Anybody have experience w/Charter Guns??

Most people say that they are a "carry a lot, shoot little gun". Because they don't stand up to heavy use. My .38 went back to the factory twice before I sold it. On the new ones they offer a lifetime warranty. IMO at $30 a time to ship it back pretty soon its not that great of a deal.

I'm also in the market for a Charter Bulldog.
I do carry lots and shoot little.
My "out the door" price is $300 or less.

I think Charter is a sleeper. Everybody hates em. Kind of like Taurus. So too bad for them too good for me.

FWIW:

I bought a new Charter Arms Undercover (38 spec) wayyy back in 1970 or so. It was an excellent little revolver. It was as accurate as my Colt D frames, or S&W J Frames. Because of the hammer block you could carry a round under the hammer, safely..

I read where the later incarnations (Charco, etc.) were iffy. I don't know anything about the new revolvers, but it seems $350 is a bit pricy for this firearm.

At $350 you are probably pretty close, pricewise, to a J-frame snubby, and there are a zillion used ones floating around, or even perhaps a nib pre-lock could be found on places such as GunsAmerica.

But, if you want a small 44, Charters probably the best deal in town.

JMOFO

Best Wishes,

J. Pomeroy

I had a .38, didn't stay tight, sold it. Want a good quality revolver for bottom dollar, IMHO go with a Rossi.

I had a undercover from first company and it was a fine pistol. Also had the 44 bulldog . Was a good pistol also as long as you didn't mind the recoil It had plenty of that.
44 spl is a good SD round I would like another.

Plus one on the Rossi. I see on thier website they are again offering the 357/38 snub. Mine is brushed Stainless. The new one is high gloss. They keep chainging their model numbers, it seems.

I have had 2 Charter 38s a "newer" one and an "older" one. The newer one shoots okay buy I think a Taurus is better. The older one is really nice good trigger, etc wwhich I would rate at least equal to a Taurus but not a Smith, Colt, or Ruger. Perhaps the older ones were made better to try and steal more of the Smith and Colt crowd when they were introduced. Just my observation.

A 44 spl that you would shoot in the Charter (the gun might take hotter loads I don't know how you would do) should be better than a 38 not quite a 45. My opinion, you could research charts and studies.

IF you can get out the door for under $300. I would say it's a deal, for Stainless, NIB.

That price is def. a bit high for a Charter Arms. I've handled their .38's and .357's and they were impressive guns for the money.

SOG has the new .44 bulldogs for $275. I've been interested in one as well, good truck or "bathroom" gun. MKS Supply owns Charter now. Same company that has the Hipoint pistol line, that's a good thing, there Customer service is top notch.

longhorngunman:

If the MKS Supply would support the Bulldogs with the same excellent lifetime warranty, super customer service as they do the HiPoint line of firearms I would buy one myself...

I've kinda always liked the Bulldog 44, but the reputation of the firearms manufactured AFTER the original Charter Arms Co. went belly up was iffy at best.

I think a Charter Bulldog backed by HiPoint with a quality lifetime warranty and great customer service would be very desirable..

Best Wishes,

J. Pomeroy

MKS supply doesn't own either Charter arms or Hi-point. They distribute both of those lines. MKS is a distributer.

Have you looked into the new Ruger super redhawk alaskan in .44mag?. I've been throwing around the idea of getting a bulldog also but after seeing the alaskan I think I'll it'd be a better choice. Besides its a 44mag gun which means it will also fire .44special loads, and you know you can trust the ruger name/quality.IMO its kind of like why would you by a gun chambered in .38 instead of by a .357 and having the best of both worlds?.Use the 44spcl for target practice and the 44mag for getting down to business.

Brian Craig

I sure have considered the Redhawk! Again.

I had one in the early 90's. With the BBL chopped to 3 inches it would be way heavy for me to pack around.

I had a 629 3" Smith as a woods gun for years. Ended up going with a G-29 and never looked back.

I've probably slipped over the edge wanting a Charter. It's just an old fantasy from about "86 or so when I saw my first one with that big hole in the BBL.

Looking at the Ballistics a 357 would do the job. But I have 357's.

And you know how it is when you get a new gun itch!!!

I have a .38 Undercover "2000" model that's functioned flawlessly, it's a great little gun. I've only shot .44 spl from an Anaconda, so I expect that experience was a bit different from what you're asking about.