PART ONE - Range Report and NAA Customer Service Report - with photos

[timonbass]

As I mentioned in the post I made to the Buy-Sell-Trade section about my interest in a .17 Mini (still interested, by the way), I recently picked up my first Mini – a .22 LR revolver with Staglite grips.  

   

   When I went to the range for my first shooting session with it, I wasn't able to get 10 rounds through it before suffering a FTF. Ultimately, I wasn't able to get another 15 rounds through the revolver before it virtually stopped firing rounds.  

   

   NOTE – I'm providing the velocities for all the rounds mentioned in this post just so folks will know exactly which loads I'm referring to; I realize muzzle velocity out of a 1.125-inch Mini barrel is far lower.

   

   I started out using CCI Mini-Mag rounds loaded with a 40-grain copper-plated round nose bullet. The packaging notes the round is rated for 1,235 fps. My first FTF occurred in the second cylinder I fired, at round No. 8 (total fired).  

   

   I then switched to Winchester Varmint HE ammo, loaded with a 37-grain bullet in a round rated at 1,435 fps. I had multiple FTFs before I was able to get a total of 6 rounds to fire. Two others actually jammed in the cylinder, as did a round of the CCI ammo when I switched back to it to try one more cylinder of that ammo.

   

   I was only able to successfully fire 20 rounds total (14 CCI, 6 Winchester), and had three FTF rounds that I turned in to the range officer for safe disposal. All three of the FTF rounds jammed in the cylinder and had to be forcibly removed.

   

   When I got home and disassembled the gun for cleaning, I noticed damage to the left edges of all five chambers in the cylinder, and to the bottom of the hammer/firing pin. You can see it in this photo:

   

   

   

   I emailed Jessica at NAA CS the same day, a Saturday, and had a response from her in less than two business days. She asked me to return the Mini for repair, and provided NAA account numbers for me to do so. The gun shipped on Aug. 15, and it arrived back to me, repaired, on Aug. 23.  

   

   In the letter I enclosed with the gun describing again what happened, I mentioned that I really like the skeletonized hammer on the Wasp series, and offered to pay to have my hammer replaced with one of those if NAA determined that the hammer needed replaced. As you'll see in the photo below, NAA replaced the hammer with the skeletonized version – at no charge.  

   

   I got back to the range yesterday with the same ammo mentioned above, and I also took some CCI Mini Mag with 36-grain hollow points rated at 1,260 fps. The revolver performed flawlessly – and it LOVES the Winchester Varmint HE ammo.  

   

   About ammo performance in this gun – during both sessions, multiple CCI rounds (both varieties) keyholed; none of the Winchester keyholed. And the CCI didn't group very well out of this gun; but that's sure not the case with the Winchester.  

   

   Here's a photo that explains why I say the Mini loves the Winchester – five shots at 5 yards, with three of them touching. These were fired one-handed at what I would describe a moderate rate – gun went bang, I cocked the hammer, aimed and squeezed the trigger again.

   

   

   

   I intended to pick up some CCI Quick Shok to carry in this gun, but saw and bought the Winchester before I found any Quick Shok. I'm glad things worked out that way because of how well this gun shoots the Varmint HE. I'll be stocking up on it.

   

   (continued)

[ikoiko]

Both posts nicely written. Glad your overall experiences have been good.

   Was the hammer the problem then?

[keith44]

Sounds like a slight timing issue to me, with the hammer hitting the edge of the cylinder instead of just the rim of the cartridge.  The hammer and cylinder showing damage due to mis-alignment.  

   

   Good shootin!! With one hand hold I can hit drink can ends (can laid on side target is the end of the can) at 15 feet measured, and with two hand hold (slow fire) hit the same target at 15 feet.

   

   Neat idea with the hammer.

[timonbass]

Keith - Grayelky said the same thing when I showed him the revolver before closing the box for shipping ... "that's a timing issue." So it appears it was timing, not the hammer. Thanks for the kind words on the posts, and the hammer idea. Thanks to you, too, Ikoiko.