H.P. White Laboratory, Inc.
3114 Scarboro Road
Street, Maryland 21154-1822
Telephone: (410) 838-6550
Facsimilie: (410) 838-2802
5 November 1997
(HPWLI 7342-02A)
North American Arms, Inc.
2150 S. 950 E.
Provo, Utah 84606
Attention: Mr. Ken Friel
Dear Mr. Friel:
Your letters of 22 October and 28 October 1997 requested Safety and Performance Testing of two Caliber .32 ACP Guardian pistols (Serial Number AA5037 and AA5041) received on 23 October 1997 via United Parcel Service. Both pistols appeared to be in new condition.
Prior to testing, each pistol was loaded with serveral magazines of Winchester 60.0 grain Silvertip Hollow Point ammunition (Lot Number 73SE70) and fired to confirm proper functioning. They fired without incident. Both pistols are double action only (DAO), with spurless hammers which rest below the rear surface of the slide. The barrels are approximately 2-1/4" long. The magazines hold six rounds. The magazine follower from Serial Number AA5041 caught on the magazine body and prevented loading of more than three rounds. The magazine was disassembled, and the malfunction was repaired. All testing was conducted on an indoor range at ambient conditions.
Pistol Serial Number AA5041 was tested using procedures specified
in ANSI / SAAMI Z299.5-1990, VOLUNTARY INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
-CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF NEW FIREARMS DIESIGNS UNDER CONDITIONS
OF ABUSIVE MISHANDLING FOR THE USE OF COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURERS.
Because the pistol is of DAO operation, and it has no external
safety, the "safe carrying position" (Drop Test, Paragraph
5.0) is the same as the "maximum readiness" condition
(Jar-Off Test, Paragraph 7.0). Table I presents a summary of information
on the attached data records.
TABLE I. SUMMARY OF RESULTS
(.32 Guardian Pistol)
| Test | Paragraph (a) |
Serial Number |
Drop Height (in) |
Trials | Fires | Pass/Fail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drop | 5.0 | AA5041 | 48 | 6 (b) | 0 | PASS |
| Jar-Off | 7.0 | AA5041 | 12 | 6 (b) | 0 | PASS |
| (a) Reference paragraphs of ANSI/SAAMI Z299.5-1990. | ||||||
| (b) Once in each of six cardinal orientations. | ||||||
Based on the data presented in Table I and the attached data records, the North American Arms, Inc. .32 ACP Guardian Pistol, Serial Number AA5041, submitted for testing SATISFIED the requirements of ANSI/SAAMI Z299.5-1990.
Pistol, Serial Number AA5037 was loaded and fired with a single round of high pressure definitive proof ammunition complying with requirements of ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3. Peak chamber pressure was apporximately 23,200 CUP. There was no discernible damage and the pistol continued to function well. Because the hammer is spurless and rests below the slide, an Exposed Hammer Test (Z299.5, Paragraph 6.0) was not conducted. However, a primed cartridge case was loaded in the chamber and the rear of the hammer was repeatedly struck directly with a hammer, using a drift punch. There was no firing.
Pistol, Serial Number AA5041 was fired by hand from a rest
by an experienced technician to obtain velocity (at 10' ) and
dispersion (at 21' ) data. (Because of its small size, we were
not able to satisfactorily mount the pistol in a fixed rest.)
Five 5-shot groups were recorded, along with a single 5-shot group
of the same ammunition fired from a fixed 4" SAAMI test barrel
for reference. Table II presents a summary of information on the
attached data records.
| Velocity (ft/sec) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Condition |
Group |
Minimum |
Maximum |
Mean |
Extreme Spread (in) |
| Hand-Held | A | 771 | 828 | 804 | 2.100 |
| Hand-Held | B | 763 | 832 | 783 | 1.929 |
| Hand-Held | C | 753 | 809 | 781 | 1.954 |
| Hand-Held | D | 665 | 817 | 765 | 3.303 |
| Hand-Held | E | 765 | 834 | 796 | 1.602 |
| Fixed SAAMI Test Barrel | 883 | 946 | 918 | 0.338 | |
Thank you for the opportunity to conduct these tests. The test
pistols will be retained in our armory pending your disposition
instructions. If we may be of any further service, please do not
hesitate to contact us.
Very truly yours,
H.P. WHITE LABORATORY, INC.
Lester W. Roane
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