Can someone reccomend a concealed carry revolver?

[will_1400]

The NAA Black Widow has a 2" barrel and is quite accurate within 30 feet. It also cocks far easier than a derringer. With compact aftermarket grips and slight modification to the front sight blade it is an outstanding CCW piece for EDC. You can drop it in the front pocket of a pair of jeans, tuck it in a boot, or wear it in a Kydex rig under your shirt and no-one would ever know it was there. The LCR is great if you're wearing a light jacket or vest. It can be dropped in the pocket of cargo shorts but it will sag and slap against your leg. In jeans it will print quite obviously, even in a pocket holster, unless you opt for "relaxed fit" jeans and an oversized untucked shirt.

The NAA is superior to a blade in that you can engage multiple opponents from over 20 feet away and the .22 WMR has a reasonable expectation of a one shot stop. .22 WMR is also one of the loudest handgun cartridges available and will produce a giant fireball out of a snub barrel. My knife will not set an opponent on fire, but a NAA mini at point blank range might . . . and everyone within a mile will hear that shot quite clearly. It is the only mousegun I'd recommend for personal defense, and I generally carry it as a primary because I'm comfortable with it. They are certainly not for everyone and are intended for experienced shooters.

"One shot stops" are complete bunk. (see here. No scientific basis on those reports whatsoever. You're still talking about a slow to get into action single action revolver that has 5 shots and an extremely slow reloads. Also, relying on muzzle report and flash for SD is ill-advised at best.

Pocket carrying a J-frame in a good holster doesn't look like a gun. More like a cell phone or something of the sort.

Now if you feel comfortable with the NAA, more power to you. But the J-frame is the more popular and practical of the two choices.

[cop911]

The only revolver I own now is a Charter Arms BullDog out of Stratford, Conn. The .44 Special round is effective. I carry it while running, loads are Glaser and Silvertips. Second Charter I've owned (first was a .38), never had any kind of problem with either of them. Just do some research, as I've heard of issues, depending on the date/location of manufacture (different manufacturers).

[oukaapie]

I like the 642, its light and good. Any S&W J frame is fine, go to a store and pick one. Taurus is also good to go. Getting something larger than a J-Frame makes it more difficult to conceal. If you are going bigger than a J-Frame look at Glock 26/27, S&W MP Compact, Kahr P9/P40, Walther PPS. They are all good to go. I recommend the 9mm because its cheaper to practice with and lots of practice is a good idea. If you want 40 then go for it. The best defensive pistol course I ever took was Roger Phillips Point Shooting Progressions.

[Marky Mark]

Go with the S&W model 640 or model 60 if you prefer an exposed hammer. Snags on clothing is not a problem with proper draw technique. I have both and carry both regularly. They are chambered for. 357 magnum, but I carry. 38 +P Speer Gold Dots for short barreled guns. The.round is highly effective. These are stainless steel guns and are heavier...the result is more comfortable to shoot, which means you will practice more. I suggest you read "The Snubby Revolver" by

[tyr_shadowblade]

"One shot stops" are complete bunk. (see here. No scientific basis on those reports whatsoever. You're still talking about a slow to get into action single action revolver that has 5 shots and an extremely slow reloads. Also, relying on muzzle report and flash for SD is ill-advised at best.

Pocket carrying a J-frame in a good holster doesn't look like a gun. More like a cell phone or something of the sort.

Now if you feel comfortable with the NAA, more power to you. But the J-frame is the more popular and practical of the two choices.

I agree that the J-frame is more practical, effective, and user friendly . . . but the NAA is far more concealable. It is also extremely effective in skilled hands. They are ill advised for a novice shooter. I can carry the NAA nearly anywhere, the J-frame is a bit more inconvenient, full sized handguns rarely get carried by most people and they tend to be left at home or in the car.

[kda89508]

A NAA MINI in the pocket is better than your Smith 642 at home in a drawer! With the new self defense rounds like the Hornady Critical Defense and Speer Gold Dot in 22 mag they are going to be very good in a small gun like the NAA minis. Dont count the 22 mag out as I have a lot of friends who have been in law enforcement for years and they will tell you some of the most deadly shootings were done with a 22 mag. I know it is not a .38 or .357 but it would be way better to have one of those than nothing at all because it was to big for you to carry all the time. They are not out yet but the new Heizer Double Tap might be something to look into. It is a 2 shot 9mm or .45! Only 2 rounds but looks like a neat little pocket carry gun. Good Luck! Kevin

[killgar]

A NAA MINI in the pocket is better than your Smith 642 at home in a drawer! With the new self defense rounds like the Hornady Critical Defense and Speer Gold Dot in 22 mag they are going to be very good in a small gun like the NAA minis. Dont count the 22 mag out as I have a lot of friends who have been in law enforcement for years and they will tell you some of the most deadly shootings were done with a 22 mag. I know it is not a .38 or .357 but it would be way better to have one of those than nothing at all because it was to big for you to carry all the time. They are not out yet but the new Heizer Double Tap might be something to look into. It is a 2 shot 9mm or .45! Only 2 rounds but looks like a neat little pocket carry gun. Good Luck! Kevin

Just because lots of people are killed by .22's doesn't mean that they are a good choice for stopping an armed attacker from killing you.

I just don't get the mentality of choosing a small gun/caliber for self-defense because it's "easier" to carry all day. Like I asked before- Why do you carry a gun? If I was carrying a gun because I thought I might actually NEED IT TO SAVE MY LIFE, then I would find a way to carry a larger gun. It's really not that hard. And it's certainly going to be worth it if you actually NEED IT.

I couldn't disagree more with the idea of "Anythging is better than nothing" or "The one you carry is better than the one you leave at home". After all, a gun that doesn't stop an attacker from killing you isn't worth anything. Imagine you shoot an attacker with a .22 and he still stabs you to death. And as you lay bleeding out on the ground you think about that larger handgun that you left at home because "it was too heavy and uncomfortable to carry". I for one would sure hate to die because I left an effective gun at home for the sake of "comfort".

And it's funny how people talk about "larger" handguns as if they were talking about carrying around a cinderblock all day. Can a person REALLY not find a comfortable way to at least carry a j-frame revolver all day?

Seems like some people are more concerned with "comfort" rather than survival. Why do you carry a gun?

[will_1400]

A NAA MINI in the pocket is better than your Smith 642 at home in a drawer! With the new self defense rounds like the Hornady Critical Defense and Speer Gold Dot in 22 mag they are going to be very good in a small gun like the NAA minis. Dont count the 22 mag out as I have a lot of friends who have been in law enforcement for years and they will tell you some of the most deadly shootings were done with a 22 mag. I know it is not a .38 or .357 but it would be way better to have one of those than nothing at all because it was to big for you to carry all the time. They are not out yet but the new Heizer Double Tap might be something to look into. It is a 2 shot 9mm or .45! Only 2 rounds but looks like a neat little pocket carry gun. Good Luck! Kevin

In that case I'll call a buddy of mine who's stationed at Quantico and tell him the FBI needs to switch from their .40s to a .22 mag.

It's not that hard to conceal a J-frame. If you seriously cannot conceal a J-frame, you need to ponder the appropriateness of wearing nothing but lycra and spandex... Hell, it's not that hard to conceal a full-sized service pistol like a 92-series Beretta, Glock 17, 1911 5", USP, etc. EVERY time I see someone say they "can't" conceal X weapon it's because of several factors. Bad holster choice (think extremely cheap gunshop specials that are "universal"), bad clothing choice (you seriously don't need clothes that are form fitting... and some of those who wear tight clothing need to stop before the rest of us go blind from the agony...), bad belt selection (a good belt helps keep the gun stable along with a good holster), or (the biggest one) aren't willing to make the commitment to actually carry the weapon because it's not comfortable. You know what's less comfortable? Getting maimed or murdered because you didn't like how "uncomfortable" carrying a gun is.

Please note the "you's" in this post are general "you's" and I'm not calling anyone out directly.

[kda89508]

Not all people can take the recoil of the .38. Not all people are worried about the fact that they only have a .22 or a bigger .38. Just the fact that they have a gun! Not to long ago an old lady went into the gun shop and said I want something small to carry. She ended up with a NAA MINI .22 magnum. Not to long after that someone tried to rob her and she shot and killed him with one shot from that NAA! She did not want a bigger gun like a .38 because of size and recoil. I catch bullets in water and have a nice size collection so I know what rounds will do the job. But if you are going out for a walk on a hot summer day you may not be dressed right to carry a .38 but in a watch pocket it would be easy to have one of those NAA minis. A lot of things have to do with shot placement no matter what round you are carrying. Some may not be able to hit a target at 7 yards with a .38 but may not miss with a .22. No matter what you have it wont do you any good if you cant hit your target! I do know bigger is better but bigger is not for everyone! THANKS! Kevin

[HeavyHanded]

I agree that the J-frame is more practical, effective, and user friendly . . . but the NAA is far more concealable. It is also extremely effective in skilled hands. They are ill advised for a novice shooter. I can carry the NAA nearly anywhere, the J-frame is a bit more inconvenient, full sized handguns rarely get carried by most people and they tend to be left at home or in the car.

Agree, even the J frame can be uncomfortable if the cylinder falls right on the belt line (which it almost always does). My favorite carry method for the smaller revolver is to cross draw and have it at my 10-11 o'clock. That said I dislike carrying anywhere but at my 3-4 o'clock because its faster with one hand, and leaves the off hand free to run interference while drawing. For me the best all around carry guns have been .380 autos for the following:

1) they're light and thin. I could conceal my Colt Mustang with no tshirt on and a pair of cutoffs.

2) the round in most .380 handguns is controllable with one hand, even rapid fire. I've read too many accounts and watched too many videos to think I'll be able to get two hands on the gun every time. I've owned some very nice 9s, 40s, 45s, non of them could drop rounds into a small area rapid firing with one hand.

3) As far as stopping power, NO handgun round has a great one-hit stopping percentage, with multiple hits many do. My job is to get three or more hits, failing that, I'm down to a psychological stop and lady luck.

Concealing a full size handgun on an average sized 5'10", 180 lb frame is not easy, when it has to be well concealed that becomes even more difficult. My handgun is there to complement my life, not dictate terms. Statistically most of us could live three or four lifetimes (or more) without needing a deadly force option, up to the individual to determine what makes the most sense. Threat assessment and proficiency with whatever you carry are the most important factors.

Whatever you choose, get some good instruction and practice what you learn. Just about any modern handgun is going to be drop-safe and reasonably reliable and accurate.

[Sonnydaze]

Smith 442
Sonny

[Spongebobby]

I have an NAA mini, i enjoy it's smallness, but even the .22 long rifle tend to flip up in my hand about 50% of the time, maybe im doing something wrong but i dont want that happening in a bad situation.

[harkamus]

In the event you need something even more concealable, check out the NAA minis in .22 Magnum, especially the PUG and Black Widow which have a secure cylinder pin rather than the standard ball detent pin.

Or wait a few weeks and get the NAA Sidewinder which has a flip out cylinder. The only issue the OP might have with NAA stuff is that they are single action only.

Just get this:






It's .22magnum, which is light years more reliable than .22 short or .22lr. It's 350 +75 if you want a .22lr conversion. They will ship around August.

I have an NAA mini, i enjoy it's smallness, but even the .22 long rifle tend to flip up in my hand about 50% of the time, maybe im doing something wrong but i dont want that happening in a bad situation.

Try holding the NAA with your dominant hand and wrapping your support hand around it like you normally would a revolver and (this is the key part) using the support hand index finger to pull the trigger. This sounds counter intuitive, but is actually common practice for shooting mini-revolvers.

Also, this looks darn effective to me.

It will do its job if you do yours. However, personally, it would still be back up to my main, an HK45. That's just me though.

Finally, here is some .22magnum ballistics. A guy did a pretty comprehensive test using 10% ballistics gel and a variety of .22 magnum loads. Some of these rounds approach 1000 FPS out of a 1 1/8 barrel. A lot of them have over 12 inch penetration in calibrated ballistics gel, with the Winchesters having ~16 inches of penetration.
Part 1: http://www.naaminis.com/discus/messa...tml?1340753744
Part 2: http://www.naaminis.com/discus/messa...tml?1340557881
Part 3: http://www.naaminis.com/discus/messa...tml?1341065172

Some pics from the article:

These Gold Dots look nicely expanded.


However, I'd be loading with these Winchesters despite core separation. Imagine the nasty wounds you'd get from that snarled mass of copper.

[will_1400]

Or wait a few weeks and get the NAA Sidewinder which has a flip out cylinder. The only issue the OP might have with NAA stuff is that they are single action only.




Try holding the NAA with your dominant hand and wrapping your support hand around it like you normally would a revolver and (this is the key part) using the support hand index finger to pull the trigger. This sounds counter intuitive, but is actually common practice for shooting mini-revolvers.

Also, this looks darn effective to me.

It will do its job if you do yours. However, personally, it would still be back up to my main, an HK45. That's just me though.

Finally, here is some .22magnum ballistics. A guy did a pretty comprehensive test using 10% ballistics gel and a variety of .22 magnum loads. Some of these rounds approach 1000 FPS out of a 1 1/8 barrel. A lot of them have over 12 inch penetration in calibrated ballistics gel, with the Winchesters having ~16 inches of penetration.
Part 1: http://www.naaminis.com/discus/messa...tml?1340753744
Part 2: http://www.naaminis.com/discus/messa...tml?1340557881
Part 3: http://www.naaminis.com/discus/messa...tml?1341065172

Some pics from the article:

These Gold Dots look nicely expanded.


However, I'd be loading with these Winchesters despite core separation. Imagine the nasty wounds you'd get from that snarled mass of copper.

How do those rounds perform after encountering common barriers? How reliable are the primers? (a serious consideration when one consders using a rimfire for SD). .22 Mag has its place as a round for those who are incapable of handling a .38 J-frame (ie recoil sensitive), but in that case you've got 9 rounds to get the job done. A 5-shot single action mini revolver is nearly dead-last on my list of "acceptable" SD weapons. It ranks higher than a Hi Point, Raven Arms, Lorcin, or Jennings based on the fact that at least I know the NAA is at least likely to fired its rounds without too much incident (bad primer misfires aside). I'll say it again: if you can't conceal a J-frame, you're just not trying.

[harkamus]

Check the links I provided with the ballistics test. They penetrated layers of clothing and still past through past 12 inches.

.22mag is reliable ammo. It costs nearly as much as .45. It's not cheap like .22lr.

[will_1400]

Check the links I provided with the ballistics test. They penetrated layers of clothing and still past through past 12 inches.

.22mag is reliable ammo. It costs nearly as much as .45. It's not cheap like .22lr.

A rimfire is still a rimfire. There are reasons why military rimfire weapons used firing pins that hit the primer in more than one spot. It's because rimfire ammo is inherently more prone to misfires, even the expensive stuff.

Those ballistic "tests" weren't done to the FBI or IWBA protocol. One, there isn't any datas showing the gelatin properly calibrated at the proper temperature (I believe the gel block has to be 4*C if I remember right). Second, two layers of washcloth isn't really "Layers of clothing". Not by the definition of established procedures. Third, only two shots were fired for each load. To set a base pattern, FIVE shots must be fired with ten being ideal. And clothing isn't the only barrier out there. Steel (like a car body), windshields, wood, etc. are all relatively common barriers encountered every day. Sorry, but there are too many questions regarding procedures that make me dubious of the validity of those tests. I will admit that the results do indeed look promising... IF they can be repeated under IWBA or FBI testing protocols.

A .38 will deliver more than adequete performance while leaving a larger wound channel. Especially if you're working with the DPX or the Gold Dot Short Barrel load.

[harkamus]

Seriously? You wanna get this in depth? Who would use a .22magnum to shoot through a car door or a wind shield? That's not what any mini-revolver is designed for. It's an up close and personal thing for when you want more range than a knife.

[will_1400]

Seriously? You wanna get this in depth? Who would use a .22magnum to shoot through a car door or a wind shield? That's not what any mini-revolver is designed for. It's an up close and personal thing for when you want more range than a knife.

You mean to tell me people don't get ambushed while they're in their cars? I assume you know about Murphy's Law. Let's face it; **** happens, often at the least convenient time and VERY often the Fates, Murphy, God, whoever you believe runs the universe will throw you a curveball out of no-f***ing-where. Carrying a weapon which by your own admission has a very narrow and limited niche role is more liablity than help.

And to answer your question of "who would use a .22 mag to shoot through a car door or windshield": the person who is carrying a .22 mag mini revolver who just got screwed over because the universe didn't want to follow their version of reality. Unless, of course, you can convince an attacker to move to a position where you can easily shoot him and not worry about it. This smacks too much of the "it'll never happen to me" attitude.

[Error 404]

I would recommend the Ruger LCR in .357. I have it and love it. The .357 version (model 5450) is a few ounces heavier than the .38 version (model 5401) and may help you with the recoil. And off-topic, that's the first I've seen of Tex Grebner since he nearly blew his leg off with his .45 (and posted it on Youtube). Hope he's doing well.

[Spongebobby]

Please no fighting, and i would have a heavier gun in my car...