Do these things need to be babied? (silly but serious question)

[harkamsu]

Not that I am rough on my firearms, but these things just seem, well, for lack of a better word, flimsy. I am getting my first NAA mini-revolver, the Sidewinder, whenever they start shipping. I bought the EB special along with an LR conversion cylinder. I'm particularly concerned with the hammer blade just breaking off because it looks very thin. Are my concerns completely unwarranted?

[Dinadan]

Harkamsu - The hammer on the Sidewinder looks to be the same as the hammer on  

   the other NAA revolvers. I have never heard of a hammer blade breaking on any of  

   the others. I have carried and fired mine a lot over the past two years, and I would

   say that they are tough, not flimsy. Compact, yes: and therefore with small  

   parts: but there is no part that I worry about breaking under normal use. I am  

   concerned  about how strong the crane on the Sidewinder will be - but since  

   I have not yet handled one I am just hoping it will be as strong enough.

[harkamsu]

Quote: "I am

   concerned about how strong the crane on the Sidewinder will be...."

   

   This is also one of my main concerns.

[redhawk4]

I guess we can all speculate until we see one in the flesh, but as a general rule NAA's are built strongly from quality materials, so I'd very surprised if it's under engineered.

[louiethelump]

I am kind of wondering how many people will forget to put the hammer on the first notch and try to open (or worse, close) the cylinder with the hammer down and what parts they will break off when they do that.  Maybe they have re-designed the action to prevent a problem in this area.

   

   Most modern DA revolvers with swing out cylinders have an interlock to keep you from cocking the hammer and thus extending the hand (or pawl) through the recoil shield when the cylinder is open.

[harkamsu]

Quote: "I am kind of wondering how many people will forget to put the hammer on the first notch and try to open (or worse, close) the cylinder with the hammer down and what parts they will break off when they do that."

   

   I'm confused. I've also never owned a revolver. I've only shot autoloaders. Are you saying you're supposed to put the hammer in a notch on the cylinder to open the swing out cylinder? Or did you mean, you have to put the hammer in a halfcock position before you open the cylinder. The former makes no sense to me because the hammer blade would be making contact with the cylinder, preventing the cylinder from swinging open.

   

   Did I answer my own question? Fortunately, since I haven't ever owned a revolver or single action one at that, there won't be any bad practices for me to learn. I'll be reading the manual first to make sure I know how everything functions.

[louiethelump]

On traditional, Colt design, single actions, the hammer is drawn back to a half cock notch for loading and unloading.  The NAA single actions have a "first or loading notch" the hammer is drawn back to before removing or replacing the cylinder.

   

   Not talking about the safety notch, and you did answer your own question.

   

   The problem is, that normally (with a few exceptions) a single action gun does not have a swing out cylinder. Normally swing out cylinder revolvers DO NOT require anything be done with the hammer before opening or closing the cylinder.  Now we mix the two with the swing out cylinder added to a single action revolver that does require the hammer to be drawn back to the first notch to remove or open the cylinder (this is a presumption based on the existing action on the gun) and there is a strong likelihood of those familiar with other swing out cylinder guns forgetting to do this and trying to open the gun with the hammer down, or worse yet, trying to close the cylinder with the hammer down as there will be small parts in the way that can be broken if someone slams or swings the cylinder closed as we often see on TV.  This is a very bad thing on any swing out cylinder gun, but TV has glamorized it and people that don't know any better damage their guns regularly by doing it.  (good for me, as I get paid to repair them)

[harkamsu]

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. It'll be my first NAA. I hope I won't be disappointed. Slight off topic here, but I've read a few posts about the barrels being finished in less than stellar ways.

   

   Personally, I can't wait to get one. Over at another forum where I moderate on a subforum, this guy was saying how an NAA in .22magnum would be useless when shooting through barriers like car doors or windows. I just thought to myself, wtf? You serious?

[chopprs]

.....ask him to sit in the car whole you test the gun!

[louiethelump]

MOST things short of a 308 power range rifle are pretty much useless for shooting through barriers like car doors and and windows.  9mm often bounces off windshield glass in many loadings...........

   

   I would not think you would want to be using a 22 magnum for shooting through car doors or windows.  Would be a little hard to explain at your trial I would think.  LOL!

[harkamsu]

Some people just blow stuff outta context. An NAA to me is for up close and personal social work, not that I wouldn't try to get accurate with it at my normal pistol shooting ranges (7 - 25 yards). But still. There's a right tool for the job, and an NAA is not one for shooting through barriers like metal and glass.

   

   The NAA is a back up to my main. Actually, it might be a back up to my back up to my main...if I ever get a p7m8 or HK45c. Main is an HK45.

[chopprs]

......beg to differ but we used to have two 1960s Chryslers out back and we shot them with the Ruger Mark III all the time and it went right through the door or the glass every time and that was a .22LR and those were old cars with REAL METAL! I would not sit in the car for testing!

[harkamsu]

Tempered glass in the 1960s?

[chopprs]

.....no clue.

[grayelky]

Harkamsu wrote

   

quote:

   

   I'm particularly concerned with the hammer blade just breaking off because it looks very thin.

The only broken hammer nose (blade) I have ever encountered was due to dry firing with the cylinder in place. This is contrary to factory recommendations. I have never "babied" any of my NAAs, and I don't plan on starting with the SW. Louie does bring up some very valid points, most of which I had not given thought to.

[bbgun]

Gray,  the factory told me to do all the dry firing I wanted to with the BTs (?)  Did I hear them wrong?

[Uncle_Lee]

"we used to have two 1960s Chryslers out back "

   

   But did you ever shoot a real car like a Chevy or a Ford?

   

   

   

[grayelky]

I have not checked on the BT, but all the others need the cylinder removed to make dry firing safe for the hammer/cylinder. If the hammer nose strikes the rear of the equally hard cylinder, it can damage either/or both parts. Remove the cylinder and fire away, or use snap caps.

   

   Uncle-

   By shooting a Chrysler, no harm was done......

[zippovarga]

+2 on the Chrysler yard ornaments. lol

   

   I, personally, have always practiced moving the hammer to half cock when reloading because I'm used to SA gate load revolvers. When I got my Ruger Vaquero 45LC, there was a learning curve, as when you open the loading gate, the pistol disengages the cylinder so you can load it and with the unique hammer set up on the Vaquero, there is no firing pin on the hammer to get lodged in the cylinder. So moving it to half cock locks the cylinder and prevents you from even opening the loading gate.  

   

   On my S&W 38 Airweight, you just slide the cylinder release, push out the cylinder, load and close and you're ready to rock and roll. But this is a more modern SA/DA revolver.  

   

   Familiarizing your self with each firearm you own is a must for safe operation of said firearm. So, I wouldn't concern your self with damaging the Mini so long as you become very familiar with its proper operation from the get go. As you stated, this would be your first S/A Revolver. So you are right to be elementary in it being your first. As for your comment that this will probably be your back up to your back up....I think once you familiarize your self with the Mini, that you will find it in your pocket all the time. They're THAT unobtrusive in daily carry, and certainly not as you are assuming them to be only an up close and personal firearm. Why do I say that? Watch this video....

   

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFyQEISE__Y">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFyQEISE__Y

   

   Now form your opinion of them as being formidable at more than 7-25 feet. There are many other youtube videos of gents shooting these little Minis at respectable distances with good results. As with any firearm, practice, practice, practice. I can knock the balls off a moth at 50 feet with my 1958 Colt Frontier Scout in 22lr. Literally stack rounds. But that pistol is an extension of my hand and I've fired more rounds through that single firearm than all of my others combined (13 Minis and over a dozen more various rim and center fires.)  

   

   I say.....get your EB Sidewinder, get good at loading and unloading with SNAP CAPS, then move on to live rounds at the range to become proficient at shooting the mini at a distance that you want to be able to hit a target at with it. As I said, practice.

[harkamsu]

I've seen those vids. Even saw a guy shooting an NAA magnum at 50 yards. But realistically, I don't think I'd ever get that good. I don't have access to plots of land or ranges with that kind of distance. The furthest I could hope to become proficient at is 35 yards (limitations of the ranges around here). Even so, I'm still working on tightening my groups from 7 - 15 yards. I can hit a torso at 25, but I also want my groups to be tight, so I reduce range and work further distances at a gradual pace. I just also transition from 9mm to .45 within the past 6 months and have had to dial back a bit.

   

   But I do feel more confident about the robustness of the NAA minis after having read all these comments. I'm just really looking forward to it. I know what stopped me in the past was the loading mechanism, but with a crane and yoke, it was a no brainer. I wanted the original Ranger, but was not able to procure one.

[redhawk4]

While you can't ever totally eliminate a need for a long range shot, in reality even 35 yards is more likely a distance where your two feet helping you to run away will probably serve you better and more justifiably than shooting pretty much any handgun. Having said that, when practicing the lure of trying a ridiculously long shot (100 yds anyone?) is hard to resist and sometimes very rewarding.

   

   Wasn't there a thread on here a few years back where someone was trying to shoot a mini into oblivion by firing thousands of rounds and reporting back? whatever became of that?

[harkamsu]

Realistically, the bulk of my practice is at 7 yards. I work hard to get my groupings down at that range. At ranges past 7 yards, I want to make sure I am able to hit and in a respectable grouping for "just in case." At 35 yards and even before that, you can be sure I'm high tailing out of there. Then again, my gun is never drawn unless I'm cornered with no escape anyway. At that point, I would imagine the contact distance is well within the realm of my training.

[heyjoe]

Redhawk, he broke before the gun did

[RogueTS1]

Another one showing some quick shooting accuracy:

   

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=NgMgGyGXIq0&NR=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=NgMgGyGXIq0&NR=1

[redhawk4]

Heyjoe, did we ever get the round count at which he was forced to quit?

[heyjoe]

i dont remember, there was a figure and then he just stopped posting

[tocsn40]

I have a mini that has shot 100 to 200 rounds a week for years.

   I have had other guns that have been back to the factory many times.  

   After finding out that they make the amount of guns that they do make the small amount of returns would shurly be the norm   there is no way that a Co. Cold be at 100% AT THE PRICE POINT THAT MOST PEEPS COULD AFFORD

[Uncle_Lee]

PEEPS,  

   PEEPS, I love them.

   Those are the little yellow chicks that are out around Easter.

[patriotjoe]

I have not had any problems with my Naa firearm. I'm very happy with it.

[cedarview kid]

I would call them delicate, and intricate, but not flimsy. Mine have seemed pretty durable.

[patriotjoe]

I love mine. I don't baby it at all. Every time I go to my favorite fishing hole I intoduce it to my buddies. They love it.

[lowready]

I don't have much experience with the Magnum frame size, I just recently bought one off this board to get re aquainted. I do however have a .22 short that I recieved as a gift when I became a police officer a good friend gave it to me as a "Jesus Gun"(like jesus where did that gun come from)anyway I have carried that gun for like 21yrs. now. It has been loose in my pocket, in a pager case on my duty belt, in pocket holsters of various configurations, and even sewn under the collar of my jacket for about 18months.

    This gun has had probably close to 5000rds. through it, it remains reasonably accurate (minute of bad guy) and has never broke down, or been babied.  

   21yrs as a constant companion.......Think about that. How many times have you dropped your cel phone, or cigarette lighter in the last 21yrs. Let me repeat....THIS GUN HAS NOT BEEN BABIED! I actually wore out a set or grips from friction. one side was worn down to the frame on the bottom corner. Just my experience.  Thanks for listening

[keith44]

WOW!! Lowready, that is a track record.  21 years... I've had knives worn out in half that time.  What ammo would you recommend for the short mini??  CCI or just what ever was available

[lowready]

I use CCI solids in it. They shoot well, and I think it needs as much penetration help as possible.  

   Like I said before, the gun was bought for me as a joke. Then as a young officer "New Guns" were few, and far between due to lack of money. By the time I could afford a suitable backup gun the little short was like part of the family. I even carried it sewn under my collar while doing some UC drug work.

   It sits in the bottom of my lefthand jean pocket as I write this. The little short is now semi-retired and its main duty is going out to check the mail with me. I am now a LE firearms trainer, and the little gun still wins me beers shooting improv. matches with SWAT guys.  

   Since the little gun was Free to begin with, and has won me alot of FREE BEER, I would say that it has pulled it's weight throughout the yrs.

[lowready]

Here is a couple of pics of it over the yrs. The top is today, the bottom is about 03? Whenever I got the Casull