Are these the worst pistols ever made?

[Scott in NCal]

This changed my perspective on Taurus

 

[Zarr]

They would be good guns for your opponent to have in a "gun fight".

 

[Pointblank2U]

We saw a lot of Arminius "Titan Tiger" revolvers when I was on the job.

 

[6string]

The Rohm RG14 with 1.75" barrel was used by John Hinkley Jr. in his
failed attempt to assassinate President Reagan. He used .22 HPs called
"Devastators". Hinkley was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

"Hinkley was found not guilty by reason of insanity."

Yes, simply for his taste in guns, in addition to his actions.

 

[Bobbysixkiller]

I have one with pearl grips on it. It was my grandpas gun. Other then that it might shoot. I wouldn't though. It has beer can shims in front of the cylinder

 

[kpoesq369]

We always said RG stood for Rotten Gun.

 

[ExRanger714]

If those guns were so cheap and crappy why did a lot of cops I've known keep one, or one very similar to it, very clean, except for the bore which looked like a fired bore, in the trunk of their car for a back-up piece? These guns quite often had a fired case or two in the cylinder as well as live rounds but I never quite caught on why. I guess it was unreliable hammer-down-on-a-live-round technology.

 

[Drm50]

The cops were better off when punks had junk guns of mostly 22,25 and 32. Today's junk is more dangerous. The RG & Clerke revolvers make the Saturday night specials like H&R and IJ look like custom target guns.

 

[Buick]

"Hinkley was found not guilty by reason of insanity."

Yes, simply for his taste in guns, in addition to his actions.

Great taste in women however. Jody Foster. Hubba hubba!

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Never seen a Clerke. Looks like a cap gun!
Have seen the RGs. Junk for sure!

 

[TTSH]

So, what are your thoughts on these two Saturday Night Special examples?

Wait for a buy back program and get rid of them

This is the correct answer. Locally, Boston was paying as much as $200 for working handguns and quality wasn't a criteria.

 

[Sistema1927]

Worst ever made? If not, then they are certainly in the running.

 

[drgbike]

Heres my RG

Yes its a vented rib, just like a Python, almost similar, somewhat the same, almost quality. Its made of Zamac, a zinc alloy, with a steel, maybe, cylinder and a steel, here we are again, lined barrel. I did a trigger job on it and its pretty good, really! Inside is a zillion parts, which acts like a Rube Goldberg machine, Google it. I think it was 89.00 in the 80s. Its quite accurate, sight picture is good, with an adjustable screw adjustable slide and no elevation. You pull the cylinder pin forward to swing out cylinder. The cylinder is has a recessed rim to contain the enormous power of this cartridge. Cylinder gap is .005 and has a square wide target hammer, just like, I have no idea. The grips are modified Houge k frames, nothing but the best for this baby. I did have to fill in the top of the grip with brown Acraglass and drill a new screw hole, also filled in with Acraglass, I only use quality products otherwise it would diminish the total value package. So this is the total package that holds my high esteem. Triple lock, registered got nothing on this Baby. Ok now I have to go delude my self on my self esteem for writing this. And this only one of the many varied Quality arms I am holding instead of a 401k.
__________________

 

[Echo40]

Interesting that the Saturday Night Special term has faded into obscurity, assault weapons of war and ghost guns are the current rage.

It faded away along with the firearms the term was used to describe.

The Gun Control Act of 1968 import banned pretty much everything outside the United States that fit the term, and the American "Ring of Fire" companies which also produced cheap zinc diecast firearms sometimes referred to as Saturday Night Specials were systematically sued into oblivion, mostly because their guns were unsafe and ended up hurting people by going off unintentionally due to design defects or the cheap safeties breaking.

Some of them still technically exist like Phoenix Arms, but they've all started using industry standard alloys like ZAMAK and are careful that the guns they make are safe. However, their prices typically aren't much lower than bargain-priced firearms by major manufacturers, so they don't sell all that well, and criminals are either willing to spend a little bit more for something better or black market gun-runners don't bother to steal/sell them anymore.

According to the guys of Iraqveteran8888 on YouTube, the most common gun found in evidence lockers these days are Smith & Wesson Sigma Series firearms.

 

[pawncop]

Had a RG 10 years ago. Sucker was loud.

 

[sigp220.45]

If those guns were so cheap and crappy why did a lot of cops I've known keep one, or one very similar to it, very clean, except for the bore which looked like a fired bore, in the trunk of their car for a back-up piece? These guns quite often had a fired case or two in the cylinder as well as live rounds but I never quite caught on why. I guess it was unreliable hammer-down-on-a-live-round technology.

If they kept it in the trunk, it was for a throw-down piece. As in: Look, I told you he had a gun!

 

[jframejoey]

Called a ham sandwich in Boston.

 

[andyinlz]

I inherited a Clerke from my FIL.

Feels, in hand, like a cap gun.

Needs a bit of work, and it will then be set aside.....and, I will not shoot it.

Not because it is a perfect unfired example, but due to fear of what it may do to me!

 

[RobertJ.]

It's gotta barrel that's blue and cold. It ain't good for nuthin' but put a man six feet in a hole.

I have a friend (who's not a shooter), who thought the lyrics were, "It's got a barrel that's blue and gold"!

 

[ron 57]

I believe Sam Cooke was shot and killed with an RG10. Died wearing one shoe and a sport coat. I have one that I use blanks in to keep the barn cats away from the bird feeder.