New member, Guardian 32 coming soon

[bearcatter]

New member here. Just ordered a Guardian 32 thru Gallery Of Guns, should be here about Wednesday. I was carrying a SP101, but hard to hide in warm weather is an understatement. Decided to go small all the way.

The Guardian was my top choice. NAA's reputation for quality, plus I like all stainless, and the extra weight over plastic (yecchhh!) should make it more manageable. (I'm a close to retirement Luddite....)

Why the 32? It's even smaller and 5 oz. less than the 380. Easiest to pocket. Add the ballistics: Compared to 380, I'm losing 25% bullet weight, 10% velocity, and mainly, 38% less energy. In a sub one pound gun, that should give me less recoil, better control and follow-up. Ballistically, a 380 round has the energy and speed of a 125 gr 38. More than I care for in a mouse. I read about too many bashed to blood trigger fingers, too.

I knew I had a price to pay for choosing .32. I'm in a medium size city with three big boxes and a half dozen LGS. A thorough search found a total of three bore brushes, no jags, and three types of ammo. I bought Remington and Aquila FMJ. The store was out of Sellier. Holsters are still a question mark. I'll be ordering a few things from NAA later. Extra mags, spare grips, and a few spare parts.

I've browsed a few pages here, and it looks to be a great group of folks. Easy to navigate. Only improvement I could suggest is, instead of "NAA Products" maybe separate categories for Minis and Guardians?

[Uncle_Lee]

Hello bearcatter,

Welcome to the asylum.
Share your knowledge.
Pick up some ideas.
Post pictures.
If there are no pictures, then it didn't happen.

[linux_author]

i did a write-up of my experiences in searching for a .32ACP carry pistol:

http://kg4zqz.blogspot.com/2018/02/kel-tec-p-32-vs-north-american-arms.html

welcome to the forum - lots of good folks here who have been helpful to me

hth,

willie
on the Gulf of Mexico

[seaotter]

I have a 380 Guardian, and I love it! I got the 380 because I have other 380s, and because I got it used at a good price, but I certainly would pick up  a 32 if I could find one at a good price.

[RogueTS1]

Welcome and great on the Guardian .32; you will be happy with it. Reload your own ammo and save yourself the raping. 

[Gog]

Welcome! Thanks for posting and I hope you feel at home here!
It's really nice to talk of things other than the Ranger II.

[seaotter]

i did a write-up of my experiences in searching for a .32ACP carry pistol:

http://kg4zqz.blogspot.com/2018/02/kel-tec-p-32-vs-north-american-arms.html

I went ahead and read your blog. When you send a firearm into NAA they do a few extra things to smooth out the action. If you check out the NAA website you will find that they offer a lot of custom features, such as better sights (although I have come to like the stock ones).

I have thought about getting a p32, but for some reason something else always seems to have a higher priority: I already have 3 pocket automatics and 2 mini revolvers, so I don't really have a need for one. But I think I really DO need a hogleg or  a mini master!

[linux_author]

yep - NAA did a good job on the repair with the ramp polish and cleanup - my Guardian shot a lot closer to POA after a trip back to the mothership!

willie
on the Gulf of Mexico

[Bigbird48]

Welcome and don't get discouraged with the 14 posts before you don't have to do the capcha  thing anymore. Also HOLSTERS
Rick here on the forum makes top quality holsters his website desertgunleather.com

[bearcatter]

Thanks for the replies so far! I appreciate it!

My 32 should arrive at LGS tomorrow, and I have some NAA goodies due Thursday. Two more mags, one pinky, one not. I figure I'll have the two pinky grips for in the gun, and the flat bottoms will be the carry reloads. I like to rotate mags, so having two pair is enough. I ordered a recoil spring set, extra factory grips, grip screws, and a drawbar spring. That's the only non-coil spring, which makes it a more possible problem.

I read a post or two so far about flying extractors, and them being a press fit? Is it a recurring issue? From what I see on the website drawings and photos, they look like most other extractors.  Am I missing something?

Any other recommendations as to spare parts? I know NAA has the great warranty, but I have an aircraft mechanic background and replacing parts is no biggie, even with minor fitting. Then my gun can stay in service, instead of visiting home and leaving me naked.

Well, enough yakking, let me do Captcha 2 of 14....

[bearcatter]

Picked it up an hour ago, and I like.

Fit and finish are 99.9%, real quality appearance. I'm glad I stuck with .32. The extra size and weight of the .380 wouldn't have made me as happy. And, I find racking the slide is stiff enough, the .380 would be more so. There are no slide locks on this gun.

Various posts online have some complaining about the trigger pull, but this one isn't bad; a little more than my SP's Wolff spring DA pull.

My NAA extras should have been here today, but P.O. routed them to a town 30 miles up the road. They notified me I'll get them tomorrow. I may wish I had ordered more finger extension bottoms for the mags. It ships with one extension mag and one flat. I can get two fingers on with the extension, one and a half without. But the flat bottom mags will be the "reloads", not left in gun.

[linux_author]

I read a post or two so far about flying extractors, and them being a press fit? Is it a recurring issue? From what I see on the website drawings and photos, they look like most other extractors.  Am I missing something?

Any other recommendations as to spare parts? I know NAA has the great warranty, but I have an aircraft mechanic background and replacing parts is no biggie, even with minor fitting. Then my gun can stay in service, instead of visiting home and leaving me naked.

that would be me... i have no idea what happened, but i was at the range and at the 175-round mark (2nd session), i got home and the entire extractor assembly was gone! i called NAA and they took care of it, paying for shipping both ways...

i still have no clue how the extractor is serviced, and if you can figure it out, describe it, show it step by step in photo or video, your efforts will be the only published *anywhere* - i am still unable to find such info

note that the Seecamp .32 uses a pinned extractor

i'm not an expert enough to have any knowledge of *any* blowback using a press-fit extractor - the NAA repair seems to be holding up, but i do have issues with the pinky extension mags dropping after a round or so (flat plate or 10-round mags are fine) - perhaps it's my grip

i only use FMJ .32ACP - which works in my .32 pistols

one caution: do NOT wet-lube or over-lube your Guardian - you'll get a nice splash of lube in the face

(don't ask me how i know this)


enjoy your new pistol!

willie
on the Gulf of Mexico

[adp3]

linux_author
The Guardian extractor is not press fit.  There is a notch at the rear of the extractor that a spring loaded plunger engages and holds in the slide.  Walther was using this method in 1929 when they introduced the PP.  It's quite common and usually works quite well.   I've never seen an extractor disengage from the slide like you experienced.  If NAA fixed yours it's not likely to happen again.

Best Regards,
ADP3

[linux_author]

linux_author
The Guardian extractor is not press fit.  There is a notch at the rear of the extractor that a spring loaded plunger engages and holds in the slide.  Walther was using this method in 1929 when they introduced the PP.  It's quite common and usually works quite well.   I've never seen an extractor disengage from the slide like you experienced.  If NAA fixed yours it's not likely to happen again.

Best Regards,
ADP3

tks! very interesting... however, when i called NAA i was told it *was* a press fit - but i believe your explanation - will have to research more... i just keep wondering how one might service the assembly?

EDIT: found an explanation! i searched for PP/PPK slide service videos - thank you very much! nice to learn something every day!

willie
on the Gulf of Mexico

[bearcatter]

I appreciate the extractor info. I didn't think it was something unusual, and now that I have the gun, I see it isn't.

I normally buy spare extractors, but in this case I'm not inclined. I doubt it will be any issue in what use I'll give it; hope the "flying" one was a one time fluke.....

[adp3]

Glad to be of help.  My firearms education has cost me a lot more than my BA at Clemson.

Best Regards,
ADP3

[top dog]

Bear,
Welcome to the forum.

I consider the 32 Guardian pretty much the flagship of the NAA product line.  All of the NAA products are excellent but the 32 Guardian seems to be the nicest.

When they first came out with the Guardian,I got one through their LE program and have had zero problems with it for a good many years.

Let us know how your new addition does on the range.

Oh,when are you going to get your next NAA product??  They do tend to "multiply".

                                                                           Top Dog

[RogueTS1]

Bearcatter; if you are a fan of the finger extension base plates you should take a hard look at Pearce's. The NAA are great; the Pearce are more than twice as nice.

[bearcatter]

Bear,
Welcome to the forum.

I consider the 32 Guardian pretty much the flagship of the NAA product line.  All of the NAA products are excellent but the 32 Guardian seems to be the nicest.

When they first came out with the Guardian,I got one through their LE program and have had zero problems with it for a good many years.

Let us know how your new addition does on the range.

Oh,when are you going to get your next NAA product??  They do tend to "multiply".

                                                                           Top Dog

My choice of the 32 isn't meant to knock the 380. I was just centered on weight, size, and recoil for easy carry. I feel that, for me, the 32 was the best.

I also wonder if the Guardian would be like the Walther PPK. It was originally a .32, then offered in .380 years later. Many shooters feel the .32 is the best version, all around, and because it was engineered to be a .32, then modified for .380.

I'm glad to hear your experience is all positive. I only have a Forest Service range about 30 miles away, and tomorrow's forecast is iffy on rain, but I'm hoping. So far as more NAA goodies, I doubt it. All I have now is five handguns ( three .22, one.357, and the 32), and a 10/22, and I'm considering dropping two or three of them.  The range trip is getting tiresome.