Bruce Jennings scaled down the design of the Raven P25 to create the J-22. The pistol is striker-fired, blowback-operated, and made mostly of Zamak, a cheap zinc alloy, with steel used for critical parts like the barrel and springs. Costing around $100 when new, it became a classic example of a "Saturday night special"-affordable handguns produced by Southern California's "Ring of Fire" companies.