NAA .22 magnum mini-revolver (too cool not to share)

harkamus

harkamus

Joined
Apr 23, 2007
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Just wanted to share with you prototype pics of an upcoming single action mini-revolver from North American Arms. It should be out within the next few months. Now if you're familiar with these things, you'll know that a big drawback is in the loading because you have to take the cylinder out and then use the extractor pin to remove fired casings. Then you have to put it back together in just the right way, which is inherently risky. They had a limited run of a break top action mini-revolver a few years ago, which developed a sort of cult following. These were limited to 500 pieces and cost 500 bucks. NAA actually lost money making these because of the cost of machining such an intricate mechanism on a small frame like the mini-revolvers. In the end, that's what killed the breaktop Ranger (that was the name). Because of the rarity of these pieces, they've been sold for upwards of 2 grand a piece, and sometimes even more. This brings me to the Sidewinder. The Sidewinder is the spiritual successor of the Ranger, but instead of a breaktop action, it uses a traditional crane so the cylinder swings open like almost all revolvers on the market today, with the exception of the Schofields.

And let's not turn this into a caliber war. This topic wasn't meant about caliber choices. This is just a neat little thing I wanted to share with you guys. I for sure will get one, and it will either be a range toy or ride back up to a full size hole puncher, my HK45. EDIT: It'll be 350. There will be a .22lr conversion available for 80.

These are prototype pics. The final version is confirmed to be more dehorned. Also the area that juts out towards the front, right behind the extractor will be shaped differently. It juts out because the crane couldn't fit on the standard .22 magnum frames. It swings open to the right, which apparently is normal for single actions.
sw001.jpg


sw002.jpg


sw003.jpg


sw004.jpg


Credit goes out to bladeforums Meluck for the last two pics here. I asked him to stop by the NAA booth at the NRA St. Louis show.
npf0nb.jpg


yifcw.jpg
 
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Excellent! I'll buy one. My NAA Black Widow shoots a one inch group to point of aim at 7 yards with the 60 gr. Subsonic Sniper rounds. Just a great little revolver.
 
nickortizzle1035 said:
how accurate are they? I imagine they are limited to <10 meters
Click to expand...

There's a vid of a guy shooting a .22 lr (much weaker than .22magnum) out to 50 yards. So a .22 magnum could definitely do the same. I can't find that vid though so this will have to do. Not 50 yards, but still reasonably far at 100 feet.
[youtube]oFyQEISE__Y[/youtube]


EDIT: Found the 50 yard .22 lr shot.
[youtube]ZSj8M_YMQpU[/youtube]
 
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Pretty cool, I wish they made their larger models ( Earl,Mini-master ) with this type of cylinder. I've wanted a larger NAA as a kind of trail/woods bumming pistol but I'm not for certain how much I'd like having to take the cylinder out to reload even though it's faster than loading your typical SA revolver through a loading gate.
 
whetrock said:
Pretty cool, I wish they made their larger models ( Earl,Mini-master ) with this type of cylinder. I've wanted a larger NAA as a kind of trail/woods bumming pistol but I'm not for certain how much I'd like having to take the cylinder out to reload even though it's faster than loading your typical SA revolver through a loading gate.
Click to expand...

There is apparently a .32 in the works. There is a pretty bad picture floating around of a model that's speculated to be a .32. The desire is for a .32 with a swing out crane or a loading gate. Whatever info is out right now is only known to a select few people that have been sworn to secrecy. Who knows what's in the works for NAA?
 
Very cool. But VERY VERY loud if it's anything like the 22 mag pistols I've fired in the past. Still want one though.
 
RE: Accuracy. I had a Freedom Arms version of the NAA mini revolver. It was just as accurate as any modern revolver. The trick is shooting it to it's potential.

Bob Munden popped a balloon at 200 yards with one on Impossible Shots. (I saw it, but I still don't believe it.) He must have been holding 15 to 20 feet above the target.

He also popped a ballon at 200 yards with a S&W model 60 in .38 Special. Jerry Miculek did the same thing holding his 2" S&W .38 upside down. He said that he was holding 18 feet above the target.
 
200 yards is insane out of something that small, but it's awesome to know that the little gun can perform like that.

I think these little guys would be great if you want to carry something small or happen to be at some event where you find it hard to conceal your standard ccw piece.

[youtube]pecYjAICpYs[/youtube] <---Pretty sure this would put a stop to someone.
 
I carry a .22mag in my pocket most of the time (deep backup). I'm impressed with the above range video. Once he started shooting he got 3 rounds in about 2 seconds. Not bad for one hand manipulation of the single action.

Called my dealer the other day and told him I want the first Sidewinder he can get.

Badge 54
 
I got my sidewinder. Number 20.

Sweet little gun. At this point don't know that I'll ever shoot it since it was in the first 20 ever sent out.
 
Used to like them "mouse" guns but out grew over time..

Iver Johnson TP 22 - .22 LR
High Standard .22 magnum Derringer
AMT Backup .380

settled on and still have this Mod 60;

MOD60004.jpg


Best.
 
Very cool, I've always wanted a NAA .22 mag revolver, but didn't like having to remove the cylinder. Sidewinder looks like a winner, now just need to get some money...
 
UffDa said:
RE: Accuracy. I had a Freedom Arms version of the NAA mini revolver. It was just as accurate as any modern revolver. The trick is shooting it to it's potential.

Bob Munden popped a balloon at 200 yards with one on Impossible Shots. (I saw it, but I still don't believe it.) He must have been holding 15 to 20 feet above the target.

He also popped a ballon at 200 yards with a S&W model 60 in .38 Special. Jerry Miculek did the same thing holding his 2" S&W .38 upside down. He said that he was holding 18 feet above the target.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Everyone tends to underestimate a .22 whether mag or LR. I'll bet these things are accurate enough at sub 100 yards in the right hands. I might have to find one. I love little revolvers.

For example, my dad used to be able to pretty consistently hit bowling pins at 150 yards with his Ruger Mark II non-target, tapered barrel .22. It wasn't the long barrel either. It's all about holding above the target and finding your point of aim. Once we figured it out, my brother and I could hit them at 100 yards with the same pistol, and we were probably 10 and 8 at the time. It's all about POA.
 
The naa mini mag is awesome. Once you get use to pulling the cylinder out and reinstalling it the procedure is not that big of a deal but that sidewinder is definitely a game changer. I read an article years ago where the author likened the quality of the construction of the naa mini to that of a porsche.
 
That's cool that they have a swing-out cylinder now. I had a regular mag convertible and it was fun but not practical so I sold it.
 
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