Charter Arms quality

JERRY

JERRY

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Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
3,842
Look I already know this is a budget gun. I've had maybe a 50/50 run with them over the years in 22, 38 and 44. I don't expect Smith and Wesson quality but I expect quality materials and quality workmanship.

This gun has maybe 250 rounds through it no +p ammo at all no specialty hand loads just all factory. Today I cleaned it up and took a closer look at it. Here are some of the still shots. Tell me what you think about this gun and if you have similar experience.
 

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Trackmaster said:
Looks like normal finish wear, I think that gun is good to go for a long and happy life...My CA bulldog is over 40 years old, looks good and still tight and in time, enjoy that nice little revolver...
Click to expand...

My concern was the way the forcing cone looks like it was mishapingly pressed into the frame. Also there is no frame bushing for the cylinder release pin bore that seems to have started to go oblong. Mind you, it's only had about 250 standard pressure rounds through it.
 
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The first ones, way back, had problems enough there was a section in Brownells Gunsmith Kinks dealing with them. I've had few a and never had one where the action didn't feel gritty. Just got it of my last one, an original Bulldog, the best one be had.
Ill stick with Smith an Ruger, used.
 
The aluminum frame on this revolver looks like it has a poor composition for hardness, or, did not receive a proper heat treatment. If it looks this beaten at 250 rounds, imagine the wear at 2500 rounds.
 
Looks great to me , normal coated Aluminum wear
I remember the first 637 I owned.. whatever finish on the revolver turned yelowish and started peeling
My new 642 is fine
Also my first S&W 37 .. just in a few months of carry the painted finish from the frame was wearing quickly and also chipping off … I really think Charters Aluminum seems to be way above average
compared to others Aluminum..
Im not sure what qualifies as Aircraft grade aluminum.. but that is what they use
 
JERRY said:
Look I already know this is a budget gun. I've had maybe a 50/50 run with them over the years in 22, 38 and 44. I don't expect Smith and Wesson quality but I expect quality materials and quality workmanship.

This gun has maybe 250 rounds through it no +p ammo at all no specialty hand loads just all factory. Today I cleaned it up and took a closer look at it. Here are some of the still shots. Tell me what you think about this gun and if you have similar experience.
Click to expand...

Wear I see is consistent with a gun with a few hundred rounds through it. Ditto forcing cone -- I'm not worried with what I see here.

Chatter marks in the rifling?

SterlingBullet said:
If it looks this beaten at 250 rounds, imagine the wear at 2500 rounds.
Click to expand...

2500 rounds? By 2500 rounds, likely something else would have happened. Transfer bar broke a couple times, etc.

JERRY said:
Also there is no frame bushing for the cylinder release pin bore that seems to have started to go oblong. Mind you, it's only had about 250 standard pressure rounds through it.
Click to expand...

What it looks like to me is not the cylinder pin hole going oblong, but the area just to the side of that getting beaten up, by the cylinder pin crossing the slot where the hand travels. Yeah, not great,

(local shop has a Al frame Undercover, used, listed at $175. Do I want it? Nooo, not really. I'm really, pretty well set for .38 snubs.)
 
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JERRY said:
My concern was the way the forcing cone looks like it was mishapingly pressed into the frame. Also there is no frame bushing for the cylinder release pin bore that seems to have started to go oblong. Mind you, it's only had about 250 standard pressure rounds through it.
Click to expand...
The gouge below the forcing cone doesn't look good, but as long as it doesn't impact function it's a cosmetic thing. The hold for the release pin looking oblong, if we're talking about how it looks thru the hammer slot, that's a burr that hasn't been removed. It doesn't affect function, don't worry about it.
 
JERRY said:
My concern was the way the forcing cone looks like it was mishapingly pressed into the frame. Also there is no frame bushing for the cylinder release pin bore that seems to have started to go oblong. Mind you, it's only had about 250 standard pressure rounds through it.
Click to expand...

Yep, no bushing for the center pin and no bushing for the firing pin either. Same as my aluminum frame Undercoverette. My aluminum frame Taurus 85UL at least had a firing pin bushing. But the cylinder pin wear against the aluminum frame on that gun taught me to polish the center pin, put a touch of grease on it, and never open the cylinder unless required.
 
I thought it was a gouge, but given it's an aluminum frame and the zoomed in pics, it could be a crack and even if it's not it's best to send it back to Charter to have them look at it.
 
Dan Forrester said:
Posts like this make me apprehensive to purchase anything from Charter Arms. I really want one of their .44 special Bull Dogs too. I would gladly pay an extra $100 if they would just make a better quality product.

Dan
Click to expand...

Over the years I've had three Bulldogs. One was a charco pos, but the others were Charter Arms and shot themselves out of timing quickly.

One 3" pathfinder. 22lr that was an absolute gem.

One off duty .38 that was very soundly built.

And now this one here.

*** email sent via their website contact us link.
 
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JERRY said:
That and the forcing cone is deformed at the 6 o'clock position
Click to expand...

Yep. It's like the barrel is tilting up (at the muzzle) and the cone is hitting the cylinder bushing in recoil. Bad, bad, bad.

Makes me wonder if the current aluminum frame Charter Arms is best suited for .32 mag and .22 LR. I need to look at my .32 mag and see how much meat is in the frame at that point.

Edit: My Undercoverette's frame looks to be no thicker than your .38's frame. Geez, I'll have to keep a watch on it each time I fire it. Maybe downgrade the ammo supply to .32 S&W Long . . . but that serves no real point to me if I do so.

Taurus revolvers are looking more and more like finely made guns compared to Charter Arms. I guess when it comes to Charter Arms, it needs to be a steel frame gun.
 
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chicharrones said:
Yep. It's like the barrel is tilting up (at the muzzle) and the cone is hitting the cylinder bushing in recoil. Bad, bad, bad.

Makes me wonder if the current aluminum frame Charter Arms is best suited for .32 mag and .22 LR. I need to look at my .32 mag and see how much meat is in the frame at that point.

Edit: My Undercoverette's frame looks to be no thicker than your .38's frame. Geez, I'll have to keep a watch on it each time I fire it. Maybe downgrade the ammo supply to .32 S&W Long . . . but that serves no real point to me if I do so.

Taurus revolvers are looking more and more like finely made guns compared to Charter Arms. I guess when it comes to Charter Arms, it needs to be a steel frame gun.
Click to expand...

My Charter Pitbull 40 S&W has had countless rounds … mentioning this because its a higher pressure round , Tight as drum .. really sorta good trigger
Bulldog 44 good to go
Boomer 44 good to go
357 Professional go to go
Pitbull 45 ACP good to go

Taurus 856 UL ….good to go

I have owned a few Charter Aluminum framed 38’s
No problems with any …but crap can happen
I look at the cracked frames on S&W aluminum J frames … seems to be fairly common…
I would never shoot a plus P in my 642 .. really no need
 
Dan Forrester said:
Posts like this make me apprehensive to purchase anything from Charter Arms. I really want one of their .44 special Bull Dogs too. I would gladly pay an extra $100 if they would just make a better quality product.Dan
Click to expand...

Yea, I keep vacillating on getting a Bulldog 45 LC and threads like this just make it more difficult to decide. I've read that CA has a really good customer service rep.
 
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