The Bryco 38 is part of the tradition that companies like Raven and Jimenez started. They produced cheap semi-automatic handguns that have adopted the moniker of the Saturday Night Special. Both the cheap materials and cheap appearance of these firearms have given them an unjust reputation.

In my experience, these firearms always go bang when you pull the trigger – as long as you care for and service the guns properly. The Bryco 38 is no different. It is far from a great gun, but it is a cheap gun that works. The affordability of this gun offers the freedom to own a firearm to anyone.

The Bryco 38 is an American-made semi-automatic .380 ACP handgun with an overall length of just over 5″ – designed to be easily concealed. The Bryco does suffer from some terrible sights, but the weapon was made for close-range shooting, so sights are not a concern. It’s also quite heavy for a small gun, but this cuts down some of the snappy recoil traditionally associated with tiny (and lighter) .380s. The trigger has a lot of slack, but breaks cleanly. The magazine holds six rounds giving you a total of seven when you have one in the chamber.

As I mentioned, the weapon is reliable as long as proper maintenance is applied. The weapon works best a little wet on the inside, meaning very well-oiled. These weapons do tend to pinch the webbing between your thumb and trigger finger when the slide cycles after a round is fired, so you have to be careful to position your grip accordingly. The Bryco 38 is not the weapon you buy to save money, it’s the gun you buy because you don’t have the money. Choice used ones can be found for around $100-200.