NAA Mini Revolver .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-22MS
NAA Mini Revolver .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-22MS
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The NAA Mini Revolver is the smallest production firearm North American Arms makes and one of the smallest production firearms made anywhere. At 6.2 oz unloaded, 4.63" overall, and 2.81" tall, it occupies a category of one — there is no other production .22 Magnum revolver that disappears this completely in a watch pocket or palm. The single-action mechanism, 5-shot cylinder, and 1-1/8" barrel make it a specialty tool rather than a primary carry gun, and it has been in continuous production since 1975 in essentially the same form.
The honest framing is what it is: a deep-concealment backup or last-ditch defensive tool that requires deliberate operation. Each shot needs the hammer manually cocked. Reloading takes more than a minute because the cylinder pin must be removed to extract spent cases and rotate fresh rounds into position. There is no holster small enough to hold it that does what a proper holster does — many owners carry it in a belt-buckle housing, watch-pocket sleeve, or a soft pouch in a jacket. The 17-4 stainless steel frame and bird's head rosewood grip are well-made for the size, but the sights are notional: a half-moon bead front and a fixed notch. Effective range is genuinely closer to contact distance than 7 yards.
NAA was founded in 1975, in the period after the 1968 Gun Control Act ended the import of small-frame revolvers like the Röhm RG models. NAA's mini-revolver design filled the same pocket-revolver niche these German imports had occupied, though there is no public record that the GCA directly prompted the company's founding. The longer-barrel NAA Pug and swing-out cylinder NAA Sidewinder are evolutions of this same basic platform. The Mini Revolver remains the smallest, lightest, and cheapest entry into the NAA lineup.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- At 6.2 oz, the smallest .22 Magnum revolver in production. Conceals in places no other firearm conceals.
- 17-4 stainless steel construction is well-made and durable for the size — the platform has been in continuous production since 1976 with a deserved reputation for longevity.
- Lowest entry price point into the NAA mini revolver family — typically lands well under the Pug, Sidewinder, and Black Widow variants.
- Reloading requires removing the cylinder pin and ejecting cases one at a time. Time-to-reload measured in minutes, not seconds.
- The 1-1/8" barrel and half-moon bead sight make accurate fire past 5 yards a serious challenge. This is a contact-distance tool, not a defensive shooting platform.
Category Rankings
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Alternatives to Consider
Similar subcompact .22 Magnum handguns ranked by similarity.
| NAME | BEST PRICE |
|---|---|
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NAA Pug .22 Magnum
North American Arms
|
— |
|
NAA Sidewinder .22 Magnum
North American Arms
|
— |
|
NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum
North American Arms
|
— |
|
Ruger LCRx 1.87" .22 Magnum
Ruger
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Smith & Wesson 351 PD .22 Magnum
Smith & Wesson
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the NAA Mini Revolver have notches between the chambers?
Those are safety notches — and they are the only safe way to carry an NAA Mini fully loaded. The cylinder holds 5 rounds, but standard safe-carry practice is to rest the hammer on an empty chamber (4 loaded), exactly like a traditional single-action Colt. NAA's safety notch system lets you load all 5 chambers and rest the hammer in the notch between them, which mechanically locks the cylinder and prevents the hammer from contacting any primer. The notches are small and require deliberate placement — most owners practice with snap caps until they are comfortable.
How do you actually reload one of these?
The cylinder pin pulls out from the front of the frame, the cylinder drops out the right side, you eject the spent cases one at a time using the same cylinder pin as an ejector rod, load fresh rounds, reassemble. Most owners are honest about the fact that reloads take more than a minute even with practice. Carry strategy is either "5 rounds is what you have" or carrying a second NAA as a reload, which some owners do because they're cheaper and lighter than spare ammo would suggest.