In defense of the Saturday Night Special

[deputy125]

I wrote this a long time back......
Thought i would share it.

In defense of the Saturday night special (or—how being laid up gets one to thinkin’)

Been laid up with a nasty upper respiratory infection. Nothing to do but watch the idiot box or read. Seems most of my buds around here know what I’d rather do and they brought me a collection of gun rags to help pass the time. Well after a time one gets to thinking about all the guns that a feller runs across over the years. From time to time the Saturday night special (SNS) kept coming into my mind and how many I’ve had the pleasure (or displeasure) to come across in working the streets over the years. Yep, it seems that guns such as the RG.22, Raven .25, Davis, Jennings/Bryco, Lorcin----they just kept popping into my mind over and over as the weapons used in a tremendous amount of shootings that I had worked. Even my most recent shooting involved one of those FIE .22 imports that everyone looks at and then will go and buy a Ruger instead. Heck a feller tried to kill me once with a Davis but he was a poor shot thank goodness.

Hmmm I said to myself, must be because they are cheap, small, and one could afford to throw one down to ditch the evidence. Lord knows that we had found plenty of these guns at shooting scenes and found a few thrown out on the side of the road before. Even some States are passing laws targeting the SNS in specific such as melting points of the metals, safety features, etc. Heck, the NRA and numerous other gun boards that have mentioned these bans by States never really voiced much concern about “melting points”. Seems that no one really gave a crap about the SNS and no one championed its right to exist. Even the most vocal 2A crowds have remained silent. After all, they are just really cheap trash guns that only criminals use right?

Then is dawned on me---boy am I a hypocrite. By what right do I have to judge an entire line of guns as worthless, a black eye to gun owners everywhere, and a scourge of the 2A? So I decided to cool my jets and really think about the guns and people that I’ve runned across over the years. Seems that stopping to think about it, quite a few of these shootings were self-defense and justified. A lot of these shootings were on the poor side of town. These Brycos and Davis guns that they had were not stolen guns either. They had gone to the local gun shops or pawn shops and had bought these guns because it is what they could afford.

Now I have been guilty of it. Swearing that I will never trust my life to a cheap inexpensive gun and holding a critical eye towards anyone who would own one or depend on one to save their skins. Then the other day, a well to do feller made a comment to me that amounted to the same---all because I use a Ruger p90 as my weapon instead of a kimber 1911. Seems his argument was specifically based on costs. Suddenly I was down in the valley while someone else was up in the ivory tower passing judgment………..

As my memory kept working on past SNS shootings, the same theme kept coming up again and again. The housing was poor, the neighborhood was poor, and the people were poor. Often times the folks were retired or semi-retired and living on a fixed income. They had little education but they had worked all their life and the vast majority of them were honest decent folks. Trouble is, they did not have the option to move away to a better area. By all observations, money was tight. It seems that the SNS is the only choice that they had for a self defense handgun. The BG’s? Seems that the predators were mostly young punks who often broke into homes to go after prescription drugs, tools, or anything that they could sell to promote their drug habit. And guess what else was stolen if no one was home???-yep the SNS would wind up getting stolen. Seems to me that everyone is always claiming the BG does not buy his gun he steals it. Your right, and the SNS therefore ends up in the BG’s hands and used in other crimes. Of course the news media blames the SNS instead of the bad guy. It’s much easier to hold up a $70.00 gun that on average no one in the gun community will defend, buy, or use and proclaim it as evil. Seems no one in the media wants to talk about revolving door justice, plea bargains, and slap on the wrists. (getting off track so I better back off).

So just what is really going on here? Where have I been in these arguments? Despite what the media might say, most leo’s recognize a person has a right to defend themselves and it actually is sort of a nice change of pace to run into someone who refuses to be a victim. Cut me and I thought I would bleed NRA blaze orange. But it seems that I have done the 2A a dis-service and all gun owners a dis-service in my bad-mouthing of the SNS in years past. For this I apologize. Will I run out and buy an RG revolver today? No, I won’t, but by the same token, I will recognize that the RG does have a purpose in the grand scheme of things and that one person’s red beans may be another person’s steak if you know what I mean.

The gun community is really a fractured community.
We have sportsman who are willing to throw out the ar-15 as they say it does not affect them.
We have the ar-15 crowd that call sportsman "Elmer Fudds".
We have in-line vs. traditional muzleloaders that is resulting in fights between owners in some states to the legality of hunting.

All in all, interesting debates one and all.

But lets remember what the 2A is about.
Its not about hunting.
Its not about target shooting.
And it sure is not about the costs or melting point of a gun!

It is about the RKBA.
The last time i checked, a person's pocket book did not qualify him to receive the 2A.
If we eliminate a whole cross section of guns due to their cost, are we then eliminateing a whole cross section of people being able to defend themselves?

[Pathfinder]

Very good, thoughtful post, there, Deputy. Welcome aboard.

[twyacht]

Thank you deputy, that was a great post. My -ex-wife , still has the Davis .380 I bought for a little less than $100 bucks 10 or so years ago.

We were just married and I wanted her to have something she could handle while I was working, but with a baby on the way it was all I could afford at the time.

We have all had a "taste" of those that dismiss a brand or price, the proof is in the performance. That damn Davis worked everytime.

Other brands may not, but the company has the chance to make it better, and I like the diversity and competition in gun manufacturers.

Welcome to DRTV.

[m25operator]

Thanks Deputy, and thanks for what you do , day in, day out.

The NRA opened my eyes many years ago, using the same arguments you bring now, an elderly person, on fixed income, and living in a declining neighborhood, that the person has lived there for 30 yrs,  paid off his or her house, and just wants to live out their final days in comfort are prime meat for BG'S, these people don't really want to own a gun, but understand, they need something to defend themselves with other than clubs, and hammers. This is where the firearms you describe come in, I would not want to defend my life with one, but if in these peoples shoes, I guess I would have to. Better than a sharp stick in the eye as the saying go's. If it go's bang once, that puts the BG on notice that we will not go quietly into that goodnight.

Thank you for your insight and comment.

[blackwolfe]

Well put.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

 The GCA 68 was sold as a way to get those evil old "cheap guns" those "Saturday night specials" off the streets and "reduce crime" Where have we heard that BS before. They even came up with a meaningless but catchy name for the "bad guns".
Fact is it was to dis arm Blacks, most were fairly low income back then, and could seldom afford a Colt Python or the latest S&W.
Then of course after busting ass all week and getting crapped on, they'd get liquored up on Saturday night and there would be fights, stabbings and shootings. Of course the Anti's KNEW it was not because a whole bunch of pissed off people were getting drunk, it was all the fault of those evil Saturday night specials. Their was another name used for them to, even on News interviews, but we can't use that word any more.
Sure did cut the crime though didn't it.

[ericire12]

Disenfranchisement...... Its a word that the left is quick to throw out there for any and all subjects..... except guns

[shooter32]

Great post Deputy!!

It really is about the RKBA.

[Kid Shelleen]

Great post Deputy.

When you take the time to say something, it's always worthwile. I just quoted your range report on the Sig 226 today.

When my Grandpa was about 80, living alone and on a fixed budget he bought a Raven .25. My grandfather was a lifelong hunter. He had a National Field Trial champion birddog. He raised Tennessee Walkers and he was an Auxilary Deputy. He had passed every gun that he owned down to me. I did not know this 'till I saw his Raven. I offered him his old .38 Special back. He wouldn't have it.

I was glad that he had that little Raven. He never needed or used it, but I know that it was a comfort to him. It went to my baby Sis when he passed on. It had never been fired. I doubt that it ever has been since. My Sis is a Methodist minister and she is now becoming a V.A. chaplain. She is a pistol packin' preacher. Just not that little .25