North American Arms Mini Revolver Review (2026): 500 Rounds of .22 Magnum

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Table of Contents

Review: North American Arms Mini Revolver, Five Shots of .22 Magnum That Fit a Watch Pocket

Our Rating: 7.3/10

• MSRP: $269 for the .22 Magnum with either barrel (NAA-22M and NAA-22MS); $255 for the .22 LR and .22 Short; $330 with a fitted .22 LR conversion cylinder
• Street Price: Our live card starts at $253.99 for the 1-5/8 in. .22 Magnum at Palmetto State Armory on October 8, 2026 (Use our live pricing for the best up to date deal)
• Caliber: .22 Magnum (.22 WMR); .22 LR and .22 Short models use a smaller frame
• Action: Single action, spur trigger, no trigger guard
• Barrel Length: 1.63 in. (NAA-22M) or 1.13 in. (NAA-22MS)
• Overall Length: 5.13 in. (NAA-22M), 4.63 in. (NAA-22MS)
• Height / Width: 2.81 in. / 1.06 in.
• Weight (unloaded): 6.5 oz (NAA-22M), 6.2 oz (NAA-22MS)
• Capacity: 5 rounds, all five safe to carry with the hammer in a safety slot
• Frame Material: Stainless steel
• Grip: Rosewood bird’s head
• Sights: Half-moon front blade, no rear sight
• Trigger Pull (SA): 4 lb 2 oz on our 1-5/8 in. gun, 3 lb 14 oz on the 1-1/8 in.
• Warranty: Lifetime, to the original registered owner

Quick Take

The North American Arms Mini Revolver is a five-shot, single-action rimfire revolver made in Provo, Utah, and it is about as small as a working handgun gets. The .22 Magnum version weighs 6.2 to 6.5 oz and measures 4.63 to 5.13 in. long, depending on the barrel. There’s no trigger guard, no rear sight and no swing-out cylinder. To load it you pull the cylinder pin and take the cylinder out of the frame.

I shot two of them for this review, a 1-5/8 in. NAA-22M and a 1-1/8 in. NAA-22MS, for 500 rounds of .22 Magnum over four range sessions. Neither gun had a mechanical failure. Three rounds needed a second hammer strike, which is rimfire ammunition for you. From a rest at seven yards the longer barrel averaged 2.6 in. for five shots and the shorter one 3.6 in., and both shot high and left of the front blade. At 15 yards I was happy to keep five on a paper plate.

So it’s a close-range gun, and an honest one. NAA publishes its own velocity tables, and they show a 40 grain CCI Maxi-Mag leaving the 1-1/8 in. barrel at 788 fps. That’s about 55 ft-lb. Nobody should pretend that’s a service handgun. What you get for the money is a stainless revolver with a lifetime warranty that you’ll carry on the days you’d otherwise carry nothing. The short answer: it does that job better than anything else we price, as long as you accept what it can’t do.

Best For: A backup or deep-concealment gun for gym shorts, a tackle box or a jacket pocket, and for anyone who likes small, well-made machines. Not for a first or only defensive handgun, and not for shooters who want to reload in a hurry.

What “North American Arms Mini Revolver” Hides on a Price Tag

North American Arms lists 91 firearms on its own shop page, and most of them are some version of this revolver. The dealers we track carry more than 450 NAA listings between them. A lot of those listings say only “North American Arms Mini Revolver,” with no caliber and no barrel length, and that causes real mix-ups. Three we found on October 8, 2026:

• The cheapest “Mini Revolver” may be a .22 Short. Guns.com had a new gun titled just “North American Arms Mini Revolver” at $238.99. The UPC in its listing photo is the one NAA assigns to the NAA-22S, the .22 Short model.
• A “Ranger II” at $339.99 isn’t one. Palmetto State Armory titled a gun “Ranger II 22 Mag/22 LR Convertible Revolver” with the item code NAA-22MSC-RNG. Other dealers sell that same item code as a 1-1/8 in. convertible Mini-Revolver with a lanyard ring. NAA’s real Ranger II is a top-break revolver that lists from $535.
• The shorter barrel costs more. NAA lists both .22 Magnum barrels at $269. Palmetto State Armory had the 1-5/8 in. NAA-22M at $253.99 and the 1-1/8 in. NAA-22MS at $265.99, so the smaller gun was $12 more.

Here’s the family in one table, with NAA’s own dimensions and list prices. Every one is a five-shot single action.

Model	Caliber	Barrel	Length	Weight	NAA list
NAA-22S	.22 Short	1.13 in.	3.63 in.	4 oz	$255
NAA-22LR	.22 LR	1.13 in.	4 in.	4.6 oz	$255
NAA-22LLR	.22 LR	1.63 in.	4.5 in.	4.8 oz	$255
NAA-22MS	.22 Magnum	1.13 in.	4.63 in.	6.2 oz	$269
NAA-22M	.22 Magnum	1.63 in.	5.13 in.	6.5 oz	$269
Pug (NAA-PUG-D)	.22 Magnum	1 in.	4.56 in.	6.4 oz	$370
Sidewinder (NAA-SW)	.22 Magnum	1.5 in.	5 in.	6.7 oz	$399
Ranger II (NAA-22M-R)	.22 Magnum	1.63 in.	5.16 in.	7.2 oz	$535
Black Widow (NAA-BWM)	.22 Magnum	2 in.	5.88 in.	8.9 oz	$325
Mini-Master (NAA-MM-M)	.22 Magnum	4 in.	7.88 in.	10.8 oz	$339

The magnum frame is a different, larger frame than the .22 LR’s: 2.81 in. tall and 1.06 in. wide against 2.38 in. and 0.88 in. That’s why NAA sells separate grips and holsters for each. If true watch-pocket size matters most, the .22 LR is the smaller gun by a real margin. If you want the magnum, you carry about 1.6 oz more.

Design Intent: Why North American Arms Builds It This Way

NAA marked 50 years in business at the start of 2025, and the Mini Revolver is what the company is known for. The whole design serves one goal, which is the smallest revolver that still fires a real cartridge. A trigger guard, an ejector rod and a swing-out crane all add bulk, so the standard Mini has none of them. The trigger is a small spur under the frame.

The clever part is the cylinder. A traditional single action is carried with the hammer down on an empty chamber, which would make this a four-shooter. NAA’s manual explains that its engineers “began to mill a small notch (the safety slot) in the rim of the cylinder” between each pair of chambers. Lower the hammer blade into one of those slots and it rests on steel, with no cartridge rim under it. In NAA’s words, “the revolver can be loaded to full capacity.”

NAA also posts its independent drop testing. H.P. White Laboratory ran the SAAMI drop test on a .22 Magnum Mini in March 1997, dropping it from four feet in six orientations with the hammer in the safe carrying condition. The record shows “No Fire” on all six.

North American Arms Mini Revolver Variants

These are the standard-frame choices, straight from NAA’s product pages. Grips, finishes and belt buckle packages multiply the list far beyond this.

The conversion models deserve a second look before you pay for one. NAA charges $61 more at list for a gun that comes with both cylinders. At Palmetto State Armory the gap was wider: $335.99 for the NAA-22MC against $253.99 for the magnum-only NAA-22M, an $82 difference. NAA will also fit a .22 LR cylinder to a magnum you already own for $50 plus shipping, but the revolver has to go back to Provo, because NAA says cylinders “are not drop-in parts” and must be fitted and timed to each gun.

The .22 LR Mini (from $210.99)

The smaller-frame gun, 4 in. long and 4.6 oz with the 1-1/8 in. barrel. Our card started at $210.99 at Guns.com, and the UPC on that listing is NAA’s for the NAA-22LR. That’s $43 less than the magnum, and .22 LR costs far less to shoot. You give up power: NAA’s table has a 36 grain CCI Mini-Mag at 708 fps from this barrel, about 40 ft-lb. Our best .22 LR revolvers roundup includes it as the pocket pick.

Black Widow (from $299.99)

The one I’d pick for actual shooting. The Black Widow adds a 2 in. heavy vented barrel, a bull cylinder, Marble Arms sights and an oversized rubber grip, at 8.9 oz and 5.88 in. long. Guns.com and Sportsman’s Warehouse both had one at $299.99. NAA’s velocity table gives the same 40 grain Maxi-Mag 988 fps from the Black Widow, 200 fps more than the 1-1/8 in. Mini.

Pug (from $336.99)

A 1 in. barrel, an XS white dot or tritium front sight and a pebbled rubber grip, at 6.4 oz and 4.56 in. long. It has the shortest barrel in the table above and a front sight you can find in poor light. Guns.com had the white dot model at $336.99. NAA lists it at $370, or $400 with the tritium sight.

Sidewinder (from $377.99)

This is NAA’s fix for the reload. The Sidewinder has a swing-out cylinder, so you don’t pull a pin or hold a loose cylinder in your hand. It’s 6.7 oz with a 1.5 in. barrel and lists at $399; 2.5 in. and 4 in. versions list at $440. Palmetto State Armory had the 1.5 in. NAA-SW at $377.99. That’s $124 more than our test gun for a faster reload.

Ranger II (from $400.99)

The top-break model, with a star ejector that lifts all five cases at once, a full ribbed barrel and a bead-blast finish. NAA lists the 1-5/8 in. gun at $535, the 2.5 in. at $585 and the 4 in. at $620. Guns.com had one at $400.99, and its listing photo shows a long-barreled .22 Magnum that looks like the 4 in. model. Don’t confuse it with the Bond Arms Ranger II, a two-shot .45 Colt and .410 derringer that happens to share the name.

NAA also builds the 1860-styled Sheriff, Earl and Hogleg with octagonal barrels from 2.5 to 6 in. ($340 to $350), the 4 in. Mini-Master, cap and ball Companions, and the Guardian pocket autos in .32 ACP ($465) and .380 ACP ($520). We covered the Guardian .32 as a rival in our Beretta 30X Tomcat review.

Competitor Comparison

Nothing else is quite this small, so the competition is every other gun people buy for a pocket.

Bond Arms Stinger RS (from $246.99)

The other tiny rimfire at this price. Bond’s .22 LR Stinger RS is a stainless two-shot derringer with 3 in. barrels, 5 in. long and 18 oz. Palmetto State Armory had it at $246.99. The longer barrels help, but it weighs almost three times what the Mini does and holds two rounds to the Mini’s five. If you like the idea, our best derringers guide covers the whole Bond line.

Beretta 20X Bobcat (from $329.99)

A proper little semi-auto in .22 LR with an eight-round magazine, a tip-up barrel and usable sights. Palmetto State Armory had the threaded model at $329.99. It’s a much easier gun to shoot well, and you can reload it in a couple of seconds. It’s also more than twice the Mini’s weight and a bigger lump in a pocket. Our Beretta 20X Bobcat review has the 500 round test.

Ruger LCP MAX (from $329.99)

If the gun is for self-defense and you can carry 10.6 oz, buy this instead. Ruger’s spec sheet gives the LCP MAX 10+1 rounds of .380 ACP, a 2.8 in. barrel and a tritium front sight at 5.17 in. long, almost exactly the length of the NAA-22M. Sportsman’s Warehouse had it at $329.99. It’s about $76 more than the Mini and it’s in a different class for power and capacity. See our Ruger LCP MAX review.

Smith & Wesson 351 PD (from $791.99)

The grown-up .22 Magnum revolver. Smith & Wesson’s 351 PD is a J-frame with seven shots, a double-action trigger, a 1.88 in. barrel and a fiber-optic front sight, at 11.4 oz. Guns.com had it at $791.99 against an $889 list. You get two more rounds, a trigger guard and a reload that takes seconds, for more than three times the Mini’s price.

Trailblazer LifeCard (from $269.99)

The only thing we price that hides better. Trailblazer says its .22 LifeCard folds to 3.375 x 2.125 x 0.5 in., the footprint of a credit card, and weighs about 7 oz. Palmetto State Armory had the .22 LR at $269.99. It’s a single shot that has to be unfolded before it can fire, so the Mini gives you five rounds to its one at about the same weight.

Verdict: For a gun you’ll actually shoot, the Bobcat is easier. For defense, the LCP MAX is the smarter buy. The Mini wins on one thing only, and it wins by a mile: at 6.5 oz and 5 in. long, it goes places none of the others can. Our best pocket guns roundup ranks it against the wider field.

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Testing Protocol

We shot two standard-frame .22 Magnum guns, an NAA-22M with the 1-5/8 in. barrel (300 rounds) and an NAA-22MS with the 1-1/8 in. barrel (200 rounds), over four sessions in late September and early October. Temperatures ran from 61°F to 84°F. Accuracy was shot from a sandbag rest at seven yards, five-shot groups, with extra groups at 15 yards. Velocities came from a chronograph 10 feet from the muzzle. I skipped every load sold as a varmint round, and I’ll explain why below.

Ammunition Log

Load	NAA-22M	NAA-22MS	Result
CCI Maxi-Mag 40 gr JHP	100	70	One light strike; fired on the second hit
Hornady Critical Defense 45 gr FTX	60	40	No stoppages
Speer Gold Dot 40 gr Short Barrel	50	30	No stoppages; best groups in both guns
Winchester Super-X 40 gr JHP	50	30	Two light strikes; both fired on the second hit
Federal Punch 45 gr	30	20	No stoppages
CCI 52 gr #12 shotshell	10	10	Fired and extracted normally

Phase 1: Break-In

There isn’t much to break in. Before the first round I spent 20 minutes with both guns unloaded, practicing the safety slot. It takes a few tries to get right. You draw the hammer back past half-cock until the cylinder turns freely, line a slot up under the hammer, hold the trigger all the way back and ease the hammer down. Then you try to turn the cylinder. If it turns, you missed. By the tenth attempt I could do it without looking.

Phase 2: Reliability

Across 500 rounds, neither revolver failed mechanically. The cylinders indexed and locked every time, and the hammers never slipped a notch. Three rounds didn’t fire on the first strike: one CCI Maxi-Mag in the NAA-22MS at round 64, and two Winchester Super-X, one in each gun. All three fired when I brought them back around for a second hit, which points at the priming in the rim and not at the guns. With a revolver the fix is to cock it again, so a dud costs you a second.

Fouling was the only thing that slowed the guns down. After about 60 rounds without a wipe, the NAA-22M’s cylinder started to drag as it turned, from powder residue on the cylinder face. A dry patch across the face and the front of the frame cured it both times it happened. Cases never stuck hard. Some fell out of the cylinder on their own, and the rest needed a push from the cylinder pin, which is how NAA’s manual tells you to do it.

Phase 3: Accuracy

From the sandbag at seven yards, the NAA-22M averaged 2.6 in. for five shots across four loads. Speer Gold Dot was best at 2.1 in., and CCI Maxi-Mag ran 2.7 in. The NAA-22MS averaged 3.6 in., with Gold Dot at 3.2 in. Both guns printed high and left of where the front blade pointed, about 3 in. high and 2 in. left for the longer barrel. With no rear sight there’s nothing to adjust, so you learn the hold.

At 15 yards the NAA-22M’s groups opened to 6.5 in. and the NAA-22MS’s to about 9 in. Standing, one hand, at three yards, I kept all five from either gun inside a 4 in. circle at a steady pace. That’s the distance this gun is built for. The triggers helped more than I expected: 4 lb 2 oz on the NAA-22M and 3 lb 14 oz on the NAA-22MS, both with a short, clean break.

How Fast Is .22 Magnum From a One Inch Barrel?

Slower than the box says, since the figure on a box of .22 Magnum comes from a much longer barrel. NAA does something most gun makers don’t: it publishes its own velocity tables for every barrel, measured 8 feet from the muzzle at 78°F and 4,600 feet above sea level, with two guns per test. Here are NAA’s two-gun averages for three loads, with the muzzle energy we calculated from them.

Load (NAA’s data)	1-1/8 in. Mini	1-5/8 in. Mini	2 in. Black Widow
CCI Maxi-Mag 40 gr HP	788 fps, 55 ft-lb	848 fps, 64 ft-lb	988 fps, 87 ft-lb
Winchester Super-X 40 gr JHP	879 fps, 69 ft-lb	928 fps, 76 ft-lb	1,098 fps, 107 ft-lb
Federal 50 gr JHP	687 fps, 52 ft-lb	727 fps, 59 ft-lb	817 fps, 74 ft-lb

Our chronograph agreed. CCI Maxi-Mag averaged 856 fps from our NAA-22M and 794 fps from the NAA-22MS. Speer’s Gold Dot, which is loaded for short barrels, was the fastest 40 grain load we shot at 902 and 838 fps. Hornady Critical Defense, a 45 grain bullet, ran 812 and 758 fps.

Two things follow from those numbers. The extra half inch of barrel is worth about 60 fps, or 8%, and it costs you nothing at list. And the magnum does earn its name over the .22 LR in the same size barrel: NAA’s table puts a 36 grain CCI Mini-Mag at 708 fps from the 1-1/8 in. .22 LR Mini, about 40 ft-lb, so the Maxi-Mag carries roughly 38% more energy. Our .22 LR vs .22 WMR guide compares the two cartridges from longer barrels.

Tracking & Observations

After 300 rounds the NAA-22M showed a faint turn line on the cylinder and some carbon on the cylinder face and around the forcing cone. The NAA-22MS looked the same at 200. Lockup on both was as tight at the end as on day one, the cylinder pins still snapped home with a firm click, and neither set of rosewood grips had worked loose.

What This Means for You

• Reliability: The guns ran. Expect an occasional rimfire dud and cock again.
• Ammo Preference: Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel shot the tightest and fastest in both guns.
• Accuracy Expectation: About 2.5 to 3.5 in. at seven yards from a rest, and a learned hold for the high-left impact.
• Maintenance: Wipe the cylinder face every 50 rounds or so, and clean the bore and chambers after shooting.
• Upgrade Impact: A bigger grip changes the gun more than anything else you can add.

Performance Testing Results

Reliability (9/10)

Two guns, 500 rounds, six loads and no mechanical failures. The three light strikes all fired on a second hit. A dirty cylinder face made one gun drag twice, and a patch fixed it. There’s very little in this design that can go wrong.

Accuracy (5/10)

The barrels shoot better than the sights let you hold. Groups of 2.1 to 2.8 in. at seven yards from the longer barrel are fine for the job, but a front blade with no rear sight and a point of impact that’s 3 in. off make anything past 10 yards guesswork. Buy the Black Widow if you want to aim.

Ergonomics & Recoil (5/10)

You hold it with two fingers and a thumb. Recoil is mild, and the bird’s head grip rolls in the hand a little with each shot, so I re-set my grip every time I cocked it. The reload is the real cost. With practice I got an empty-to-loaded cycle down to about 30 seconds, standing at a bench, with the cylinder and pin loose in my hands.

Fit, Finish, and Quality Control (9/10)

This is where the Mini surprises people. Both guns were cleanly machined with even brushed flats, crisp frame markings and no tool marks inside the frame window. The cylinders locked up with no play I could feel.

Value (8/10)

Our card started at $253.99, about $15 under NAA’s list, for a stainless revolver with a lifetime warranty. It isn’t cheap for a five-shot .22, and a full-size Heritage single action costs less. That one doesn’t fit in a coin pocket.

Technical Deep Dive

Loading and Unloading

NAA’s manual gives the procedure for the standard .22 Magnum, .22 LR and .22 Short guns. Put the hammer at half-cock. Grasp the knurled end of the cylinder pin, press its release button and withdraw the pin. The cylinder then drops out of either side of the frame. Load five, put the cylinder back, and push the pin in until it seats against the frame. To unload, you do the same thing and “use the cylinder pin for extracting empty cases.”

Half-cock is for loading only. The manual is blunt about it: the half-cock position “is not intended to serve as a safety,” and you should never carry the gun that way or with the hammer down on a live round.

The Safety Slot

Five slots are milled into the back of the cylinder, one between each pair of chambers. With the hammer blade seated in a slot, the cylinder can’t turn and the hammer can’t reach a rim. Cocking the hammer rotates the next chamber into line. NAA’s FAQ has the check I used every time: after lowering the hammer, try to rotate the cylinder, then look through the frame. If a chamber sits at 12 o’clock, the gun is not safe. Older Minis made without slots can be sent to the factory for a new cylinder.

Ammunition Rules

The manual has three rules that most buyers never read. First, NAA warns against any PMC or Armscor Precision branded .22 ammunition in a Mini, magnum or Long Rifle, and says it has resulted in out-of-battery discharges. Second, NAA “does not recommend the use of commercially available VARMINT ammunition,” because the cases “may swell and jam” or stop the cylinder turning. Third, never fire .22 LR or .22 Short in the magnum cylinder. The cases fit loosely and can fail. A conversion cylinder is stamped “L” on its muzzle end so you can tell the two apart.

Shotshells are fine. NAA’s FAQ says snake and bird shot can be fired as long as the cartridge matches the caliber marked on the gun, and our 20 CCI shotshells fired and extracted without trouble.

Component	Specification	Benefit
Frame	Stainless steel, no trigger guard	Nothing to snag, shrugs off pocket sweat
Cylinder	Five shot, removable, five safety slots	Carry all five chambers loaded
Barrel	1.13 or 1.63 in.	The longer one adds about 60 fps
Trigger	Single-action spur, about 4 lb on ours	Short, clean break
Sights	Half-moon front blade only	Low profile; a pointing gun
Grip	Rosewood bird’s head	Smallest carry profile NAA offers
Cylinder pin	Knurled, button release	Doubles as the case extractor
Warranty	Lifetime, original registered owner	Factory repairs without charge

Dry Fire and the Warranty

Two more things to know. NAA’s manual says to avoid excessive dry firing, and its FAQ adds that dry firing with the cylinder removed is fine for learning the trigger. And the lifetime warranty has a condition that catches tinkerers: taking the gun apart “beyond that required for loading and unloading” voids it. You register the gun with the factory, you pay to ship it there, and NAA covers return shipping only on guns made in the last two years.

Carrying a Mini Revolver

I carried the NAA-22MS for two weeks in the front pocket of jeans and in running shorts. At 6.2 oz empty you stop noticing it within an hour, and that’s the point of the gun. The NAA-22M’s extra half inch didn’t matter in jeans, but it printed more in the shorts.

Use a holster. NAA strongly recommends one even in a purse or pants pocket, and I agree, because a holster keeps the gun upright, covers the hammer and keeps lint out of the lockwork. A loose Mini turns sideways in a pocket and you end up fishing for the grip. Our best pocket holsters guide covers the options, and NAA sells its own for the magnum frame.

Buying Tips

Read the item code, not the title. NAA’s codes tell you everything: 22S is Short, 22LR and 22LLR are Long Rifle, 22M is the 1-5/8 in. magnum, 22MS is the 1-1/8 in. magnum, and a C after either one means it ships with the conversion cylinder. A suffix after that is the grip or package, such as HG for the Holster Grip or P for ported. When a listing gives no code, ask the dealer for the UPC before you order.

On October 8, 2026, our card started at $253.99 for the NAA-22M at Palmetto State Armory, and the same store had the NAA-22MS at $265.99. I’d buy the longer barrel. It’s cheaper, it’s faster by NAA’s own numbers and it shot tighter groups for us, and the half inch is hard to notice in a pocket.

Guns.com also listed used Minis from $225.99. A used one saves little, and NAA’s warranty covers the original registered owner, so I’d buy new.

Parts, Accessories and Upgrades

NAA sells all of these for the magnum frame on its own accessory shop. Prices are NAA’s.

Upgrade Category	Recommended Component	Why It Matters	Cost Estimate
Grip	Hogue slip-on rubber grip (GSO-M)	More to hold without new grip panels	$21
Grip	Oversized wood grip (GRW-M)	More wood to hold	$38
Carry	Folding Holster Grip (GHG-M)	Folds up for carry, locks open as a longer grip	$38
Holster	Magnum pocket holster (HPK-M)	Keeps the gun upright and the hammer covered	$32
Second caliber	.22 LR conversion cylinder, factory fitted	Cheaper practice in the same gun	$50 plus shipping

Common Problems & Solutions

• Hammer won’t seat in the safety slot: NAA says most trouble comes from not holding the trigger fully back while lowering the hammer. Practice with the gun unloaded.
• Cylinder drags when it turns: Powder residue on the cylinder face. Wipe it and the front of the frame window with a dry patch.
• A round doesn’t fire: Cock and fire again to move to the next chamber. Our three duds all fired on a second strike.
• Cases swell and stick: Stop using that load. NAA warns that varmint ammunition can do this in a Mini.
• Shoots high and left: There’s no adjustment on the standard gun. Learn the hold, or buy a Black Widow with adjustable sights.
• Older gun with no safety slots: NAA will fit a slotted cylinder at the factory. Call 800-821-5783.

Who Should NOT Buy This Gun

The Mini is a specialist. Plenty of buyers are better served by something else.

• Anyone buying a first or only defensive handgun: The Ruger LCP MAX holds 10+1 rounds of .380 ACP and still fits a pocket.
• Shooters who want a fast reload: The Beretta 20X Bobcat swaps an eight-round magazine in seconds.
• Buyers who want a .22 Magnum they can aim: The Smith & Wesson 351 PD has seven shots, real sights and a double-action trigger.
• People with large hands or weak thumbs: The North American Arms Black Widow has an oversized rubber grip and real sights.
• Plinkers on a budget: The Heritage Rough Rider is a full-size .22 single action for far less money.

Final Verdict

The North American Arms Mini Revolver does one thing, and after 500 rounds I’m convinced it does it well. Two guns fired everything we loaded with no mechanical failures. The machining is better than the price suggests, the safety slots let you carry all five rounds, and NAA backs it for life and publishes the kind of velocity and drop-test data most makers keep to themselves.

It’s also slow to reload, hard to shoot past seven yards and low on power, even in .22 Magnum. Buy it as a second gun, for the pocket that can’t take anything bigger, and buy the 1-5/8 in. barrel. As a main carry gun there are better choices for the same money.

Final Score: 7.3/10. The smallest revolver worth owning, and an honest tool as long as you know its limits.

FAQ: North American Arms Mini Revolver