Concealed Carry Handguns – August 2019

W

hen it comes to

everyday carry, I’m

likely to be wearing

an inside-the-waist-

band holster containing a handgun in

9mm, .45 ACP or .357 Magnum. If I’m

wandering the woods, the handgun

might be a 10mm, .45 Colt or .44

Magnum.

But somewhere close at hand is also

something much smaller and most

times it’s a North American Arms

(NAA) five-shot mini revolver in .22

Magnum. Recently, I had a chance to

try two new offerings from the com-

pany: a Ranger II with the new, longer

2.5-inch barrel and the 2-inch Black

Widow with the new black PVD finish.

POCKET PROTECTORS

NAA revolvers give new meaning the

term “pocket protector.” Don’t under-

estimate the quality of these guns

from their diminutive size. They’re

well made, and you can conceal

them very easily. And you don’t need

a belt, suspenders and a length of

cable to keep your pants up when

carrying one.

In the past, I’ve carried either an NAA

Sidewinder or original Ranger II model

in a right-hand pocket when I’m

hanging around the house. At home,

I’m just steps away from a larger gun

When you pivot

the barrel all the

way, the extractor

star on the Ranger

II pushes up to ex-

tract the cases from

the cylinder.

The latch that

allows you to open

the action of the

Ranger II also

contains the notch

that serves as the

rear sight.

The most distinctive

feature of the

Ranger II is that

it’s a break action

design, allowing for

easy loading and

unloading.

The new Ranger II

features stainless

steel construction

with attractive

rosewood grips.

THE SPECS

Model: Ranger II Break Action

Type: Single-action revolver, break

action

Caliber: .22 WMR (.22 Magnum)

Capacity: 5

Barrel Length: 2.5 inches

Overall Length: 6 inches

Weight: 7.7 ounces

Construction: Stainless steel

Sights: Bead front, notch rear

Grips: Rosewood boot grips

MSRP: $519

if needed. If I go out, I switch the NAA

to a left-hand pocket where it be-

comes a backup piece to my primary

gun on my right hip.

Those revolvers have 1.5- and 1.63-

inch barrels, respectively. They are

ideal for times when I’m traveling

light or need something for deep

concealment. But I’m seeing a slightly

different role for these new guns with

longer barrels.

SURVIVAL KITS

I spend lots of time outdoors, hiking,

backpacking and hunting in remote

areas. The size and weight of the gear

50 CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS • FALL 2019