North American Arms The Earl 1860 Mini Revolver 22 WMR 3in 5rd

Description

Some guns get bought for practical reasons, and some get bought because they make you grin every time you pick them up. The Earl manages to do both. North American Arms styled this five-shot mini-revolver after the percussion revolvers of the 1860s, right down to the faux loading lever under the barrel, which is more than just decoration since it locks the cylinder pin in place. The heavy octagonal 3 inch barrel gives it that old cap-and-ball profile while adding real sight radius and a little extra velocity over the stubby minis, and the whole thing is machined from stainless steel with a rosewood boot grip that fits the look perfectly.

Shooting The Earl 1860 Mini Revolver

This is a single action, so the routine is simple: cock the hammer, press the trigger, repeat. Loading follows the old-school pattern too. Set the hammer to half cock, release the loading lever, pull the cylinder pin, and roll the cylinder out to load or eject. The bead front sight sits in a channel cut into the top strap, and it lines up quicker than you'd expect on a gun this size. At plinking distances it puts rounds where you point it, and 22 WMR gives it noticeably more pop than a standard 22 LR mini. It also runs 22 Magnum shotshells, which makes it a handy little option for snakes and garden pests.

Safe Carry, NAA Style

Like every NAA mini-revolver, the cylinder has half-way notches between the chambers, so the hammer can rest securely with all five rounds loaded. That means you get the full five-shot capacity without keeping an empty chamber under the hammer.

Why The Earl Earns Its Spot

At around 6.75 inches overall and well under a pound, The Earl disappears into a pocket, a tackle box, or a saddlebag. It draws a crowd at the range, handles pest duty around the property, and turns a slow afternoon into a can-shooting session. Not many guns deliver that much character in a package this small.