Why people buy the "Saturday Night Specials"?

[stchman]

I was at a gun show not too long ago and handled a few of the "Saturday Night Specials".

I handled a few Jimenze 9s and 380s. I fondled a couple of Hi Points. After that I fingered a few Lorcin, Phoenix, and Jennings. I am no too up on these guns, but I do believe some are no longer made.

I hate to be a gun snob, but after looking and touching them, they feel like complete junk. The fit and finish is terrible, I saw tool marks on the OUTSIDE of the frame, the way the slides meet the frames are terrible. The Hi Point appeared to be the best of the crap. Don't get me started on ergonomics either. Now what really got me was the prices these things were going for. No way would I spend $150 - $200 on these things. I could see if these guns were $100 tops, maybe.

I have seen the Ruger LCP for ~$225, the EAA Witness and SAR 9mm pistols for $260 on sale. There are a lot of other firearms that aren't a whole lot more money, but are FAR better built.

A lot of the Saturday Night Special guns are made from that zamak pot metal. Sorry, but they are just JUNK. I am probably going to ruffle the feathers of the Jimenez and Hi Point fanboys, sorry, but the guns are garbage.

 

[rsrocket1]

That may be all someone can afford if he/she is living in a crime ridden area and wants some home protection. They also may not have a great shopper like you to help them and don't have the knowledge to do the research or be able to travel all over the place looking for a deal. Just some more thoughts.

 

[Wildfire]

High point are junk. I carry a TCP in .380.... Shoots fine and groups around 2" at 7 yards rapid fire. My .38 special is a Titanium light weight and also groups tight at 7 yards. These are defense guns and not target guns.But, you are correct that some are just plain junk.

 

[stchman]

That may be all someone can afford if he/she is living in a crime ridden area and wants some home protection. They also may not have a great shopper like you to help them and don't have the knowledge to do the research or be able to travel all over the place looking for a deal. Just some more thoughts.

I never heard of those cheapie pot metal guns until AFTER I got into firearms. I thought a Saturday Night Special was a 38 Special revolver.

Heck a lot of gun shops and stores like Cabela's and Bass Pro don't even stock them.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Not a fanboy of hi point, but don't underestimate them. I've seen people run sti open guns get out shot by a hi point. I've seen hi points compared next to glocks. Perform just as well. When the owner of the hi point threw his gun through the target, the glock man wouldn't do the same. For the money, they're better than nothing. Would I own one? Never. They come with a "holster", but who wants to carry a brick? I guess I like the looks of the gun as much as the performance.

 

[stchman]

High point are junk. I carry a TCP in .380.... Shoots fine and groups around 2" at 7 yards rapid fire. My .38 special is a Titanium light weight and also groups tight at 7 yards. These are defense guns and not target guns.But, you are correct that some are just plain junk.

Taurus is another example, while I don't think Taurus is the cream of the crop in firearms(I own two Taurus revolvers), they are far better built than the pot metal junkers.

IIRC, some places were selling the PT111 G2 for $200. That is about Saturday Night Special prices with far better quality.

 

[Flechette]

I never heard of those cheapie pot metal guns until AFTER I got into firearms. I thought a Saturday Night Special was a 38 Special revolver..

"Saturday Night Special" was used to describe .38 snubbies in the 1970's. It was a derogatory term used by anti-gunners and often had a racist term thrown in as well (which I will not quote).

 

[Schwing]

Not all the cheapos out there are junk and not all of the "High End" manufacturers stuff is good either.

I am not going to go into naming brands because the last time I did it started a firestorm but... The worst piece of absolute crap I have ever owned was manufactured by one of the "Best" out there and I paid a premium for it. I also experienced the worst customer service I have ever had from the same company.

On the other hand, one of my favorite guns to shoot is my Hi Point 995 9mm and they had the absolute best customer service the one time I had an issue with it.

 

[Midwest]

I don't know, I guess my Hi Point .45 acp might be an exception. It has never jammed, it is an consistent shooter, fairly accurate and cost $159 brand new in mid 2012. It is also 100% American made and has a lifetime no questions asked warranty. I would not consider them to be in the same league as "Saturday Night Specials".
.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Not all the cheapos out there are junk and not all of the "High End" manufacturers stuff is good either.

I am not going to go into naming brands because the last time I did it started a firestorm but... The worst piece of absolute crap I have ever owned was manufactured by one of the "Best" out there and I paid a premium for it. I also experienced the worst customer service I have ever had from the same company.

On the other hand, one of my favorite guns to shoot is my Hi Point 995 9mm and they had the absolute best customer service the one time I had an issue with it.

They do have a good warranty and great customer service.

 

[Merle1]

High point are junk. I carry a TCP in .380.... Shoots fine and groups around 2" at 7 yards rapid fire. My .38 special is a Titanium light weight and also groups tight at 7 yards. These are defense guns and not target guns.But, you are correct that some are just plain junk.

Have you ever owned a Hi Point, or are you just repeating internet wisdom?

Just for the record, I don't own a HP pistol.

 

[fireman 9731]

A lot of people buy guns that know absolutely nothing about them. Uncle Teddy's neighbor got burglarized and he wants a gun for protection. He goes to a gun store and nearly has a coronary when he sees the average sticker price. Then he asked the salesman for something cheaper, he had no clue guns were that expensive. He never plans to shoot it, he wants to put it in his sock drawer and have it just in case. So he buys the cheapest option.

I disagree with it just as much as everybody else here, but unfortunately it happens all the time.

My grandfather carried a 25 auto Jennings for years, it had pearl grips and he thought it was just great. He didn't know anything different.

The highly informed percentage of gun buyers is a very small portion of the market.

 

[stchman]

The LGSs around here, most outright refuse to carry the cheapie guns. I asked why, and they said those guns attract the "wrong" clientele.

 

[OilyPablo]

Asinine comment about HiPoint shows pure ignorance on several people's posts. 4095 is NOT a bad gun. Wow. And pretty sure someone properly defined Saturday Night Special. Amazing.

 

[JSH1]

A lot of people buy guns that know absolutely nothing about them. Uncle Teddy's neighbor got burglarized and he wants a gun for protection. He goes to a gun store and nearly has a coronary when he sees the average sticker price. Then he asked the salesman for something cheaper, he had no clue guns were that expensive. He never plans to shoot it, he wants to put it in his sock drawer and have it just in case. So he buys the cheapest option.....

This is exactly right.

I inherited a H&R revolver in 32 S&W Long that had never been shot. It came with the original box of ammo. An uncle got a job as a security guard and needed a gun. He bought the cheapest thing he could find. Wore it on his hip at work for years then it went in the dresser drawer at home for the rest of his life. He never shot it.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

Why?
For the same reason people purchased Yugo's, or Chevettes, Nissan Versa's or the average used car. They need something, but they don't need a great something. To them money must be husbanded and 'good enough' is .... well.... good enough.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

I know why they buy cheap handguns. They don't know any better. I didn't either. When I decided to buy a handgun I relied on my very limited experience with them in the military. I fired exactly 7 rounds from a .45 in basic. Later on I carried one as a personal weapon when I was stuck with the M60 or M79 in the weeds. I never fired one again or even chambered a round. Fast forward 20 years and I decided I needed to be able to protect my family after reports of burglaries in the area. A .45 is a .45, right? Not so much. Money was tight so I bought an Auto Ordnance based on price and it was pissy from day 1. I finally resolved the issues (mag, feed ramp, extractor), and it's now my house gun as I trust it 100%. So, to make a gruesomely long story short, people buy a cheap gun because they don't know any better and think a gun is a gun.

 

[2bfree]

I inherited Dickson Commander from my dad. It is a true Saturday Night Special. It is really not a bad looking gun and the fit is fine. He was not a gun person at all, no I idea where he got it. I ran a box of 38's through it with no problems. It now sits in a hidden holster on my bed. I figured if I ever get robbed when not at home, if found it would be no biggie.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Hi Points are NOT junk.

Most people who actually OWN Hi Point pistols will tell you that they are typically very reliable. Something like a Hi Point .45 pistol would be an excellent home defense choice for someone with little money.

Believe it or not, but dropping $500 for a Glock 21 is a LOT of money for some people. A Hi Point .45 would protect them and their family JUST FINE for about $150 on the street. That way, they don't have to save up for nearly as long and not have a gun in the meantime.

 

[ilbob]

I would not put High Points in the "Saturday Night Special" category.

Everyone I have shot went boom every time I pulled the trigger and actual owners of them tend to rave about them, while a lot of people who do not own one and have never even shot one diss them.

A fair number of lower cost guns are surprisingly reliable. RG made some pretty decent 38 snubbies. They were double action but to reload them you had to remove the cylinder. H&R also made some that were pretty reliable, usually in some oddball caliber like .32 something. The Raven .25ACP was dirt cheap yet quite reliable.

None of them would probably stand up to thousands of rounds being fired through them, but the people that buy them probably will not fire them enough to wear them out.

 

[maxxhavoc]

I could see why folks would want them. I have a 995 Carbine, and it is fairly accurate, and ultra reliable. In short, it does everything a good gun should...even if it is ugly. Except take more than 10 rounds in a magazine.

At a local combat shoot, I was lucky enough to place first in a course of fire. Since it is "for fun" anyway the group I was in had a tradition. If you come in first, you shoot with a clunker the next round. So I was blessed with a 9mm HiPoint for the next round. I shot 8th out of 40 against mostly 1911's and CZ75's of one flavor or another. If the mags ejected more smoothly, I would have done better. If it ejected more smoothly and had HiCap magazines, I would have probably been in the top 5.

I still don't own one of their pistols, but I am thinking about getting one (I can get them used for $120 all day down here.) Just for those times when the guy next to me has more money than skill and starts one of those "public range rants" about how every gun that doesn't cost at least $1000 is junk.

I have $1000+ guns, but they aren't necessarily my favorites. The gun that sits beside my bed at night is my choice for firepower on the cheap...a S&W SD9VE.

 

[stchman]

Hi Points are NOT junk.

Most people who actually OWN Hi Point pistols will tell you that they are typically very reliable. Something like a Hi Point .45 pistol would be an excellent home defense choice for someone with little money.

Believe it or not, but dropping $500 for a Glock 21 is a LOT of money for some people. A Hi Point .45 would protect them and their family JUST FINE for about $150 on the street. That way, they don't have to save up for nearly as long and not have a gun in the meantime.

There are LOTS of guns under $500 that are good guns, the EAA 9mm pistols can be had for good prices, Taurus makes 9mm pistols for good prices.

Also 45ACP is not the only HD round. 9mm pistols are generally less expensive than 45ACP firearms. With proper JHP SD ammo, the 9mm is just as effective as a 45ACP SD round.

The Walther PPX in 9mm is another good candidate. One could peruse Armslist and buy a good low round count pistol for a substantial savings.

The point of this thread was that a decent SD pistol could be had for just a little bit more money that a pot metal gun that might blow up in your hand.

I understand that Hi Points are decent, but I still don't think I would trust my life to one.

 

[MachIVshooter]

"Saturday Night Special" was used to describe .38 snubbies in the 1970's. It was a derogatory term used by anti-gunners

This. It is important to understand the provenance of the term. During that era, one could buy an RG .22 or .38 revolver for under $50 brand new. They were poorly made, but worked well enough to get the job done, and were used in a lot of violent crimes that tended to occur in the wee hours of the weekend nights in urban areas (remember, violent crime in the '70s and 80's was far higher than now per capita). Hence the moniker.

The Jennings/Lorcin/Raven/etc guns are of similar quality, and priced even lower when inflation is accounted for. Adding to the poor reputation is that the manufacturers bankrupt and reincorporate when facing lawsuits (legitimate or frivolous), which helped earned them the "ring of fire" nickname.

The paradigms that held true 20 years ago, however, have had the lines blurred by manufacturers who put out much better products that still have coompetetive pricing. Kel-Tec, Diamondback, Taurus, EAA and others have done more to squash el cheapo gun companies than any amount of legislation or litigation ever could have. Why spend $150 on a POS Davis .380 when you can buy a decent quality, lifetime warranty gun from one of these other companies for another $100, perhaps even less. They're still cranking them out, but the popularity has waned, and the real criminals prefer to get their hands on something better.

Hi Points are another animal entirely, though. They are not in the same class as the Jennings/Lorcin/Davis/etc pocket guns. They're still cheap and cheaply made, but were properly engineered for what they are, and the company does stand behind their products. I can't stand them, but they do work if you don't mind a heavy, clunky gun that looks like it was made from recycled tractor parts.

 

[Captain O]

"Saturday Night Special" is an anti-freedom phrase used to refer to any concealable handgun. It is nothing more than a moniker used to separate the American people from their freedoms.

MachIVshooter is absolutely "spot on" with the sociocultural and historic perspective. These firearms served on both sides of the social divide, both good and bad. The guns may have been cheap, but served well when things "went south". Hi-Point firearms now fill that niche, and can 'take care of business' when 'the feces impacts the air motivator'.

It's all a matter of socioeconomic/sociocultural perspective. If the poor didn't have this option, they would fall prey to any piece of human detrius that took a notion to kill them for their belongings.

 

[Scott7891]

Like some have already said not everyone is rich nor are "gun people" so to speak. They don't revolve their life around guns nor have any interest. People say here and elsewhere that guns are tools. Well to these people a gun is a fire extinguisher, not a hammer or screw driver. A gun to them is something to use in an emergency not a lifestyle to live by. How many fire extinguisher aficionados do you know? None I would bet. Same thing applies here with these cheap handguns that us people of the gun would scoff at because we are dedicated to the lifestyle of gun ownership and we like it.

My grandparents were the same way but they didn't have any SNS's. Heck I only knew they had guns after they died so I could inherit them.