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Gift gun... A noisy cricket!

Freedom First

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
845
Location
Kennewick, Wa.
My father in law donated a brand new North American Arms Guardian .32ACP (6+1) to my wife. I took it to the range and other than never shooting something I could only hold with two and a half fingers before, it seemed like a decent weapon. First 50 rounds = one sore hand and three stovepipes. I could even hit chest sized targets at 15 yards.

On their forum there is an expected breakin on these of around 300-400 rounds and some polishing is often needed. And the trigger pull is outrageous, like 10+ lbs...

She wants to start CC after getting training and her CPL. I am fine with that plan but I just wanted to hear from you folks. Any experience or suggestions for additional gear (holster, customizing, ammo, etc.)?

She never wears belts so we are looking at ankle holsters.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
SNIP She never wears belts so we are looking at ankle holsters.

I remember reading a gunzine article a couple years ago. The author told of a robbery. He recalled standing there with his hands in the air, realizing his gun was at the other end of his body.

An ankle holster is definitely not a great place to carry your primary weapon. I've worn an ankle holster. Besides the slow access and draw, in order to be tight enough not to flop around while running or walking, it is also tight enough to reduce circulation a little bit. After six or eight hours, you are happy to get the durn thing off. And, since your leg is larger at the top of your calf than your ankle, the durn thing wants to shift itself down onto the top of your foot all the time.

The nifty little suspenders sold by some holster makers have a similar circulation problem. They wrap around the top of your calf, and have a single strap that goes down to the holster. In order to be tight enough to hold the gun-weighted holster up, it has to be a little bit tight. But, here Mother Nature works against you in another way, too. When the top of your foot is angled down in relation to the front of your leg, your calf is expanded. When the top of your foot is angled towards your shin, your calf is thinner. Thus, when you walk, the durn thing presses and loosens against your calf. Try sitting with your legs extended straight out and the top of your foot at 90-degrees to your shin in order to get some relief from the calf-wrapping strap. Oh, your legs are extended because you want some relief from the calf-wrapping strap digging into the back of your knee--its top edge.

Ankle holsters just aren't all that great an idea.

Maybe after she takes some classes and reads up on armed self-defense--real encounters--maybe she will change her mind and start wearing a belt. A holster for inside a purse might work for her, too.

Ladies?
 
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45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
Angry Crickett

Yes I own the same gun. It was one of my first CC self defense purchases.

The good. (32acp is better than 22, it fits in any pocket, great for deep CC)
The bad. (Ouch! it hurts to shoot, trigger is long and hard, 32acp not a SD round, stovepipes and ammo sensitive)

I had two problems with mine. The first the trigger broke and wouldn't reset. I sent it back under warranty and no problem since. The second problem was the magazine release. There was a known problem that during recoil the magazine release would release thereby stopping the load of the next round. When I contacted them they shipped me a new longer mag release button. I replaced the old one and it did fix the problem.

This gun is not fun to shoot and mainly designed for close quarters last ditch self defense. It is so small that it does fit almost anywhere. I carry mine (when I do carry it) in a Don Hume pocket holster. It slides in nicely in my back pocket or front pocket including jeans. Since it has limited caliber, capacity I only carry it when other better options would be detected or prohibited.

While it isn't that expensive at around $400 I would recommend against it. I have thought of selling mine but come back to the deep-CC role from time to time. Being such a small gun I thought I might use it to train my daughters but the recoil and trigger pull don't lend themselves to that. A better option would be the kahr P380 or even better Kahr PM9. I have the P380 and use it to train my daughters on a heavier recoil than the 22 they were using. I don't feel comfortable carrying .380 as a SD caliber and personally carry a 45acp primary and backup gun.

The P380's recoil is MUCH less than the NAA 32acp at least it feels less. My daughter (11year old) can shoot the P380. I doubt she could handle the NAA without crying. :)
 
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Freedom First

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2010
Messages
845
Location
Kennewick, Wa.
Well, that was exciting...

Took the Guardian 32 to a local range with my wife and it broke... We have had it out twice and run maybe 70 rounds through it. Something in the trigger let go and it would not return to a neutral position after firing. The break left the gun with a round in the chamber, the trigger all the way to the rear and the hammer halfway back. Lame. That was fun (and really dangerous) to clear.

I'll call these folks Tuesday. I'm hoping that the "gift" doesn't wind up costing a bunch of money.

So, my second impressions of the North American Arms Guardian 32 ACP: Mean to shoot, crazy heavy trigger pull, loud and needs to be broken in before I would ever trust it. I'm planning on trading it in for a wheel gun or a Taurus TCP 738 at this point.
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Took the Guardian 32 to a local range with my wife and it broke... We have had it out twice and run maybe 70 rounds through it. Something in the trigger let go and it would not return to a neutral position after firing. The break left the gun with a round in the chamber, the trigger all the way to the rear and the hammer halfway back. Lame. That was fun (and really dangerous) to clear.

Ow! Had that happen to me not once, but three times. My procedure (after the second snafu): Drop the magazine, rack the slide back, shake it clear of anything and everything, and once that's complete figure out what the heck's going on later, as in void of potentially deadly ammunition, perhaps next to a fire...

[quot]I'll call these folks Tuesday. I'm hoping that the "gift" doesn't wind up costing a bunch of money.[/quote]

At this point, if they make it cost you money, that fact alone will be reported on multiple forums, which will make it cost them far more than they're thinking they're saving. "What happened with sales, hun? We were doing so good until Dec! Perhaps no one wants guns any more." "No, dear, don't you remember? You refused to replace a defective firearm for that one customer. He shared that experience with his 'friends.' How were we supposed to know that between that forum and many others his 'friends' comprised more than 30% of our potential customer base?"

If your second impression is to trade it, then by all means do whatever you can to find what you like. Your carry piece should last you through your first, second, and thirty-ninth impression.
 
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