Pocket Powerhouse or Last-Ditch Toy? A Highly Opinionated Field Guide to North American Arms Mini-Guns

North American Arms (NAA) has owned the “mouse-gun” niche for nearly four decades, carving stainless-steel sculptures that vanish in a coin pocket yet still meet the ATF’s definition of a firearm. The question is not “Are they cool?”—they indisputably are—but whether a serious shooter should add one to an already-crowded carry rotation. Below is an unvarnished, data-driven dive—equal parts engineering brief, field test and contrarian rant.

1. What Exactly Are NAA Pocket Guns?

• Mini-Revolvers – Single-action, 5-shot wheel-guns as short as 1⅛" barrel. The flagship Mini-22 LR weighs 4.5 oz and is literally smaller than a pack of gum. The new Sentinel grafts a swing-out cylinder onto their magnum frame for faster reloads.
• Guardian Pistols – Stainless DAO blow-back autos in .25 NAA, .32 ACP, .32 NAA and .380 ACP. The .32 NAA drives a 60 gr. JHP to 1,179 fps from a 2.5" tube—ballistics that embarrassed .380 FMJ a decade before “micro-9s” were cool.

“The .32 NAA Guardian is an elegant self-defense arm, and its cartridge is a devastating close-range powerhouse—unlike any other type on the market.” —Scott W. Wagner, USCCA

2. Why People Love Them – The 7-Point Case For Ownership

1. Ultimate Concealment – Even a skinny-jeans coin pocket hides a Pug; the Sentinel fits where a spare mag usually rides.
2. Mechanical Jewelry – Machined from 17-4 stainless with Rolex-level polish and bank-vault cylinder lock-up. Testimonials on NAA’s own site sound like watch-collector prose.
3. Legal Everywhere – In many “worst-case-scenario” jurisdictions, a rim-fire mini is the only gun that still clears local size or weight limits.
4. Safety Cylinder – Deep milled notches let you lower the hammer between chambers; carry five rounds safely. (Rugged, idiot-proof and patent-unique.)
5. Revolver Reliability – Rim-fire ammo is notoriously fickle; a second hammer strike is one thumb-cock away.
6. After-Market Ecosystem – Belt-buckle holsters, folding grip/holster hybrids, laser-equipped grips and even a bayonet for the terminally ironic. -The Truth About Guns
7. Sheer Fun – As Dan Zimmerman put it, “It’s tiny, it’s well-made, it’s highly concealable and it just puts a smile on my face. That’s an across-the-board win.” -The Truth About Guns

3. Why Skeptics Scoff – 6 Legitimate Drawbacks

4. Model-by-Model Deep Dive

1. Pug – 1" heavy barrel, tritium XS sight and grippy rubber stocks. Recoil is tooth-rattling only with 40 gr. CCI Maxi-Mags—ear-safe for a gun this small. Verdict: Best all-rounder.
2. Black Widow – 2" barrel and a proper rear sight stretch velocity ~90 fps over the Pug while remaining jacket-pocket friendly. Adds 2 oz of steel; accuracy genuinely “mini-target-pistol” inside 15 yds. MSRP $318-$353. -American Rifleman
3. Sentinel – 2024 hybrid with Sidewinder swing-out mechanism. Field testing produced 1.17" groups at 12 ft—respectable for a gun the same length as an iPhone. The author bluntly calls it a “backup only” piece:

“Rule one: have a gun. I can’t recommend the Sentinel as a primary EDC…” —William Bell, Athlon Outdoors

4. Mini-22 LR Classic – The absolute smallest firearm sold new in the U.S. With CCI Mini-Mag 36 gr HP it will almost meet FBI 12" penetration.
5. Guardian 32 NAA – 20 oz brick that soaks recoil; 60 gr Cor-Bon JHP at 1,179 fps delivers 185 fpe (roughly .380 +P). Feed ramp prefers nickel-plated cases; keep it wet.

5. Ballistics in Context

Take-away: Even the hottest .22 Magnum load doubles nothing when compared to service calibers, but any hit sure beats harsh language. Guardians, by contrast, nudge into classic .38 Special territory—at twice the weight.

6. Real-World Carry Scenarios

• Business-attire Professional – Waist-band sag and printing are non-starters. A Mini-22 tucked in a mobile-phone sleeve rides invisibly.
• Trail Runner / Cyclist – Sweat-proof stainless, negligible mass; loads of snake-shot .22 Mag available for varmints.
• Backup Gun for Armed Professionals – Clip a Pug inside a uniform vest plate pouch; cocking through fabric is slower but still possible.
• Non-Permissive Environments – When nothing else passes the pat-down, a belt-buckle rig can be the ace in the hole.

7. Maintenance & Training Notes

• Dry-fire Is Out – Rim-fires will peen chambers; use yellow plastic snap caps or fire the empty cylinder on a spent case.
• Grip-upgrades Increase Bulk – The folding Holster-Grip makes shooting easier but kills “micro” status; choose your poison.
• Guardian Lube – Stainless-on-stainless galls; grease not oil. Wilson Ultima Lube II was recommended by USCCA’s tester. -USCCA

8. Competitor Snapshot

Verdict – Our Brutally Honest Take

If you already carry something larger, an NAA Mini makes a stellar BUG and conversation piece. If you’re banking on one as your only gun, understand you’re betting on placement, deterrence and luck, not raw physics. Guardians split the difference—heavier than polymer pocket pistols yet undeniably well-made and ballistically viable.

Buy it if you prize ultimate concealment, mechanical artistry and always having some gun.

Skip it if you demand duty-grade stopping power, lightning reloads or dislike meticulous thumb-cock discipline.

Bottom Line: A North American Arms pocket gun is the Rolex of “last-ditch” weapons—flawlessly machined, respected by insiders, but ultimately a luxury you carry because you want to, not because you have to.

Shop North American Arms at Guns.com.