Smitten with the Black Widow
NAA Black Widow
That was my philosophy.
When it comes to concealed carry choices, I like calibers that start with a 3 or a 4, as in .357 Magnum or .45 ACP. Other calibers are acceptable within reason. Beyond caliber, though, I want a semi-automatic action. Squeeze the trigger and the gun goes bang. No extra steps, please. Finally, I’ll sacrifice a bit of concealability to get the right size gun in my hand. Guns that are too small are no fun to shoot. A gun that meets those three criteria will get my immediate attention as a viable concealed carry choice.
NAA Black Widow
A Few Weeks Ago
It still is, actually, but I’m going to, um, expand it a bit to include a .22 Magnum, single-action revolver that, for the most part, disappears in my hand and pocket. Yep, a violation of all three of my previous criteria. We’ve heard that the “best” gun is the gun that you will actually carry with you, everywhere, all the time. If so, then this gun might be the best for me. I guess you could say I’m smitten with the idea of North American Arms Black Widow.
But it’s not just the smallness and the lightness that’s got me. There’s a lot of thoughtful design and engineering going on in the Black Widow. And while cocking and firing and reloading will take some getting used to, the gun is superbly manufactured and safe. Nevertheless, always follow the basic rules of firearm safety, no matter what.
NAA Black Widow
Many will offer up that a gun like the Black Widow is the ultimate backup gun or a secondary deep cover gun. Traditionally, sure. But NAA’s rendition of the traditional backup gun offers modern versatility: large, hand-filling stocks or optional teeny, easy-to-conceal stocks. Target sights to rival the best ones on any gun. And an optional laser.
For me, the next level of persuasion will come from an extended range session with dozens of Speer Gold Dot .22 WMR and the use of a custom-made leather carry holster from Thad Rybka. Available for under $300 in its stock form, the NAA Black Widow has a lot to offer. Accessorized, it only becomes even more attractive as a defensive handgun.
