.32 NAA | ||||||||||||
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Type | Pistol | |||||||||||
Place of origin | United States | |||||||||||
Production history | ||||||||||||
Designer | North American Arms / Ed Sanow | |||||||||||
Manufacturer | North American Arms | |||||||||||
Produced | 2002 | |||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||
Parent case | .380 ACP | |||||||||||
Case type | Rimless, bottlenecked | |||||||||||
Bullet diameter | .3129 in (7.95 mm) | |||||||||||
Neck diameter | .3365 in (8.55 mm) | |||||||||||
Shoulder diameter | .3729 in (9.47 mm) | |||||||||||
Base diameter | .3740 in (9.50 mm) | |||||||||||
Rim diameter | .3740 in (9.50 mm) | |||||||||||
Rim thickness | .045 in (1.1 mm) | |||||||||||
Case length | .680 in (17.3 mm) | |||||||||||
Overall length | .984 in (25.0 mm) | |||||||||||
Case capacity | 10.5 gr H2O (0.68 cm3) | |||||||||||
Rifling twist | 1 in 16 in (410 mm) | |||||||||||
Primer type | small pistol | |||||||||||
Maximum pressure | 25,700 psi (177 MPa) | |||||||||||
Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||
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Test barrel length: 2.5 Source(s): Cartridges of the World |
The .32 NAA is a cartridge/firearm 'system' designed and developed by the partnership of North American Arms and Corbon Ammunition. The cartridge is a .380 ACP case necked-down to hold a .32 caliber bullet with the goal of improved ballistic performance over the .32 ACP.
Bottleneck handgun cartridge designs experienced early success and have had continuing development since at least the 7.65×25mm Borchardt or earlier, which led to the development of the 7.63×25mm Mauser (also known as the .30 Mauser), followed by the 7.62×25mm Tokarev. The benefits of bottleneck designs include smooth feeding and chambering and simple, robust headspacing.
The .32 NAA uses the .312" diameter bullet of the .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R Magnum, and .327 Federal Magnum, and .32 ACP.
The .32 NAA is the most recent of a line of commercial bottleneck handgun cartridges. Renewed western interest in bottleneck handgun cartridges began with the .357 SIG in 1994 (necking a .40 S&W case down to a .355 bullet); followed by the .400 Corbon in 1996 (necking a .45 ACP case down to hold a .40 cal. bullet); and then the .25 NAA in 1999 (necking a .32 ACP case down to hold a .25 caliber bullet).
The cartridge delivers in excess of 1,222 ft/s (372 m/s) velocity to a 60 grain (3.9 gram) proprietary bullet from Hornady. This generates 199 ft·lbf (270 J) of energy from the 2.5" Guardian barrel (1453 ft/s & 287 ft·lbf (389 J) from a 4" test barrel).
According to Phil W. Johnston, the 60 gr Corbon cartridge averaged 1204 fps, with an extreme spread of 69 fps and a standard deviation of 19 fps, for 193.09 ft-lbs of energy. When fired at ballistic gelatin, he obtained 6.25" of penetration, with expansion to 0.528" and 72% weight retention.