Charter Arms 9mm Federal

[Huaco1]

So...
I have me a Charter Arms 9 mm Fed. revolver. I am fed up with the $1.50 to $2.00/round prices i am finding on factory ammo and I have also attempted the "work-around" of loading up the cut down 38 spec and 38 S&W brass to make a hybrid round that will work. My problem with those hybrid rounds is that about one out of every 10 or 15 rounds will not fire because there is too much space between the firing pin and the primer. I will get a shallow dent in the primer but not enough to make it charge.
My other option to solve this predicament would be to change cylinders out to a 38 spec and shoot that ammo out of the gun. With only .002" difference in the two rounds, AND being a revolver, there would not be enough increase in pressure to harm anything and I could actually shoot factory defense loads out of it. (this will ultimately be my "truck-gun")

Anybody have any ideas on the possibility of this?

Also, anybody have an idea of where to start looking for Charter Arms 38 spec cylinders?

 

[calaverasslim]

I knew Charter Arms were schedualed to come out with 9MM and 40 S&W pistols but I wasn't aware they were out yet. Surprise to me.

Anyway, if yours is chambered to 9mm, why not buy 9mm brass? Or am I reading this wrong? You can buy 9MM brass all day and half the night for a song.

 

[stu454]

9mm Federal is a completely different cartridge than 9mm Luger/Para. It was a rimmed 9mm that was a joint venture between Federal and Charter back in the '80s.

 

[WC145]

Unless you get lucky and find some factory ammo I think you're pretty much SOL. You can check Numrich for cylinders and call Charter Arms directly as well. I'd say your best bet would be to sell it, they do have some value as conversation pieces and paperweights, and buy yourself a new Charter .38. Bud's Guns has them starting at $306.

 

[Jim Watson]

Have you tried 9mm P?
I have read that it should headspace in the cylinder as in an auto barrel and fire normally.
It won't extract, of course.

 

[NG VI]

You could use some of the good brass and load up some Golden Sabers maybe?

 

[rcmodel]

Here is the story on 9mm Federal Rimmed.

http://www.ammo-one.com/9mmFedRim.html

I think the best possibility would be to face off the rear of the cylinder so you can use 9mm Luger ammo in moon clips.
Might call Pinnacle High Performance and discuss it with them.

Of course, that would preclude ever using 9mm Federal in it again, but the likelihood of there ever being 9mm Federal ammo again is zero.

http://www.pinnacle-guns.com/revolver.asp

BTW: COuld you measure the rim thickness on a round and see how it compares to .38 S&W .055", and .38 Special .058"??
Also, SAAMI spec for .357 Mag is .060" so you might try that too.

rc

 

[bdb benzino]

That is what I was gonna say rcmodel,

I would have it cut for moonclips and shoot 9mm Luger, I love the speed and ease of loading with moomclips!

 

[Huaco1]

What exactly are Golden Sabers?

I do not have any 9mm fed brass, besides, I would not carry reloads for self defense.

Anybody have an empty 9mm fed brass they could put a set of calipers on and post up the dims?

 

[rcmodel]

Golden Sabers are Remington's version of a JHP bullet using cartridge brass jacket material instead of the more common copper gliding metal jacket used by most other companies.

They are good bullets, but no better then most other brands made today.

rc

 

[NG VI]

Yeah, what rcmodel said. They are good bullets, work well, and are available as reloading components. My favorite carry bullet is Federal's HST, but they aren't out for loading. Golden Sabers also have a pretty outstanding reputation for accuracy, like the Hornady XTP, so they've got that going for them as well.

 

[tekarra]

Huaco,
I saw some 9mm Fed a few months ago in a catalogue or flyer. It was a cartridge collector or dealer in obsolete cartridges. Trying to remember what I did with it. IMO it would be a shame to modify the revolver. How about posting some photos and a ranger report.

 

[WC145]

There's a guy on gunbroker with 5 boxes, he's selling them one box at a time and starting the bidding at $75. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=161210302

 

[bdb benzino]

At that price, all five boxes would meet or exeed the value of the pistol. I know it would be a shame, but if it were mine, I would be sending the cylinder to be machined for moonclips. At least that way it could be used and ammo would be avaliable.

 

[speedyleion]

I'm not sure about the construction of the firearm but would an extended firing pin with the 38 cases work?

 

[stu454]

Nope; dimensions are off.

 

[natman]

The same gun was available with a 357 cylinder, which is why the 9mm Federal was such a bomb in the first place. I'd recommend having a 357/38 cylinder fitted.

Or you could buy a box of 9mm Fed, shoot 30 or so to salvage the brass for reloading. Keep 12 factory rounds for defensive use.

I hope the gun was cheap.

 

[Huaco1]

Yep... gun was $180. I bought it 10 years ago.

My thoughts were the same about the firing pin. I could probably find a smith to make a longer pin for the gun. The hybrid rounds work great except for the occasional mis-fire.

STU... what do you mean by the dims are off?

I like the idea of machining the cylinder for moon clips, but I think the gun does not warrant the expense of that procedure.

Anybody have any good references of a smith? Something like this can be done by mail order.

 

[speedyleion]

Another thought is I read, on the internet so it must be reliable, that it headspaced off of the case mouth if that is the case maybe making the hybrid brass just a bit longer might work...

 

[stu454]

Huaco,

I misspoke about the dimensions.

 

[WC145]

www.pinnacle-guns.com

Mark Hartshorne cuts cylinders for moonclips and he does great work. The two issues would be if any existing moonclips would work with that gun, and then whether or not he'd do the job on a Charter Arms, I doubt it's a very common request.

 

[natman]

Be sure to factor in the cost of UPS Next Day Air shipment of the gun both ways if you go mail order. Shipping alone will cost more than a box of 9mm Fed ammo.

Best of luck.

 

[bdb benzino]

Could you just send the cylinder??

 

[rcmodel]

Being as how a 9mm Federal Charter Arms is a pretty rare beast, it would be very unlikely anyone would touch just the cylinder.

They need the whole gun to set headspace properly and insure proper function with the moon clips.

rc

 

[Huaco1]

I will not ship this gun to anybody because I dont think the gun is worth it.

I will try to lengthen my next set of Hybrid round brass. This still does not address my point of not wanting to defend myself with Handloads.

Above, someone said that this same model revolver came in .357. I bet I could get a cylinder and make a direct swap and shoot 38's out of it. I wonder if the frame would be strong enough for .357's?