Switch Gun vs NAA .22 Magnum: Two Approaches to Pocket Revolvers
North American Arms' mini revolvers have been a fixture of the deep-concealment world for decades - tiny, well-made, single-action revolvers chambered in .22 WMR (and other rimfire options). The Switch Gun takes a very different structural approach to a similar goal. Here's how they compare.
Design Approach
NAA .22 Magnum: A true miniature revolver - the entire frame is scaled down, including the grip. Most models are around 4" long and 4-6 oz depending on barrel length and grip style.
Switch Gun: A full-size-grip revolver that folds down for carry, then unfolds to a standard-size grip for firing.
Verdict: These solve the size problem in opposite ways - NAA shrinks the whole gun; the Switch Gun keeps the grip full-size and folds it away instead.
Grip and Control
NAA .22 Magnum: The grip is proportionally tiny along with the rest of the frame - many owners describe it as "enjoyable to shoot" but acknowledge it takes a different hold than a standard-size revolver, and its birdshead grip style doesn't fill the hand the way a full-size grip does.
Switch Gun: Unfolds to a full-size polymer grip, giving it hand purchase closer to a standard-size revolver.
Verdict: Advantage Switch Gun on grip and recoil control once unfolded, since the NAA's grip stays small even when firing.
Capacity
NAA .22 Magnum: 5 rounds, single-action, manual hammer cock for every shot.
Switch Gun: 5 rounds per cylinder, single-action, manual hammer cock for every shot, with a spare cylinder swap available for a fast reload.
Verdict: Even on base capacity; the Switch Gun's cylinder-swap system gives it a practical edge for a fast reload compared to reloading an NAA's cylinder by hand.
Trigger Guard and Carry Safety
NAA .22 Magnum: NAA mini revolvers use a simple spur-type trigger with no trigger guard, by design - most models are not intended to be carried with the hammer cocked, and rely on half-cock safety notches on the cylinder rather than an enclosed trigger.
Switch Gun: The folded grip fully encloses the trigger as its core safety feature during carry.
Verdict: A genuinely different safety philosophy - the Switch Gun's enclosed-trigger folding design vs. the NAA's exposed spur trigger with half-cock notches. Neither is "unsafe," but they require different carry habits and familiarity.
Concealed Size
NAA .22 Magnum: Extremely small at rest - around 4" long and under 6 oz for most configurations, smaller overall than the Switch Gun even folded.
Switch Gun: Folds to roughly smartphone size - larger than an NAA mini revolver at rest, but with a full-size grip available once deployed.
Verdict: The NAA is smaller when carried; the Switch Gun is larger folded but offers more usable grip once fired.
Which Should You Choose?
If the absolute smallest carry footprint is your top priority and you're comfortable with a proportionally small grip and an exposed spur trigger, the NAA .22 Magnum's decades-proven miniature design is a legitimate, well-regarded option. If you want a fuller, more controllable grip once you're actually firing - and you're willing to accept a slightly larger folded size and a fold-to-fire motion in exchange - the Switch Gun is built specifically around that tradeoff.
