NAA Sidewinder .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-SW
NAA Sidewinder .22 Magnum
Model: NAA-SW
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The NAA Sidewinder is a five-shot single-action .22 Magnum built for pocket carry. North American Arms still makes it. Its cylinder swings out to the side, so the gun loads and unloads in one piece where the rest of NAA's minis come apart in your hands.
A stainless post is the sight, rosewood bird's head panels are the grip, and nothing on the gun adjusts. The hammer is thumbed back before each shot. Because the cylinder stays attached when it opens, a reload is one hand on the gun and one on the cartridges, with no loose part to set down and lose.
If you're cross-shopping, the NAA Mini Revolver weighs 6.2 oz on a 1.13-inch barrel and keeps its cylinder fixed in the frame, so it saves 0.5 oz and costs time on a reload. The NAA Black Widow runs a 2-inch barrel at 8.9 oz with Marble Arms sights, which is a bigger gun to shoot and, at 3.69 inches tall, harder to hide. The Sidewinder sits between the two on size, and it reloads without a part leaving the frame.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Loading and unloading follow the same pattern as a full-size revolver, so there is no new drill to learn for this gun alone.
- It is 17-4 stainless steel throughout with no coating on it, which is the right material for something carried against skin.
- At 6.7 oz it weighs 2.2 oz less than the NAA Black Widow and holds the same five rounds.
- The sight is a fixed post, so there is nothing to move if the gun groups off to one side.
- The hammer is cocked by thumb for each of the five shots, which means the shooting hand shifts its hold between them.
- A cylinder that swings out brings more moving parts than a fixed one, on a gun meant to live loose in a pocket.
Category Rankings
How the NAA Sidewinder .22 Magnum ranks among subcompact .22 Magnum handguns.
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Alternatives to Consider
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| NAME | BEST PRICE |
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NAA Pug .22 Magnum
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$378.99 |
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NAA Mini Revolver .22 Magnum
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$246.99 |
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NAA Black Widow .22 Magnum
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$304.99 |
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Ruger LCRx 1.87" .22 Magnum
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Smith & Wesson 351 PD .22 Magnum
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$799.99 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can it be carried with all five chambers loaded?
North American Arms credits its mini-revolvers with a safety cylinder that protects against an accidental discharge. It works inside the cylinder, so there is no lever to set before the gun goes in a pocket.
Which NAA minis have a swing-out cylinder?
NAA groups the Sidewinder on its own under a swing-out cylinder heading. The NAA Mini Revolver and the NAA Black Widow both keep their cylinders fixed in the frame.
Does the longer barrel gain anything over the NAA Mini Revolver?
It is 0.37 inch more barrel, which is a small velocity gain for .22 Magnum and the same amount of extra length in the pocket.
