I like small guns, and I cannot lie. Although I have my share of duty guns and compact EDC pistols, I’ve always had a thing for mouse guns. I bought a North American Arms .22 Magnum mini revolver shortly after I turned 21 and have had one version or another ever since. Most recently, I picked up a swing-out cylinder Sentinel model. When I went looking for holsters, I found that there actually weren’t a lot available for the Sentinel. I did, however, run across Desert Gun Leather, and I’m glad that I did.
The NAA Pocket Holster
Desert Gun Leather is run by Rick Jorgenson out in Anthem, Arizona. Rick makes inside (IWB) and outside (OWB) the waistband holsters for a bunch of different guns, but he has a whole section on his website dedicated to North American Arms mini-revolvers as well.
For the NAA, he does IWB and OWB holsters, as well as pocket holsters. Being that I’ve carried my previous NAAs for the past 30-plus years in a pocket holster, that’s what I was looking to get for the Sentinel as well.
My previous holsters were molded to the gun and had a leather tab that protruded to the side to keep the gun upright in your pocket. The holsters I’ve used over the years used that tab space for a pouch to carry five extra rounds of ammo. I know I won’t be speed-loading a mini revolver, but I liked having a reload available just in case.
While Desert Gun Leather had a similar style available, another holster they had caught me eye. That one was the NAA Pocket Holster with Speedloader Pocket. Yep, you read that right—a speed loader pocket.
A Speedloader for a Mini?
I’ll be honest. The speedloader caught me by surprise. You don’t really think about speed-loading a mini revolver, but it makes sense. Although you aren’t likely to be using your mini in a prolonged firefight, it’s still a handy way to keep five rounds together for easy carry and loading. Especially with a pocket holster that has a built-in speedloader pouch. I always carry a reload for whatever gun I’m carrying, even the little ones.
The NAA Speedloader is available for the small frame .22Short/LR NAA revolvers. There are also two separate versions for the large frame NAA’s, one for .22 LR and one for .22 Magnum. The price is $17.00, regardless of size.
Speedloader Function
The unit itself is made from plastic and uses a spring that wraps around a groove in the loader. When you load the speedloader, you slip the rims of the rounds under the spring and it adds tension to hold them in place. With a standard NAA Mini revolver, you pull the cylinder pin and dump the empty rounds. Then, line up the speedloader with the chambers and push the release button forward to release the rounds. You can load the top break NAAs pretty much the same way. I tried it with my older NAA Black Widow, and it works well.
When I ordered, Rick did tell me that there’s not a lot of clearance for the speedloader with the swing out cylinder Sentinels. I still thought it would be a handy way to carry ammo, though, so I went ahead and got the pocket holster with the speedloader pouch and one speedloader.
With the factory rubber grips Rick is correct. You kind of have to angle the speedloader in to line it up with the cylinder chambers. It works but is a little sticky.
I swapped my grips out to the NAA wood boot grips not long after getting the gun. Those are a little thinner than the rubber grip. I found that with those, the speedloader clearance was much better. You’re never going to get a fast reload like you would with a K, or even a J frame, Smith. Still, it’s faster than carrying loose rounds in a pouch and thumbing them in one at a time.
It carries nicely in the holster pouch, too, so when you grab your Sentinel, you have the gun and 10 rounds of ammo ready to stuff in your pocket.
Back to the NAA Pocket Holster
With the speedloader determining which pocket holster I got, I just had to decide on the details. The holsters are made from 7/8oz vegetable-tanned grade #1 leather from the Wickett & Craig Tannery in PA. Being a Pennsylvania guy, I appreciate that.
You can pick right or left-handed models and your choice of color. Chestnut, Brown, Mahogany, and Black are available. I ended up with a mahogany one. There’s an even longer list of thread colors available. My holster has orange thread, which contrasts nicely with the deep, rich color of the leather.
The price of the NAA Pocket Holster with Speedloader Pouch is right at $100.00.
The Desert Gun Leather holster is superbly made. The leather quality and finish are excellent, and the stitching and edge work are perfect. The hoster is boned and wet molded to the Sentinel, which provides retention.
The trigger is fully enclosed, as is the hammer, ensuring the gun can’t accidentally get cocked or fire when putting the holster in and out of the pocket. This also keeps any other junk you may have in your pocket from engaging the hammer or trigger. Personally, if I’m carrying a pocket pistol, I don’t tend to put anything else in that pocket, but it has happened on occasion.
The NAA Pocket Holster is designed to fit in either the front or rear pockets of most pants, and it’ll drop into a jacket pocket easily as well. The holster rides high enough to keep the hammer from snagging but gives enough clearance for the grip. That allows you to use aftermarket grips and have enough space to get a two-finger grip on the gun for the draw.
As you draw, you press down on the top of the holster above the hammer with your thumb to “pop” the gun free of the molded retention. As the gun comes out, the extended portion where the speedloader pouch is should catch the edge of the pocket to keep the holster in place.
Back-Up and EDC
I’ve had my Sentinel and Desert Gun Leather Pocket Holster for about 2 months now, and I’ve carried it a good bit. Either as a backup to my regular carry gun or for those quick trips where I probably don’t need a gun but take one with me anyway. It carries nicely in jeans and cargo pants and even casual dress slacks.
It also works well in the outside pocket of a winter jacket. That’s a nice option when your primary carry gun is on your belt or in an IWB rig under layers of winter clothes. The pocket gun gives you at least something easily accessible to buy you time to get to your primary piece.
The NAA Pocket Holster with speed loader pouch has worked out well. It’s an extremely well-made holster, and you can tell a lot of thought and skill went into making it. It has gorgeous lines and execution, but it also functions just as it should. The speed loader pouch helps break up the shape of the gun in your pocket. It also keeps the gun oriented upwards.
The holster covers everything that needs to be covered for safe carry. However, it still allows you enough space to get a solid grip for your draw. The retention is the right balance between keeping the gun secure and still being able to draw smoothly.
If you need a quality holster for your NAA mini, I would definitely give Desert Gun Leather a close look. While nylon and kydex holsters may function fine, there’s something about handcrafted leather that they just can’t touch.
