NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-BWM
NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-BWM
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The NAA Black Widow is a five-shot single-action .22 Magnum built for pocket carry. North American Arms still makes it. Its 2-inch barrel carries fixed Marble Arms sights, so there is a front and a rear sight to line up where the smaller NAA minis give you a single blade.
The grip is oversized rubber, so a whole hand gets on the gun instead of two fingers. The cylinder is fixed in the frame, which means loading is done with the cylinder out of the gun, and the hammer is thumbed back for every shot. At 5.88 inches long it is still a small revolver, but the grip stands it 3.69 inches tall, past a watch pocket.
If you're cross-shopping, the NAA Sidewinder weighs 6.7 oz over a 1.5-inch barrel with a cylinder that swings out, so it saves 2.2 oz and reloads faster, with a plain post sight in place of the Marble Arms pair. A Smith & Wesson 351 PD has an MSRP of $889, holds seven rounds at 11.4 oz on a 1.88-inch barrel, and being double action it fires without the hammer being cocked first. The Black Widow lands between them, with usable sights at close to NAA weight.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The frame is 17-4 stainless steel with no coating on it, so it can be wiped down and dropped back in a pocket damp.
- The sights come from a sight maker, which makes them a replaceable part and not a shape cast into the topstrap.
- At 1 inch wide it is narrower across than either the NAA Sidewinder or a Smith & Wesson 351 PD.
- Being single action, the hammer is cocked before each of the five shots, so this is not a revolver that can be fired from inside a pocket.
- The grip stands the gun 3.69 inches tall, which gives it a shape that prints through a trouser pocket.
- A Smith & Wesson 351 PD adds two rounds and a double-action trigger for 2.5 oz more weight.
Category Rankings
How the NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum ranks among subcompact .22 Magnum handguns.
Compatible Ammunition
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Shop .22 Magnum Ammo →Ballistics Calculator
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.22 Magnum Ballistics →Alternatives to Consider
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| NAME | BEST PRICE |
|---|---|
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NAA Sidewinder .22 Magnum
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|
— |
|
NAA Mini Revolver .22 Magnum
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$246.99 |
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NAA Pug .22 Magnum
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$378.99 |
|
Ruger LCRx 1.87" .22 Magnum
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Charter Arms Pathfinder Lite .22 Magnum
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are the sights adjustable?
No. North American Arms sells this model with fixed sights, so zeroing it means choosing a load that hits where the sights point.
What does the longer barrel do for velocity?
.22 Magnum needs barrel to make its numbers. Two inches gives it more than the NAA Sidewinder's 1.5 inches does, and still far less than the cartridge was designed around.
Can the grip be changed?
NAA builds it with an oversized rubber grip. Its smaller minis use rosewood bird's head panels and slip-on rubber sleeves instead, both of which take up less room in the hand and in the pocket.
