Joined the j frame club!

[Brett K]

Went to my LGS to pick up a .22 rifle for my daughter. Left with an extra item.
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[FasterTraffic]

You going to wear a fedora, drink cheap scotch, and call all women "dames" from now on?

[markids77]

Welcome. Nice gat there, and in excellent nick. Shoot it in good health.

[69camfrk]

Lemme guess, the Smith just jumped in your pocket before you left the store...:D It happens man...craziest thing ever!:lol: Nice score!

[WalkerInTN]

Guess we can call you Mr. Saturday Night Special. :seasix:

[Jeff '79]

I like my wife's better than she likes it.
They shoot really nice.
Looking forward to your range review. Your's looks cosmetically nice.
This is a perfect bedside gun for Liz. Point and shoot 5 times with .357 hollow points. :D
14374

Cool Annie Oakley style .22 you're daughter got there too. :seasix:

[6spdC6]

I have 3 J frames, 1 a .22 and two that are .38s. Great guns.

Enjoy yours!:cert:

[StaticCling]

I don't have any J frames, but I do love my K and L framed Smith Revolvers. :yesnod:

[markids77]

Guess we can call you Mr. Saturday Night Special. :seasix:

No, no and no yet again. That there is an American made, finely fitted, hand tuned tool that rates right up there with Korth or anyone else you wish to compare as a manufacturer. It is the polar opposite of "Saturday Night".

[Norm]

Carried this model (S&W Model 10) when I worked the streets in the 70's, of all the sidearms that I carried in my various careers, got my best qualifying scores with that gun. Been wanting to pick one up over the years, most were selling a tad too high, so I forgot about it, my armory has enough now (yeah I know, never enough).

So a few years back, a contractor was building a new home down the street, he stopped by to check out the garage. We started talking about weapons, and he asks......"You know anyone who wants to by an old Smith Model 10?"......

Duh....yeah! Built in the 60-70's, almost like new, fires great. $300 sold.

[Jeff '79]

Carried this model (S&W Model 10) when I worked the streets in the 70's, of all the sidearms that I carried in my various careers, got my best qualifying scores with that gun. Been wanting to pick one up over the years, most were selling a tad too high, so I forgot about it, my armory has enough now (yeah I know, never enough).

So a few years back, a contractor was building a new home down the street, he stopped by to check out the garage. We started talking about weapons, and he asks......"You know anyone who wants to by an old Smith Model 10?"......

Duh....yeah! Built in the 60-70's, almost like new, fires great. $300 sold.
Wow! What luck!
That thing looks pristine :seasix:

[6spdC6]

Carried this model (S&W Model 10) when I worked the streets in the 70's, of all the sidearms that I carried in my various careers, got my best qualifying scores with that gun. Been wanting to pick one up over the years, most were selling a tad too high, so I forgot about it, my armory has enough now (yeah I know, never enough).

So a few years back, a contractor was building a new home down the street, he stopped by to check out the garage. We started talking about weapons, and he asks......"You know anyone who wants to by an old Smith Model 10?"......

Duh....yeah! Built in the 60-70's, almost like new, fires great. $300 sold.

Nice gun, but its a K frame!

[Norm]

Nice gun, but its a K frame!

Thank you.

[Norm]

For those not up on the S&W frame sizes, a quick reference.

Smith (http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Smith%20&%20Wesson%20J,%20K,%20L%20and%20N-frame%20Comparisons.htm)

[WalkerInTN]

No, no and no yet again. That there is an American made, finely fitted, hand tuned tool that rates right up there with Korth or anyone else you wish to compare as a manufacturer. It is the polar opposite of "Saturday Night".

Don't get me wrong, I know S&W is a high quality maker. Just referring to the .38 snubnose small handle design that's easy to conceal. Commonly known as a Saturday Night Special. Who made it doesn't really change it's slang name. :island14:

[StaticCling]

Don't get me wrong, I know S&W is a high quality maker. Just referring to the .38 snubnose small handle design that's easy to conceal. Commonly known as a Saturday Night Special. Who made it doesn't really change it's slang name. :island14:

No Again. NO.NO.NO

No Smith & Wesson product, EVER, could be considered a Saturday Night Special.

The term itself is attributed to cheap, throw away guns, most often small semi automatic pocket pistols (aka Mouseguns). They were pot metal, and manufactured by Lorcin, Bryco, Jennings and Raven, along with a few others. Those brands were also considered "Ring of Fire" Pistols in reference to where they were manufactured. (Mostly in Southern California in the 60's, 70's and 80's)

I believe Rohm (German Manufacturer of poorly made revolvers) were considered by most to be "Saturday Night Specials" as well.

As far as modern Saturday Nigh Specials, Phoenix and I believe Jiminez (formerly Bryco) is still in business. You could probably consider Hi-Point a Saturday Night Special, but I consider it more of a boat anchor.

[StaticCling]

Carried this model (S&W Model 10) when I worked the streets in the 70's, of all the sidearms that I carried in my various careers, got my best qualifying scores with that gun. Been wanting to pick one up over the years, most were selling a tad too high, so I forgot about it, my armory has enough now (yeah I know, never enough).

So a few years back, a contractor was building a new home down the street, he stopped by to check out the garage. We started talking about weapons, and he asks......"You know anyone who wants to by an old Smith Model 10?"......

Duh....yeah! Built in the 60-70's, almost like new, fires great. $300 sold.

Nice piece! I have a model 64-3, which is basically a Stainless Model 10. Mine was a former Metro DC PD gun. It didn't see much use either. I didn't give much for mine either, $300 maybe? Been awhile.

[markids77]

Don't get me wrong, I know S&W is a high quality maker. Just referring to the .38 snubnose small handle design that's easy to conceal. Commonly known as a Saturday Night Special. Who made it doesn't really change it's slang name. :island14:

I also have to say you are incorrect in including Smith and Wesson, Colt's Patent and Ruger firearms as "Saturday Night" guns. Yes, the small frame short barrel guns are a part of the genre, but quality metallurgy and manufacture were definitely not part of the equation. Zinc and other non-ferrous metals are part and parcel of Saturday guns along with plastic or thermoset grips. No major US manufacturer I am aware of (besides perhaps H&R who might have made Saturday Night Specials themselves) falls into that category. So yes, who made it really does change its slang name.

[markids77]

And to Ski... Rohm manufactured guns are definitely Saturday nightish but I find their quality control and assembly to be a step above firms like Davis Industries and Lorcin. I own a couple Rohms and actually would use them as defensive weapons if nothing "better" were available to me.

[WalkerInTN]

Once again for those that seem to have reading comprehension issues, my comment refers to the style of gun, not the quality.

Growing up in LA in the 70's, a Saturday Night Special many of the gang members carried was a snub nose .38 small handle revolver. Period. Not any type of semi auto pistol.

Didn't realize I was going to get some serious gun collectors panties in a twist. :island14:

Guess I should have just said, Great quality gun! Light & easy to conceal. :cert:

[6spdC6]

Once again for those that seem to have reading comprehension issues, my comment refers to the style of gun, not the quality.

Growing up in LA in the 70's, a Saturday Night Special many of the gang members carried was a snub nose .38 small handle revolver. Period. Not any type of semi auto pistol.

Didn't realize I was going to get some serious gun collectors panties in a twist. :island14:

Guess I should have just said, Great quality gun! Light & easy to conceal. :cert:

A apt description of a decent gun.

[StaticCling]

And to Ski... Rohm manufactured guns are definitely Saturday nightish but I find their quality control and assembly to be a step above firms like Davis Industries and Lorcin. I own a couple Rohms and actually would use them as defensive weapons if nothing "better" were available to me.

Interesting, good to know. I actually had a Raven back in the day. I ended up selling it for more than I paid for it. It was in 25ACP and actually functioned flawlessly, surprisingly enough. My sister had a Jennings 22LR way back when that was a major POS.

The owner of one of the gun stores I frequent told me that he used to give Ravens/Jennings pistols as stocking stuffers...they would go on sale for like 30 bucks. :Jeff '79:

[StaticCling]

Once again for those that seem to have reading comprehension issues, my comment refers to the style of gun, not the quality.

Growing up in LA in the 70's, a Saturday Night Special many of the gang members carried was a snub nose .38 small handle revolver. Period. Not any type of semi auto pistol.

Didn't realize I was going to get some serious gun collectors panties in a twist. :island14:

Guess I should have just said, Great quality gun! Light & easy to conceal. :cert:

Saturday night special - Wikipedia

[VITE1]

I gave my Daughter one of these just recently.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/My_.38_SPL_S_%26_W_model_12-2_%285%29.jpg

[mrvette]

I wouldn't say I have huge hands, but fairly large, so all my pistols were decent size, played around with smaller frames, and they just flat clumsy to me, pull the trigger and the gun slides around in my grip.....

most all my guns were Smiths.....as part of my job in that security company, I went to both Colt and S&W factories up in New England had the head of security at Colt send me (ffl dealer of course) involved one of the Buntlines with the foot long barrel they were making.....600 bux as I recall.....45 long Colt of course....

Smith wasn't making much I wanted, as I already had most of their product line of any interest to me by then....

Some collectors used to say 'Never been fired' as if it was a standard or something....that was total bullshit, as every gun Colt and Smith made was test fired at least one mag worth of full tilt ammo and sometimes light loads too, before they left the factory....test rooms sounded like a war going on...1/2 dzn guys who did nothing all day long but shoot pistols....

I never did see the .mil production lines.....in another section of the plant at Colt......

I LOVED my Smith .44mags....talk about fun shooting.....8 3/8 nickel, 10 5/8

the only thing they concerned about employee theft of was of course the framed, they figgered the small part, that included cylinders and slides, strangely enough were free......but FRAMES with the serial numbers were of course carefully screened for.....and any FRAME was carefully watched over as having a S# stamped into it soon as made, guards watching the operation so NO frames escaped the plant without S# on it, hell or high water.....
Company I with made walk through metal detectors, like at airports....

back in the daze the only effective screening was with what the industry called magnetometers ours were pulse field......and funny as it seems, it was an industry secret at the time.....pulse field metal detectors will not see STAINLESS STEEL of the quality necessary for fire arms that is.....take a .44 mag STAINLESS through any airport metal detector.....

not today however, that little loop hole was closed some years ago...

The above was the shituation in the early 80's .....

:issues:

[WalkerInTN]

Saturday night special - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_night_special)

I'm glad the internet & Wikipedia could come along decades after what I'd learned firsthand was a Saturday Night Special. :cert:

[Jeff '79]

I also have to say you are incorrect in including Smith and Wesson, Colt's Patent and Ruger firearms as "Saturday Night" guns. Yes, the small frame short barrel guns are a part of the genre, but quality metallurgy and manufacture were definitely not part of the equation. Zinc and other non-ferrous metals are part and parcel of Saturday guns along with plastic or thermoset grips. No major US manufacturer I am aware of (besides perhaps H&R who might have made Saturday Night Specials themselves) falls into that category. So yes, who made it really does change its slang name.

Once again for those that seem to have reading comprehension issues, my comment refers to the style of gun, not the quality.

Growing up in LA in the 70's, a Saturday Night Special many of the gang members carried was a snub nose .38 small handle revolver. Period. Not any type of semi auto pistol.

Didn't realize I was going to get some serious gun collectors panties in a twist. :island14:

Guess I should have just said, Great quality gun! Light & easy to conceal. :cert:

Let's settle this with a duel. :lol:

[StaticCling]

I'm glad the internet & Wikipedia could come along decades after what I'd learned firsthand was a Saturday Night Special. :cert:

What you learned first hand was wrong. :hide:

[6spdC6]

I'm glad the internet & Wikipedia could come along decades after what I'd learned firsthand was a Saturday Night Special. :cert:

You keep harping on this WRONG statement of yours.

For the record I have been a gun buff all my life, A 50 year NRA life and Patron member a long time firearms instructor and range officer and you learned wrong PERIOD!

[StaticCling]

Speaking of Saturday Night Guns, AMT (Arcadia Machine and Tool) showed up on that Wiki article.

I always though AMT was actually fairly decent quality. I know that their QC was hit and miss, but they made a few pistols that are kind of cool. Like the AMT Hardballer and some of those 22 and 30 Carbine Automag pistols were kind of neat. Friend of my dad's used to carry an AMT Backup in .380.

I guess you could put them in the same arena as something like Charter Arms maybe?

[WalkerInTN]

You keep harping on this WRONG statement of yours.

For the record I have been a gun buff all my life, A 50 year NRA life and Patron member a long time firearms instructor and range officer and you learned wrong PERIOD!

Goody for you. I'm happy to give you the opportunity to tout your age. :seasix:

I guess I did learn wrong. Gangs in LA probably aren't the best learning experience. Neither were many 70's TV shows. :slap:

If it makes you guys feel better, I'll never refer to ANY gun ever made as a Saturday night special ever again in life. Not even the cheapest POS made. Happy now? :island14:

[6spdC6]

Goody for you. I'm happy to give you the opportunity to tout your age. :seasix:

I guess I did learn wrong. Gangs in LA probably aren't the best learning experience. Neither were many 70's TV shows. :slap:

If it makes you guys feel better, I'll never refer to ANY gun ever made as a Saturday night special ever again in life. Not even the cheapest POS made. Happy now? :island14:

Yes, anytime people can have a civil debate on a subject I consider that good!--:cert:

[StaticCling]

Goody for you. I'm happy to give you the opportunity to tout your age. :seasix:

I guess I did learn wrong. Gangs in LA probably aren't the best learning experience. Neither were many 70's TV shows. :slap:

If it makes you guys feel better, I'll never refer to ANY gun ever made as a Saturday night special ever again in life. Not even the cheapest POS made. Happy now? :island14:

Come on now, don't have to be upset about this.

I get it, people probably did call any snub nose or pocket pistol a Saturday Night Special back in the day. Probably just more in passing and what not.

Technically though, the term is attributed to junk pot metal guns that were cheap to manufacture, and affordable for your average thug. I mean, who is going to go rob a convenience store with an engraved Colt Single Action? Unless it was stolen that is...

No hard feelings man. :)

[WalkerInTN]

Come on now, don't have to be upset about this.

I get it, people probably did call any snub nose or pocket pistol a Saturday Night Special back in the day. Probably just more in passing and what not.

Technically though, the term is attributed to junk pot metal guns that were cheap to manufacture, and affordable for your average thug. I mean, who is going to go rob a convenience store with an engraved Colt Single Action? Unless it was stolen that is...

No hard feelings man. :)

I'd have to say that most guns criminals use weren't purchased by them legally. The J frame in the OP definitely fits the look. And a criminal likely doesn't care who made it, just that it works.

And pretty much any TV show from the 70's that used that term always seemed to show a gun that looks just like the one in the OP.

Even used one in the famous Godfather restaurant murder scene when Michael Corleone kills the cop & gangster, then drops it on the floor.

No hard feelings here either. :cert:

[WalkerInTN]

Yes, anytime people can have a civil debate on a subject I consider that good!--:cert:

I do too. Had to look up what a Patron member was though. Saw that & thought, I've got a couple bottles of that myself. :lol:

[Norm]

One of the first "Saturday night specials"


Colt Model 1861 Navy reproduction:

19th century laws restricting handguns to the Army and Navy pistol were the first "Saturday night special" bans.

[markids77]

One of the first "Saturday night specials"


Colt Model 1861 Navy reproduction:

19th century laws restricting handguns to the Army and Navy pistol were the first "Saturday night special" bans.

I don't understand. Whose guns got banned? Please explain.

[Norm]

I don't understand. Whose guns got banned? Please explain.

From wikipedia:

The earliest law prohibiting inexpensive handguns was 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.[20] These were large pistols in .36 caliber ("navy") or .44 caliber ("army"), and were the military issue cap and ball black-powder revolvers used during the Civil War by both Union and Confederate ground troops. The effect of the law was to restrict handgun possession to the upper economic classes.[21]

The next major 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 Röhm. The act also had the effect of banning the import of high quality pocket pistols such as the Browning 1910 and the Walther PPK, which were very popular among police officers as backup guns, since police use was not a "sporting purpose" and the backup guns failed the points system on basis of size.[citation needed]

The Gun Control Act had other consequences. The original Glock models imported from Austria, and later adopted by many US police departments, had to be equipped with fragile adjustable sights to gain enough points to be imported as "target pistols"; these were replaced by Glock in the US with the original rugged fixed sight, thus creating the original unimportable configuration desired for police service use.[22] All compact models have "target grips" in the form of finger grooves molded into the plastic, and, until it was produced domestically, Glock's model G42 .380 ACP model was not available for import to the US due to its inability to make the required number of points for import. The other two Glocks model in .380 the G25 and the G28 still only available to law enforcement [23]

Most 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.[24] However, demand for quality compact handguns or police service pistols beyond the capacity of domestic manufacture led either to domestic manufacture of guns banned from import (Interarms began making the Walther PPK) or to establishment of US factories by foreign makers such as Beretta.

The demand for inexpensive handguns still existed and a number of new companies were formed to fill that 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. As a result, legislation against "junk guns" subsequently targeted the zinc frames used in construction by specifying a melting point. This backfired when police departments began adopting polymer framed guns such as those made by every major firearms manufacturer (with the exception of Colt), 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), or low-cost manufacturing techniques (e.g., density requirements that specifically ban inexpensive powder cast metals),[25] 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.[citation needed]

Law enforcement is also specifically exempted from these bans and regulations.

Saturday night special - Wikipedia