New guy, new to NAA, shot new 22 Short mini today, now with hunting results

[MikeSSS]

After looking for years, I bit the bullet (pun intended), and got a 22 short NAA mini.  Some observations and shooting results follow.

Design, build, fit and finish are all excellent.  This is not a do-it-yourself project gun, like my Beretta Minx.  Nope, it works like it should, right out of the box.  It did have lots of sharp edges, a few sessions with a sharpening stone have reduced those some but not entirely.  Trigger pull is OK but heavy, cocking effort is OK, it does go bang when the trigger is pulled. 

It turns out that the Short is easy to get a good hold on.  That hold was refined a bit after the back of the cylinder drew blood on the thumb of the shooting hand.  Two hand shooting is good too, just keep the fingers out of the side blast.  Sights: the front is very easy to see and the back is a sort of "visulize a sight" deal but it works very well. 

Aimed accuracy was surprisingly good, no key-holing with this gun.  Recoil is snappy with Remington Golden Bullet HV ammo but the grip lets the gun roll in the hand and spread the recoil out over time so you don't feel much.  Close range point shooting is also excellent.

Rem HV is loud, CCI CB Short is less loud and Colibris are relatively quiet.  Colibris are made for 22 LR guns but work in the Short if you shave some off the nose.  (shave enough off so there is no cylinder binding so the guns hand is not damaged)

Ammo drops into the cylinder and empties fall out or are easy to poke out.  Safing the gun by putting the firing pin into the safe slots in the cylinder is very easy to do and it is easy to see if it is done correctly.

Hunting: it was too cold for grasshoppers today.

Well, it's easy to see why people have serveral NAA mini revolvers.  This is a great little gun and much fun to shoot.

PS, excellent site!

[FrRichard]

Welcome!

[grayelky]

First, WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

I enjoyed your "perspective"

...and the back is a sort of "visualize a sight" deal but it works very well.

and

Hunting: it was too cold for grasshoppers today.

For what it may be worth, it is a little easier to keep your hand away from the "blast area" with the magnum framed gun. Just sayin'....

My question to you is two fold:
What do you think your next mini will be?
and
How long you think you can hold out before getting it?

[Uncle_Lee]

Hello Mike,
A WELCOME from this corner also.
I know what you mean about the grasshoppers and cold.

[Wolfar]

Welcome to the form.

I got my Black Widow 22 mag back in November and never looked back. I work in Dental offices and a small foot print is a must!

I carry it in my front pocket with .22 Hornady Self Defense rounds which boast almost the same performance as a .380 round.

While I would not count on this for bear hunting I would trust it with my life for the 2 legged predators out in the city jungle!

Hope you get a Mag you wont regret it!

Take Care! and Happy New Year!

[tocsn40]

Welcome to the forum. 

I too wounded how long and would like to take a pool on the time like they do with a baby but not sure if NAA likes gambling.  Oh well $.25 on one month.    Lol

[theysayimnotme]

I had a brand new .22 short revolver several years ago & it keyholed most of the shots. When I took the cylinder out & looked down the barrel there was absolutely no trace of any rifling.
I took it back to the dealer & he sent it back to NAA. After quite a while & no replacement he gave me a .22 LR instead.
I would like to have another but they are not on the Kalifornia list. The only way I can get one is in a private party sale (probably a consignment). It would be neat if NAA could sell me a replacement for the one that was sent back. That MIGHT be legal although it was at least twenty years ago.

[boone123]

SSS Welcom to the forum. Shorts are neat. I carried one for a few years in the early 70s, till I bought a LR, and about 11 more minis since.
I have never shot grasshoppers with a mini, but a lot with other handguns. I have wounded  FEW and it took another shot. They jump funny with a leg or two gone.
Its cold today but I am on my way out to shoot dirt clods that are sticking out of the snow.
I have three 22 shorts, and might have to have more.

[cedarview kid]

Great report. Welcome! Glad to see NAA has finally hooked you!

[MikeSSS]

Got a grasshopper!  A green one, medium small.  They say "use enough gun", well, with CB Shorts, the mini is enough gun. 

After hunting, I shot the Short on targets at grasshopper distances, yikes.  CB Shorts hit one place, and "nosed" Colibris a different place.  The CBs needed the top of the mini held flat and needed a little windage to the left.  Colibris have less recoil and so less barrel rise before the bullet clears the barrel, they hit low.  The Colibris needed some elevation, some of the top of the gun had to be visable and they needed no windage, the gun twists less in the hand on recoil.  I'm thinking that high velocity ammo would hit higher than the CBs, because of more recoil.  More windage would probably be needed too.

Good hits on silhouettes at self defense distances are one thing, hunting bugs is another.  Hold, aim and trigger are far more important when hunting bugs.  The trigger pull is sort of a two stage pull, hmmmm, might have to work on that.

Shot some cactus ears, they deserved it.  The CBs penetrated too many ears to recover a bullet.

So, the Short continues to run well and look fine doing it. 

Next?  A LR can use a wider variety of ammo and Colibris don't need to be trimmed.  A magnum is easier to hold and shoot and with the conversion can use LR ammo.  I'm thinking Sheriff with the conversion cylinder but also a LR.  Maybe the Sheriff would fit in a case for eye glasses. 

I wish NAA made a gun that looked more like the Civil War era 22s.  It would not have to be bottom break or open top, just look more like the guns of that era.  NAA....hint....hint.

The when?  Will power is weak on this end. 

     

[grayelky]

Seems to me an Earl is in your not too distant future, or (perhaps "and"?) a Hogleg.

[Uncle_Lee]

AH YES,,
The Earl...
It looks like a tiny Remington 1858.
When I saw a picture of the Earl, I went straight to the gunshop and ordered a pair of them.
It has been up hill ever since.

[45flint]

You can even put them in Civil War type presentation cases, make grips, it gets pretty crazy.

[millsriver]

Welcome from the mountains of Western North Carolina. Don't get too hung up on your first NAA' just remember that it is only the first. Many to follow.

[pocketcarry]

Welcome from NE Oklahoma

[OV-1D]

WOW 45flint NOW thats the way to show them , simply gorgeous you have a very special talent keep it up . WOW again .

[MikeSSS]

Forgot to mention something.  The NAA Short is jewelry of the finest sort.  Looking at it is almost as much fun as shooting it.

The Earl pairs above are most excellent.  Do want.

[OV-1D]

Thats why I'm obsessed , these mini's are just works of art . All pocket pistols just have the ability to make anybody dream on . 

[bleak_window]

I think the Sheriff is a nice model.  I like the looks, and they are somewhat hard to find, so may be fairly collectable someday.

[MikeSSS]

Update some more, took Jewel (the mini Short) shooting on a cold day.  There was some keyholing.  Perhaps NAA uses the same bore on the Magnums and the Shorts and LRs and it is the Magnum bore size.  BTW, the bore was clean but the forcing cone has some lead buildup in it. 

Remington High Velocity ammo is pretty hot.  Example: my Beretta 21A, 22lr, need hot ammo to cycle it.  21As like Stingers but Remington Golden Bullet bulk 22lr is hot enough to cycle the 21A.  Federal bulk is not hot enough to cycle the 21A but, surprise, the Remington Golden Bullet 22 Short HV ammo will cycle the 21A and will feed from the magazine sometimes too. 

Rem. 22 Short HV is pretty snappy in the little NAA jewel.  CCI 22 Short CB is milder and more fun to shoot.  Both do some keyholing.  Shortened Aguila Colibris shoot really well, are accurate and not very loud.  Colibri ammo sort of turns the NAA Short into a pellet gun.  I didn't see any keyholes with the Colibris but the bullets are short so it would be difficult to notice.

The joy of having and using Jewel continues!

Happy 2013.

I did some fast twist around and shoot at a 6" rock.  Sort of bicycle practice for attacking dogs.  The Short was very easy to hit the rock with.