North American Arms (NAA) of Provo, Utah, is best known for its extensive selection of diminutive single-action rimfire revolvers, which are among the smallest handguns available. Although various limited editions with special finishes have been available over the years, the company has recently added three brightly colored Cerakote finish models to its standard catalog. Let's take a look.
Shared Features
Today's NAA Minis can trace their roots back to the revolvers made by Rocky Mountain Arms company (RMAC) which was founded in 1971. Using a design licensed from the legendary Dick Casull, these early models utilized a lever attached to the hammer on top of the gun in order to lock the cylinder in place. Casull would later redesign the guns to eliminate the lever. By 1985, NAA was up and running as a subsidiary of Talley Manufacturing. Meanwhile, Casull was producing minis through Freedom Arms, a company he co-founded with Wayne Baker in 1978.
North American Arms now offers three Cerakote models as part of its standard line up.
In 1988, Freedom Arms and North American Arms were both manufacturing their versions of the minis at the same time. However, in the early 1990s, there would be major changes for both companies. Freedom Arms would end production of minis and instead focus on the production of big bore revolvers, including those chambered in the potent .454 Casull cartridge. And in November of 1991, Talley Manufacturing sold North American Arms to Sandy Chisolm who would serve as president for the next three decades. Although there have been a couple of attempts by other companies to bring mini revolvers to the market, NAA is still the primary provider of these little rimfires.
The Orchid is built around the NAA .22 LR frame.
Despite their exceptionally small size, the Minis are essentially scaled down cowboy style single-action revolvers. Most models, like those shown here, are constructed wholly of stainless steel with matte rounds and polished flats. The sight system usually consists of half-moon blade sight or a bead sight up front with a milled in square notch at the rear. The exposed “hatchet blade” hammer and the tiny stud of a trigger are both textured for improved purchase. Typical barrel lengths are either 1.13″ or 1.63″ with 2" or longer barrels available for some models. The rounded birdshead grips are fitted with removable grip panels secured by a single stainless-steel screw.
All three models sport synthetic pearl grips.
To make the frames lighter, simpler and more rugged, a loading gate has been eliminated completely. Instead, the push-button release cylinder pin is removed so that the 5-round fluted cylinder can be tipped out of the frame for loading and unloading. NAA recommends the use of a punch or a cleaning rod to press spent cartridge cases out of the cylinder chambers. I've often used the cylinder pin for the more loose-fitting cartridges without ill effect. But for tight cases that need a bit more encouragement, I switch to a cleaning rod to ensure the pin does not get bent or damaged.
The Rose is sized for .22 Mag. cartridges.
The safety system consists of a set of notches cut in between each of the cylinder's chambers. With the hammer pulled and held back just a bit, the cylinder can be rotated until one of the cylinder notches is under the hammer's blade. The hammer is then slowly released fully forward to set the blade into the notch. With the hammer in the Safe position, the shock of any jolts or pressure to the hammer will be transmitted into the steel of the cylinder instead of a cartridge primer. This makes the Minis safe to carry with all five chambers loaded.
The Orchid .22 LR
This model is built around NAA's .22 LR frame with a 1.13″ barrel and a half-moon front sight. Sized for that cartridge, the only production revolver I've worked with that is any smaller than this one is the Mini chambered for .22 Short. Weighing in at 4.7 oz., unloaded, the Orchid features a dark lavender Cerakote finish applied to the entire frame, barrel and the flutes of the cylinder.
The cylinder is removed for loading and unloading.
The rest of the revolver's appointments, including the hammer, cylinder pin, trigger and grip screw, retain their natural stainless steel finish. The revolver is completed with a set of smooth synthetic white pearl grips which complement, rather than compete with, the Cerakote finish. As of this writing, it is listed for a suggested retail price of $279.
The 5-shot cylinders feature safety notches between the chambers.
The Rose .22 Mag. NAA's .22 Mag. sized revolvers offer a notable step up in performance when compared to the .22 LR options. Along with the slightly longer frame and cylinder, the birdshead grip has also been extended to provide shooters with a bit more to hold on to. This gives the Rose an unloaded weight of 6.4 oz. Although the recoil produced by the Magnum Minis is still quite moderate by handgun standards, be prepared for a report and muzzle flash that belies the gun's small size!
The Rose's finish is applied in the same fashion as that of the Orchid. The frame is completely Cerakoted while the appointments are silver. This model also has the same synthetic pearl material for the grips, a 1.13″ barrel and a half-moon front sight for a suggested retail price of $295.
The Iris is dressed up with engraving added to the cylinder and cylinder pin.
The Tricked Out Iris .22 Mag. This model, which I have seen listed as The Iris or The Turquoise, is built on a .22 Mag. frame like the Rose. It also sports the same grips. However, it has been tricked out a bit more than the previous models. The barrel is 1.63″ long for an unloaded weight of 6.5 oz. The muzzle has been compensated with a total of six recessed ports to help reduce muzzle flip. A stainless-steel bead takes the place of the standard half-moon front sight.
The ported barrel of the Iris is topped with a bead sight.
The cylinder and cylinder pin feature straight line engraving borrowed from the Mini Wasp model. These lines and the cylinder flutes are filled with the same turquoise Cerakote that is applied to the frame. In this case, the frame's flats have been left uncoated to accentuate the engraving. I would like to see this model made available with additional Cerakote colors and grip options. The Iris is available for $319.
Parting Shots
The North American Arms Mini revolvers provide a wholly unique shooting experience, one that other revolvers cannot duplicate. Some folks choose to carry Minis when the absolutely smallest option is a must for personal protection. But others choose to collect and shoot them for the fun factor they provide. Whatever your reasons for owning one, I've worked with different models over the years and found them to be well-made and reliable.
These single-action revolvers weigh between 4.7 to 6.5 oz.
For more information about available Minis and accessories, visit northamericanarms.com. To see Mini revolvers in action, take a look at these reviews:
North American Arms’ Sentinel
North American Arms' Ported Pug Carry
North American Arms' NAA-22S Mini Revolver
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