NAA mini with loading gate?

[jdiddy]

I know y?all probably tire of these hypotheticals. Double action minis, 32acp minis, etc etc, but here is another one. The sidewinder and ranger seem at first glance to introduce a few fragile elements into the mini. I don?t think anyone has any illusions of reloading the mini in a fight, so the swing out cylinder or top break is mostly for making plinking easier/more fun. Would a side loading gate do the same thing (or almost) while maintaining more durability and being much cheaper? You would not have to add an extractor rod. Just use a sturdy toothpick or something like that. They could include a tiny brass rod. Not in the market for another mini at the moment, just was looking at my mini mag today and musing. Maybe when production picks back up I will end up with a ranger or sidewinder one day regardless.

[OV-1D]

  It sure would be a great looking mini with a loading gate (I'm a personal fan of loading gates) .  NAA would have to modify the wood grip for clearance but that would be an easy fix . Just downsize , miniaturize a Colt 45 and there you have it sure would be a COOL piece . Come on Sandy you need another thinking outside the box gun and that would be it . I'm waiting to place my order Sandy please don't take too long .

[jdiddy]

  It sure would be a great looking mini with a loading gate (I'm a personal fan of loading gates) .  NAA would have to modify the wood grip for clearance but that would be an easy fix . Just downsize , miniaturize a Colt 45 and there you have it sure would be a COOL piece . Come on Sandy you need another thinking outside the box gun and that would be it . I'm waiting to place my order Sandy please don't take too long .

It would be a fairly easy add on it seems to me. Easy enough that someone with a mini they are willing to sacrifice may be able to make one themselves. The most complicated part would be the necessity of adding another locking point to the hammer to allow the cylinder to rotate. I would imagine it could he done for much cheaper than the top break and sidewinder models. One of the appeals of NAAs to a lot of folks is getting a high quality piece for a really low price.

[bearcatter]

Would a loading gate be practical without an ejector rod?

I doubt a gate would be possible. The loading gate mechanism on my Bearcats is pretty small but still needs space, The pivot pin has to go into a boss. Then there's the spring that holds it open and closed. I doubt those would be strong enough if things were any smaller.

[LepriconX]

I know, it's an old joke, but I love it.

"Programmer's son comes to his father, extremely busy at the moment.

Child: Dad, why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?

Dad: Have you checked it yourself?

Child: Yes.

Dad: Does it work?

Child: Yes.

Dad: Every day?

Child: Yes.

Dad: Then don't touch it, please. "

[jdiddy]

Would a loading gate be practical without an ejector rod?

I doubt a gate would be possible. The loading gate mechanism on my Bearcats is pretty small but still needs space, The pivot pin has to go into a boss. Then there's the spring that holds it open and closed. I doubt those would be strong enough if things were any smaller.

Not so much a traditional gate. More like a ball detent lever or something that slides in a circular motion back towards the grip. Edit: thinking about it it could even be vertical, just not horizontal of course. Does not have to cover the entire round I wouldn?t think. Just enough to keep that one in place.

[jdiddy]

I know, it's an old joke, but I love it.

"Programmer's son comes to his father, extremely busy at the moment.

Child: Dad, why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?

Dad: Have you checked it yourself?

Child: Yes.

Dad: Does it work?

Child: Yes.

Dad: Every day?

Child: Yes.

Dad: Then don't touch it, please. "

Respectfully, if everyone had this mindset, no good inventions would ever be improved upon.

[OV-1D]

  Like I said scale down a Colt 45 and would still have to carve the grip for shell passage . Can't be too innovated because the original top-break had to be remade for the cost of the original Rranger was too much to produce for a good profit . The more moving parts the price goes up considerably , as the saying goes "Keep it simple 666666" . Unless your wanting to pay over a grand for a miniature Colt which it will probably go for anyways . Sure would be a great piece for a collection though ..

[LepriconX]

I know, it's an old joke, but I love it.

"........"

Respectfully, if everyone had this mindset, no good inventions would ever be improved upon.

I am way to conservative and never had LEGO
I've never changed ("improved") anything in any of my handguns. All of them are in factory configurations.

[OV-1D]

  In the past I've rebuilt antique guns trying to bring back to factory at the time but the only modern redo was add a larger thumb grab to the NAA's original hammer . That remake has made a great improvement to cocking the hammer , always thought the narrow grab is a little cheesy on all these mini's including Freedom Arms . It wouldn't hurt too much to stomp that thumb grab while its being forged formed .

[Ozark75]

I would buy one today.

[Uncle_Lee]

  Like I said scale down a Colt 45 and would still have to carve the grip for shell passage . Can't be too innovated because the original top-break had to be remade for the cost of the original Rranger was too much to produce for a good profit . The more moving parts the price goes up considerably , as the saying goes "Keep it simple 666666" . Unless your wanting to pay over a grand for a miniature Colt which it will probably go for anyways . Sure would be a great piece for a collection though ..

I'll take a sequential pair.
And maybe one to shoot.

[bill_deshivs]

If you guys would look at your minis, you would understand using a loading gate is impossible.
The chambers never clear the frame.

[jdiddy]

If you guys would look at your minis, you would understand using a loading gate is impossible.
The chambers never clear the frame.

That?s obvious. The question is can the frame be milled out enough to (safely) allow for a ball detent style loading gate,

[LepriconX]

If you guys would look at your minis, you would understand using a loading gate is impossible.
The chambers never clear the frame.

That?s obvious. The question is can the frame be milled out enough to (safely) allow for a ball detent style loading gate,

Respectfully, why you are still bothered by this question?
The gun is perfect as it is

[jdiddy]

If you guys would look at your minis, you would understand using a loading gate is impossible.
The chambers never clear the frame.

That?s obvious. The question is can the frame be milled out enough to (safely) allow for a ball detent style loading gate,

Respectfully, why you are still bothered by this question?
The gun is perfect as it is

I?m not bothered, but there are definitely improvements that can be made to any good design. There is a demand for minis that have loading methods other than taking out the cylinder. That?s why the sidewinder and ranger exist. Just was theorizing about another way of doing that that that that may end up simpler/cheaper than a swing out cylinder or top break.

[Canoeal]

There is always someone who thinks he knows better than the experts...I say go ahead, build a better one. No one does. They always want someone else to do the work. Would you pay an extra $150 for a loading gate? Not me, but that is the kind of cost you need to recover making a new model...Same goes for a rimfire .22lr Guardian.

[Uncle_Lee]

I want a pair of .32 acp minis.     

[Canoeal]

You always have...

[Uncle_Lee]

It is a running joke now.






BUT, if they came out, I WOULD buy a pair.

[OV-1D]

There is always someone who thinks he knows better than the experts...I say go ahead, build a better one. No one does. They always want someone else to do the work. Would you pay an extra $150 for a loading gate? Not me, but that is the kind of cost you need to recover making a new model...Same goes for a rimfire .22lr Guardian.

   In case it has to be said the $150.00 loading gate would be on the gun Al .

[Ozark75]

I still want one.

A swing out cylinder would not work on the mini frame. Until they made it work. Cost more and they sold them, A break top would not work on a mini frame. Until they made it work. Cost more and they sold them.

Anything can be done. First thing to consider, is their a demand? If there is, and you want to respond to the demand, spend a little R&D money to see what it would take to make it happen. Then, do some market research to determine if the market will demand the product, as newly designed, at the projected cost. If so, then go for it and grow you product line. If not, mothball the idea. No right or wrong answer here. Just a simple decision to be made by management. But yes, it can be done.

Oh, and I still want one.

[Canoeal]

Incase you missed it, NAA is having some trouble, like most gun manufacturers, keeping up with current demand. Why spend time on designs, when you can't take the manpower away from manufacturing, to develop and start something you have no resources to build?
I am sure there are things on the back burner, but I think they will just sit and simmer for a while.

[Wumbey Goomba]

I would argue for the swing out to work,
it needs unsanctioned grinding. Then it
functions but in a class by itself.
Then it?s know where near a pretty
as the cylinder removal minis.
Beat me up but this is what I think.

[bill_deshivs]

If you guys would look at your minis, you would understand using a loading gate is impossible.
The chambers never clear the frame.

That?s obvious. The question is can the frame be milled out enough to (safely) allow for a ball detent style loading gate,

No, it can't. There isn't much extra room on those.

[bearcatter]

Give up and buy a first gen 3 inch Bearcat Shopkeeper. The smallest practical 22 SA with a gate. The second gen has a 3.5 inch barrel, longer ejector makes unloading easier.

[Canoeal]

Or... be happy with what you have, like I am. Perfect is only a state of mind and that perception changes.

[barrytheprof]

I would argue for the swing out to work,
it needs unsanctioned grinding. Then it
functions but in a class by itself.
Then it?s know where near a pretty
as the cylinder removal minis.
Beat me up but this is what I think.

I agree, the mini has the best lines. I wish they made one with a 2" or 2.5" barrel. That would take very little in the way of redesigning or retooling. Having said that, I really like the 1.125 and 1.625 minis. They just need a bigger brother.

[barrytheprof]

Or... be happy with what you have, like I am. Perfect is only a state of mind and that perception changes.

I used to tell my software development students that 'perfect' should be considered a verb, not a state. Perfecting is a designer's challenge, with perfection an unattainable ideal. I'm happy with what I have but that doesn't stop me from trying to perfect things.

It's one of the principles of Agile Development. It started as a software development methodology but is now used in all sorts of areas including design of physical products and even management. It could even be applied to leatherwork.

[Canoeal]

Not that much difference between the 1 5/8' mag mini and the Wasp. Of the two, I prefer the post on the Wasp.

[barrytheprof]

Yes, it's decorated but it still has the classic form.

[Canoeal]

For me it was not the decoration, but the post sight. I don't care if my carry guns are decorated.

[grayelky]

barrytheprof-
The Sheriff has a 2 1/2' barrel.

[barrytheprof]

Yes, the Sheriff is in the running, but the octagon barrel is a bit bulkier and heavier than the mini or buntline barrel. I'm still ruminating. If a buntline showed up and it was not astronomically priced I would go for it. I keep checking gunbroker to see if one shows up. Is there a better way to see if one shows up somewhere?

[bearcatter]

I thought Gun Broker had a way that you can type in something and get notified of it showing up? I haven't looked at them for a long while, usually just for fun.