Raven MP-25

Lore & Background

The Raven MP-25 was developed after George Jennings, who operated a machine shop for aerospace companies, was asked by a pawn shop owner to create an inexpensive handgun to replace imports cut off by the Gun Control Act of 1968. Jennings established Raven Arms and produced the first model, the P-25, in Baldwin Park, California. The pistol underwent four variations: the first had a large sliding safety; the second a smaller sliding safety; the third changed slide serrations and was designated MP-25; the fourth replaced the sliding safety with an upward-moving disk safety. All subsequent Ravens were manufactured in Industry, California. The guns were built from injection-molded zamak, a zinc alloy, to keep costs low.

The MP-25 uses a blowback design with an envelope-style frame. The firing pin also acts as the ejector, protruding to eject spent cases. Fixed sights are cast into the slide. Early models have a sliding bar safety that prevents chambering a round or cocking the striker if not in the fire position; later models have a push-up safety that blocks cycling entirely. The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners reported that a similar Phoenix Arms Model Raven with an altered or damaged sear tip could discharge unintentionally when the safety was moved off after the trigger had been pulled with the safety on.

In November 1991, a fire destroyed the Raven Arms factory. Jennings retired and sold his designs to Phoenix Arms, owned by his ex-wife, children, grandchildren, and Raven's former general manager. Phoenix continued production as the "Model Raven," adding a magazine safety disconnect.

Reader's Guide

The Raven MP-25 holds a complex place in firearms history. It was created specifically to fill a market gap left by the Gun Control Act of 1968, which banned imports of inexpensive handguns. As the original "Ring of Fire" company, Raven Arms set a pattern for producing low-cost pistols from zamak alloy, a method later followed by other manufacturers. The MP-25 and its variants sold approximately two million units over 20 years, indicating significant market demand. Critics have referred to the pistol by the pejorative term "Saturday night special," citing its easy concealability and affordability for the poor. Some advocates, however, describe it as reliable despite its low cost. The pistol has appeared in several criminal incidents, including mass shootings in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Mexico, as well as in the crimes of serial killer Robert Lee Yates. The fire that destroyed the Raven factory in 1991 ended the original company, but the design continued under Phoenix Arms, which added a magazine safety. The MP-25 remains a notable example of the inexpensive handgun category that emerged from U.S. gun control legislation.

Did You Know?

• The Raven MP-25 was made from injection-molded zamak, a zinc alloy, to keep manufacturing costs low.
• The firing pin of the MP-25 also serves as the ejector, contacting the spent case to eject it.
• A fire destroyed the Raven Arms factory in November 1991, leading to the sale of the designs to Phoenix Arms.
• The MP-25 has been referred to by the pejorative term 'Saturday night special'.