This post was originally published here.
If you’ve heard the North American Arms (NAA) name before, you probably think of tiny little revolvers in calibers like the .22 LR and .22 WMR. Well, in 1997, the Provo, Utah, company decided to get into the semi-auto game by delivering the pocket-sized Guardian in .32 ACP. Inspired by the Seecamp LWS, the pistol was a hit because of its dimensions, reliability and craftsmanship. Then, in 2001, NAA debuted a slightly larger version in .380 ACP.
I got my hands on a special version in .32 ACP, but before we go any further, we have to talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, the .32 ACP has always been a considered marginal choice for self-defense. Thankfully, the Guardian is so small that it’s ideal as a backup gun, or a backup’s backup, and you’ll always have it with you—which is better than the .45 ACP you leave at home. You don’t realize just how small the Guardian is until you have it in your hands.
NAA Guardian’s Little Details
The .32 ACP NAA Guardian is an all-stainless-steel, double-action-only (DAO) semi-auto pistol that is streamlined for easy operation with just a magazine release, a trigger and a takedown button in terms of controls. It’s 4.38 inches long with its 2.19-inch barrel, 0.81 inches wide and weighs in at a whopping 15.6 ounces unloaded, but you can really feel that this stout little pistol is well made.
My Guardian also received some special touches from the expert gunsmiths at NAA’s Custom Shop. For an extra $150, you can order a gun from NAA with a custom serial number that contains up to 10 alphanumeric characters. I chose my first name along with the year I received the pistol, hence the “LINAS2019” on the right side of the frame, just above the trigger.
Custom Carry Package
The NAA Guardian also received the Custom Shop’s “Carry Package,” which consists of breaking and blending (or “dehorning”) of all the gun’s edges so it’s more comfortable to carry and easier to draw. No sharp edges will catch on clothing, for example. The muzzle receives the most attention, but to my surprise, the work also includes the removal of the front and rear sights as well as the rib connecting them. The interior edges of the triggerguard were also arched and smoothed, and the trigger itself was highly polished. It all comes together to create one very smooth and fast-drawing pistol.
Grips & Leather
The standard rubber grips were also replaced with checkered cocobolo grip panels. They look very handsome on the pistol and surprisingly fill the hand quite well. Finally, the Guardian came with an Aker sharkskin pocket holster (HPT-32S in NAA’s catalog). It took a couple tries to draw the pistol from the pocket without the holster, but once I got the hang of it, it was pretty straightforward.
Altogether, this is a very elegant pocket pistol. It honestly seems like the type of pistol you’d bring to a wedding or something formal. It makes you feel “fancy.” And dry-firing the Guardian, the trigger felt smooth with about a 12-pound pull and an inch of reset. Your follow-up shots are quick and easy once you get the hang of how the trigger resets. Two 6-round magazines are also included—one comes with a pinky rest while the other fits flush with the bottom of the grip frame. With the pinky rest, I can get two fingers on the grip. That’s how small this gun is! Without it, I can only get one finger on the grip.
Zeroing In
Finding quality .32 ACP ammo turned out to be a real chore, but I was lucky enough to score some rounds from Aguila, Fiocchi and Hornady. I also felt it was important to have both FMJ and JHP defensive loads on hand to see if the Guardian was worthy of personal defense.
Since the little NAA pistol doesn’t have any sights at all, I keep my testing distance to 7 yards. It definitely took some practice to get used to shooting a pistol without sights. I used the top of the hammer to achieve a quick sight picture, and for more precision, I attempted to use the apex of the slide as a rough guide. However, I’m happy to report that for a gun without sights, all of my groups were around the 2-inch mark. The Guardian also ran like a champ, digesting all of the test rounds, and it felt like the trigger was getting smoother the more rounds I put through the gun.
Pocket NAA Guardian
Between the weight of the pistol and its caliber, recoil wasn’t an issue—not even close. You could comfortably run this gun all day long. On top of that, the Guardian is a well-designed and executed pistol. While thicker and heavier than similar polymer-framed pistols, its stainless steel construction makes it easier to shoot and probably stronger as well. My time with this custom Guardian left me impressed with North American Arms’ level of quality.
The Guardian is a solid, well-made pocket pistol that offers a lot of options. Those looking for a small self-defense pistol should seriously consider North American Arms’ many offerings.
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