my dad gave this this same raven mp 25 on my bday 6 or 7 years back and i fire it often, ive never had a jam and have found zero things to complain about, i have guns like the beretta 92 and glock .45 and i rely on the raven just as much as i would my glock
I have had this for over three years, it was my first concealed carry gun. I now carry the SW bodyguard 380. This is a sweet shooter and have never had a problem with it.
@NeverEnuffAmmo Yeah I have the gamo big cat 1200 fps. By the way I am looking to get into the sport. What would be a good pistol or rifle for about 250.
@ethanissocool Well u can't go wrong with a Mosin Nagant, for $250 u can get the rifle and 500 rounds of ammo. As far as pistols I'd just look around for good deals on used pistols either at your local shop or gunshows.
I just got one, came with 7 rounds. I just got back from shooting it. Was worth the $ 110 I payed. It's like new with the box and papers. I'm going to use it as a backup in case my 45 jams.
My dad has one it was in pieces for most of the early 80's in a box, about five years ago he repaired it,firing pin, extractor spring and a couple screws that went missing over the years cheap parts shipping cost more then the parts it's heavy little thing Crome plated with a plastic pearl grip cool little gun but I would never use it for a back up
I don't think that "Jennings" designed this.. Is more likely that one of his former importers gave him patent for producing copies of their guns.. Just making things clear..! This is a copy too of some European German or Czech pistol small pocket pistol..
@PanHustej Well I can only tell u what the information out there says, and from Jennings and many other people out there, including manufacturers and gun historians, Jennings designed this gun, so if he copied it from someone else then nobody is stepping up to claim that he stole their design or even bought the rights to make a copy or even similar pistol
@twoule Yeah, it just depends on the the mag setup & spring setup on the slidelock, usually the less expensive .22's do not lock back on the last round
i just bought this gun today. it was 60 bucks and a little dirty. the gun is pretty cool and i cant wait to try it out!!! of course i fully disassembled it and cleaned it well
@36000408 You mean the Phoenix Arms pistols right? Thats the new name of the company now, they don't go by Raven anymore. Yes those are good pistols, I have one in .22 and it's a great little pistol
@StayingPreppedRu In November 1991, a fire destroyed the Raven Arms factory. Jennings retired and sold Raven Arms designs to Phoenix Arms. The one in the video has the Raven Arms branding not Phoenix Arms.
@TeamRmageddonNetwork Sorry I'm a dumbass, I thought this was the .22 vid u were commenting on ...... lol. Sorry bro, need to pay more attention next time. Don't worry about dryfiring it, thats how u practice trigger control.
@Gungeek I had an old Jennings that literaly flew apart when I fired it. The retention pin in the rear had broken and when the slide went back after the shot, it flew off along with the barrel ...... damn near killed myself ..... lol
Matt picking up the gun tonight AND will have a vid for 2morrow! ;) one ? though....is the safety reliable? Like would it be ok or would you carry 1 in the chamber? I heard the safety sux for these. Thanks
@Peidmonte89 The safety works, it does what it's supposed to do, but it is kind of a cheap safety. If u have a solid holster then I wouldn't worry about it, but if it going to be somewhere where the safety could get bumped or the tragger isn't covered then I wouldn't carry one in the chamber.
Actually the triger on a brand new Raven looks the same as yours. It's just the metal that was used for the triger. I have seen 26 of these Brand New ( NIB ) never fired and they all have the same used triger as yours just thought I'd inform you.
No RG was the Original Saturday Night Special......Rohm RG 24 .22 R.F. Revolver...The Little Raven is still made today by Phoenix Arms. The raven is what it is. Zinc castings with steel inserts.......Not everyone can afford a $300.00-400.00 Pistol for Self Defense......
@GreasyStool The term "S.N.S." was popularized in the late 60's and early 70's when after laws were passed to prevent the importation of inexpensive handguns & in the 60's George Jennings designed an inexpensive handgun to sell from his own gun store when he could no longer sell the guns customers wanted. He then opened up Raven Arms for manufacture the pistols. So while the term "S.N.S." did show limited use among law enforcement it was Raven that brought the term to the mainstream.
@GreasyStool The earliest known use of the term "Saturday night special" in print is in the Aug 17, 1968 issue of the New York Times. In a front-page article titled Handgun Imports Held Up by U.S, author Fred Graham wrote, "... cheap, small-caliber 'Saturday night specials' that are a favorite of holdup men..."
This was well after George Jennings had designed and begun selling his "cheap" handgun and had created Raven Arms.
You should do a thing about the .25 auto round and the first automactic pistols made. Colt and Browning put out blackpower automatic pistols for ten years. That's an interesting fact.
@NeverEnuffAmmo hey man I just need the black piece of wood 2:20 I have not .. that problems have with the gun if I need that piece? the black who heads the trigger does not run into each other going and wanted to know if that piece of black wood helps the other black piece that directs the trigger?
saturday night special original? Are you proud of that name? also called jam-omatic, little piece of crap, i was shot twice with it and just bounce at me
@omarmoon88 Yup, damn proud, this thing is over 30 years old, with a few thousand rounds through it, and it's never had a problem. Saturday Night Special didn't used to be a term for a "Jam o matic" it gained that reputation from companies like Jimenez, bryco, cobra and others. Raven was the original company that actuall made quality american firearms cheap enuff for people to afford after importation was banned of inexpensive firearms back in the 60's.
I bought one of these back in 1979,it cost me $50 with a holster and a box of rounds.You are correct it is expensive for just shooting at your local range,but as it was stated in the video it is a back-up piece,not for regular range shooting.Basicly it is for up close in-fighting for protection.It does the job,I had mine for 5 years and i sold it for what I paid for it,I never had a problem with it.
I have one of these that have some notable differences. Grip is brown wood. Safety switch goes forward and back not up and down. Clip has no factory markings. Perhaps not original clip.
@100100911 These guns were made over the course of about 12 years and while the basics stayed the same they did make minor changes throughout its run.
@123dukesfan If your going to get something to have fun with get a .22lr caliber pistol, the .25 acp is much more expensive to shoot and isn't as good of a round balistically speaking. You can get a box of 300 rounds of .22 long rifle for around $10 to $13 bucks, but a box of 50 rounds of .25 acp run around $15 bucks, so the gun is too expensive to shoot for fun.
@e1ghtys1x Yeah .25 acp is an underpowered cartride even for its size, it's fun, and could be used as a last resort, but personally I'd rather have a .22 lr
My ex-mother in law had one of these. I think they paid about $80 for it. She carried in her purse for years and never shot it once. Thank God! I took her to the range once and when the slide came back it cut her hand. She freaked out and dropped the gun and the slug bounced off the walls of the range. Everyone hit the floor and I am just thankfully they still let me come in there after that. I'm glad for any bystanders that she never had to use it to defend herself.
I have a pair of these ravens,,love them, so much so that i have added .25acp to my reloading setup,, I can shoot mine for about half the cost of buying ammo, theres a guy in jersy that has almost any parts you would ever need!
Cost the same as anything else these days...except 22LR. Just curious, if his son-in-law was of the Jennings group, (which, by the way I have a J22 and it is a blast along with this Raven) -- how would he have the same name--he would'nt have taken on his wife's maiden name?
Funny story--Was at a gun show today and these two punks were looking in the case and one got all starry-eyed on this Nickel wood grip 25. His eyes glossed over and he said "that's what I want"
The term Saturday Night Special has been used since the 60's and was mainly implied to cheap revolvers like the H&R 32 cal. The small cheap autos picked up the name later on in the 80's.
i should have got my grandmother's but no one knows what happened to it i think i just posted this on another video i made a mistake though she bought it brand new in 1970 think i said 68 on the other one anyway it has the original box, if i remember right it was under the100th one made and never fired
Wow, thanks for the info. I just got one from a friend of mines dad for $50 and was hoping it wasn't crap. And I had no idea it was the original "Saturday Night Special". Great vid.
@bigstabby Cool bro, glad the vid was useful to ya. They're great little pistols, and $50 bucks is a great price, clean it up real good before u shoot it, alot of people never cleaned those older Raven arms pistols. Take care bro!!
@EastSiiD3r914503 I own one and I'm no gangster or anything like you might be, but from what I've seen, you could probably dole out some harshness with it. Granted it is only a 25 cal. But hey, it's no bb gun.lol Must be hard out there in your hood or something, so stay safe! Badass little pistol.
@NeverEnuffAmmo dude, the Cobra c32 and c380 it looks completely identical. How good would you say they are? I have a Cobra derringer and it aint too bad for the money!
@Peidmonte89 One thing u need to understand about Cobra is they use the same materials as Raven or Phoenix (its called ZaMAK, u can google it) and the problem comes into play when u take a material that works well for .22 or .25acp pistols (like the Raven or Phoenix) and make a .32, .380 or 9mm pistol out of it. The material may not be able to handle the pressures from those cartridges, and that's why some of the brands like Cobra, Bryco, Jennings & Jimmenez have a bad reputation ....... tbc
@Peidmonte89 ........ all that being said, if u decide to pick one up, I wouldn't pay more than $120 total for one, they just aren't worth more than that, now as for the Derringer those are actually made very well with quality materials, and Cobra has made a good popular product in those.
@Fordfanforlife777 A "Saturday Night Special" is a term that started in the early 70's that refered to an inexpensive and/or cheaply manufactured pistol that is easy to get ahold of & were popular during the 70's for criminals to use to commit crimes then throw away. A S&W is a high quality moderately to high priced pistol manufacturer that doesn't fit the description of what the term refered to. The Raven Arms pistols were some of the original pistols refered to by that name by Law Enforcement
@Fordfanforlife777 No it's not just used by law enforcement, but I believe (although I could always be off a little) that it gained popularity as a term because of police using the term to refer to cheap pistols found at crime scenes (usually on busy Saturday nights) that had simply been thrown away to avoid it being found on the criminal, usually with a handle wrapped in tape to keep finger prints from sticking (not something that would work with today's technology).
Great video man I have 10 guns including a Raven MP25 with a sliding bar safety and a black Phoenix HP22a and I love them both every bit as much as my high dollar guns. Both are very durable and perform extremely well. Over two thousand rounds through the Phoenix and close to twelve hundred through the Raven (had it for a lot longer) and they're still working great. Anyways just wanted to say thanks for speaking the truth and not just bashing these little guns.
@Kiln223 Hey no problem, they're great little guns, never had any issues with this one, and I have a HP22 that has close to 3000 rounds through it now, and not so much as a single FTF or FTE no matter what kind of ammo I've put through it. Thanks for watchin bro!!
@cadeMFjohnson Yeah I've heard some people tell me horror stories about their Hi-Points, never had a problem with the one I had, other than it was ugly as hell, and embaressing to take to the range, so I sold it .... lol
@texasriot They use .25 acp centerfire ammunition, u should be able to find it at just about any gun shop or sporting goods store. It's not cheap, probably around $17 to $20 for a box of 50 rounds (although u can sometimes find some good deals) it's more expensive because it's not a common caliber, .25 pistols aren't manufactured much anymore.
@WiccaIsGood i found a company that sells magazines for this gun and the also sell an extended mag with a pinky finger rest on it so its no so hard to hold onto while avoiding the slide bite when you have big peter beaters like me. go to google and search andean-inc
great review. you should update it though, as i believe they are still being manufactured but under the new company name phoenix arms.
my father handed down a worn, beat up raven mp25 to me this year and it is my first pistol(just gotta take it down and get it registered so i can get my blue card or whatever and buy more guns and make this my backup! WEEEE!). i love it, its jammed once and that was my fault cus i didnt know that it needed to be taken apart and cleaned every hundred rounds or so
I still have mine, a P-25 (not "MP") bought in Wyo. early '81. Six-digit serial number starting with 47. A good deal more worn than this one. The safety is different, a little toothed tab in a notch in the walnut grip. Only 7 finger "fillets" at the back of the slide instead of the 12 here. Never any trouble except with cheap ammo. Mag is plain-jane, no inscriptions of any kind. I don't think I've shot it more than 200 times. Is it true they made these out of zinc?
@dagwort As far as I know they are made of "ZAMaK" which is basically zinc, but its the base metal thats then mixed with alloy, magnesuim, and copper, its whats refered to as "White Metal", which can cause problems in guns like Davis & Jennings where they were using Zamak on .380's & 9mm's where the metal couldn't take the stress from the caliber, but its well suited to .25acp.
That safety is the same mickey mouse type used by Jennings. Any excess oil or cleaner will cause it to break. That little plastic part cost almost $10 to get it delivered. So, be careful cleaning it around the safety.
@JohnFromSpace Actually thats funny cause this was my last one, I'll get more ( I always do) I either buy more, or trade a couple for something different, I'm not the type to just sit and be happy with what I have, I'm always looking for something new, which is why I have so many. I think I've got 15 or 16 guns right now, and I'm pretty sure I did reviews on all but one & thats cause it's a duplicate of one I already did a review on.
Everytime I think I have everything I need I watch a review and I feel incomplete! Now I feel like I need a small gun in my collection so I might get a NAA .22 those palm sized guns.
Glock 17 is next! I wan't another "iconic" gun in my collection and I might ditch my .22 all together because 9mm ammo is cheap enough.
@JohnFromSpace I wouldn't ditch the .22, everyone should have a .22 in their collection, although what u could do is sell it, and get a cheaper .22 then put the left over money towards your G17.
I'm one of the suckers who gave the Sig Mosquito a chance. It drives me nuts it's a piece of shit because it's such a nice gun. It'll fire CCI's but everything else it will jam everyother round. I think everyone figured that out because CCI is hard to find. I bought the last 2 boxes of minimag today.
The G17 is on layaway I'll probably pick it up next month. No way am I going to use the 3 month time they gave me to pay it off I want it asap! =P
That Raven looks very similar to the Davis Industries .380 acp I bought in the late 70"s.(another original Saturday night special).
Actually at that time I was deciding between the Davis and a Raven for pocket carry.
I paid $100.00 for the Davis and about two years ago I sold it to Cabela's they would only give me $25.00 on trade. I enjoy your gun reviews very much, keep up the good work.
@artemerysr Yeah it looks like the Raven because Jim Davis was the Office Manager at Raven Arms until 1982 when he started up davis industries, the Davis, Bryco, Jennings, Jimenez, and Raven pistols all look the same cause they're all from george Jennings design. They may not be the best guns in the world but they do what their supposed to do. Thanks 4 watching bro!!
Great review Matt!!! I used to have a little Jennings.22. It jamed evry round except when put cci ammo thru it. Wish I woulda kept it now though. It's a good idea to have a cheap little .22 or .25 around just for back up and also pretty fun to plink around with!!!! Also great to get the miss' into shooting with
@jdhp45toy They really are fun little guns, and great for a little back up to hide somewhere. My wife used to love this one, but she finally graduated to the incredibly powerful .380!!!!! ...... lol.
@NeverEnuffAmmo hahaha...same here dude,she saw the "PINK" Ruger lcp.380, and said yep,that's the 1 for me!!! I said of course!!LOL. But hey,as long as they know how to use it and actually "ccw everyday",if it works for her,it damn sure works for me!
my dad gave this this same raven mp 25 on my bday 6 or 7 years back and i fire it often, ive never had a jam and have found zero things to complain about, i have guns like the beretta 92 and glock .45 and i rely on the raven just as much as i would my glock
import011 16 hours ago
@import011 Its a good little gun, they haven't been made in almost 30 years and the ones you find are still running strong
NeverEnuffAmmo 15 hours ago
I actualy took this out today and fired a couple of mags through it.
sgtrcc 1 week ago
I have had this for over three years, it was my first concealed carry gun. I now carry the SW bodyguard 380. This is a sweet shooter and have never had a problem with it.
sgtrcc 1 week ago
@sgtrcc Yup, its a good little pistol
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 week ago
Oh so its an mp25? Is it still a decent gun or is the p25 better? Thx
brianm19 3 weeks ago
Mine is nickle plated with brown wood grips and the saftey that flips up and down
brianm19 4 weeks ago
I enjoyed your video on the p25. Its nice to know that its actually a pretty nice gun. I was afraid it was same quality as the lorcin gun :-P
brianm19 4 weeks ago
@brianm19 its a mp25
TheUsercalledmike 3 weeks ago
I just got one of these, my grandma gave it to me, its brand new and only been fired once by me lol. She has had it for 20 years lol
brianm19 4 weeks ago
@brianm19 Well u can't beat free, thats a great deal, especially for not being used.
NeverEnuffAmmo 4 weeks ago
You need a special permit I'm guessing?
pspfano 1 month ago
@pspfano Special permit for what? The gun? Its just a gun like any other, u don't need anything to buy it but money.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 month ago
How many drug dealers has this pistol killed, any idea?
HiCapacity 1 month ago
@HiCapacity Hopefully alot!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 month ago
Every body talks crap about how slow they shoot ..does andbody know the fps??
whitetaildeerfreak 2 months ago
@whitetaildeerfreak Typical .25 acp runs around 720 to 780 FPS
NeverEnuffAmmo 2 months ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo My bb gun shoots almost twice that.....
ethanissocool 1 month ago
@ethanissocool There are alot of pellet guns that'll shoot up to 1500 fps
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 month ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo Yeah I have the gamo big cat 1200 fps. By the way I am looking to get into the sport. What would be a good pistol or rifle for about 250.
ethanissocool 1 month ago
@ethanissocool Well u can't go wrong with a Mosin Nagant, for $250 u can get the rifle and 500 rounds of ammo. As far as pistols I'd just look around for good deals on used pistols either at your local shop or gunshows.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 month ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo Holy shit dude. 125 bucks for 200 rounds! Perhaps like 9mm or something a bit bigger. Sorry for all the questions.
ethanissocool 1 month ago
Any suggestions on where to find a spare magazine for this?
orng1 2 months ago
@orng1 You'll have to do an online search at places like gunbroker to find 'em since they aren't manufactured anymore
NeverEnuffAmmo 2 months ago
I just got one, came with 7 rounds. I just got back from shooting it. Was worth the $ 110 I payed. It's like new with the box and papers. I'm going to use it as a backup in case my 45 jams.
orng1 2 months ago
@orng1 Yup, its a good solid little pistol
NeverEnuffAmmo 2 months ago
My dad has one it was in pieces for most of the early 80's in a box, about five years ago he repaired it,firing pin, extractor spring and a couple screws that went missing over the years cheap parts shipping cost more then the parts it's heavy little thing Crome plated with a plastic pearl grip cool little gun but I would never use it for a back up
cocch2478 2 months ago
@cocch2478 Yeah it'd make a nice little backup
NeverEnuffAmmo 2 months ago
I don't think that "Jennings" designed this.. Is more likely that one of his former importers gave him patent for producing copies of their guns.. Just making things clear..! This is a copy too of some European German or Czech pistol small pocket pistol..
PanHustej 2 months ago
@PanHustej Well I can only tell u what the information out there says, and from Jennings and many other people out there, including manufacturers and gun historians, Jennings designed this gun, so if he copied it from someone else then nobody is stepping up to claim that he stole their design or even bought the rights to make a copy or even similar pistol
NeverEnuffAmmo 2 months ago
I am a liberal. Real liberals don't fear shit.
needparalegal 2 months ago
@needparalegal Lol
NeverEnuffAmmo 2 months ago
The RG ROHM is the OSNS
millertimedavid74 3 months ago
Comment removed
millertimedavid74 3 months ago
Just out of curiosity, are there any guns that have a slide lock but don't lock back on the last shot?
twoule 3 months ago
@twoule Yeah, it just depends on the the mag setup & spring setup on the slidelock, usually the less expensive .22's do not lock back on the last round
NeverEnuffAmmo 3 months ago
they make an extended mag for it
wolfcomer69 3 months ago
i just bought this gun today. it was 60 bucks and a little dirty. the gun is pretty cool and i cant wait to try it out!!! of course i fully disassembled it and cleaned it well
95fordtbirdlx 3 months ago
@95fordtbirdlx $60 bucks is a good deal, it's a fun little gun!
NeverEnuffAmmo 3 months ago
i have one and i love it to death i carry it in my pocket and its like its not there
PolishedTurd4Life 4 months ago
What about the new raven pistols? any good?
36000408 4 months ago
@36000408 You mean the Phoenix Arms pistols right? Thats the new name of the company now, they don't go by Raven anymore. Yes those are good pistols, I have one in .22 and it's a great little pistol
NeverEnuffAmmo 4 months ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo
I thought they still were making pistols under the name raven. But ya Phoenix is good I own a .22lr.
36000408 4 months ago
sick gun how much did you get it 4
dannman4209 4 months ago
@dannman4209 Free, it's been in my wife's family since the 70's
NeverEnuffAmmo 4 months ago
It's originally called the Phoenix Arms Model Raven Cal .25 auto...and yes it's made in the USA...i have the same gun you have in your video
StayingPreppedRu 4 months ago
@StayingPreppedRu In November 1991, a fire destroyed the Raven Arms factory. Jennings retired and sold Raven Arms designs to Phoenix Arms. The one in the video has the Raven Arms branding not Phoenix Arms.
kellsarah 4 months ago
dude i love the gun tattoo on ur arm thats badass
JBstuller 5 months ago
@JBstuller Thanks bro!
NeverEnuffAmmo 5 months ago
i just got one of these(watch the gnut1980 channel) and i dry fired it once...i was scared to..is it bad to dry fire these?
TeamRmageddonNetwork 6 months ago
@TeamRmageddonNetwork Yeah u don't want to dry fire rimfire guns cause it can break the firing pin, not that it will but it's a possibility
NeverEnuffAmmo 6 months ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo but the 25 is centerfire,,i have the raven 25
TeamRmageddonNetwork 6 months ago
@TeamRmageddonNetwork Sorry I'm a dumbass, I thought this was the .22 vid u were commenting on ...... lol. Sorry bro, need to pay more attention next time. Don't worry about dryfiring it, thats how u practice trigger control.
NeverEnuffAmmo 6 months ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo lol no problem brother..thanks..some vids onhere say dont dry fore any of them because the pin will break because its cheap lol
TeamRmageddonNetwork 6 months ago
@TeamRmageddonNetwork I would get a snap cap,cuz Ive seen them break from dry firing,and parts are not that common.
BIGGxDAWG210 5 months ago
@BIGGxDAWG210 25 differnet guns use the same firing pin..
ViolentEncounter 4 months ago
@ViolentEncounter Like i said 25 are not common,ur local gunshop more than likely isnt going to have 25 spare parts.
BIGGxDAWG210 4 months ago
the oringinal is a revolve be cause it holds the shells for a clean gettaway
252Fountain 6 months ago
I saw a Jennings in .22LR that had part of the chamber brake off. lol
Gungeek 7 months ago
@Gungeek I had an old Jennings that literaly flew apart when I fired it. The retention pin in the rear had broken and when the slide went back after the shot, it flew off along with the barrel ...... damn near killed myself ..... lol
NeverEnuffAmmo 7 months ago
Matt picking up the gun tonight AND will have a vid for 2morrow! ;) one ? though....is the safety reliable? Like would it be ok or would you carry 1 in the chamber? I heard the safety sux for these. Thanks
Peidmonte89 7 months ago
@Peidmonte89 The safety works, it does what it's supposed to do, but it is kind of a cheap safety. If u have a solid holster then I wouldn't worry about it, but if it going to be somewhere where the safety could get bumped or the tragger isn't covered then I wouldn't carry one in the chamber.
NeverEnuffAmmo 7 months ago
Actually the triger on a brand new Raven looks the same as yours. It's just the metal that was used for the triger. I have seen 26 of these Brand New ( NIB ) never fired and they all have the same used triger as yours just thought I'd inform you.
rollmeoh 7 months ago
@rollmeoh Thats good to know, I figured it was just tarnished, thanks.
NeverEnuffAmmo 7 months ago
does anyone know anything about a PHOENIX P-51 CAL. 25 AUTO
timetobuck 8 months ago
No RG was the Original Saturday Night Special......Rohm RG 24 .22 R.F. Revolver...The Little Raven is still made today by Phoenix Arms. The raven is what it is. Zinc castings with steel inserts.......Not everyone can afford a $300.00-400.00 Pistol for Self Defense......
GreasyStool 8 months ago
@GreasyStool The term "S.N.S." was popularized in the late 60's and early 70's when after laws were passed to prevent the importation of inexpensive handguns & in the 60's George Jennings designed an inexpensive handgun to sell from his own gun store when he could no longer sell the guns customers wanted. He then opened up Raven Arms for manufacture the pistols. So while the term "S.N.S." did show limited use among law enforcement it was Raven that brought the term to the mainstream.
NeverEnuffAmmo 8 months ago
@GreasyStool The earliest known use of the term "Saturday night special" in print is in the Aug 17, 1968 issue of the New York Times. In a front-page article titled Handgun Imports Held Up by U.S, author Fred Graham wrote, "... cheap, small-caliber 'Saturday night specials' that are a favorite of holdup men..."
This was well after George Jennings had designed and begun selling his "cheap" handgun and had created Raven Arms.
NeverEnuffAmmo 8 months ago
Actually the one I got was the Raven Arms P25 and not the MP-25....still as reliable?
Peidmonte89 8 months ago
@Peidmonte89 Yeah their the same thing, the model number just changed.
NeverEnuffAmmo 8 months ago
i just got one in decent condition for 30$ without a clip
devinhump 8 months ago
@devinhump Good price!
NeverEnuffAmmo 8 months ago
THe FN Vest Pocket from 1905 is the true original. How long was that model made?
AugustusLarch 8 months ago
@AugustusLarch This model began production in the late 60's up until the early 80's
NeverEnuffAmmo 8 months ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo
You should do a thing about the .25 auto round and the first automactic pistols made. Colt and Browning put out blackpower automatic pistols for ten years. That's an interesting fact.
AugustusLarch 8 months ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo hey man I just need the black piece of wood 2:20 I have not .. that problems have with the gun if I need that piece? the black who heads the trigger does not run into each other going and wanted to know if that piece of black wood helps the other black piece that directs the trigger?
osvaldoxbox123 8 months ago
saturday night special original? Are you proud of that name? also called jam-omatic, little piece of crap, i was shot twice with it and just bounce at me
omarmoon88 9 months ago
@omarmoon88 Yup, damn proud, this thing is over 30 years old, with a few thousand rounds through it, and it's never had a problem. Saturday Night Special didn't used to be a term for a "Jam o matic" it gained that reputation from companies like Jimenez, bryco, cobra and others. Raven was the original company that actuall made quality american firearms cheap enuff for people to afford after importation was banned of inexpensive firearms back in the 60's.
NeverEnuffAmmo 9 months ago
my jimenez 22 has been great...
GNut1980 9 months ago
@GNut1980 Yeah the cheap little guns are great, I got 2 of 'em
NeverEnuffAmmo 9 months ago
I also owned a Ruger MK 2 for target practice,you are correct .22's are alot cheaper and more accurate at longer range.
shack456 9 months ago
I bought one of these back in 1979,it cost me $50 with a holster and a box of rounds.You are correct it is expensive for just shooting at your local range,but as it was stated in the video it is a back-up piece,not for regular range shooting.Basicly it is for up close in-fighting for protection.It does the job,I had mine for 5 years and i sold it for what I paid for it,I never had a problem with it.
shack456 9 months ago
@shack456 Yeah it is definitely more expensive to shoot, but for waht it was designed for it works well.
NeverEnuffAmmo 9 months ago
I have one of these that have some notable differences. Grip is brown wood. Safety switch goes forward and back not up and down. Clip has no factory markings. Perhaps not original clip.
100100911 9 months ago
@100100911 These guns were made over the course of about 12 years and while the basics stayed the same they did make minor changes throughout its run.
NeverEnuffAmmo 9 months ago
I just snagged mine from a pawn shop for $80.
chris77jay77 10 months ago
@chris77jay77 Great deal bro!
NeverEnuffAmmo 10 months ago
Im thinking about buying one of these of a Taurus PT-25 just to have fun with. Does anyone know of a good option for under $200?
123dukesfan 11 months ago
@123dukesfan If your going to get something to have fun with get a .22lr caliber pistol, the .25 acp is much more expensive to shoot and isn't as good of a round balistically speaking. You can get a box of 300 rounds of .22 long rifle for around $10 to $13 bucks, but a box of 50 rounds of .25 acp run around $15 bucks, so the gun is too expensive to shoot for fun.
NeverEnuffAmmo 11 months ago
I heard the .25acp hits with a third of the power of a .22lr round.
Better be careful, the antigunners may phone your congressman and write a letter to mr Obama, banner of the m1 garands. ;)
e1ghtys1x 11 months ago
@e1ghtys1x Yeah .25 acp is an underpowered cartride even for its size, it's fun, and could be used as a last resort, but personally I'd rather have a .22 lr
NeverEnuffAmmo 11 months ago
My ex-mother in law had one of these. I think they paid about $80 for it. She carried in her purse for years and never shot it once. Thank God! I took her to the range once and when the slide came back it cut her hand. She freaked out and dropped the gun and the slug bounced off the walls of the range. Everyone hit the floor and I am just thankfully they still let me come in there after that. I'm glad for any bystanders that she never had to use it to defend herself.
jtreadwellgmail 11 months ago
@jtreadwellgmail Yeah being as small as it is, a person has to hold it right or the slide will come back and bite their hand
NeverEnuffAmmo 11 months ago
never dryfire this handgun,the firing pin is the cheapest peace of shit you will ever see,but just so long as u dont dry fire it it should be fine
toker90704 1 year ago
I have a pair of these ravens,,love them, so much so that i have added .25acp to my reloading setup,, I can shoot mine for about half the cost of buying ammo, theres a guy in jersy that has almost any parts you would ever need!
n9xvt 1 year ago
@n9xvt Yeah thats the worst thing about this gun, the price of ammo.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo
Cost the same as anything else these days...except 22LR. Just curious, if his son-in-law was of the Jennings group, (which, by the way I have a J22 and it is a blast along with this Raven) -- how would he have the same name--he would'nt have taken on his wife's maiden name?
Funny story--Was at a gun show today and these two punks were looking in the case and one got all starry-eyed on this Nickel wood grip 25. His eyes glossed over and he said "that's what I want"
timmmax 1 year ago
not that bad of a defence gun. if you cant aim it makes a good noise maker.
as long as you oil the shit out of it it works fine. Ruger LCP all the way for concealment. but to the range i always bring the dookie-five for fun.
too bad the rounds are expensive
myfiftybucks 1 year ago
@myfiftybucks Yeah .25acp is way too expensive for target practice ..... lol
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
Great video man! Never knew much about 25 ACPs until I saw how pathetic their ballistics are in a gun buyers guide I bougt.
It's funny because one of the well known reviewers here on YT likes to take 25 ACP into the desert. FirePower VS Mobility d00ds!
FireArmsResQ 1 year ago
The term Saturday Night Special has been used since the 60's and was mainly implied to cheap revolvers like the H&R 32 cal. The small cheap autos picked up the name later on in the 80's.
spideyfan1000 1 year ago
just got one of these neat little guns
smokine2001 1 year ago
@smokine2001 Yeah I like 'em, not exactly self defense material, but alot of fun!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
i should have got my grandmother's but no one knows what happened to it i think i just posted this on another video i made a mistake though she bought it brand new in 1970 think i said 68 on the other one anyway it has the original box, if i remember right it was under the100th one made and never fired
masterofnotmuch 1 year ago
@masterofnotmuch Sounds like a nice pistol, they're great shooters
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
I HAD THAT GUN WHEN I WAS 15 THEN MY CUSSIN STOLE IT :(
KANSR209 1 year ago
@KANSR209 Tell him to give it back!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo he stole it nd left to reno then i heard that he stole it and now he is hiding from me i miss that gun tho its 1 of a kind
KANSR209 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo It's not that easy when the cousin has the gun now XD
gtakilla22 1 year ago
Wow, thanks for the info. I just got one from a friend of mines dad for $50 and was hoping it wasn't crap. And I had no idea it was the original "Saturday Night Special". Great vid.
bigstabby 1 year ago
@bigstabby Cool bro, glad the vid was useful to ya. They're great little pistols, and $50 bucks is a great price, clean it up real good before u shoot it, alot of people never cleaned those older Raven arms pistols. Take care bro!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo thanks.
bigstabby 1 year ago
for a youngster like me i want that as my gun
kuss in my hood i be seein lot of youngsters with ak's nd 12 gages
but as for me i want some thing little not to big not to small juss like that vid u got
nd im allwayz want it one of those throw away hand guns
EastSiiD3r914503 1 year ago
@EastSiiD3r914503 I own one and I'm no gangster or anything like you might be, but from what I've seen, you could probably dole out some harshness with it. Granted it is only a 25 cal. But hey, it's no bb gun.lol Must be hard out there in your hood or something, so stay safe! Badass little pistol.
bigstabby 1 year ago
Comment removed
k1111117 1 year ago
@k1111117 I got mine for $120 but I've seen them as low as $100 and as high as $150 depending on where u look.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo thanks!
k1111117 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo dude, the Cobra c32 and c380 it looks completely identical. How good would you say they are? I have a Cobra derringer and it aint too bad for the money!
Peidmonte89 1 year ago
@Peidmonte89 One thing u need to understand about Cobra is they use the same materials as Raven or Phoenix (its called ZaMAK, u can google it) and the problem comes into play when u take a material that works well for .22 or .25acp pistols (like the Raven or Phoenix) and make a .32, .380 or 9mm pistol out of it. The material may not be able to handle the pressures from those cartridges, and that's why some of the brands like Cobra, Bryco, Jennings & Jimmenez have a bad reputation ....... tbc
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@Peidmonte89 ........ all that being said, if u decide to pick one up, I wouldn't pay more than $120 total for one, they just aren't worth more than that, now as for the Derringer those are actually made very well with quality materials, and Cobra has made a good popular product in those.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo cool thanks for that input, always wanted a .25 for some reason. Just seems cool. As always I appreciate the help!
Peidmonte89 1 year ago
I own a real nickel plated Ravens Arms MP-25 which is also known as The Original Saturday Night Special.
TobyHalicki089 1 year ago
@TobyHalicki089 Yeah they're great little guns, and the nickel plating makes them look really nice!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
I thought the smith and wesson .38 snub nose was the original Saturday night special...
Fordfanforlife777 1 year ago
@Fordfanforlife777 A "Saturday Night Special" is a term that started in the early 70's that refered to an inexpensive and/or cheaply manufactured pistol that is easy to get ahold of & were popular during the 70's for criminals to use to commit crimes then throw away. A S&W is a high quality moderately to high priced pistol manufacturer that doesn't fit the description of what the term refered to. The Raven Arms pistols were some of the original pistols refered to by that name by Law Enforcement
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo so it's simply a term used by law enforcement?
Fordfanforlife777 1 year ago
@Fordfanforlife777 No it's not just used by law enforcement, but I believe (although I could always be off a little) that it gained popularity as a term because of police using the term to refer to cheap pistols found at crime scenes (usually on busy Saturday nights) that had simply been thrown away to avoid it being found on the criminal, usually with a handle wrapped in tape to keep finger prints from sticking (not something that would work with today's technology).
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo got it, thanks. by the way I love shooting ours and we use blazer ammo. what do you use in yours?
Fordfanforlife777 1 year ago
@Fordfanforlife777 I use Blazer too, about the only brand of .25acp u can find anymore, although I do occasionally come across winchester boxes.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo thanks much, I'll subscribe=D
Fordfanforlife777 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo
First gun I ever bought ..... 30 years ago, brand new. I used to have jams until I polished the feed ramp. I almost sold it , but glad I didn't.
jolow2 1 year ago
@jolow2 30 years and still running, sounds good to me!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
Great video man I have 10 guns including a Raven MP25 with a sliding bar safety and a black Phoenix HP22a and I love them both every bit as much as my high dollar guns. Both are very durable and perform extremely well. Over two thousand rounds through the Phoenix and close to twelve hundred through the Raven (had it for a lot longer) and they're still working great. Anyways just wanted to say thanks for speaking the truth and not just bashing these little guns.
Kiln223 1 year ago
@Kiln223 Hey no problem, they're great little guns, never had any issues with this one, and I have a HP22 that has close to 3000 rounds through it now, and not so much as a single FTF or FTE no matter what kind of ammo I've put through it. Thanks for watchin bro!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
my hi point never went bang. lol. i sold it yesterday and bought this model with wood grips today
cadeMFjohnson 1 year ago
@cadeMFjohnson Yeah I've heard some people tell me horror stories about their Hi-Points, never had a problem with the one I had, other than it was ugly as hell, and embaressing to take to the range, so I sold it .... lol
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
1 and 1/4 inch tall??? no sir. its about 4 inches tall
cadeMFjohnson 1 year ago
@cadeMFjohnson LOL ..... Yeah I think I got a little tounge twisted there.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@texasriot They use .25 acp centerfire ammunition, u should be able to find it at just about any gun shop or sporting goods store. It's not cheap, probably around $17 to $20 for a box of 50 rounds (although u can sometimes find some good deals) it's more expensive because it's not a common caliber, .25 pistols aren't manufactured much anymore.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@WiccaIsGood i found a company that sells magazines for this gun and the also sell an extended mag with a pinky finger rest on it so its no so hard to hold onto while avoiding the slide bite when you have big peter beaters like me. go to google and search andean-inc
trestoobigforyou 1 year ago
great review. you should update it though, as i believe they are still being manufactured but under the new company name phoenix arms.
my father handed down a worn, beat up raven mp25 to me this year and it is my first pistol(just gotta take it down and get it registered so i can get my blue card or whatever and buy more guns and make this my backup! WEEEE!). i love it, its jammed once and that was my fault cus i didnt know that it needed to be taken apart and cleaned every hundred rounds or so
trestoobigforyou 1 year ago
I still have mine, a P-25 (not "MP") bought in Wyo. early '81. Six-digit serial number starting with 47. A good deal more worn than this one. The safety is different, a little toothed tab in a notch in the walnut grip. Only 7 finger "fillets" at the back of the slide instead of the 12 here. Never any trouble except with cheap ammo. Mag is plain-jane, no inscriptions of any kind. I don't think I've shot it more than 200 times. Is it true they made these out of zinc?
dagwort 1 year ago
@dagwort As far as I know they are made of "ZAMaK" which is basically zinc, but its the base metal thats then mixed with alloy, magnesuim, and copper, its whats refered to as "White Metal", which can cause problems in guns like Davis & Jennings where they were using Zamak on .380's & 9mm's where the metal couldn't take the stress from the caliber, but its well suited to .25acp.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
lol bought mine for 50 bux at a pawnshop a few years back
GunGuy0 1 year ago
@GunGuy0 U got a great deal, I see 'em online selling for $80-$125 depending on condition.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
That safety is the same mickey mouse type used by Jennings. Any excess oil or cleaner will cause it to break. That little plastic part cost almost $10 to get it delivered. So, be careful cleaning it around the safety.
archersfriend 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Good one
krazy45cat 1 year ago
@WiccaIsGood I already did one, check out the vid called
"My new pistol: Always with me" or something like that,
check it out, I showed all my tatts in it, let me know what ya think.
Thanks 4 watchin bro!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
very cool little pistol...something else to add to my list.
SickLid1 1 year ago
@SickLid1 Yeah its a fun little gun!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
evil handful of senseless death. outstanding
lambdog76 1 year ago
@lambdog76 LOL ..... I thought a few people might like that!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@theArmedJanitor Thanks 4 checkin it out bro!!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
interesting piece
usframe 1 year ago
@usframe Thanks, it's a nice little pistol.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
How many guns do you have dude? I hope you have 100 because your reviews are a joy to watch!
JohnFromSpace 1 year ago
@JohnFromSpace Actually thats funny cause this was my last one, I'll get more ( I always do) I either buy more, or trade a couple for something different, I'm not the type to just sit and be happy with what I have, I'm always looking for something new, which is why I have so many. I think I've got 15 or 16 guns right now, and I'm pretty sure I did reviews on all but one & thats cause it's a duplicate of one I already did a review on.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo
Everytime I think I have everything I need I watch a review and I feel incomplete! Now I feel like I need a small gun in my collection so I might get a NAA .22 those palm sized guns.
Glock 17 is next! I wan't another "iconic" gun in my collection and I might ditch my .22 all together because 9mm ammo is cheap enough.
JohnFromSpace 1 year ago
@JohnFromSpace I wouldn't ditch the .22, everyone should have a .22 in their collection, although what u could do is sell it, and get a cheaper .22 then put the left over money towards your G17.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo
I'm one of the suckers who gave the Sig Mosquito a chance. It drives me nuts it's a piece of shit because it's such a nice gun. It'll fire CCI's but everything else it will jam everyother round. I think everyone figured that out because CCI is hard to find. I bought the last 2 boxes of minimag today.
The G17 is on layaway I'll probably pick it up next month. No way am I going to use the 3 month time they gave me to pay it off I want it asap! =P
JohnFromSpace 1 year ago
Thanks for sharing.
OilTheGun 1 year ago
@OilTheGun No problem, Thanks 4 watchin!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
That Raven looks very similar to the Davis Industries .380 acp I bought in the late 70"s.(another original Saturday night special).
Actually at that time I was deciding between the Davis and a Raven for pocket carry.
I paid $100.00 for the Davis and about two years ago I sold it to Cabela's they would only give me $25.00 on trade. I enjoy your gun reviews very much, keep up the good work.
artemerysr 1 year ago
@artemerysr Yeah it looks like the Raven because Jim Davis was the Office Manager at Raven Arms until 1982 when he started up davis industries, the Davis, Bryco, Jennings, Jimenez, and Raven pistols all look the same cause they're all from george Jennings design. They may not be the best guns in the world but they do what their supposed to do. Thanks 4 watching bro!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
Great review bro!!!
TheLazySpoiledKitty 1 year ago
@TheLazySpoiledKitty Thank u sir, thanks 4 watchin!!
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
Great review Matt!!! I used to have a little Jennings.22. It jamed evry round except when put cci ammo thru it. Wish I woulda kept it now though. It's a good idea to have a cheap little .22 or .25 around just for back up and also pretty fun to plink around with!!!! Also great to get the miss' into shooting with
jdhp45toy 1 year ago
@jdhp45toy They really are fun little guns, and great for a little back up to hide somewhere. My wife used to love this one, but she finally graduated to the incredibly powerful .380!!!!! ...... lol.
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago
@NeverEnuffAmmo hahaha...same here dude,she saw the "PINK" Ruger lcp.380, and said yep,that's the 1 for me!!! I said of course!!LOL. But hey,as long as they know how to use it and actually "ccw everyday",if it works for her,it damn sure works for me!
jdhp45toy 1 year ago
@jdhp45toy Yup, as long as she'll use it that's what I care about. Eventually hope to get her up to a 9mm, or .38, well at least I can dream .... lol
NeverEnuffAmmo 1 year ago