by B. Gil Horman - Sunday, March 8, 2020

The NAA "The Dude" mini revolver from the left side.

A closer look at the side of "The Dude" from the left side with the hammer cocked. Note the case-hardening of the frame.

"The Dude" in its holster being held for reference of scale.

During the 19th century in America, a 'dude' was not a surfer who advised his friends to, "Party on!" Instead, it was a term for particularly well-groomed or fancily dressed young men who lived in the big city. When they wanted a taste of the rugged life out West, they would visit homesteads where they paid to punch cattle and ride horses for a week or two. That's where the term 'dude ranch' got its start.Today, folks can enjoy the Old West single-action wheel gun features blended into a modern pocket revolver called The Dude. Based on the North American Arms (NAA) Mini Magnum Pug, this diminutive revolver is a limited edition that's only available from TALO Distributors Inc The Dude is a five-shot .22 Magnum single-action revolver that takes its design cues from the NAA Black Widow. The snubby 1" slab-side barrel is what inspired the Pug moniker. Most Minis feature all stainless-steel construction. However, in this case, the frame was constructed of carbon steel so that the good folks at Tyler Gun Works could treat it with their fine color case-hardened finish.The cylinder pin, fluted cylinder, hammer and trigger are all still stainless steel, giving this revolver a handsome two-tone finish. The frame's top strap is grooved for reduced glare and outfitted with a dovetailed XS Big Dot sight system. The surface of the trigger stud and hammer spur are finely textured for improved purchase. The birds head grip frame sports smooth laminated rosewood grip panels that complement the finish of the frame.With an overall length of just 4.56" and an unloaded weight of just 6.9 oz., The Dude is about as comfortable to carry as a revolver can get! But NAA wanted to make sure it would be easy for customers to carry and safely store this revolver. The Dude ships with a DeSantis Holsters brown full-leather cross draw leather belt holster. And, as part of the company's participation in the firearm industry's Project ChildSafe program, the company includes a key lock steel strong box, which can be mounted to the interior of a drawer or wall.The safety system for NAA Mini revolvers is unlike anything else I've seen. A set of notches is cut into the cylinder between each of the chambers. When the cylinder is loaded, the hatchet-like blade of the hammer should not rest against a live round since a bump will set the gun off. Instead, the hammer should be pulled back slightly to allow the cylinder to rotate. Twist the cylinder until one of the safety notches is under the hammer. Then slowly lower the hammer into the notch. Now if the hammer is bumped or the gun dropped, it can't go off, because the hammer is locked into the steel between the live cartridges.The Talo limited edition NAA The Dude Pug is another handsomely crafted revolver that Mini fans should look to add to their collections. This model is limited to just 2,000 units with special serial numbers from CHP0001 to CHP2000. If you wait too long, they're likely to all ride off into the sunset. To learn more about how to operate a Mini revolver, and to see the Pug in action, take a look at this review of the Talo limited edition ported model.Distributor: TALO Distributors Inc. Manufacturer: North American Arms Model: Limited Edition The Dude Pug Revolver (NAA-PUG-DCH)Serial Number Range: CHP0001 - CHP2000Action: Single-Action RevolverCaliber: .22 Mag.Frame: Carbon SteelFrame Finish: Color Case Hardened by Tyler Gun Works Cylinder: Fluted, Stainless SteelControls: Stainless SteelGrips: Smooth Rose Wood LaminateSights: XS White DotBarrel: 1.00"Trigger Pull: 4 lbs. 8 oz. (tested)Overall Length: 4.56"Height: Inches 2.81"Cylinder Width: 0.85"Weight: 6.9-oz. UnloadedCapacity: 5 RoundsTwist: 1:12” RHRifle Grooves: 8Belt Holster: DeSantis Cross Draw Leather Belt HolsterAccessories: Locking Steel Storage Box, Owner's ManualMSRP: $429.95