mini-revolver durability

[couldbeanyone]

Does anyone have an idea of what the service life of a NAA mini-revolver is in rounds fired? I have about a thousand rounds through mine so far. What is the most rounds any of you have fired through one without having problems? They are obviously well made little revolvers, but one has to wonder about the durability of such a tiny gun.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Well, if you've got 1K rounds through it and it's still running fine, sounds like they are plenty durable to me! Fortunately, they are pretty simple, very few moving parts.

 

[bigfatdave]

I was curious about the same thing when I got mine ... after close inspection, I don't know what is likely to wear out, the thing is too simple.

Grease up the advancement mechanism when you clean it and you'll be fine, the manual loading and empty-shell-poking action will prevent you from running too many rounds through, and if you detect real wear NAA will fix it.

 

[MCgunner]

I've had mine 25 years or better. I don't have any earthly idea how many rounds have been through it as I've not kept a round count and don't regularly shoot it. I would guess over the years, it's eaten 1K rounds a year most years, some years more, some years less, as it's ALWAYS in my pocket and I whip it out at the range as i ALWAYS have .22 ammo with me. It's got a bit of end shake to it, but not excessive. It's still as accurate as it ever was, too. I'll put 50-100 rounds through it on rare occasion, usually much less, when I do take it out at the range and I go to the range a couple times a month on the average, though lately it's been more often, but I've mostly been playing with my cap and ball guns. I shot couple hundred rounds through it the other day, danged thing gets HOT when you don't give it a break. That's one reason I don't shoot it a lot in a range session, usually 50 or less.

I don't know that it'll wear out in my lifetime. As was said, it's stone axe simple and, well, it's well made out of strong material and .22LR just ain't that powerful a round.

 

[greenlion]

I had an early folding .22 long rifle version and shot hundreds of rounds through it with no visible wear. I never figured out how to hit anything with it, but the bullets came out and went somewhere...

 

[MCgunner]

I have found the mini revolvers to be very picky about what ammo they like to shoot well. Mine particularly likes Federal Lightening. It's 100 percent with Federal and shoots to POA (after a little front sight filing) and shoots about 7" groups at 25 yards from a bench rest. It's a 1 5/8" barrel and with the rudimentary sights, well, I ain't gonna get much better, i'm afraid. My magnum Black Widow, with 2" barrel and nearly the sight radius of a snubby .38 and with Novak sights will group CCI mini mag HP or solids into 3.5" to POA. that one is NICE, real sights, easy to shoot.

The .22LR will shoot CCI way high, but about as accurate, Remington Tunderbolt sux, Winchester anything sux, Stinger sux, and that segmented stuff (whatever the brand is escapes me) sux. When I say "sux", I mean I can't hit paper past 15 yards.

The magnum shoots CCI fantastic, but Hornady or Winchester .22 magnum rounds that I've tried suck and are iffy ignition.

So, you just have to find the right ammo and the gun WILL shoot, well, considering the size and within reason. Of course it's no Smith and Wesson K22 Massterpiece, though it is as well built in a scaled down kinda way. It is accurate enough to be fun at the range, though, as well as effective as a last ditch back up weapon. You just have to play with it and find a load it likes. And, well, the large, handfilling holster grips help, too. I can't even grip the things with my paws without a larger grip. The BW came with a largish boot grip which I replaced with a holster grip for better concealment and equal shootability.

 

[MR.G]

I have not kept a round count, but two of mine have been shot a lot and show no signs of wear.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I had one for a short time and then got rid of it because the bullets came out tumbling and it failed to penitrate a 1" board.

 

[MCgunner]

I had one for a short time and then got rid of it because the bullets came out tumbling and it failed to penitrate a 1" board.

Did you try more'n one brand of ammo?

 

[BHP FAN]

try a different board.

 

[MCgunner]

I can believe the board penetration thing with LR ammo. I just never saw ANY ammo tumble out of my gun. No, they don't have a lot of penetration. I don't feel well armed if all I've got is my LR mini. It has penetrated the skulls of more than one possum, though. I just carry mine as an also gun. Normally, I have a 9 or a .38 on me as a primary strong side pocket.

 

[lloveless]

yeah, mine is all over the place too as far as accuracy. It is a screw it in the ear or nose and fire to immediately pith a miscreants brain. Otherwise you're just spiting into the wind. The little fellars are overbuilt. You probably won't wear one out in your lifetime.
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