Do cheap handguns serve any purpose?

I wish I knew what happened with all that. I don't even know what the gun was. I was too young to remember and my mom doesn't know much details at all. I would hope that they didn't destroy it and it went to someone that could appreciate it. That uncle also took the rifles my grandfather had and they are most likely rusting away in a closet if he still has them.

It's a shame really.

There is no such thing as a Sat Nite Spl. The Term is the creation of the criminal left and therefore has no place in American society.

Originally Posted by dev_null
Do "Saturday Night Specials" serve any purpose?

I wouldn't know. In 50+ years of shooting, I've never seen one.

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Oh, yes you have! At least, as defined by the anti's. You probably even own some. Seriously.

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Zackly my point.

I've seen inexpensive firearms and expensive firearms, some worked well and some were rubbish, but never seen anything that said "Saturday Night Special" on it. As noted upthread, it's a meaningless, emotion-laden term used in previous years in order to drive a political agenda.

All standard disclaimers apply, of course.

Read in film trailer announcer's deep voice:

In a world where cheap firearms are affordable to everyone, even the poor, survival becomes nearly impossible for law abiding citizens. One woman works to demonize these guns and take them out of the public's hands, for their own good.

Sarah Brady whispers in the background: "We must protect people...from themselves."

Saturday Night Special. Coming this summer.

Sarah Brady, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and several of your other favorite anti-gun politicians star in one unaction packed movie about disarming America.

Sure they serve a purpose. They make Saturday nights..... Special

Why do we let the loons and leftist own the language? Thanks to those above who call out the racist origins of gun control. Using these terms in the gun community should be the equivalent of the N-word and not acknowledged or propagated.

Oh yea, when I was young and poor a $175 gun saved my behind. Remember as scary as it is to hope it fires, it's scarier to look down a barrel and hope it doesn't. What side of the bet would you rather be on?

monotonous iterancy said:

What would a more appropriate term be?

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I dunno. What would you call a cheap car?

The car rental companies call them "budget" cars.


And the dealers call them "economical, fuel efficient" automobiles.


I reject the term, the premise, and the defensive posture of the discussion completely.

"Budget-priced firearm," perhaps? If you're focusing on price. Will cover a large variety of handguns (from S&W Sigma and Hi-Point in "standard" defensive calibers, to several small caliber guns).

"Small caliber pocket pistols" if you're focusing on function. But they come in quite a price range.

Or, "zinc-alloy pistols," if you're focused on that specific material.

Kind of hard to put a SW9VE or SW40VE at $350 MSRP, normal street price of $300, made of stainless steel and high tech polymers in the same category as a gun made of zamak with an MSRP of $150 or less.

OTOH, it is kind of cool to me that S&W makes a quality gun at that low of a price point - kind of makes them a gun company that markets to a very wide variety of economic strata.

I bought a barely 40VE a couple of weeks ago from a guy to help him out with some cash as he's moving his family out of state. I am surprised at how much I like the thing, and am contemplating keeping it instead of flipping it like I thought I might. What's not to like? It's ergonomic, works well, is made of quality, durable materials, and I got it for $200. If nothing else, I can keep it for a loaner, and know that if I do loan it to someone, it's a good gun.

theyre for people who are not gun people to have some form of protection.



they are also fun to collect

"Saturday Night Special" is a derogatory term derived from a racial slur and has no place on a forum where members are to take the high road

Kind of hard to put a SW9VE or SW40VE at $350 MSRP, normal street price of $300

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Maybe. But I agree more with your "OTOH": given that it is used by the manufacurer as a budget alternative to Glocks and their own more expensive (>$500) alternatives, I think the "budget-priced" label still fits.

The Sigma is often on sale with various promotions ($50 off and 2 free mags), and of course I live close to the manufacturer, so I'm used to seeing well under $300 new, and--as you've discovered -- around $200 used.

this thread has changed my opinion.

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That speaks highly of both this thread, and of you. A tip of the hat to both.

Monotonous iterancy writes:

I've got to say, this thread has changed my opinion. I guess I always thought of them as being 1 step above a zip gun. I have a newfound respect for low budget firearms.

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Good to hear. Thanks for being open-minded. Now, go pick one up and have some fun with it..!

Wanderling said:

some guns are specifically marketed to criminals.

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I find it very interesting that this notion is put forth as if "everyone knows" that this is the case.

But when challenged several days ago to produce proof or name the gun companies that specifically market their guns to criminals, nary a peep!

Challenge ignorance, challenge assumptions, discover the facts.

The only gun I know of made to be used criminally was the Liberator pistol that would be mass airdropped into France to be used as a "cap-a-cop" pistol against German Police to get better weapons. The pistol was basically a Zip Gun, single shot, .45 ACP, striker fired with no rifling.

MistWolf said:

"Saturday Night Special" is a derogatory term derived from a racial slur and has no place on a forum where members are to take the high road

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Not sure where your from but around here "Saturday night special" is either a kicking' skynyrd song or a cheap revolver. Never in my life heard it referenced as racial. But then I am sheltered.

The only gun I know of made to be used criminally was the Liberator pistol that would be mass airdropped into France to be used as a "cap-a-cop" pistol against German Police to get better weapons. The pistol was basically a Zip Gun, single shot, .45 ACP, striker fired with no rifling.

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Uhhhh, you have to be pulling my leg, right?

JERRY said:

id gladly take a jennings J-22 on the cheap if i could.

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Not me. I have one, and it is so unreliable that it's dangerous. A 6 shot magazine typically results in 3-4 stovepipe jams. I used to shoot it a lot, and I got so used to clearing the jams that I would occasionally cycle it even when it worked properly. I once had it fire just from racking the slide. Not good. The safety switch is not reliable enough to carry it with a round in the chamber, so if you needed it in a hurry, and you had a 50% chance of it jamming before you even fired your first shot... Yeah, it's dangerous.

At one time in my life I was a young private in the Army living off post with a family. My monthly salary was less than my weekly salary I make now. Being in Field Artillery, things got worse when they took your separate rations out your check. A Davis P380 was all I could afford.

This was back in 1987, but I gurantee that we have military folks just starting out in the same boat. What demographics do they fit? Poorly paid patriots and defenders of our nation

Carl N. Brown said:

They will buy a gun as a weapon, a box of fifty rounds, testfire the gun twenty rounds to make sure it will work and to give them confidence they could use it if they had to, keep it in the bedside table, and usually when they die, the estate sale will include a barely used gun and a partial box containing thirty rounds of ammo.

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And then I plunk down $75 cash in my LGS and walk out with a gun in new condition and a big smile on my face.

I don't know why I love them, but I do!

cadcom said:

Not sure where your from but around here "Saturday night special" is either a kicking' skynyrd song or a cheap revolver. Never in my life heard it referenced as racial. But then I am sheltered.

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Yes, you are. Then again, the origins have been glossed over for decades.

Google "Saturday night special origin" and you'll be surprised what you learn.

FIVETWOSEVEN said:

The only gun I know of made to be used criminally was the Liberator pistol that would be mass airdropped into France to be used as a "cap-a-cop" pistol against German Police to get better weapons.

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You are aware that this happened during a declared war.........right??

Any German soldier was fair game.