Who Has A NAA Guardian In .32NAA?

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Phydeaux642

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My interest has been piqued by this little gun chambered in .32NAA. I have read a few article concerning the ballistics and it seems pretty amazing. From what I have read, the gun seems fairly heavy for a small pocket pistol but I haven't had a chance to handle one yet (maybe at the gun show this weekend). I know the ammo isn't widely available (at least in my neck of the woods) but that doesn't bother me as it wouldn't be a range gun. If you have the little gun, please, tell me about your experiences with it. Thanks.

________________

"Phydeaux, bad dog....no biscuit!"
 
Worked with two a while back, one self-destructed, the other started showing signs...
Denis
 
I had one for awhile, but got rid of it because ammo was impossible to find for it and I couldn't reload for it. Great idea. A good choice for a Carry Often Shoot Rarely gun.
 
Well, I would like to thank George Hill for giving an answer to the question that I asked.

______________

"Phydeaux, bad dog....no biscuit!"
 
Worked with two a while back, one self-destructed, the other started showing signs...
Denis
Click to expand...

Denis,

When you say "self-destructed" exactly what happened and did NAA replace the weapon? Also what were the signs you mention? Do you think the .32NAA round is too powerful for the existing Guardian frame?

Denis & George;

I am leaning towards purchasing a NAA Guardian in .32NAA and am seeking input from folks who have experience with the Guardian in this caliber.

Thanks in advance for any detailed info you have to offer concerning your experience with the NAA Guardian in .32NAA caliber. :)


:evil:
 
Gary,
This was probably about four years ago, not long after the Guardian came out in that caliber.
First thing was the empty bottlenecked brass started to come out with straight case walls, a sign of early extraction.
Then the extractor disappeared. Oddly enough, the pistol still functioned without it.
Then one of the grips cracked in half.
Then the slide locked open, and I mean LOCKED open.
At that point I gave up & returned it to NAA. They told me they'd been having problems with grips, and that somehow a .32 ACP recoil spring had been installed in the .32 NAA sample I had, which was responsible for the premature extraction, blown extractor, and eventual slide/frame "welding".
They sent another pistol, but when I saw it was also ejecting straight-walled brass, I decided not to pursue the idea any further.
In fairness to NAA, they may very well have resolved those issues by now.
Coincidentally, last month I worked with a standard .32 ACP Guardian, and it functioned perfectly, aside from keyholing with two of the three loads tested. As I recall, the .380 version also functioned just fine.

Is the .32 NAA to powerful for the platform?
I dunno, but I'm not going back there. :)
Recoil was also very brisk.

Phyd,
Pardon me for NOT answering the question you ASKED. :rolleyes:

Denis
 
Dpris,
That's the second time I've read of Guardians keyholing, and in another place that the riflings are not very deep. I wonder if the rifling broaches (buttons?) on a few were worn or what. I haven't seen that with my .380. What you said about the cases opening up is scary! Sounds like almost enough pressure to burst the case in the rim area.
 
I have a .32NAA and have put just north of 100-120 rounds through it. Never a hitch and it is surprisingly accurate. Recoil is brisk but it is not painful for me, my .380 Guardian, on the other hand hurts my trigger finger when I shoot it. The .32NAA I feel more in the web of my hand where recoil isn't a problem.

This is a target I shot for the "long walk short pier" challenge thread. Shot at 16 yds using Corbon's 60 gr. JHP load.

NAA%20Target%207-26-07.jpg


I carry mine in a Ron Graham "Cookie" pocket holster that cost me 16.00 shipped to my door:

NAA%20in%20holster.JPG


It doesn't carry well in jeans for me, but in khakis (that I wear most of the time anyway) it works great.

The ammo is easily ordered directly from NAA. 11.00 per box of 20 for Corbon 60 gr JHP's. 24.00 per box of 50 for Corbon 71 gr. FMJ's. I just ordered four boxes of ammo and shipping cost me 7.50. Was on my doorstep 4 days later. Not too bad. If I have my local shop order the JHP's for me they charge about 17.50 per box.

As has been said it is really a carry a lot and shoot a little pistol. The ballistics are very similar to the .380. I think with +P loads the .380 has the advantage. But for me at least the Guardian .380 is not terribly comfortable to shoot, so the .32NAA gets carried a lot.

The .32NAA will crack wood grips. NAA specifically advises against putting wood or other non-rubber grips on these guns due to the cracking issue. I've never seen the cases come out straight walled on mine, but they definitely decrimp and straighten some as you would expect them to when fired. I can imagine that a .32ACP recoil spring would create problems though :).
 
and I couldn't reload for it.
Click to expand...

Oh and I forgot, makarov.com is selling Lee die sets for it now too.
I haven't bought a set yet, but will likely do so in the coming months. I'm also saving every scrap of brass I have for it just in case.
 
DPris, thanks for the info. I think I'll wait to see if I hear about anymore personnal experiences before I jump in. And, I apologize, I guess you did answer my question, also.:D

____________________

"Phydeaux, bad dog....no biscuit!"
 
His,
I worked with the .380 a year or two before I tried the .32 NAA, and I don't recall it keyholing.
When NAA came out with their little revolvers in .17 caliber, I got some keyholing in the cheaper short-barreled gun, but not in the longer & more expensive version.
Rifling does seem to vary with some of the NAAs.
In the case of the .32 ACP, at typical defensive distances a keyholing bullet would probably be just as effective as a straight-on expanding hollowpoint as far as tissue damage goes. Obviously not as accurate, but you're not looking for one-hole groups at 25 yards.

Rant,
Good to see they've resolved the major problems. :)
NAA asked me what I wanted on the pistol out of all the accessories, sights & finish options they had listed, and I chose the wood because I prefer it for most applications. No word on problems with it till after I returned the gun.
Apparently the combination was still new enough that they didn't know about the situation when they shipped my sample.
I still have some of the straightened cases, pretty much returned to the .380 ACP configuration they were originally necked down from.

Phyd,
Good luck. :)

Denis
 
No word on problems with it till after I returned the gun.
Apparently the combination was still new enough that they didn't know about the situation when they shipped my sample.
Click to expand...
You were likely the test case there! :)

My .32NAA cases still look like necked down cases but certainly decrimped. If I got any coming out looking like .380's I'd put it down too.
 
DPris,

I appreciate your quick response to my request for more detailed info concerning your experience with the NAA Guardian in .32NAA caliber. I just read "rantingredneck's" post and it appears NAA has worked out most if not all of the kinks since your experience several years ago. I hope to hear from others pertaining to their experiences, good or bad, with this pistol over the next few weeks before making the final decision to purchase.

Again Thank you, :)


:evil:
 
I used to have one in .380. It was pretty heavy for the size, but quite compact. Noticably smaller than a Kel-Tec P3AT, but a lot heavier as well. Recoil felt like whacking my hand with a rubber mallet, and from what I've heard, the .32 NAAs are even worse. If I had to do it all over again, I'd save up for a Seecamp instead. That's what I'm doing now, actually. Recoil will be much worse, but it's considerably smaller and lighter.
 
DPris,

I appreciate your quick response to my request for more detailed info concerning your experience with the NAA Guardian in .32NAA caliber. I just read "rantingredneck's" post and it appears NAA has worked out most if not all of the kinks since your experience several years ago. I hope to hear from others pertaining to their experiences, good or bad, with this pistol over the next few weeks before making the final decision to purchase.

Again Thank you,
Click to expand...

Gary, I see you are in NC, as am I.

If you like, I extend the invitation to meet me at my gun club (in Mebane) and test drive the .32NAA and .380 Guardians. (I have both). That may help you make your decision. Drop me a PM if you are interested.

As to the recoil issue, they are both brisk, but the .32NAA is more comfortable for me than the .380. I feel the recoil of the .32NAA in the web of my hand, which is pretty meaty (I have big paws :)). The .380 whacks my trigger finger (Seecamp Finger!) and is uncomfortable. I expect the heavier bullet of the .380 produces a stouter recoil impulse, tipping the gun in my hand and hitting my finger with the trigger guard. While the .32NAA recoil is a fast recoil due to the high pressure round, the bullet is lighter and thus the recoil impulse is snappy but not heavy. That's my theory anyway.

I have also not had the .380 as long (about 2 months as opposed to about 4 years for the .32NAA) so I am still experimenting with different grip techniques to try to eliminate that.
 
I just got a 32 NAA the other day. Love it. Looking into that die set and some brass.. Little hard on the trigger finger, but nothing like that old Scandium .375 snubby..
 
With CorBon the only maker of the two proprietary calibers, availability can be a problem.
Denis
 
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