Saturday night special



The phrase Saturday night special (SNS) is a colloquial term used in the United States and Canada for any inexpensive handgun, especially a mousegun/pocket pistol. Saturday night specials have been defined as compact, inexpensive, small-caliber handguns with perceived low-quality; however, there is no official definition of "Saturday night special" under US or Canadian federal law. Some states define "Saturday night specials" or "junk guns" by means of composition or materials strength. Low cost and high availability make these weapons attractive to many buyers despite their shortcomings. In the late-19th century and early-20th century, they were commonly referred to as suicide specials.