NAA accuracy or group size review for 22lr and Pug

[kurth83]

I through this was worth of a separate thread with enough buzz words in it to be searchable so ppl could know how good these guns actually are.

Buzz words: North American Arms Review NAA 22lr Pug accuracy group size.

I now own two very short-barreled NAAs (the 22lr and the Pug).

With the default grips I could not shoot either one worth beans.  But changing the grips I can consistently get 1" groups at 15' (5 yards).  I was using CCI ammo of course. :-)

Yes, really ONE INCH GROUPS at 15 feet.

To me that is stunning, before I owned one I just assumed that their accuracy would be bad.  I should mention that I have had a small amount of training as a shooter (more details below).

That's as good as any other micro handgun I have, and all of them have lasers (LCP Max, P22, P380, LCP II 22, SIG P365), etc.  I read somewhere that revolvers have great accuracy because their barrels don't float during a shot cycle like semi-autos do, really seems to hold up here.  The NAA's are my first revolvers.

FYI trigger pull greatly affects my accuracy, guns with a harder trigger pull I cannot shoot accurately (I am not that great of a shooter after all).  The difference between an LCP II and the LCP MAX (MAX has better trigger) greatly affects me.  But both of the NAA's I can shoot well, and ppl should be warned that the trigger pull of the magnums is greater than the 22lr's.  But not enough to trouble me.

How I did it on the 22lr:
On the 22lr I can get that group size with the foldout holster (available from NAA's website).  Note this holster seems to get criticism around here because it is wobbly.  Well that may be true, but in the hands of a decent (but still amateur) shooter those grips are fantastic, also available on the magnum frame.  While the foldout adds about .5 seconds to my draw time, I can easily fold out one handed, which to me is still pretty good.  It adds size to the gun, but not weight, so that's the main consideration there.  From a grip perspective the foldout grips feel the 'best' to me of their grips I have tried, they give me a full (pinky included) grip that just feels good.  There are some extended fixed grips aftermarket from Amazon for the 22lr frame, I think if you were pocket carrying this gun, those would let you avoid the extra draw time.

How I did it on the Pug:
On the Pug (a 1" barrel, which I thought for sure would have terrible accuracy), I changed to the mini master grips (available from NAA's website for the magnum frame).  I also have the foldout for the magnum, but with the MM grips I avoid the .5 second extra draw time and can shoot just as well so to me the MM grip is preferred here.  The group was so tight the holes overlapped and tore out a larger hole in the target.

Probably should give some notes on the training I had.  I shot 3-4 times a week for about 6 months after getting into shooting.  I am fortunate to live 5 min from a nice range.  During that time I had private lessons with one of the instructors at my local range (he corrected a lot of problems with my technique).  My goal was to achieve IDPA prequal marksman level (the lowest one above novice).  I never took the test, but in training drills I was able to pass the time and accuracy requirements.  During this time there was lots of dry fire and timed quick draw practice (on an empty gun with a laser - lasers really help you see when trigger pull is a problem.  The laser dot will jump when you pull the trigger badly.  Any gun that jumps on me I shelve and move on).  I still do the dry fire stuff regularly.  I also learned to hate cleaning guns during that period, the little revolvers are MUCH easier to clean than a semi-auto. :-)  I also practiced until my FIRST group was as good as the rest.  The first group is the one you will shoot in a real situation, no time to warm up.

That's it, I went from a not very good shooter to a pretty decent one in 6 months of somewhat intensive training.  I don't go to the range as often now, but my shooting abilities remain stable (I was worried I would lose them with less practice).  The trick is to get a really good grip and sight picture on that first shot, squeeze gently, and not close my eyes. :-)

Anyway, hope this helps the 'cause'. :-)

[Anvil]

You are right on! I never had training but competed in IHMSA for over 20 years. There's no better satisfaction than being accurate enough to topple a ram at 200 yds! It takes the right ammo, good sights, the right trigger pull and a steady hand, not to mention the sincere determination to hit what you aim at.