The biggest issue is the cylinder, right? So how about a DA or DA/SA revolver with a cylinder smaller than a J-frame / LCR but larger than the tiny SA-only NAA mini’s?
Perhaps a .22 LR / .22 Magnum size (6 shots?) and a .32 magnum? (5 shots)
Could be built like an LCR with mix of polymer, steel, and aluminum for light weight. Or all blued steel to keep it classy. Plus another available finish to better prevent rust. A poly one would probably weight 8-12 ounces (the .22 would be lighter)
I have a 1 7/8 inch SW 317 .22LR built on a J Frame. Holds eights rounds and likes Interceptors best. Super lightweight aluminum, both frame and cylinder. Feels like a plastic toy. Always loved the feel and folks like Greg Ellifritz advocated it for backup/deep concealment.
The bad news - It is a POS as much of the production run was.
NAA’s product line has all stainless construction for a reason (IIRC], because aluminum doesn’t handle differential heating well. My 317 cylinder doesn’t like getting warm, such as from any rapid fire string. Needs ten minutes to cool down so I can open the action
For what it is worth, I recently picked up a NAA LR/WMR conversion. Not a track driver for me, but I was pleasantly surprised that .22WMR was so manageable.
Build a tiny, lightweight revolver in a low recoil cartridge and there is a good chance I would buy it.
I use to have one of those. I DO remember it being tough to open but never knew why!
The trigger was atrociously heavy. So I installed reduced trigger and hammer springs. Still very heavy. (14 lbs or more, perhaps?) So I went lighter. Misfires. Put the heavier hammer spring back in and used the lightest trigger return spring. Trigger would sometimes fail to reset. Gone.
To bad, though. I’d shoot CB shorts, hi-speed shorts, and the usual LR out of it.
This is what I’m talking about. The old .32 S&W cal. H&R (Iver Johnson design) is much, much smaller than this LCR .357 and even though it’s all steel only weighs 13 oz loaded.
While it could be lighter, and perhaps cheaper with aluminum and polymer, I think people would prefer it either all steel or perhaps a mix of steel and aluminum.
It could be a break top or standard swing-out design.
5-shots, 13 oz or lighter in .32 magnum / .32 S&W Long / .32 S&W short.
Or 6 shots in .22 LR, L, S.
Have a good trigger like that in the LCR. Offer hammer and shrouded hammerless. 2 inch barrel like shown and a 3.5 inch “tracker” model. Groove fixed rear sight with dovetailed front and option for dovetailed front and rear.
Blue steel / alloy with wood grips. Go for class.
People have proven they will pay $500 for a quality pocket gun. I think it would sell.
—I have no idea why the pictures are showing up twice, sorry. Maybe a nice mod will fix it?—
Charter Arms used to make a small five shot .38 Spl revolver. I have one in stainless. I don’t have a j-frame to compare it to, but it’s quite a bit smaller than a Detective Special.
I’m a little perplexed about issues with the alloy Smith revolvers; I’ve one that has never given a whit of trouble.(317) I’ve lightened the trigger with a different rebound spring (11 or 12 lbs; have to pull the grips to check), and the double action isn’t hard to live with. Never had the cylinder tie up either.
Got my daughter a Smith Centennial .22 as she was a little recoil shy. It’s been no trouble as well.
But it is a point well taken about the old break-top revolvers. They are noticeably smaller than their J frame equivalents, even in .38 S&W, albeit with 5 shots. I’m guessing that is one of the reasons Taurus used .380s was for the shorter case and lesser pressure compared to a .38 Spl.
I don’t see top-breaks staging a resurgence, but a swing out .380 (did Taurus use music wire to catch the rims?) could be made to work.
Moon
