Being a proponent of prepping for disasters and other hardcore scenarios, I’m always on the lookout for new tools that can assist with that effort. However, it was someone else that found out about the new Bug Out Box from North American Arms (NAA) and relayed the details to me. In all honesty, it had me scratching my head a bit. But I was certainly up to looking at it and casting an opinion on its worth.
The NAA Bug Out Box is aimed at the prepper crowd as well as folks who enjoy picking up more collectible firearms. It consists of an NAA revolver specifically designed by TALO Distributors enclosed within a compact, waterproof box. Essentially, it’s an emergency firearm that might be needed as a last-ditch tool for protection. This combination is actually the 11th such collaboration between the two companies.
A Peek Inside
The container included with the Bug Out Box is waterproof and stores the .22 LR revolver along with other small survival items. NAA states that the revolver is shipped with an empty ammo box that can be stored in the box as well, but the review sample I received did not include the empty box. Regardless, that’s not much of a loss. As a prepper, I like to create my own kits and put my personal touch on them when I can.
The pistol is a stylized mini-revolver designed with help from TALO, featuring a stepped, 1.6-inch barrel. The mini-revolver incorporates an XS Big Dot front sight and a Sheriff-style cylinder pin. The revolver itself is made of stainless steel, and it has a bright-orange Hogue rubber grip that has pebbled texturing for better control. NAA has also confirmed that any of its optional grips will fit this mini-revolver as well.
For those who are unfamiliar with NAA mini-revolvers, they have a single-action operating system. This means that the hammer must be cocked before each round is fired. While this is an easy system to learn and operate, there are some things that need to be understood to handle it safely. The important thing to remember is that the revolver can fire if it is dropped while the hammer rests against a live round. Carrying the revolver in this manner is dangerous, so specific steps must be taken before carrying the pistol. The owner’s manual should be carefully read to understand the steps involved to safely carry the revolver.
A Last Resort
Having the Bug Out Box stashed in case of an emergency as a last-resort tool makes a lot of sense in certain circumstances. For instance, storing the mini-revolver in the waterproof container is a way to keep it in sound operating condition, especially if you keep the box in a pack, vehicle or even a tackle box.
However, I’m not sure the name fits just right, because if I were bugging out, I don’t know that this would be my first choice. “Bugging out” means to affirmatively leave some particular place, not just having an emergency occur where you are. As a backup tool, though, it’s certainly worth having the mini-revolver around in case it’s needed.
In a survival situation, the Bug Out Box revolver’s main purpose would be for defensive use largely against two-legged predators. Because of its configuration with the XS Big Dot front sight, long-range accuracy isn’t the revolver’s strong suit. The user would simply put the dot on the center-mass of the target and fire. Usually this type of shooting is going to occur within several meters of the threat. So, despite the inability to do any real precise accuracy testing on this type of pistol, I still wanted to get a general feel for its performance on the line.
Range Test
Not having shot an NAA revolver beforehand, I wasn’t sure what to expect regarding accuracy. Honestly, because of its tiny size, I wasn’t expecting too much. But I was pleasantly surprised. I ran shot two 5-round groups into two separate 7.5-inch Shoot-N-C targets.
Shooting Federal Premium’s 40-grain Champion LRNs and 40-grain Game-Shok LRNs, I could keep my hits within about 4 inches at 7 yards. That was much better than the supposed “center-mass” accuracy of the little revolvers. The XS Big Dot sight stood out nicely and provided a highly visible and quick sight picture. Even for its diminutive size, the recoil was nothing to speak of.
Final Thoughts
In all honesty, the Bug Out Box revolver was fun to shoot. The revolvers themselves are great concepts, and I can appreciate their place in the hierarchy of defensive tools. Is this a true bug-out weapon? Not really. I think NAA and TALO wanted to produce a collectable item and went a little tongue-in-cheek with the name.
You do get a highly visible orange grip that is easy to pick out, and the waterproof box can definitely go a long way toward protecting the revolver and a box of rounds to go with it. What’s not to like about this? Stash it away for a rainy day, and who knows, it might just save your behind.
North American Arms Bug Out Box Revolver Specs
| Caliber: .22 LR |
| Barrel: 1.6 inches |
| OA Length: 5.5 inches |
| Weight: 7 ounces (empty) |
| Grips: Hogue |
| Sights: XS Big Dot front |
| Action: SA |
| Finish: Stainless |
| Capacity: 5 |
| MSRP: $278 |
For more information, visit northamericanarms.com.
This article was originally published in the 2018 issue of “Pocket Pistols” magazine. To order a copy, please go to outdoorgroupstore.com.
