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H.P.White Laboratory, Inc. 18 March, 1997 North American Arms, Inc. Your letter of 11 March 1997 requested Safety Testing of two North American Arms, Inc. .22 Magnum Mini-Revolvers received on 14 March 1997 via United Parcel Service. Only one revolver (Serial Number Z37225) was required for the tests. Both revolvers appeared to be in new condition, and each was accompanied by an "Owner and Instruction Manual". Prior tot testing, the revovler was loaded with Western Super X, caliber .22 WMR, JHP ammunition, Lot Number ED51, and fired to confirm proper functioning. It fired without incident. Testing was conducted indoors at ambient conditions and using
procedures specified in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.5-1990, VOLUNTARY INDUSTRY
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF NEW FIREARMS
DESIGNS UNDER CONDITIONS OF ABUSIVE MISHANDLING FOR THE USE OF
COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURERS. Jar-Off Tests, Paragraph 7 were conducted
"by the book". The ANSI/SAAMI Z299.5 directions for
the Drop Tests, Paragraph 6 and the Exposed Hammer Tests, Paragraph
6 are ambigous when applied to your revolver design. Paragraphs
5.1.2 and 6.1.2 state that testing is to be done "...with
the firearm in the "Safe Carrying" condition...".
Your Owner and Instruction Manual is very explicit in explaining
that the safe carrying condition is with the hammer down in a
safety slot which holds the cylinder between chambers. Paragraphs
5.2 and 6.2 of ANSI/SAAMI Z299.5 states that for "...a multi-chambered
gun, the primed case(s) shall be in the chamber (s) directly
in front of the firing pin(s)". Obviously, it is not possible
to simultaneously satisfy both of these conditions with your
design. We chose to consider the directive for the firearms to
be in "Safe Carrying" condition, as you define it in
your literature, to be the overriding instructions. Thererfore,
the Drop Test and Exposed Hammer Test results reported below
are for the revolver with the hammer down in a safety notch.
The chambers on both sides of the notch were loaded with primed
cases. Table I presents a summary of information on the attached
Data Records.
(b) Once in each of six cardinal orientations. (You may click on each individual test and go to a more in-depth summation for each test.) Based on the data presented in Table I and the attached data records, the North American Arms, Inc. .22 Magnum Mini-Revolver, Serial Number Z37225, submitted for testing SATISFIED the requirements of ANSI/SAAMI Z299.5-1990, using the "Safe Carrying" conditions defined by the manufacturer. Thank you for the opportunity to conduct these tests. The
revolvers will be held in our secure armory pending your disposition
instructions. If we may be of any further service, please do
not hesitate to contact us. |