Cylinder Wobble on a Old Charter arms. Fix?

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Analogkid

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I recently had a very nice looking 1st Generation Charter Arms Under cover given to me. It served as a sock drawer gun for it's entire life. I got the half shot box of ammo that was purchased with the gun when new.

The Lock Up is tight and has very minimal rotational wobble side to side when locked and is not out of time.

It looks to be have a pin on the end of the indexing star that locks into a hole in breech face and a spring loaded bushing on the ejector rod that clicks into the frame to center the entire assembly all up when the cylinder is closed making it tight.

I am sure you all know that though.

My concern I guess is that When you open the Cylinder it is very wobbly and is only bushed by the crane. I don't see a fix for this since it doesnt seem to have a actual bushing in the crane and am not sure it is a real issue since I have never had or held on if these. Is this normal for these to have a really loose cylinder at the crane when swung out? As stated before it is pretty tight once closed and seems to pass the standard used revolver check when in it's closed position.

I have shot it a few times and it isn't spitting back lead or anything. Just the wobble when the cylinder is swung out.

This model has a un shrouded ejector and was made in Bridgeport.

Thoughts? potential fixes? Or run it. This was a Family member's personal protection for years and I would prefer to keep it.
 
I just checked mine and it is loose just like you said. Mine works fine. In fact I made a couple of shots with it yesterday. Take your pistol out and enjoy it.

Regards Pablito
 
It's simply part of the design. As long as the cylinder locks up when closed it really doesn't matter. I have been carrying a Charter Pug since 1987 and have shot new ones and old ones. They all have floppy cylinders when open. The biggest real problem I have seen with Charters are people who handload them with ridiculous hot loads or insist on buying Buffalo Bore/Corbon type loads because they just refuse to believe that standard loads are are you really need if you can hit where you aim. If you believe that you must run super hot +P loads don't buy a Charter. On Charters you also MUST constantly keep an eye on the screws. Recoil will loosen them up constantly. Loctite will help but a Charter is kind of like a Harley. They like to disassemble themselves while in use.
 
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Under the current management, the lifetime warranty applies to every Charter Arms ever made. I just picked up a new Bulldog and it's great.
 
According to their faq on their webpage there is a $50 fee to work on the older guns and a fee for parts. Add in shipping both ways you maybe be better off purchasing a new Charter arms to actually get a true lifetime warranty.

But if they state one thing and do another I. E pay for shipping and repair said gun for free regardless of their policy on older guns it can be confusing.

As it is stated on their website it looks like the older guns do not have the same lifetime warranty.
 
Charter Arms has been plagued by aquisitions. The original company was excellent. I had one of their early .38's and it was tight although well used. I bought one of their 44 spl Bulldog Pugs new 10 years ago. It was loose and wobbly from day one. If Ruger or S&W was making a 44 spl double action I would have bought that instead. It seems that whenever a gun company is bought out, quality declines some.
I live in bear country and the Pug is my back pocket gun I grab every time I walk out to the barn and don't feel like putting on a belt and holstering up in 44 magnum. Unfortunately they need to be cleaned and oiled very regularly or the cylinder won't turn when you work the trigger. I found this out when a mountain lion chased my dog and met me at 30 feet. I was able to get it to turn by rotating the cylinder with my left hand. By the time I was ready to fire, the lion had vanished.
 
My concern I guess is that When you open the Cylinder it is very wobbly and is only bushed by the crane. I don't see a fix for this since it doesnt seem to have a actual bushing in the crane and am not sure it is a real issue since I have never had or held on if these. Is this normal for these to have a really loose cylinder at the crane when swung out? As stated before it is pretty tight once closed and seems to pass the standard used revolver check when in it's closed position.
Click to expand...

The Charter locks up on the cylinder pin at the back, the spring loaded sleeve on the ejector rod at the front, and the cylinder stop on the bottom. The crane isn't doing anything for the lockup.
 
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