A needle device includes a catheter tube attached to a catheter hub, a needle attached to a needle hub, and a needle guard. The catheter hub has an interior cavity and a projection extending from an interior surface in the interior cavity. The needle projects through the catheter tube and has a needle tip extending out a distal end of the catheter tube in a ready position, a proximal end attached to a needle hub, and a shaft having a shaft diameter region, a reduced diameter region, and at least one transition region between the shaft diameter region and the reduced diameter region. The needle guard has a proximal wall and two arms extending distal the proximal wall. The two arms press against the shaft in the ready position and secure the needle tip in the protective position.
