Saturday night specials are cheap, small-caliber handguns that can be easily concealed. They are often made of cheap materials and have low reliability. The term was first used in 1968 and is intended to be disparaging. Some people argue that they pose a risk to law enforcement and should be banned, while others believe they are accessible to low-income people who want personal protection.
A so-called Saturday night special is an inexpensive small-caliber handgun that can be easily concealed. Numerous gun manufacturers produce guns that could be considered Saturday night specials. The precise definition of this type of gun can vary; most people associate Saturday night specials with cheap materials and low reliability. Some people have suggested that because these guns can be easily obtained, they pose a risk to law enforcement, as even low-income criminals can afford Saturday night specials.
The term appears to have arisen in 1968, when a New York Times reporter first used it in an article, although it may have been used before this time in spoken language. The slang term “Saturday night” in reference to revelry and mischief in general is quite ancient, dating back to around the mid-nineteenth century. When “Saturday Night Special” was first used, it was intended to be disparaging, repelling the cheap wares of cheap gun makers.
As a general rule, a Saturday night special is very small, making it easy to hide in a purse, boot, or pocket. Many manufacturers make these guns out of cheap materials, some of which can actually pose a hazard, because they could fail when the gun is in use. Many regions of the world have strict laws on things like the melting point of the metal used in weapons to avoid catastrophic failures that could be dangerous or even fatal; some of these laws are specifically designed to address cheap guns like Saturday night specials.
The small caliber of these weapons makes them effective for self-defense weapons, and some people also use them as a backup weapon, especially in close quarters combat. Some law enforcement agencies also use the term “Saturday night special” to refer to an improvised weapon, with the implication that it could be assembled over the course of a weekend. Improvised weapons are especially dangerous, as they could be made from less than ideal materials that could cause serious injury to both the bearer and the victim.
Supporters of the Saturday night special point out that there are many legitimate uses for such weapons and that their low cost makes them accessible to low-income people who may want personal protection, especially if they live in dangerous neighborhoods. Critics argue that the low cost of most Saturday night specials makes them highly attractive to criminals, suggesting that crime rates could be reduced if such weapons were banned. They also criticize the reliability of these weapons, because a gun with an exploding barrel, for example, is of no use to anyone.
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