they had all came out as easily as the pin in my old broken-in model.

Now maybe this would break-in and work itself smoother with use. I don't know. But personally I am quite satisfied with the way my standard model feels and shoots.

If it is the grips you like better.. well the Black Widow grips work just fine on the magnum frame too.

Hope this helps.

 

[scbair]

BluesBear, did you try the "old-style" (push-pin release) cylinder pin or the newer (pull-downward-rotate 90 degrees release) style? The newer style was designed to prevent the occasional "release during firing" experienced by the BW (but not the other NAA models, apparently . . .). I'm not sure, but suspect the greater mass of the BW / MM pin was a factor, and the additional barrel length of the MM may have prevented the problem in that model. Anyway, the newer style is simple & easy to release.

My BW "locked up" recently (bolt refused to drop when attempting to cock hammer, preventing cylinder rotation). I thought I'd have to send it back to NAA, but cleaned it thoroughly with spray cleaner (twice) and re-lubed with CLP. After the second cleaning/lubing, I've cycled it a couple hundred times and it works flawlessly. It was fairly new, and I suspect a tiny burr or metal filing gummed up the works, somehow.

I carry mine when my 642 is a tad too bulky (rare, actually), and find it a fast, accurate arm out to 15 yards. Power-wise, well, it's still just a .22 !

 

[BluesBear]

It was the older style. I haven't seen one of the new pull-downward-rotate 90 degrees release ones yet.

I'll keep an eye out for one so i can see what's new.

If it's really an improivement, I think the 2in BlackWidow could be a great jeans pocket gun.

The original BlackWidow push release was offset to allow for the difference in barrel size. This made it different from the original models. I suspect that it was this offset that both made it more difficult to unlatch it manually but enabled it to unlatch itself at inappropriate times.

 

[scbair]

BluesBear,
I have one old-style and one new-style BW. I've never had a problem with accidental cylinder pin release, but have had to "jiggle" the older one to remove the pin for reloading. No such problem with the newer design.

 

[BluesBear]

scbair, Thanks for the info. I'll have to find a new model and check it out.

A guy at the range one day had a 2" Black Widow with the small checkered hard rubber grips. It felt great in my hand and pointed really well. And that big front sight really helped fast point shooting.

Since my NAA was one of the many guns I had to sacrafice to pay bills whild I have been injured I'll check out the new Black Widows next year when I get around to replacing it.