Something I've encountered with some mini owners. It's not good. (A Rant)

E-Stop · March-26-17 03:03

I've encountered this with three different sellers and one other mini revolver owner. After discussing the virtues of our fine masterpieces, then it's time for show and tell. Their NAA's come out of their pocket or holster, and the first thing I notice is the hammer is either half-cocked or in one instance, sitting on a round.

When I ask if they know about the safety notches and tell them they are making a safety mistake, the wall goes up. Nothing unfriendly, mind you, just comments like, "Oh, I tried and can't get the hang of it". Even when I offer to show them how easy it is to set the hammer into the notch, I get comments like, "I'm not comfortable doing that", or "Half-cocked is good enough". It really isn't good enough.

That safety notch is an outstanding feature that gives me 100% confidence in carrying these firearms. The fact that they don't seem to care really troubles me. It takes 5 minutes to read the manual and 20 minutes or less of practice with an unloaded cylinder to become proficient with reassembly and safety. Caring like this may save the life of the owner or an innocent bystander. But no... they'd rather not be bothered.

Hopefully, our discussions caused these guys to consider the importance and later go home and learn. Whew! I'm done. Thanks.

Time for more coffee.

Sandy · March-26-17 03:03

I enthusiastically endorse spreading the gospel of engaging the safety notch. Half-cock is NOT a safety.

Uncle_Lee · March-26-17 04:03

Good Morning Stevo,
I read it three times.
I am old and can't be retrained. I carry 4 rounds, hammer down on an empty chamber. To me it is not safe to use the safety slot. But that is just me. I don't carry just one mini. 2 or 3.
Your point is clear. Try to tell them and if they won't accept help, move on.
Do Not let yourself sound or look superior. That will turn them off.
Offer help.
Do Not "I'll show how it should be carried".

riadat · March-26-17 05:03

No matter how you carry your gun it is safer than asking your wife if she gained weight.

E-Stop · March-26-17 05:03

Sandy: Thank you for commenting.

Quote from: uncle_lee on March-26-17 04:03
Try to tell them and if they won't accept help, move on.
Do Not let yourself sound or look superior. That will turn them off.
Offer help.
Do Not "I'll show how it should be carried".

I agree. I'm cordial and polite about it. Then I drop the subject if I detect resistance. Thanks Uncle Lee.

E-Stop · March-26-17 05:03

Quote from: riadat on March-26-17 05:03
No matter how you carry your gun it is safer than asking your wife if she gained weight.

Ha!

seaotter · March-26-17 06:03

I really can't see why someone would not want to use the safety notches. I think it took me all of 30 seconds to learn how to use them. I can certainly understand why some would prefer to carry just 4 rounds for safety reasons, but carrying on half cock or on a live round just doesn't make any sense at all.

nastruck · March-26-17 07:03

WELL SAID STEVO!!!!

zburkett · March-26-17 07:03

There is no cure for stupid but carrying any gun in a pocket and in an unsafe manner may keep stupid from reproducing.

ronald arand · March-26-17 07:03

I never understood why some think it is hard to use the safety notch, I never had a problem. Just stay nice.

Rick_Jorgenson · March-26-17 07:03

Quote from: Hey Stevo on March-26-17 03:03

When I ask if they know about the safety notches ... "Oh, I tried and can't get the hang of it". Even when I offer to show them how easy it is to set the hammer into the notch, I get comments like, "I'm not comfortable doing that", or "Half-cocked is good enough". It really isn't good enough.

Hopefully, our discussions caused these guys to consider the importance and later go home and learn. Whew! I'm done. Thanks.

Time for more coffee.

I have run into this as well Stevo. I know a guy who has carried his for 15 years on 5 different continents and he still doesn't carry on the notch or on an empty chamber. (he is a well respected gun and ordinance expert so I showed him, politely)

As you stated, if they spent 15 minutes reading the book and practicing it really is not a big deal to get it on the safety stop. The procedure is just so different from other guns (in my limited experience) that folks just don't do it if they cant get it the first try.

Downing "mass quantities" of coffee now!! Good morning all!

Rick_Jorgenson · March-26-17 07:03

Quote from: ronald arand on March-26-17 07:03
I never understood why some think it is hard to use the safety notch, I never had a problem. Just stay nice.

Hi Ronald, I have watched new NAA owners with their gun. NAA's are different from other guns they have handled. They just don't take the time to understand them and will not ask questions in fear of sounding unknowledgeable about guns. (even if they are not. Its a "macho" thing I guess)

Then there are some folks that have been around guns all their life and refuse to be told anything about a gun. If they are older I respect that and just move along. After all, they made it this far

lol!!

Welcome to the Forum!!

grayelky · March-26-17 10:03

I understand you frustration. I had gentleman in my store one evening looking fo a small gun. Naturally, I steered him toward the mini. An hour and 15 minutes later, he still could not grasp the how to put the little revolver in the safety notch. I moved him to a light weight .38. He never did grasp the concept of how to make the mini safe.

OV-1D · March-26-17 14:03

Goes back to colonial times when most people didn't even have a gun or know how to use them , things haven't changed very much if at all .

nastruck · March-27-17 05:03

I do find it hard to believe that so many people have trouble using the safety notch. It seems to be such a simple process....

dbrn · March-27-17 06:03

I always carry mine with the hammer in the notch.

To Old To Run · March-27-17 08:03

Just another point of view on the safety notch, I carry my Mini using the folding grips with it resting alone in my right pocket. I'm still an active old fart and feel that the safety notch would not be the safest way for me to carry it as it doesn't need much backward movement to come out of the notch (the way I carry it ), so I have the hammer setting on an empty cylinder.
I see some beautiful holsters out there that would keep the hammer in the notch and much safer than the way I have chose to carry mine. When asked I always try to inform them of that method also and show them the safety notch that can be used.
From there it's up to them if they choose the NAA Mini to carry.

Ruger · March-27-17 12:03

Quote from: Hey Stevo on March-26-17 03:03. . . . . . . . It takes 5 minutes to read the manual and 20 minutes or less of practice with an unloaded cylinder to become proficient with reassembly and safety. . . . . . . . .

Wow, Steve, are you ever a gracious guy! "20 minutes or less"; it can't take more than one or two tries to learn the use of the safety notches! You do give others lots of leeway! Kind of takes the fire out of a great safety rant.

redhawk4 · March-27-17 17:03

It seems to me if you can't manage to use the safety notch you probably shouldn't own a gun, it's not high on the list of "dexterous" things out there and doesn't require specific "mechanical" skills or understanding. Anyone who can't get the hang of it fairly quickly is likely to harm themselves, or someone else, with just about any type of firearm.

I wouldn't argue with Uncle Lee's technique of carrying an empty chamber if that's how you want to do it, the safety notch is fine IMO for most types of carry, but isn't infallible for those who don't take care.

Bigbird48 · March-27-17 21:03

I carry all mine in the safety notch just took a few trys to get it down.But trying to show anyone else who is doing it wrong is like pulling teeth.Its like when ever I ride with someone else as a passenger and there always dropping their head to look in the side mirror or over there shoulder to the left when changing lanes, I ask what are you looking for They say just checking my blind spot to see if anything is coming.I say something like are your side mirrors adjusted right. You shouldn't have as blind spot. Oh yea there right. Well obviously there not if they have a blind spot. I'd bet 80% or more drivers don't have theirs adjusted correctly but How do you tell them if they don't want to learn. answer you can't, and that the same as the safety notch can get you hurt or killed.

Uncle_Lee · March-28-17 03:03

OHMMM

Popeye1959 · March-28-17 04:03

I tried and tried and tried. Could not get the hang of getting it in the safety notch. Then I ready the instructions - once and retied it. Maybe the Sidewinder instructions are different than the other models but once I read these one time, I have never failed to get it in the safety slot the first try. From memory it's Half cock, line up small slot on cylinder to the small slot on the frame, Holding cylinder in place, pull trigger and then hammer to full cock and then ease into the cylinder notch. If the others don't have the slot on the frame, you would look from the top down to see the safety notch appear through the milled slot in the top strap.

Ruger · March-28-17 05:03

Quote from: Bigbird48 on March-27-17 21:03. . . . . . . . trying to show anyone else who is doing it wrong is like pulling teeth.. . . . . . . . .

I first encountered similar reactions in the early days when you tried to let someone you know that they had just sent you an E-Mail that was generated by a computer virus. It was similar to what it would be like telling your ex that they should be checked since you came down with some type of STD. Jeese Louise. I learned to keep my mouth shut at the local gun shop for the same reason.

JRobyn · March-28-17 09:03

Using the safety notch properly IS slightly easier on the Sidewinder (IMHO) because there is the alignment slot on the blast shield that only the Sidewinder has.

45flint · March-28-17 11:03

Ignorance is even for the so called experts. Hickok45 knows about the safety notches but watch him try to load it without putting it into half-cock!

https://youtu.be/R9WTwSvDP8s

RogueTS1 · March-28-17 11:03

Quote from: 45flint on March-28-17 11:03
Ignorance is even for the so called experts. Hickok45 knows about the safety notches but watch him try to load it without putting it into half-cock!

https://youtu.be/R9WTwSvDP8s

It is quite painful.

nastruck · March-28-17 16:03

Does anyone have a story or know of a story where the mini being carried in the safety notch was found to be out of the safety notch when taken out of the holster or pocket? Just curious!!!!

Uncle_Lee · March-29-17 03:03

Quote from: nastruck on March-28-17 16:03
Does anyone have a story or know of a story where the mini being carried in the safety notch was found to be out of the safety notch when taken out of the holster or pocket? Just curious!!!!

I can make one up for you if you want me to....

Codger1 · March-29-17 10:03

I'm 89 years old and every time that I teach gun safety, I learn from my students. Safety is everybody's business and I'm not too set in my ways to learn something new.

It only took me a few minutes to learn how to put the Mini Master on the safe slot between the chambers. That is safer than some owners of striker fired pistols who do not carry their pistols in a holster. The holster protects the trigger, without that, a AD can occur.

The NAA's , according to NAA, should also be carried in a holster. I guess that it is possible, as some say, to snag the hammer back out of the safety notch. I don't know.

Radar1 · March-29-17 16:03

Good thing I didn't see this post before I picked up my new NAA mini today, otherwise I would have thought learning how to use the safety notch would be difficult!

Fortunately, the gun shop showed me how to use it when I showed up to pick up the gun, and less than a minute later I had it down. I can't imagine trying to carry with the hammer on a loaded cylinder, or reducing the capacity 20% by leaving an empty cylinder.

Canoeal · March-29-17 16:03

Been carrying mine about a year (maybe not quite). It does not just come out of the slot. the only time it was ever out of the slot is when I sighted (have to cock to see the sights), and forgot to reset it. It has never just "come out" of the safety slot.

You can not fix stupid, even with duct tape. It does help to muffle the sound...

nastruck · March-30-17 05:03

Ok uncle_lee bring it on but make it a gooder!!!!

zburkett · March-30-17 05:03

My carry guns have the folding holster grip (floppy wobbler) and with it closed and the hammer in the safety notch I feel that is a safe as a loaded pistol can get. When I am wearing a heavy coat I will carry my Earl with BW grip dropped into an out side pocket and it has never come out of the safety notch.

beornls · March-30-17 08:03

I've carried an NAA loose daily in my pockets at home for going on 10 to 12 years I guess, maybe longer now. By loose I mean just tossed into my gym short or sweats pocket as I lounge around the house. Work outside, etc. Note that I never have anything else in the pocket with the gun.

In this time period there has been one occasion where I noticed the cylinder moved out of the safety notch and was on a live round. I think this was when I was especially active that day or something and it somehow got pinched in my pocket of my shorts when I was squatting down to do something.

Anyway, it is possible for it to happen. So ever since I caught it that one time I make a habit of checking on it at least daily to be sure it's in the safe notch still. I know the odds are slim of it moving out of the notch AND being dropped or bumped that same day so I feel pretty safe.

For the record too...I HAVE dropped my NAA before onto ceramic tile. If that had happened to happen on the same day it moved out of the notch it could have been bad...possibly.

Just my $.02...might be worth $.01 in the right areas.

beornls · March-30-17 08:03

After I posted the above I got to thinking I had told that story before about mine shifting from the safety notch? I did some Googling and found the post I commented on before at The High Road. Here is a link to that discussion over there if anyone is interested:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/is-it-safe-to-pocket-carry-a-naa-22-mini-revolver.787615/

Something I've encountered with some mini owners. It's not good. (A Rant)

E-Stop

riadat

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