When tested in 105 ordnance gelatin, the 60-gr. JHP Corbon load for the .32 NAA penetrated a consistent 7" and created a wound cavity larger than some more popu- lar and generally considered more power- ful defensive handgun cartridges.
over my RCBS Ammomaster chro- nograph, positioned 10' from the muzzle and the average for all shots was 1,196 fps. I also shot several rounds into blocks of 10 percent ordnance gelatin. Penetration was a consistent 7" and wound cavities
were as wide as or wider than any .380 ACP load I’ve tested. Compar- atively, Hornady’s Critical Defense .380 ACP load penetrates about 9". Both the Corbon .32 NAA load and the .380 ACP Critical Defense loads expand to around .45" in diameter.
The itty bitty .32 NAA cartridge performs in gelatin much better than what you might think. It is a high- velocity alternative to other sub-compact centerfire cartridges like the .25 ACP, .32 ACP and .380 ACP.
SPECIFICATIONS MANUFACTURER:
MODEL: ACTION:
OPERATION: CARTRIDGES: WEIGHT: LENGTH: HEIGHT: BARREL:
MATERIAL: CAPACITY: MSRP:
North American Arms Guardian
Semi-automatic
Double-action-only .32 NAA & .380 ACP 18.72 ounces 4.75" 3.53"
2.49", 1-15 RH twist, 6 lands 17-4 PH Stainless Steel 6+1
$449 Is this adequate terminal per-
formance for personal protection? You’ll have to make that decision on your own. I believe about 10" of penetration in 10 percent gelatin is optimal but not at the expense of ex- pansion and tissue destruction. The .32 NAA provides what I consider less than optimal penetration but more tissue destruction than some loads in much more popular self- defense cartridges. Corbon offers a FMJ load. It aver-
aged 1,040 fps from the little Guard- ian. On the Corbon/Glaser website they also list a 55-gr. Glaser Safety Slug for the .32 NAA. This load is rated at 1,250 fps. .32 NAA ammo cost isn’t as high as you might think. Fifty rounds of the 71-gr. FMJ load sell for $24.42, 20 JHPs sell for $23.95 and six Glaser slugs retail for $18.32.
Gun Details The NAA Guardian operates on
The custom-shop in- stalled XS sights were very visible on target but were aligned about 8-10" below point of impact at 7 yards.
the blow-back principle. There is no tilting or linked barrel, as a mat- ter of fact — the barrel is integral to the handgun’s frame. This means operating the slide by hand requires some effort because slide resistance is provided entirely by the recoil spring and the force required cock- ing the hammer. On the left side of the pistol there is a 1911-style maga- zine release and just under the slide
The tang at the rear of the pistol’s frame only minimally protrudes.
18
The Guardian is easy to field strip and disassembles into four parts. A takedown button on the right side of the frame starts the process.
The trigger is smooth but requires more than 10 lbs of force to pull.
AMERICAN HANDGUNNER TACTICAL • 2011 SPECIAL EDITION
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