Raven Arms MP-25, an example of a .25 caliber automatic type of gun commonly considered a Saturday night special.

The phrase Saturday night special is pejorative slang used in the United States and Canada for any inexpensive handgun. Saturday night specials have been defined as compact, inexpensive handguns with low perceived quality; however, there is no official definition of "Saturday night special" under any federal or state law.^[1][2] Low cost and availability make them attractive to low-income buyers despite their shortcomings. A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 785 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1912 × 1460 pixel, file size: 685 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 785 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1912 × 1460 pixel, file size: 685 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... The Raven Arms MP-25 is a . ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with pejoration. ... For other uses, see Slang (disambiguation). ... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ...

Controversy

Laws prohibiting or regulating the purchase of inexpensive handguns such as Saturday Night Specials are controversial in the United States. The two primary areas of contention relate to the availability of guns and the effect of purchase price upon the demographic of who buys them.

Availability

Some see the availability of handguns as a threat to the community.^[3] In 2003, the NAACP filed suit against 45 gun manufacturers for creating what it called a "public nuisance" through the "negligent marketing" of handguns, which included models commonly described as Saturday Night Specials. The suit alleged that handgun manufacturers and distributors were guilty of marketing guns in a way that encouraged violence in black and Hispanic neighborhoods. "The gun industry has refused to take even basic measures to keep criminals and prohibited persons from obtaining firearms," NAACP President/CEO Kweisi Mfume said. "The industry must be as responsible as any other and it must stop dumping firearms in over-saturated markets. The obvious result of dumping guns is that they will increasingly find their way into the hands of criminals."^[4] The suit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein, who ruled that members of the NAACP were not "uniquely harmed" by illegal use of firearms and therefore had no standing to sue.^[5] The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), is one of the oldest and most influential hate organizations in the United States. ... Mfume delivering a speech at NOAA during Black History Month, 2005 Kweisi Mfume (born Frizzell Gerald Gray, October 24, 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland) is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Marylands... Jack B. Weinstein (pronounced WINE-STEEN) (born 1921, Kansas) is a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York [1]. (The Eastern District covers Brooklyn and Long Island). ...

Economic Class

Because the price of a firearm helps to determine who is able to buy it, the elimination of inexpensive firearms has a direct effect upon those of lesser means. Roy Innis, president of the activist group Congress on Racial Equality, said "To make inexpensive guns impossible to get is to say that you're putting a money test on getting a gun. It's racism in its worst form." (The Congress on Racial Equality filed as an amicus curiae in a 1985 suit challenging Maryland's Saturday night special/low-caliber handgun ban.^[6]) The Wright and Rossi National Institute of Justice study (p.238) concluded: "The people most likely to be deterred from acquiring a handgun by exceptionally high prices or by the nonavailability of certain kinds of handguns are not felons intent on arming themselves for criminal purposes (who can, if all else fails, steal the handgun they want), but rather poor people who have decided they need a gun to protect themselves against the felons but who find that the cheapest gun in the market costs more than they can afford to pay."^[6] Roy Innis, National Chairman Congress of Racial Equality. ... The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE is a civil rights organization that played a pivotal role in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. ...

History of regulation attempts

Colt Army Model 1860 revolver

Colt Model 1861 Navy reproduction

The earliest law prohibiting inexpensive handguns were enacted in Tennessee, in the form of the "Army and Navy" law, passed in 1879, shortly after the 14th amendment and Civil Rights Act of 1875; previous laws invalidated by the constitutional amendment had stated that black freedmen could not own or carry any manner of firearm. The Army and Navy law prohibited the sale of "belt or pocket pistols, or revolvers, or any other kind of pistols, except army or navy pistols," which were prohibitively expensive for black freedmen and poor whites to purchase.^[7] These large pistols were .36 caliber (in the Navy versions) or .44 caliber (in the Army versions), and were the common cap & ball blackpowder revolvers used during the Civil War by both Union and Confederate soldiers, and were made by Colt and Remington, among other manufacturers. Both types (Army and Navy) were extensively used by ground troops, the Navy and Army nomenclatures notwithstanding. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1746x771, 106 KB) Work by Rama File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): List of weapons in the American Civil War Colt Army Model 1860 User:Christian Historybuff... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1746x771, 106 KB) Work by Rama File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): List of weapons in the American Civil War Colt Army Model 1860 User:Christian Historybuff... The Colt Army Model 1860 was a revolver in usage during the American Civil War. ... The Colt M1861 Navy revolver was a six shot, single action, percussion weapon produced by Colts Manufacturing Company until 1873. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Amendment XIV in the National Archives The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (Amendment XIV) is one of the post-Civil War amendments (known as the Reconstruction Amendments), first intended to secure rights for former slaves. ... The Civil Rights Act of 1875 (18 Stat. ... A freedman is a former slave who has been manumitted or emancipated. ...

The next attempt to regulate inexpensive firearms was the Gun Control Act of 1968, which used the "sporting purposes" test and a points system to exclude many small, inexpensive handguns which had been imported from European makers such as Rohm, and also had the effect of banning the import of high quality pocket pistols such as the Walther PPK (now made domestically by Smith & Wesson). The original Glock models imported from Austria, and used by many police departments, had to be equipped with fragile adjustable sights to gain enough points to be imported; these are replaced by Glock in the US with the original rugged fixed sight, thus creating the original, non-importable configuration.^[8] All compact models have "target grips" in the form of finger grooves molded into the plastic, and Glock's .380 ACP model is still not available in the US due to its inability to make the required number of points for import.^[9] The Gun Control Act of 1968, Pub. ... The Walther PP series pistols include the Walther PP, PPK, and PPK/S. They are blowback-operated semiautomatic pistols manufactured by Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen in Germany and under license from Walther in France and the United States [1]. These pistols feature an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism... Smith & Wesson NASDAQ: SWHC (S&W) is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. ... Glock is an Austrian weapons manufacturer (named after the founder Gaston Glock) founded in 1963 in Deutsch-Wagram, near Vienna, Austria. ... Yugoslavian 9 mm Kratak (9 mm Short) cartridges, FMJ. The . ...

Manufacturers in the US were not directly impacted by the Gun Control Act, as they were not subject to the import restrictions, and for the most part they did not manufacture compact, inexpensive handguns that competed with the banned imports.^{[citation needed]} However, the sudden lack of new imports left a hole in the market; the demand for inexpensive guns still existed, but with no supply of new guns, a number of new companies were formed to fill the gap. In an effort to cut costs, many of these guns were made with cast zinc components, rather than the more typical machined or cast steel. While zinc is far less strong and durable than steel, for the small caliber defensive handguns in question, it was strong and durable enough. General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... For other uses, see Steel (disambiguation). ...

More recent legislation against "junk guns" has targeted the zinc frames used in construction by specifying a melting point; however, this backfired when police departments began adopting polymer framed guns such as those made by Glock, H&K, and other manufacturers, which will burn at temperatures much lower than the commonly specified 800 °F. Legislators then changed the definitions to target size (barrel lengths under 3 inches), materials (such as zinc), low-cost manufacturing techniques (e.g., density requirements that exclude powder cast metals), safety requirements (trigger and/or main-spring locks, sizes too large for a child to use, drop tests), and "quality", "reliability", and "accuracy" (which are all left undefined).^{[citation needed]} The only apparent impact of such legislation is to force the manufacturers to either lose market share in some states (since such laws have only been instituted on a state-by-state basis) or to increase the cost of manufacture and thus increase the market price of the firearm.^{[citation needed]} Some of these legal restrictions are based on product liability law; a gun should not discharge when dropped. Others, such as requiring loaded chamber indicators, are controversial. A polymer (from Greek: πολυ, polu, many; and μέρος, meros, part) is a substance composed of molecules with large molecular mass composed of repeating structural units, or monomers, connected by covalent chemical bonds. ... Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) (pronounced [1]) is a German weapons manufacturing company famous for various series of small firearms, notably the MP5 submachine gun, the MP7 personal defense weapon, USP series of handguns, high-precision PSG1 sniper rifle, and the G3 and G36 assault rifles. ... Products liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause. ...

No police departments are known to require officers to carry guns with locking devices installed^{[citation needed]} (although some do require rifles and shotguns that are stored in the trunks of police cruisers as backup weapons to have locking devices installed). Law enforcement is also specifically exempted from these bans and regulations.^{[citation needed]}

Origin of the term

The earliest known use of the term "Saturday night special" in print is in the Aug 17, 1968 issue of the New York Times. In a front-page article titled Handgun Imports Held Up by U.S, author Fred Graham wrote, "... cheap, small-caliber 'Saturday night specials' that are a favorite of holdup men..." The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Fred Graham is the chief anchor and managing editor of Court TV. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on October 6, 1931. ...

Among some law enforcement officers, the term has also applied to home made or improvised weapons, such as "zip guns." The idea behind the slang being that such a weapon made during the week would be used in a crime over the weekend; Saturday night being the peak night for said crimes. Zip gun is a term used for a crude, improvised firearm, usually a handgun. ...

M.A. (Merle Avery) Gill's Underworld Slang, a dictionary published in 1929, includes an entry called "Saturday night pistol" with this simple definition: ".25 automatic." Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Oxford English Dictionary notes that the adjective "Saturday night" has been in use since 1847 to refer to activities taking place on or as on a Saturday night, especially in the form of revelry.

Legal "junk gun" definitions

Legal definition of a "junk gun" usually restrict the materials that can be used in the manufacture of said gun, targeting zinc castings, low melting points (usually 800 degrees Fahrenheit), powder metallurgy, and other low-cost manufacturing techniques. As nearly all guns made this way are in small calibers, such as .22 Long Rifle and .25 ACP, even these techniques provide sufficient strength for the low pressure cartridges and desirable weight and cost savings. The low strength materials and cheap construction do result in poor durability and marginal accuracy at longer ranges, but as most of these guns are very small pocket pistols designed for use as close-range backup defensive weapons, accuracy and durability over thousands of rounds are not primary design goals. Most guns targeted by the "junk gun" bans are made by a group of current or former manufacturers in the Los Angeles, California area, such as Bryco Arms, Jimenez Arms, Jennings Firearms, Raven Arms, and Phoenix Arms (the latter so-called because it "rose from the ashes" of Raven Arms, after the Raven Arms' factory fire). Their guns sell for as little as US$50 new. Other legislation targets specific inexpensive models by highly reputable manufacturers such as Colt, Taurus, Smith & Wesson and Ruger. General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Powder metallurgy is a forming and fabrication technique consisting of three major processing stages. ... Calibre redirects here. ... .22 redirects here. ... The . ... A pocket pistol is an American term for any small, pocket-sized semi-automatic pistol or, less-popular, any other handgun (e. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Bryco Arms was a firearm manufacturing company based at various times in Carson City, Nevada, Irvine, California, and Costa Mesa, California. ... Bryco Arms was a firearm manufacturing company based at various times in Carson City, Nevada, Irvine, California, and Costa Mesa, California. ... Bryco Arms was a firearm manufacturing company based at various times in Carson City, Nevada, Irvine, California, and Costa Mesa, California. ... The Raven Arms MP-25 is a . ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Safety, gun violence, and criminal use statistics

Main article: Gun violence in the United States

The term "Saturday night special" is often used disparagingly to emphasize the perceived lesser quality of the gun or, for political reasons relating to gun politics, to imply easy availability to those who are legally prevented from owning firearms, such as convicted criminals and minors. The term is used to allude that the only reason for the manufacture of such a gun is for use in crime; in fact, studies show that criminals prefer high-quality guns, in the largest caliber they can easily conceal. Research has shown that most criminals prefer guns that are easily concealable, large caliber, and well made (Guns Used in Crime: Firearms, Crime, and Criminal Justice--Selected Findings July 1995, NCJ-148201).^[10] 1901 assassination of President William McKinley by Leon Czolgosz, using a concealed revolver, at the Pan-American Exposition reception in Buffalo, New York. ... Gun politics is a set of legal issues surrounding the ownership, use, and control of firearms as well as safety issues related to firearms both through their direct use and through criminal use. ... The term minor is used to refer to a person who is under the age in which one legally assumes adulthood and is legally granted rights afforded to adults in society. ...

Most guns used in violent crimes are large caliber revolvers, although semi-automatics are becoming more common. A 1985 study of 1,800 incarcerated felons showed that criminals prefer revolvers and other non-semi-automatic firearms over semi-automatic firearms.^[11] In Pittsburgh, a change in preferences towards semi-automatic pistols occurred in the early 1990s, coinciding with the arrival of crack cocaine and rise of violent youth gangs.^[12] The choice in guns, and the change from revolvers to semiautomatics, mirrors the choice in defensive weapons made by police and the legal civilian market. Revolvers and non-autoloaders also have an advantage to criminals in that the empty brass shells of the cartridges remain in the gun until the shooter manually ejects them to reload. The bullet is therefore the only traceable ballistic evidence left at the scene. For other uses, see Revolver (disambiguation). ... Walther P99, a semi-automatic pistol from the late 1990s A semi-automatic firearm is a gun that requires only a trigger pull for each round that is fired, unlike a single-action revolver, a pump-action firearm, a bolt-action firearm, or a lever-action firearm, which require the... City nickname: The Steel City Location in the state of Pennsylvania Founded 1758 Mayor Tom Murphy (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 151. ... A pile of crack cocaine ‘rocks’. Crack cocaine is a solid, smokeable form of cocaine and is a highly addictive drug popular for its intense psychoactive high. ... A defensive weapon is a personal weapon that is primarily intended for defending the user against an attacker. ...

Nonetheless, three of the top ten types of guns involved in crime (as represented by police trace requests^[13] ) in the U.S. are widely considered to be Saturday Night Specials; as reported by the ATF in 1993, these included the Raven Arms .25 caliber, Davis P-380 .380 caliber, and Lorcin L-380 .380 caliber.^[14] However, the same study showed the most common firearm used in homicides was a large caliber revolver, and no revolvers of any kind appear on the top ten list of traced firearms^[13]. The Raven Arms MP-25 is a . ... The Raven Arms MP-25 is a . ... The Raven Arms MP-25 is a . ...

Despite the inexpensive manufacture of "Saturday night specials", they are manufactured to certain quality standards to ensure they are not dangerous to the shooter when used correctly. Firearms sold in most countries are required to pass certain safety tests, particularly a proof test. A proof test consists of firing a special high pressure round, which far exceeds the SAAMI pressure maximum for the round (see internal ballistics). However, the United States Government does not require firearm manufacturers in the United States to proof test their barrels, although most do, simply to avoid product liability issues. If there is any weakness in the firearm, then the high pressure round should damage or destroy the firearm; if it passes the proof test, then it is considered "proof" that the firearm's design has safe operating margins. Some "Saturday night specials" do, however, have reliability issues. The American Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (commonly abbreviated as SAAMI) is an association of American firearms and ammunitions manufacturers that is publishing various industry standards related to the field, ranging from policy to acceptable chamber pressure. ... Internal ballistics, a subfield of ballistics, is the study of a projectiles behavior from the time its propellants igniter is initiated until it exits the gun barrel. ...

See also

• Jimenez Arms, the company with perhaps the most models of "Saturday night specials" currently sold new in pawnshops and elsewhere
• Raven Arms MP-25, a semi-automatic pistol often described as a "Saturday night special"

Bryco Arms was a firearm manufacturing company based at various times in Carson City, Nevada, Irvine, California, and Costa Mesa, California. ... The Raven Arms MP-25 is a . ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Notes and references

External links

• NRA Fact Sheet on Saturday night specials
• Brady Campaign to Prevent Handgun Violence FAQ on Saturday Night Specials
• Saturday Night Special Gun Forum Owners and fans forum for all makes of Saturday Night Special firearms.