They serve as a "bogey man" allowing some states to pass laws to "protect" consumers froms such shoddily made, poor quality guns by setting up a set of "standards" and/or "tests" to keep the shoddy guns out.
We have such a "consumer protection" gun law in MA. Here are some of the "poor quality" guns it has helped keep out:
All custom handguns (Wilson Combat, Les Baer, SVI, Nighthawk, Ed Brown, etc.) unless the gunsmith agrees to build the gun on a frame you already own.
Freedom Arms
USFA
Colt
Kimber
Browning
Uberti
Kel-Tec
All AR-15-type handguns
Pardini
Haemmerli
NAA
CZ
Springfield Armory
Magnum Research
Rohrbaugh
Dan Wesson
Boberg
Rock River Arms
There is also a list of manufacturers who have certified a few of their handgun models (or even just one) for sale in MA (but most remain unavailable) like Seecamp, HK, Ruger, Beretta, Kahr, SIG, etc.
Some handguns which were sold before 10/98 may be brought into the state for resale, but no new guns may be sold (this restriction applie to Glocks, for one). Finally, short "special run" pistols are usually unavailable (commemoratives, historic re-issues like the recent centennial 1911 offerings) as the run is over before the approval process would be done. Finally, all out of state collectible (C&R) old guns may not be bought by a usual buyer through a MA FFL; the buyer must have a C&R FFL himself.
So, the phrase "Saturday Night Special"--conjuring cheap, "bad" guns that should be illegal--was absolutely necessary to keep all those handguns out of MA.
Question answered. Close the thread.