Saturday night special is a colloquial term in the United States and Canada for inexpensive, compact, small-caliber handguns made of poor quality metal. Sometimes known as junk guns, some states define these guns by means of composition or material strength. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, they were commonly referred to as suicide specials.
The Röhm RG-14 is commonly considered a Saturday night special.
The MP-25 was made by Raven Arms, which has been referred to as the first of the "Ring of Fire" companies, those known for producing inexpensive handguns.
Colt M1861 Navy (foreground) and Colt Army Model 1860 (background). 19th-century laws restricting handguns to the Army and Navy pistol were the first "Saturday night special" bans.
Röhm RG-66, an example of an inexpensive "Saturday night special" banned from import by the Gun Control Act of 1968
Röhm Gesellschaft, often referred to as RG, is a German brand of firearms and related shooting equipment. RG developed as a diversification of Röhm GmbH in the 1950s. After 1968, RG Industries was established as a US division in Miami and operated until 1986. In 2010, the RG brand was acquired by Umarex GmbH & Co. KG. Röhm's RG-14 handgun, used in an assassination attempt on then US President Ronald Reagan, was referred to in 1981 as a Saturday night special, a cheaply manufactured firearm of perceived low quality, believed at the time to be favored by criminals.
Röhm RG-14, used in the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan in 1981. On display at the US Secret Services' restricted-access museum, 2022
