Raven 25 and Davis 380

[Jack_F]

When I think of low cost guns .............I think along the lines of the Raven 25 and Davis 380

[DDGator]

I try not to think of those at all...   

[Jack_F]

I try not to think of those at all...   

I'm probably the only one who would..... ......I volunteer at the local free medical clinic and the city homeless shelter.......I believe someone who is in and out of the homeless shelter on a regular basis would be glad to have a Davis 380 to keep some street punk from stealing his bag of cans that he worked all day to pick up off the road and out of dumpsters....two or three hundred for a used gun that we would find to be a bargain is out of the question for them....I guess I should have asked what gun is better than nothing........? ....of course the answer is any gun is better than nothing...what is the best LOW cost gun?

[yankee2500]

I just sold a Raven 25 that a friend gave to "get rid of" for him, he got it in payment for some work he did many years ago. I was finally able to sell it for $60 and it was tough to get that for it

 I still have a Jennings 22 I bought new about 25 years ago (for $50), Nickel plated, Rosewood grips, I will say it has always functioned perfectly.

[Reinz]

My only experience with the homeless was doing a very long all day sports clinic in Dallas years ago.  And being free to the public and downtown, we had a lot of homeless guys.  100% had a lot of alcohal in them and a few were obviously mentally ill.
From my veiw, I don't know if would encourage any type of firearm ownership for these folks. However I'm sure your knowledge is more intimate.

To answer your question:

Knowing what I know of Raven, Lorcin, and Davis autos as far as dependability, I would pass and get a Davis Derringer or a used Italian or German one. 
If it had to be an auto, I hate to say it, but American Handgunner did have a good write up on the Hi-Point.  Of course it weighs 3 times as much as well as being 3 times as big and costs a little more.

Just my veiw from the saddle

[Jack_F]

I just sold a Raven 25 that a friend gave to "get rid of" for him, he got it in payment for some work he did many years ago. I was finally able to sell it for $60 and it was tough to get that for it

 I still have a Jennings 22 I bought new about 25 years ago (for $50), Nickel plated, Rosewood grips, I will say it has always functioned perfectly.

I had forgot about the jennings

[Richard S]

Ah, yes, the mighty Raven:

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/index.php?topic=2553.msg25366;topicseen#msg25366

Fit and finish -- like a galvanized bucket. Barrel rifling -- zip, ninguno, nada. Accuracy -- ahh . . . fair (up to one foot from target).

All in all a total piece of . . . dreck . . . that sits in the back -- waaay in the back -- of my gun safe.

[Jack_F]

Ah, yes, the mighty Raven:

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/index.php?topic=2553.msg25366;topicseen#msg25366

Fit and finish -- like a galvanized bucket. Barrel rifling -- zip, ninguno, nada. Accuracy -- ahh . . . fair (up to one foot from target).

All in all a total piece of . . . dreck . . . that sits in the back -- waaay in the back -- of my gun safe.

LOL....these are the kind of guns I'm thinking about....... ......as a kid I loved to look at the derringers in the local hardware store gun case... .....had one many years ago...can't remember what happened to it.......

[kjtrains]

 I still have a Jennings 22 I bought new about 25 years ago (for $50), Nickel plated, Rosewood grips, I will say it has always functioned perfectly.

I also still have a Jennings 22, which was my Dad's; it does fire the copper coated .22's without a problem from what little it has been fired.

[Jack_F]

Ah, yes, the mighty Raven:

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/index.php?topic=2553.msg25366;topicseen#msg25366

Fit and finish -- like a galvanized bucket. Barrel rifling -- zip, ninguno, nada. Accuracy -- ahh . . . fair (up to one foot from target).

All in all a total piece of . . . dreck . . . that sits in the back -- waaay in the back -- of my gun safe.

LOL....these are the kind of guns I'm thinking about....... ......as a kid I loved to look at the derringers in the local hardware store gun case... .....had one many years ago...can't remember what happened to it.......

Remember what happened to it now...........was in the getto area going up to an apartment to view a girl's tupperware collection with a two shot 38 special derringer in my front pocket ......going up the stairs and through the hallway I thought to myself if I could just get out of here alive I would never do something that stupid again......have never carried a derringer since.........traded it away....

[Jack_F]

My only experience with the homeless was doing a very long all day sports clinic in Dallas years ago.  And being free to the public and downtown, we had a lot of homeless guys.  100% had a lot of alcohal in them and a few were obviously mentally ill.
From my veiw, I don't know if would encourage any type of firearm ownership for these folks. However I'm sure your knowledge is more intimate.

To answer your question:

Knowing what I know of Raven, Lorcin, and Davis autos as far as dependability, I would pass and get a Davis Derringer or a used Italian or German one. 
If it had to be an auto, I hate to say it, but American Handgunner did have a good write up on the Hi-Point.  Of course it weighs 3 times as much as well as being 3 times as big and costs a little more.

Just my veiw from the saddle

I can't think of anymore more in need of a gun than someone who spends their nights sleeping in doorways or in a cardboard box.....

[yankee2500]

I just sold a Raven 25 that a friend gave to "get rid of" for him, he got it in payment for some work he did many years ago. I was finally able to sell it for $60 and it was tough to get that for it

 I still have a Jennings 22 I bought new about 25 years ago (for $50), Nickel plated, Rosewood grips, I will say it has always functioned perfectly.

I had forgot about the jennings

Jack, I just went and looked in the safe, I thought I had been robbed of one of my prized possession. 

[Reinz]

I can't think of anymore more in need of a gun than someone who spends their nights sleeping in doorways or in a cardboard box.....

Yeah, real comforting to know that these drunks and mentally ill transients are armed as my wife walks by on her way to call on clients.

[Jack_F]

I can't think of anymore more in need of a gun than someone who spends their nights sleeping in doorways or in a cardboard box.....

Yeah, real comforting to know that these drunks and mentally ill transients are armed as my wife walks by on her way to call on clients.

Agreed a large number of homeless are drunks and addicts.......in our area we care for people who lost their jobs and have no resourses....in my younger years if I had missed a couple of pay checks I would have been homeless.......true drunks and addicts would never have a gun because they would sell it to support their habit......