Are these the worst pistols ever made?

[nutsforsmiths]

I was given a bunch of pistols and pistol parts by a friend of mine a few months ago. He used to run a pawn shop that closed in 2007, and he had a bunch of pistols after closing that needed parts for them to be functional. In the grpup were these two pieces of junk. They were complete pistols and function fine.

The top one is an RG 23 in 22LR. The bottom is a Clerke 1st in 32 S&W.

I knew that Clerke made starter pistols, but had no idea they actually made this thing. Reading up on it I found that it sold new in 1973 for $15.00! I have to say that it is the WORST pistol I have ever handled. I don't think I will even shoot it it's so bad. Pot metal frame of course. Only steel parts are the cylinder, barrel liner and some of the internal parts. I have read you might be able to shoot 100 rounds through it before the firing pin either breaks of gets worn out.

The RG 23 is a step above the Clerke! It is one of the later ones made in the early 80s when RG started assembling them in the U.S., not one of the original German imports that came in before the 1968 gun contol act made them illegal to import. I actually took this one to the range a few weeks ago and it worked fine, but I don't think it has a long service life. Pot metal frame with steel cylinder and barrel. Interesting way to add a top strap to the barrel. This one is a step up from the RG 10 or 14, which I have handeled each of those and they are dangerous to say the least.

Fit and finish on both pistols leave a lot to be desired to say the least!

Not shown here is the Bryco Jennings 9 that also came with the group. Next to these two pistols, the Bryco seems like a well made pistol!

So, what are your thoughts on these two Saturday Night Special examples? What do you think is the worst modern pistol ever made? For me, it is hands down the Clerke 1st. Thank goodness Clerke didn't make a 2nd!

 

[federali]

These are your Saturday night specials

 

[clang444]

Wait for a buy back program and get rid of them

 

[DWalt]

The Clerkes were made somewhat like cap guns and certainly look like cap guns. But apparently they filled the need for a cheap gun. No question that they were far better than throwing rocks. This goes way back, but I did once fire a box of ammo through one of them owned by a friend, I don't remember any difficulties. I think they may also have been made in .32.

I haven't seen one for a very long time.

 

[Old_Cop]

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

 

[crazyphil]

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.

 

[sigp220.45]

I would have voted for the Davis Derringer with the 20 pound trigger pull until you reminded me of these. I agree - worst guns ever.

 

[mdf9183]

I ran across a lot of them in my days as an LEO.

 

[JayFramer]

Family used to have an RG22.

Proof that not EVERYTHING made in Germany is good. That gun was a JOKE. Not even safe to shoot. Since destroyed on a bench grinder and thrown in the garbage where it belongs.

 

[Echo40]

The worst pistol of modern manufacture would probably be the Gen 1 Remington R51, considering that it might fire once before it locks up, and if not then there's a good chance that the second shot will go off out of battery.

At least an RG can get through an entire cylinder without locking up or a KABOOM.

Granted that the Gen 2 R51 has seemingly corrected these issues, but still, if we can consider a Clerke from 1973 or an RG from the early 80s as modern, then we can most certainly call the Gen 1 R51 circa 2014 modern as well.

 

[Farmer17]

I would have voted for the Davis Derringer with the 20 pound trigger pull until you reminded me of these. I agree - worst guns ever.

I got a Davis chrome .32 derringer for $39.95, I didn't have much money on me and if I can go in a gun store and walk out with a new gun I've had a good day so I grabbed it. If I was lucky I could hit a pie plate at 20 feet, I think one barrel shot low and the other shot high but at 15 feet I could hit it every time and it was perfectly reliable, not much to go wrong. It would fit up a sleeve or in small places no .380 could go and I carried it in my van under the removable ash tray. I would buy another one for 40 bucks

 

[Capt. F.]

Maybe they just need to be spruced up a bit with some hand engraving and a set of Keith Brown’s masterpiece stocks.

 

[199]

Interesting that the Saturday Night Special term has faded into obscurity, ...

Sorta like "zip guns" - which IIRC were sometimes made with those old hollow car radio antennas.

 

[ContinentalOp]

It would fit up a sleeve or in small places no .380 could go

 

[Gene L]

I remember when the first of those cheap .22s appeared in my general store. This was about 1960, and I believe were $15 and I could have bought one if I'd had the money back then, and I was 15 YOA. Never wanted one, anyway.

 

[Eric300]

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.

I just happen to have an old box of those that have been laying around for years. They are a HP but have some type of explosive 'primer' in the HP cavity.

 

[Eric300]

These are your Saturday night specials

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

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_5xVNlq9cM[/ame]

 

[bulletslap]

Those two could be a good start on a collection of “Worst Guns”, if one were so inclined. I will say a Clerke is about the worst *** I have ever handled.

 

[OLDSTER]

Remember John Hinkley ?? He darn near took out the US Gov't using one of those ( A Rohem RG 14) in .22 cal.

 

[Barbarian-CBX]

Don't forget the RG10, 22 Short. Junk gun and not the most powerful caliber in the world.