By Brad Fitzpatrick

As concealed carry has grown more popular, gun companies have worked to shrink their repeating pistols to miniscule proportions. Still, no firearms manufacturer has managed to accomplish what North American Arms has done with their American-made mini revolvers. These iconic small-frame wheelguns are tiny, weighing as little as four ounces and measuring just 3.6 inches in length, yet they are safe, reliable and can be concealed under even the most immodest clothing. Even as other gun companies strive to build smaller and lighter carry guns the title of most-concealable repeater has already been awarded to North American Arms.

History of NAA and the Pocket Revolver

North American Arms has been in business for a long time, but they weren’t the first company the popularize the compact revolver for carry. The 1849 Colt Pocket percussion revolver was among the first wheelguns specifically designed for carry. Colt and Smith & Wesson produced “snubby” revolvers with short (generally two-inch or less) barrels in the early 20th century.

By the 1970s, semiautos were making a major dent in the revolver market, but North American Arms offered a solution for anyone seeking the ultimate in concealability. When it was founded NAA was originally called Rocky Mountain Arms, and the original company and its pocket revolver designs were influenced by the famed firearm expert Dick Casull. Best known for his big-bore single-action revolver and the powerful .454 cartridge that bears his name, Casull was a revolver aficionado. He saw the value in large-caliber single-action revolvers, but he also understood the benefits of producing small-caliber SA handguns.

Rocky Mountain Arms eventually became North American Manufacturing in 1974 and then North American Arms, and since that time the company has set the standard for ultra-compact single-action revolver design and manufacturing. Today NAA is based in Provo, Utah and is an employee-owned company and the largest manufacturer of single-action revolvers. Their catalog includes .22 Short, .22 Long Rifle, and .22 Magnum single-action revolvers in a variety of configurations (including the classic NAA belt buckle revolver, one of Casull’s designs).

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The number of offerings in the NAA catalog means that there are firearms designed for every shooter and application. All NAA pistols are made with high-quality stainless-steel components and there are a variety of grip options including rosewood and polymer. Because they own the factory, NAA produces limited edition pistols as well.

Small Revolver, Big Performance

Making small revolvers is, in some regards, more difficult than making larger guns. It’s easy to attach sights and trigger guards on a medium-frame .357 double-action, but it’s much harder to offer those features on a true pocket revolver with a much smaller frame. NAA has solved the size issue by modifying the design of their revolver to make the most of the available space. The sights on the Pug revolver that I tested, for example, included a bright white post front sight and express-style rear sight. Standard models come with more basic hump and bump sights, but they are effective at self-defense ranges. The trigger guard has been deleted altogether, which is not an issue on these safe single-action revolvers. Basic but functional sights and the simple trigger design help NAA single-action revolvers remain light and small.

Of course, safety is always a concern when carrying a concealed firearm. Pocket pistols have a reputation for being dangerous, and some are, but not the North American Arms revolvers. These guns do not have a manual safety, but they offer an ingenious design that, when used properly, makes these guns safe to carry. NAA cylinders come with cutouts where the hammer blade rests while carrying the gun. By securing the hammer blade in the cylinder it cannot contact the rim of the cartridge, and the cylinder cannot rotate without the hammer being pulled back.

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Loading the cylinders on such small revolvers is also not without its challenges, but NAA has developed a clever way to load and unload the revolver and switch cylinders. To remove the pin assembly, simply pull down and rotate the lever under the pin. This allows the pin to be removed, and the cylinder falls free for loading and unloading. With a bit of practice, the process becomes simple, but if you find it too cumbersome NAA also offers top-break revolvers as well as swing-out cylinder models. They also offer holster grip models. As the name suggests, the grip actually doubles as a holster, which is extremely convenient.

Field Testing

North American Arms sent me both a .22 Short and .22 magnum version for testing, and I already had a Pug that I have used as my backup carry gun for years. NAA has prioritized small size over things like grip space and barrel length, but when you shoot these guns regularly you quickly realize that it’s easy to adjust to the micro revolver’s design geometry. For example, on both the .22 Mag and .22 Short versions I can fit one finger (middle finger of the shooting hand) fully on the grip. The third (ring) finger contacts the base of the grip, and the pinky is left floating. When you wrap your support hand around the shooting hand the entire grip is swallowed up. However, even in .22 Magnum this pistol is manageable to shoot. Loud, yes, but recoil is not a limiting factor. The North American Arms revolvers are all more enjoyable to shoot than a really light 9mm carry pistol.

The effectiveness of the rimfire cartridges for personal defense is debatable. There seems to be a growing cadre of shooters who believe the .22 WMR is suitable for self-defense, and Federal recently released their .22 Punch and CCI their .22 Uppercut, two .22 LR cartridges designed specifically for self-defense. The .22 Short is effective against small vermin and pests, but it’s underpowered for personal protection and does not perform as reliably as more powerful rounds.

It would be untrue to say that a .22 rimfire hits with the same type of authority as a 9mm or .45, but a .22 that you have on your person is a vastly better personal defense weapon than a centerfire semiauto that you have left at home. What makes NAA revolvers stand out is the fact that their small size makes them extremely easy to carry, even in light clothes. My Puh fits in the key pocket of one of my hooded sweatshirts, and I carry an NAA revolver in a marathon waistpack when I’m out for a run. These revolvers are easy to slip into a pocket and carry anywhere.

They also make great backup guns. There’s some argument about whether a backup pistol is better than carrying a spare magazine, but I think there’s a compelling argument that having a second gun with a separate firing mechanism than your primary carry weapon makes sense. It doesn’t matter how many spare magazines I have if an attacker’s bullet strikes my primary weapon and disables it. With an NAA revolver in backup, I can draw a functioning firearm.

The .22 Mag NAA revolvers have become the popular choice for self-defense, but the mild-mannered .22 LRs are more fun to shoot for extended periods. Even more appealing is the svelte little .22 Short version which became my favorite of all. It is subdued and surprisingly accurate, and it’s a fun little pocket pistol.

Whichever of these guns you choose, you’ll be happy because North American Arms offers an outstanding product that’s made in America with premium components. NAA does a great job supporting its customers, which is no surprise since the brand has been in business for 50 years. No company survives that long without offering quality products and excellent service, and North American Arms continues to offer innovative products that shooters enjoy.

For more information, visit: northamericanarms.com