Personal Defense World
  • News
  • Guns
    • Handguns
    • Rifles
    • Shotguns
    • Class III & More
  • Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics/Lights
    • Safes
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • First-Time Shooters
    • Home & Self-Defense
  • Videos
    • Latest Videos
    • PDW Videos
    • Free Gun Friday
    • SCCY Brand Videos
    • Video Series
      • Everyday Carry
  • More
    • Sweepstakes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Personal Defense World
  • News
  • Guns
    • Handguns
    • Rifles
    • Shotguns
    • Class III & More
  • Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics/Lights
    • Safes
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • First-Time Shooters
    • Home & Self-Defense
  • Videos
    • Latest Videos
    • PDW Videos
    • Free Gun Friday
    • SCCY Brand Videos
    • Video Series
      • Everyday Carry
  • More
    • Sweepstakes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Personal Defense World
No Result
View All Result
 
New Year, New FREE GUN FRIDAY! Enter to WIN the Smith & Wesson and Black Hills package.

NORTH AMERICAN ARMS GUARDIAN .32 NAA

B Gil Horman by B Gil Horman
October 10, 2014
in Guns, Handguns, Weapons
0
NORTH AMERICAN ARMS GUARDIAN .32 NAA

NAA Custon Shop

3
SHARES
73
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sean Utley photo
Custom designed for concealed carry, the North American Arms Guardian provides a pocketful of confidence with features that offer exceptional comfort.
Sean Utley photo
Crimson Trace provides a wide variety of grip-mounted laser sights.
Sean Utley photo
The Guardian can be quickly and easily field stripped for cleaning. Removing the grip reveals the all-stainless steel construction of the frame and barrel.

Sean Utley photo
The extended magazine plate provides additional finger support.
Sean Utley photo
NAA’s unique Guttersnipe sight provides the convenience of a no-snag profile and Trijicon night sight inserts.
Sean Utley photo
Custom features available for the Guardian include hardwood grips, trigger polishing and grip stippling.

NAA Custon Shop

North American Arms (NAA) has been the undisputed champion of tiny handguns for 40 years. Their Mini revolvers, chambered in .22 Short, .22 LR and .22 Mag, are carried daily as back-up and primary defensive handguns by folks who need something truly discrete for personal protection. In 1997, the company chose to add a new line of pocket autos to complement their signature Minis.

The Guardian .32 NAA pistol is a fixed barrel, direct-blowback-operated semi-automatic pistol based on the Seecamp .32 design. The first Guardian pistols, released in 1997, were chambered for the .32 ACP. With the success of this Guardian model, North American Arms developed the next version of the pistol by increasing the dimensions to accommodate the larger .380 ACP cartridge. The result of this work is a pistol fitted with a 2.49-inch barrel, an overall length of 4.75 inches, and an unloaded weight of 18.72 ounces. It’s this larger Guardian that would eventually be chambered in .32 NAA.

.32 NAA Cartridge

Manufacturers responsible for developing pocket pistol ammunition have a tough row to hoe. They’re asked to build cartridges that yield ideal terminal ballistics, but without the stopping-power advantages derived from large bullets, capacious cartridge cases, or long barrels for the bullets to travel down. Instead, in the process of compressing the features of the cartridge to fit into pocketable handguns, stopping power and reliability are often reduced. Working in tandem with Ed Sanow, co-author of the Street Stoppers series of books describing real world ballistics, and CorBon Ammunition, North American Arms developed a round that increases pocket pistol stopping power and reliability without having to build a larger pistol to fire it.

The .32 NAA is based on the .380 ACP cartridge case with the case mouth necked down to accept .32 caliber bullets. This cartridge’s design handily addresses the two problems that plague pocket autos in general—a tendency to jam and a low level of stopping power.

Bottleneck cartridges have historically proven to be dependable in semi-autos. This is because their shape feeds smoothly from the magazine into the chamber. The rounds headspace from the shoulder instead of the case neck and a solid bullet crimp can be used to reduce the possibility of the bullet becoming dislodged as the round is chambered. Other successful bottleneck handgun cartridges include the 7.62×25 Tokarev and .357 SIG.

The bottleneck cartridge case is also useful for increasing bullet velocity. CorBon’s .32 NAA 60-grain jacketed hollow point load launches the bullet at more than 1,200 feet per second (fps) out of the Guardian’s 2.5-inch barrel, producing an estimated 192 foot-pounds of energy. Although the .32 NAA is not as powerful as larger handgun calibers, it does outperform the .32 ACP and .380 ACP.

Gun Details

Guardian pistols feature stainless steel construction assembled with excellent fit and finish. Although the parts are built using different methods, they’re all made of 17-4 pH stainless steel. The slide is machined from a 17-4 pH billet, the frame is investment cast, and all of the small parts (hammer, trigger, magazine release) are produced using Metal-Injected Molding (MIM). The only polymer attached to the Guardian is in the grip panels and the magazine baseplates. The choice to use steel does make this pistol a little heavier than some of the other pistols on the market, but the Guardian is exceptionally reliable, sturdy, and resistant to the corrosive conditions commonly found with on-the-body carry.

Standard Guardians arrive from the factory with fixed sights and black-pebbled polymer grip panels. You’ll also find within the lockable Guardian pistol case two six-round stainless steel magazines, one with a flat baseplate and the other with a finger extension. The safety system of the Guardian is the same as that found on a double-action revolver. In other words, there are no levers, switches or buttons to fuss with, just the long and heavy 10-pound stroke of the double-action only trigger.

Sean Utley photo
Custom designed for concealed carry, the North American Arms Guardian provides a pocketful of confidence with features that offer exceptional comfort.
Sean Utley photo
Crimson Trace provides a wide variety of grip-mounted laser sights.
Sean Utley photo
The Guardian can be quickly and easily field stripped for cleaning. Removing the grip reveals the all-stainless steel construction of the frame and barrel.

Sean Utley photo
The extended magazine plate provides additional finger support.
Sean Utley photo
NAA’s unique Guttersnipe sight provides the convenience of a no-snag profile and Trijicon night sight inserts.
Sean Utley photo
Custom features available for the Guardian include hardwood grips, trigger polishing and grip stippling.

NAA Custon Shop

As good as they are, there’s no reason to stick with an out-of-the-box Guardian if you have something else in mind. North American Arms offers Guardian owners a variety of custom upgrades through their in-house custom shop. New guns can be built from scratch with the features you want or existing pistols can be sent back to the factory for the work to be completed in-house.

This particular .32 NAA has been tricked out with additional features to make it an ideal 24/7 concealed carry pistol, and to give it a sleek, unique appearance. The most noticeable change is the NAA Carry Package or gun “melt down.” This involves the smoothing and rounding of all the 90-degree edges of the pistol’s frame and slide. The front and rear sights, along with the connecting rib, are removed to give the top of the pistol a snag-free profile. The triggerguard is rounded, the trigger is polished to a high shine, and any visible tool marks or casting lines are removed as the pistol is refinished with brushed flats and bead-blasted rounds.

The meltdown is very attractive and functional, but it does have one drawback: no sights. North American Arms offers a clever and practical sighting solution with their Guttersnipe sight system. A 1.25-inch groove is cut into the top of the slide, running from the rear of the slide to just behind the chamber. The groove is coated with black enamel and then a Trijicon Tritium night sight lamp is set into its apex. To create a 3-dot sight picture, two more Trijicon lamps are installed into the rear of the slide to either side of the groove. The result is a best-of-all-worlds solution: fully functional internal night sights with no chance of snagging them as the pistol is drawn.

The grip of this Guardian was enhanced with random-pattern stippling applied to the frontstrap, backstrap, and forward triggerguard. A variety of grip panels are available to replace the factory standard, including hardwoods, synthetic mother-of-pearl, and Crimson Trace Lasergrips. This pistol features handsome checkered Cocobolo grips provided by Hogue. The interior of each panel is fitted with a polymer liner to help prevent splits or cracks from forming.

Because this was a new gun ordered from the factory, the pistol qualified for the most popular custom feature NAA has to offer: A custom serial number. By following a few simple guidelines, information like nicknames, badge numbers, or important dates can all be serialized into the gun. Trust me, there’s nothing like watching someone’s eyes light up when they’re given a new NAA pistol, then seeing the light double when they understand the serial number was picked just for them.

The final touch, and possibly one of the most important, to a custom carry pistol like this one is selecting the right holster for your needs. It’s enough to make a grown man cry to see a $1,500 handgun jammed into a used, one-size-fits-all holster pulled from the $5 bin at the Army surplus store. Even with small pistols designed for concealed carry, floppy, cheap holsters can make a day of carry miserable, resulting in defensive pistols left at home. The high quality holsters available through North American Arms for the Guardian include an expertly molded Mitch Rosen cowhide pocket holster, a rugged black sharkskin pocket holster from Aker, and a secure thumb-break belt holster from DeSantis. Please, spend the money for a good holster. You’ll be glad you did.

Sean Utley photo
Custom designed for concealed carry, the North American Arms Guardian provides a pocketful of confidence with features that offer exceptional comfort.
Sean Utley photo
Crimson Trace provides a wide variety of grip-mounted laser sights.
Sean Utley photo
The Guardian can be quickly and easily field stripped for cleaning. Removing the grip reveals the all-stainless steel construction of the frame and barrel.

Sean Utley photo
The extended magazine plate provides additional finger support.
Sean Utley photo
NAA’s unique Guttersnipe sight provides the convenience of a no-snag profile and Trijicon night sight inserts.
Sean Utley photo
Custom features available for the Guardian include hardwood grips, trigger polishing and grip stippling.

NAA Custon Shop

Range Time

Mastering the .32 NAA Guardian presents the same challenges as learning to shoot other hot-rod pocket pistols. The level of felt recoil produced by the super-charged .32 NAA cartridge is right in line with an Airweight J-Frame .38 Special loaded with defense-grade ammunition. Firing the pistol with the slim factory grips installed, or the similarly sized Crimson Trace Lasergrips, proved to be a handful. Switching over to Hogue’s checkered Cocobolo grips increased the grip thickness from 0.88 to 1.44 inches, providing a more rounded grip profile. This made the pistol more manageable.

The other potential challenge of working with the Guardian is the heavy trigger. If you are used to shooting double-action revolvers, the long and heavy trigger pull of the Guardian will feel familiar and will be relatively easy to learn. If you’re used to a light or single-action trigger, or you’re still learning the ropes of handgun handling, then the trigger work will require more practice.

The Guardian is intended for close-range defensive applications. With that in mind, formal accuracy testing was conducted from a bench rest with targets set at 7 yards. Pistols in the same size range as the Guardian are not generally expected to produce tight groups, but the .32 NAA did quite well. The best single target group of an inch was produced using the CorBon 60-grain jacketed hollow point, with a five 5-shot group average of 1.50 inches. The CorBon 71-grain full-metal jacket load yielded a best single group of 1.25 inches, with a five-group average of 1.60 inches. None of the test groups fired exceeded a total of 2 inches.

One event in the course of testing technically qualifies as a malfunction. It was a single stovepipe caused by the last round fired from the pistol. It can be resolved without any additional clearing drills or actions on the part of the shooter. The case simply falls free of the mechanism in the course of dropping the empty magazine, loading a fresh magazine, and racking the slide to reload.

Final Notes

We’re currently enjoying an extremely pocket-pistol friendly handgun market. More makes, models, and caliber options are available than ever before. With so many new guns to choose from, why should you consider the .32 NAA Guardian? Unlike some of the new kids on the block, the Guardian has a proven track record for durability and reliability. The .32 NAA cartridge offers a significant boost in stopping power compared to similar-sized cartridge options. And, best of all, you can have a Guardian built to your specifications. For more information, visit northamericanarms.com, or call 800-821-5783.

Didn't find what you were looking for?

CLICK HERE FOR COMMENTS

Related Posts

first handgun buying tips

5 Tips for the First-Time Handgun Buyer

10 Pocket Pistols Perfect For Christmas [2022]

10 Pocket Pistols Perfect For Christmas [2022]

Browning Hi-Power duel.

Browning Hi-Power Duel: Girsan MCP35 Vs. Springfield Armory SA-35

10 Compact 9mm Handguns That Take It Easy on Your Budget.

10 Best Compact 9mm Handguns Under $500 [2022]

Load More

PERSONAL DEFENSE WORLD VIDEOS

Discussion about this post

FEATURED POST

Study Proves the Good Guy with a Gun Theory.

Good Guy with a Gun: Study of CCW Holders Stopping Mass Shootings

Following the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, gun control advocates have taken the anti-gun narrative to a fever pitch. They insist...

Read more

TRENDING

Cock Bloc slide rack assist lead

Cock Bloc: A Slide Rack Assist with an Inappropriately Appropriate Name

...

Taurus 605 TORO and 856 TORO Revolvers.

Taurus Releases New Optics Ready 605 TORO and 856 TORO Revolvers

...

pocket pistol, pocket pistols, concealed carry handguns, concealed carry handgun, concealed carry pistol, concealed carry pistols

Best Pocket Pistols for Personal Defense [2022]

...

concealed carry, concealed carry handguns

Top 13 Compact 1911 Handguns for Concealed Carry

...

PICK A CATEGORY

CONCEALED CARRY SPOTLIGHT

gun drawing tips techniques

Tips & Tricks for a Fast Gun Draw

You have the right gun. Your cutting-edge holster is made with some lightweight, futuristic material. Your belt is even specially made to carry your...

CONCEALED CARRY SHOWCASE

Concealed Carry Holsters and More for Women from SHOT Show 2023.

Concealed Carry Holsters and More for Women from SHOT Show 2023

The Beretta 80X Cheetah.

The Beretta 80X Cheetah: Rounds Downrange Before SHOT Show 2023

The FightLite SCR Bandito Pistol.

Shot at SHOT Show: The FightLite SCR Bandito Pistol in 5.56 or 300BLK

Are Switchblades Illegal?

Are Switchblades Legal to Carry in the United States?

Two New Concealed Carry Pistols from Rock Island Armory.

Two New Rock Island Armory Concealed Carry Pistols at SHOT Show

The GPO Spectra Reflex Sight.

GPO Debuts Spectra Reflex Sight at SHOT Show – Its First Reflex Optic

The Tisas Bantam Carry 1911.

Tisas Bantam Carry 1911: A Feature-Rich Pistol with Custom Performance

The Taurus TX22 Compact .22 LR.

Seen at SHOT Show: Taurus Ups the .22 LR Ante with the TX22 Compact

AMMO SPOTLIGHT

Getting a Jump on SHOT Show 2023.

7 Personal Defense Related Products to Start SHOT Show 2023 Early

SHOT Show 2023 is almost here and the anticipation is killing us. Of course, the staff of Personal Defense World...

site logo
Gun News, Gun Reviews, and Self Defense Tips

Tactical

  • tactical-life.com

Magazines

  • Tactical Life
  • The Complete Book of Reloading
  • Guns of the Old West

Facebook

  • Tactical-Life Facebook
  • Guns of the Old West Facebook

Twitter

  • Tactical-Life Twitter

Self Defense

  • PersonalDefenseWorld.com

Magazines

  • Personal Defense World
  • Combat Handguns

Facebook

  • Personal Defense World Facebook
  • Combat Handguns

Twitter

  • Personal Defense World Twitter

Shooting Lifestyle

  • BallisticMag.com

Magazines

  • BallisticMag.com

Facebook

  • Ballistic Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Ballistic Magazine Twitter

Alpha Lifestyle

  • SkillsetMag.com

Magazines

  • Skillset

Facebook

  • Skillset Magazine Facebook

Twitter

  • Skillset Magazine Twitter

Instagram

  • Skillset Magazine Instagram
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
© Athlon Outdoors, All Rights Reserved.
You use of this website constitutes and manifests your acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and awareness of the California Privacy Rights. Pursuant to U.S. Copyright law, as well as other applicable federal and state laws, the content on this website may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, without the prior, express, and written permission of Athlon Outdoors.

Manage your GDPR consents by clicking here. Manage your CCPA consents by clicking here.
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Guns
    • View All Guns
    • Handguns
    • Shotguns
    • Rifles
    • Class III & More
    • Sponsored
  • Gear
    • View All Gear
    • Accessories
    • Ammo
    • Holsters
    • Knives
    • Optics/Lights
    • Safes
    • Suppressors
  • Lifestyle
    • View All Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • First-Time Shooters
    • Home & Self-Defense
  • Videos
    • PDW Videos
    • Free Gun Friday
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.