NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-BWM
NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-BWM
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
Two extra inches of barrel and an oversized rubber grip put the Black Widow at the higher end of the NAA mini revolver lineup. The 2" barrel is nearly double the 1-1/8" barrel on the standard NAA Mini Revolver, and the oversized rubber grip is a meaningful departure from the bird's head wood grips on the other NAA variants. At 8.9 oz and 5.88" overall, it's bigger than the Mini Revolver and the NAA Pug but still small enough for genuine deep-concealment carry.
The barrel and grip are what justify the upgrade. The 2" barrel adds meaningful velocity with most .22 Magnum loads compared to the 1-1/8" Mini Revolver — published reviews don't quantify the gain precisely but owners and reviewers consistently note the difference is enough to make some defensive hollow points actually expand and meaningfully improve the platform's practical effectiveness. The oversized rubber grip fills a hand instead of pinching it between thumb and forefinger like the bird's head grips, which makes the SA trigger pull more controllable and aimed fire past 5 yards genuinely possible. The Marble Arms fixed low-profile sights are a notch up from the half-moon bead on the base Mini. What the Black Widow does best is take the NAA platform and make it a more practical shooter at the cost of some of the absolute size advantage that defines the rest of the line.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- 2" barrel adds roughly 200-300 fps over the 1-1/8" Mini Revolver — enough velocity to make defensive .22 Magnum loads actually expand.
- Oversized rubber grip is the only NAA grip that fills a hand. Owners consistently report it makes the Black Widow the most shootable variant in the family.
- The larger grip eliminates the absolute size advantage of the Mini and Pug. If maximum deep concealment is the entire reason you're looking at an NAA, the Black Widow undermines that case.
- Reloading still requires removing the cylinder pin and ejecting cases one at a time. Same multi-minute reload as every other NAA mini.
Category Rankings
How the NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum ranks among subcompact .22 Magnum handguns.
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Alternatives to Consider
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NAA Pug .22 Magnum
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NAA Mini Revolver .22 Magnum
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Ruger LCRx 1.87" .22 Magnum
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Smith & Wesson 351 PD .22 Magnum
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much velocity does the 2" barrel actually add?
Owner chronograph reports and reviewer testing typically show the Black Widow gains 200-300 fps over the 1-1/8" Mini Revolver with most .22 Magnum loads. Hornady Critical Defense FTX, which barely expands at Mini Revolver velocities, opens reliably from the Black Widow's 2" barrel in most reported testing. Standard hunting loads still lose substantial velocity compared to a rifle but land in a more useful window. The 2" barrel is the dividing line between "noisemaker" and "actually expands" for most .22 Magnum defensive ammunition.
Can you swap NAA cylinders between models for a .22 LR conversion?
Yes — most NAA mini revolvers, including the Black Widow, are offered as convertibles with a second cylinder in .22 LR. If you bought the magnum-only version, NAA sells the LR cylinder as a factory-fitted accessory. The swap is straightforward (same cylinder pin removal as a reload). The .22 LR cylinder lets you practice on much cheaper ammo without changing the gun, which matters because .22 Magnum runs 3-4x the cost per round of .22 LR for practice.
What's the right way to carry a Black Widow?
NAA sells leather pocket holsters specifically for the Black Widow that cover the trigger and break up the gun's outline. Most owners pocket carry, ankle carry in a small soft holster, or use a clip-on inside-waistband for the Black Widow specifically — the slightly larger grip makes IWB more comfortable than the smaller NAA variants. The one rule regardless of method: never carry hammer-down on a loaded chamber. Always use the safety notches between chambers, exactly like a traditional single-action Colt.