WARNING!Read and fully understand this manual before removing this firearm

from its package. This firearm, like many revolvers and autoloading pistols,is designed without any external manual safety or internal magazine disconnect.THIS PISTOL WILL FIRE IF THE TRIGGER IS PULLED! It shouldalways be considered loaded and ready to fire unless and until the magazinehas been removed and the chamber has been checked to verify that the firearm isunloaded. Be sure to read and fully understand all safety instructions shownin this manual before you remove this firearm from its package, load, unload,fire or do anything else with this firearm!

NORTH AMERICAN ARMS, INC.GUARDIAN

Owner’s & Instruction Manual

®

1Assembled View

Warning Statement:Discharging firearms in poorly venti-

lated areas, cleaning firearms, or handlingammunition may result in exposure tolead and other substances known to thestate of California, which may cause orcontribute to the causation of birthdefects, reproductive harm, and otherserious physical injury. Have adequateventilation at all times. Wash handsthoroughly after exposure.

Statement of Non Liability:WARNING! This pistol is a danger-

ous weapon and is surrendered by NorthAmerican Arms, Inc. (NAA) with theunderstanding that the purchaserassumes the risk and all liability resultingfrom unsafe handling or any action thatconstitutes a violation of any applicablelaws or regulations. NAA will not beliable for personal injury or loss of

property or life resulting from the use of thispistol under any circumstances, includingintentional, reckless, negligent or accidentaldischarge.

Further, NAA will not be liable for anyalterations to the pistol or any parts thereof.NAA will not condone nor authorize anyalterations or changes whatsoever to be madeafter the pistol has left the factory. If yourNAA pistol is in need of service oradjustment, follow the instructions in thismanual for returning your pistol to thefactory for repair.

Please be certain that you have carefullyread and fully understand the warnings,safety information and safe handlingprocedures in this manual before removingthe gun from its package. Be sure youunderstand the functions of this pistol beforeloading and firing it. Exercise safe handlingof this pistol at all times.

INTRODUCTION

Caution:Prior to loading and firing,

carefully read and understand thisinstruction manual. It gives basicadvice on the proper handling andfunctioning of the NAA Guardian.

Failure to observe the safetyinstructions contained in this man-ual can result in property damage,serious personal injury or death.

Congratulations on yourpurchase of North American Arms’double-action-only (DAO) pocketpistol, the Guardian! This 6+1semi-automatic pistol (with a sim-ple blowback-operated action) hasbeen designed to be a “Convenient,Reliable, Effective” personal protec-tion weapon. We have manufac-tured it from the finest availablehigh-strength heat-treated steels, tostandards unsurpassed in thefirearms industry, with a level ofquality assurance and workman-ship to guaranteeyou a lifetime of shooting enjoyment.

The Guardian is a personal pro-tection handgun. It is not designedto be of target-grade accuracy, notof hunting lethality. It is, instead,designed to be a defensive weaponcomprising what we believe is theoptimal combination of portability- due to its minimal physical char-acteristics such as size and weight -and deterrence.

The Guardian is, first and fore-most, a handgun and, as such, is apotentially violent and lethalweapon. While not to be feared bythe handler, it is to be regarded andtreated with an extraordinarydegree of respect and attentive,thoughtful handling. The over-whelming majority of handgunaccidents are directly related toignorant &/or negligent mishan-dling or misuse. The Guardian is agun and, handled improperly, cancause death or serious damage toperson and property. Under ordi-nary circumstances, a detonatedcartridge is very loud, and anexpelled cartridge could cause eyeinjury; you are advised to wearboth hearing and eye protectionwhen firing the NAA Guardian orany other firearm.

The following pages containseveral instructional passages aboutthe operation and maintenance ofthis firearm. These instructionscontain numerous importantadvisories about the proper andsafe handling of this, or any other,firearm as well as warnings aboutthe possible consequences ofignoring these instructions.

Until you acknowledge havingread all these instructions andhaving understood all these safetywarnings, you should not touch,load or fire this weapon.

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Additional information is avail-able from sources such as yourdealer where you purchased thisfirearm, a local law enforcementoffice, educational organizationssuch as the National RifleAssociation, or the manufacturer,NAA, who can be contacted toll-free at (800) 821-5783. This manualshould accompany the gun in theevent of a transfer of ownership:additional copies are available free,upon request to the factory.

Important Safety Information

Caution:Your safety and the safety of

your family and others depend onyour safe and mature adoption,development and consistentemployment of Safe FirearmsHandling Practices.

If you are unfamiliar withfirearms, seek further advicethrough safe handling courses runby your local gun clubs, approvedinstructor, or similar qualifiedorganizations. If you have anyquestions about this firearm orwhere you can seek properfirearms safety training, call NorthAmerican Arms toll-free at 1-800-821-5783.

While we can’t attempt to beall-inclusive, the following generalfirearms handling practices mustbe followed:

• ”Always keep the muzzle pointed ina safe direction. This is the most basicsafety rule.”

• “Treat every gun as though it’salways loaded.” Personally andpositively assure yourself of the safecondition of any firearm whenever youhandle one.

• “Never touch the trigger or placeyour finger inside the trigger guard,until you’re prepared to fire the gun.”

• “Never point the muzzle at anythingyou are unwilling to kill, maim ordestroy.”

• “Be sure of your target, and what’sbehind it.” Always be sure your back-stop is adequate to stop and containbullets before shooting so you do nothit anything outside the target area.

•”Never shoot at a hard surface, suchas a rock or a liquid surface. A bulletmay ricochet and strike you or some-one else.”

• “Never leave a firearm unattended,whether loaded or unloaded. Alwaysput a responsible and competent adultin charge of your firearm to maintainsafety and reduce the likelihood ofaccidents.”

• “Always be sure the barrel is clear ofobstructions before shooting.”

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Instructions For Use

Ammunition:The NAA .32 ACP Guardian is

designed to utilize any commer-cially manufactured .32 ACPammunition.

The NAA .380 ACP Guardian isdesigned to utilize any commer-cially manufactured .380 ACPammunition.Warning:

Never use ammunition wherethe pressure levels exceed industrystandards. Never use nonstandardor reloaded ammunition.

(Parts’ identification are found on page 10).

Loading the MagazineWith your finger outside of the

trigger guard and pointing the muzzlein a safe direction, depress the maga-zine release button. Load themagazine by pressing the rear (rim)of the cartridge downward on theforward portion of the magazinefollower and, maintaining down-ward pressure, then sliding thecartridge rearward, fully under thelips of the magazine until thecartridge is against the rear wall ofthe magazine. Repeat this process,placing the next round atop theprevious one until the magazinecontains up to six cartridges. Donot attempt to load more than sixcartridges.

Loading the PistolCheck to ensure that the pistol is

not already loaded, or contains anyother obstruction in the barrel orchamber. With the magazine removed,your finger outside of the triggerguard and pointing the muzzle in asafe direction, pull the slide back 1/2”until you can look into the chamberand verify that the chamber is empty;allow the slide to return forward.Eject a round, if one exists, by pullingthe slide sharply rearward to the limitof its travel.

Important Caution:The Guardian does not have a

magazine interconnect to prevent it

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from being fired when the magazine isremoved; with a round in the chamberand a firm pull on the trigger, a bulletwill be discharged, even without themagazine being inserted.

Warning:It is possible that a live round may

remain in the chamber when the maga-zine has been removed or inserted.Any round in the chamber will bedischarged upon pulling the triggerregardless of whether the magazineis inserted or removed. Therefore,never leave the pistol unattended, evenif the magazine is removed, and exer-cise extreme caution after removing themagazine. You must personally verifythat the chamber is empty before field-stripping the firearm for cleaning orany other reason. Never place yourfinger on or near the trigger whenoperating the slide.

The NAA Guardian has noexternal manual safety lever andno grip safety. It is fired like adouble action revolver by firmlyand deliberately pulling the trigger.Always keep the firearm unloadeduntil you are ready to shoot. Whenthe firearm is loaded, do not touchthe trigger unless you intend to fire!

When you are ready to fire thepistol, insert the loaded magazine,bullets facing forward (toward themuzzle), firmly and fully into themagazine well of the pistol untilthe magazine catch engages (“clicks”)and the magazine is locked inplace. Confirm by applying slightremoval pressure to the exposedportion of the magazine butt plate.

Unloaded

Loaded

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Firing the PistolWith your finger outside of the

trigger guard and pointing the muzzlein a safe direction, firmly grasp theslide at the serrations and pull theslide rearwards to the limit of itstravel. Release the slide completely,enabling the slide to spring forwardsharply; this strips a round fromthe magazine and seats it in thechamber of the barrel, making thepistol ready to fire (the chamberedround will be visible through theviewing port between the barreland the top of the slide). The guncan now be fired by pulling thetrigger. Grip the pistol firmly inanticipation of its recoil.

The Guardian is double-action-only, and contains no external,manual safeties. This means that thetrigger pull will be deliberatelyfirm and uniform for each roundfired. Subsequent to a firm triggerpull, a bullet is discharged, thespent case ejected, and a fresh roundchambered (to the extent one isavailable in the magazine). Note:Dry firing can cause breakage of thefiring pin. This may result in anunintentional discharge, or prohibit anintended discharge. To safely practicetrigger pull, insert a spent (fired)case or a commercially availablesnap-cap into the chamber tocushion the impact of the firingpin.

Unloading the PistolWhile keeping your finger outside of

the trigger guard, and pointing themuzzle in a safe direction, depress themagazine release and remove themagazine. Visually check to ensurethat no round remains in thechamber. (See instructions for“Loading the Pistol”) Firmly graspthe slide at the serrations andbriskly pull the slide rearwards tothe limit of its travel to eject any

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round or spent cartridge, in theevent that one still remains in thechamber.

Unloading the MagazineUnfired bullets can be removed

from the magazine by gentlyapplying force to the rim (rear) ofthe cartridge with your finger;gently move the cartridge forwarduntil it springs free from theretaining lips of the magazine.

Field Stripping

DisassemblyCheck to ensure that the pistol is

not already loaded. (See instructionsfor “Unloading the Pistol”) With themagazine removed, your finger outsideof the trigger guard and pointing themuzzle in a safe direction, pull theslide back 1/8” until you can look intothe chamber and verify that it is empty;allow the slide to return forward. Ejecta round, if one is present, by sharplypulling the slide rearward to the limitof its travel.

For normal cleaning, theGuardian need only be disassem-bled into the following maincomponents:

FrameSlideMagazineRecoil Spring Assembly

Do not disassemble the pistolbeyond those components, asdoing so could create an unsafecondition and affect your pistol’swarranty.

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Depress and hold the spring-loaded slide release button, locatedabove the right-side grip assemblybeneath the serrations at the rear ofthe slide. Retract the slide to clearthe extractor from the chamber,and lift the slide up 1” at the rearto clear the barrel. Move the slideforward along the length of thebarrel and remove it from theframe assembly (at which point therecoil spring assembly will fallclear from the frame).

Reassembly(Notice: The small coiled end of largerrecoil spring - marked red - should facetoward bridge on slide or muzzle endof pistol when being installed.)

Insert the smaller diameter innerrecoil spring into the larger outerrecoil spring, then insert the guiderod into the small end of the outerrecoil spring. Insert the completespring assembly into the grooved,recessed chamber beneath thebarrel, spring guide rod forward.Position the slide atop the frame,with the forward bridge of theslide positioned in the channelbeneath the barrel, capturing therecoil slide assembly behind it.Move the slide towards the rearand pull the trigger slightly,clearing the top of the hammerfrom beneath the firing pin retainer.Depress the slide release buttonand simultaneously apply down-ward pressure on the slide, releasingthe button after the slide has seated.Retract the slide forcefully toensure positive seating lockup.

(See photos on next page)8

CleaningIt is important that your firearm

be kept clean and properly oiled tohelp ensure safe, reliable functioning.Accumulation of dirt and powderfouling in the breech and chamberareas may affect the functioning ofthe pistol, causing it to misfeed ormisfire. The Guardian should becleaned at regular intervals, depend-ing on the frequency of use. Premiumsolvents should be applied withbrushes and patches to all areasexposed to the action of primer andpowder residues, including the boltface, breech, chamber, extractor,bore and adjacent areas. Gun oil orother similar lubricants should beapplied lightly to all moving parts,including the firing pin and areasof the slide subject to friction.

Warranty & ServiceLike the rest of the North American

Arms’ family of finely-crafted hand-guns, the Guardian is conditionallywarranted against defects in materials,workmanship and mechanical functionfor the life of the product. NAA willrepair or replace (at its option) anyinoperative Guardian firearm returnedprepaid to the factory. If you have anyquestions about your NAA Guardian,please call NAA toll-free at 1-800-821-5783.Technical Specifications (Standard / Metric)

Caliber: 32 ACP / 7.65 BrowningMagazine Capacity: 6Length: 4.36 inches / 110.74 mmHeight: 3.23 inches / 82.04 mmWidth: .850 inches / 21.59 mmWeight: (Empty) 13.5 oz. / .385 kg.

(Loaded) 14.8 oz. / .420 kg.Barrel Length: 2.185 inch / 55.5 mmSights: Low profile fixed.Rifling: 1 in 15 inch / RH, 6 GrooveTrigger Pull: 10 lbs. average

Caliber: 380 ACP / 9mm KurzMagazine Capacity: 6Length: 4.75 inches / 120.65 mmHeight: 3.53 inches / 89.66 mmWidth: .930 inches / 23.62 mmWeight: (Empty) 18.72 oz. / .530 kg.

(Loaded) 20.80 oz. / .590 kg.Barrel Length: 2.49 inch / 63.12 mmSights: Low profile fixed.Rifling: 1 in 15 inch / RH, 6 GrooveTrigger Pull: 10 lbs. average

Caliber: 32NAAMagazine Capacity: 6Length: 4.75 inches / 120.65 mmHeight: 3.53 inches / 89.66 mmWidth: .930 inches / 23.62 mmWeight: (Empty) 18.72 oz. / .530 kg.

(Loaded) 20.80 oz. / .590 kg.Barrel Length: 2.49 inch / 63.12 mmSights: Low profile fixed.Rifling: 1 in 15 inch / RH, 6 GrooveTrigger Pull: 10 lbs. average

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10

4

8

3 5

7 6

2

21

18

23 22 24

30

31

1 15

26

9

32

29

1110

12

19 13 14

16

3620

1728 27

34

35

34

25

33

32/380/32NAA Guardian Parts Numbers

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N.A.A. 32/380/32NAA Guardian Parts List

*(1) Not for sale

*(2) Requires factory installation

*(3) Sold as assembly / set

32 Part # 32xxx-x380/32NAA Part # 38xxx-x(u) Universal part applies to all

Guardian models

No. Qty. Part # Description

1 1 32001/38001 Frame (1)

2 1 32002-1/38002-1 Slide (2)

3 1 32002-2/38002-2 Firing Pin

4 1 32002-3 (u) Firing Pin Retainer

5 1 32002-4/38002-4 Firing Pin Spring

6 1 32002-5-1/38002-5-1 Extractor

7 1 32002-5-2/38002-5-2 Extractor Plunger

8 1 32002-5-3/38002-5-3 Extractor PlungerSpring

9 1 32003-1/38003-1 Clip Release Body

10 1 32003-2 (u) Clip Release Retainer

11 1 32003-3/38003-3 Clip Release Spring

12 1 32004-1 (u) Hammer

13 1 32004-2 (u) Hammer Push Rod

14 1 32004-3 (u) Hammer Push RodSpring Pin

15 1 32032 (u) Rubber Washer

16 1 32005-2/38005-2 Hammer Pin

17 1 32005-3/38005-3 Main Spring Pin

18 1 32006 (u) Hammer SpringFollower

19 1 32007/38007 Hammer Spring

20 1 32008-1/38008-1 Main Spring Plug

21 1 32009/38009 Slide Release Button (2)

22 1 32010 (u) Slide Release ButtonSpring (2)

23 1 32011 (u) Slide Release SpringPin (2)

24 1 32011-1 (u) Slide Release Bearing (2)

25 1 32012/38012 Magazine Assembly (3)

26 1 32013/38013 Trigger

27 1 32014/38014 Drawbar

28 1 32015 (u) Drawbar Spring

29 1 32016/38016 Cover

30 1 32017/38017 Recoil Spring Large

31 1 32018/38018 Recoil Spring Small

32 1 32024/38024 Cover Bolt

33 1 32026 (u) Guide Rod

34 2 32020/21 • 38020/21 Grips

35 2 32022 (u) Grip Screws

36 1 32024-2 E Clip

37 1 32020-R/38020-R ILS Right Grip Panel

38 1 32033/38033 ILS Body

39 1 32033-1 (u) ILS Screw

40 1 32033-2 (u) ILS Key

NORTH AMERICAN ARMS, INC.2150 SOUTH 950 EAST

PROVO, UTAH 84606-62851-(801)-374-99901-(800)-821-5783

www.northamericanarms.com