How About Some Charter Arms Love?
- Thread starter Nathanael_Greene
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JohnnyFlake
Member
I love Charter Arms Handguns. I have owned a couple of Bull Dog .44spl over the years and a couple of .38spl as well.
Right now I own and simply love a Charter Arms Pitbull 5 Shot .45acp 2 1/2". It is the Bees Knees and I am about a hart-beat away from buying another. It's built like a tank and as tight and smooth as any S&W or Ruger I have owned. It's powerful and has a stout but very manageable recoil, especially with 185gn ammo. It does not use Half Moon or Full Moon Clips, no clips of any kind. The system they developed works like a charm, with no issues of any kind.
I can envision these quickly becoming a top choice, Law Enforcement, personal back up weapon. Their .44spl did and this is even better!
Right now I own and simply love a Charter Arms Pitbull 5 Shot .45acp 2 1/2". It is the Bees Knees and I am about a hart-beat away from buying another. It's built like a tank and as tight and smooth as any S&W or Ruger I have owned. It's powerful and has a stout but very manageable recoil, especially with 185gn ammo. It does not use Half Moon or Full Moon Clips, no clips of any kind. The system they developed works like a charm, with no issues of any kind.
I can envision these quickly becoming a top choice, Law Enforcement, personal back up weapon. Their .44spl did and this is even better!
CajunBass
Member
I've owned three or four of the 38's over the years. I never thought there was anything wrong with them.
Today, I've only got one. An early 44 Bulldog.
Today, I've only got one. An early 44 Bulldog.
MedWheeler
Member
I bought one the day I was sworn in as a LEO, in December of 1987. It's an Undercover in .38, and has the then-rare anodized-aluminum barrel/ejector shroud. It's always been a solid and reliable shooter, and did a few years of BU and OD duty. I still have it.
My dad, whom I did not know while I was growing up, also did some LE time around the same time I started, as a deputy sheriff in Colorado. His BU and Jeep gun was also an Undercover 38, 21 years older than mine. When he died in 2010, ten years after we had re-connected, that gun (along with his Service Six) became mine. It's definitely an example of what brought Charter Arms onto the map, light, slim, and easily carried, as well as a good shooter.
My dad, whom I did not know while I was growing up, also did some LE time around the same time I started, as a deputy sheriff in Colorado. His BU and Jeep gun was also an Undercover 38, 21 years older than mine. When he died in 2010, ten years after we had re-connected, that gun (along with his Service Six) became mine. It's definitely an example of what brought Charter Arms onto the map, light, slim, and easily carried, as well as a good shooter.
Kaeto
Member
You might say I like Charter Arms. This is my daily carry gun. A Undercover Southpaw.
aarondhgraham
Member
I'm not sure I would call it love,,,
I'm not sure I would call it love,,,
But I do have a small set I put together.
Meet The Andrews Sisters.
.44 Special, .38 Special, and .22 LR.
Aarond
.
I'm not sure I would call it love,,,
But I do have a small set I put together.
Meet The Andrews Sisters.
.44 Special, .38 Special, and .22 LR.
Aarond
.
FLNT4EVR
Member
I have a charter in 45ACP I love it, it took a little work ( DRY FIRING ,and ,JUST WORKING THE ACTION ) to smooth it all out . Now with a crimson trace grip it is my H D G and i know it will handle the job, no matter what . COMFORTABLE, POWERFUL big bore whats not to like
sheephearder
Member
Having owned several charter arms guns, they are OK .They will serve if that is what you can afford. To me a Colt, S&W and Ruger are worth the extra cost. I had a 5 shot and 6 shot 38 sp and a 44 bulldog, they all worked and were OK but they were loose and I replaced the hammer springs in the 38 to make them reliable in double action. To be fair I prefer a S&W k frame or a Colt E frame.
SlowFuse
Member
I realize there may be better options concerning quality, but I'm very happy with this one. 327 Fed Mag Target Patriot. Very accurate and has handled surprisingly hot loads with no issue. When i want to load hotter I go for the 327 Blackhawk. But, for what it is and the price I paid, i have no qualms.
I've got a late 60's - early 70's Undercover Special (Serial No. starts with 287 and Bridgeport, Conn. along the right hand side of the barrel), and it's a good little gun. I know that Charter Arms has gone through some periods of quality issues, but there's certainly nothing wrong with their early guns. They are, in my opinion, a relative bargain.
OP
OP
Nathanael_Greene
Member
rodinal220
Member
I own several vintage Charters in 38spl,44spl and 22rf.I own two(now) newer Charters a SS Bulldog for the last several years(very accurate and reliable,smooth trigger pull), and a 4" SS Pathfinder in 22rf.
The new Pathfinder trigger pull was a little gritty and stiff.A good flushing with CRC non-chlorinated brake cleaner helped the grittiness. FP-10 and some dry firing is smoothing out the pull.
I have shot the new 45acp Pitbull and it seems interesting. Ejection/extraction was positive but seating the rounds required a firm shove to get them to seat.I would like to know how well the unique ratchet star holds up over time.
People either love or hate Charters,I treat them like a Mossberg 500,simple dependable, but not a show piece.They are "working" guns.The older vintage Charter blued guns came with pretty decent polish,better than Ruger IMHO.
I love the Bulldog in 44spl with full wad cutters. I wish a quality ammo maker would make a Charter rated load in the 800fps range.The Buffalo Bore load is too hot.
The new Pathfinder trigger pull was a little gritty and stiff.A good flushing with CRC non-chlorinated brake cleaner helped the grittiness. FP-10 and some dry firing is smoothing out the pull.
I have shot the new 45acp Pitbull and it seems interesting. Ejection/extraction was positive but seating the rounds required a firm shove to get them to seat.I would like to know how well the unique ratchet star holds up over time.
People either love or hate Charters,I treat them like a Mossberg 500,simple dependable, but not a show piece.They are "working" guns.The older vintage Charter blued guns came with pretty decent polish,better than Ruger IMHO.
I love the Bulldog in 44spl with full wad cutters. I wish a quality ammo maker would make a Charter rated load in the 800fps range.The Buffalo Bore load is too hot.
gonoles_1980
Member
My only issue with my Charter Arm's 38spl is it has a 2% misfire rate. It's worse if I use CCI 500's, so I stick to WSP's for it. Got it used, I suspect someone modified the spring to make it easier to pull. Otherwise, it is a fine gun.
JohnnyFlake
Member
Then you should change the spring, a very easy and inexpensive repair!
Pokajabba
member
While they make nothing I'm interested in, I will give CA some love. They've been around a long time, they know who they are and what they make and don't stray to far from their bread and butter and in that make some good quality hardware.
Now, if only they'd take the Bulldog and plump it up where it needs it and chambered it for .45 Colt... I'd take a serious look at it. Maybe they could call it the Rottweiler?
Now, if only they'd take the Bulldog and plump it up where it needs it and chambered it for .45 Colt... I'd take a serious look at it. Maybe they could call it the Rottweiler?
stevebla
Member
My wife's first gun purchase was a pink lady in 38 special. We were at a gun store and she says, "I am going to buy a gun." I said "OK." I was looking at rifles and look over and she is doing paper work. I walk over to see what she is buying and she says, "You better get a gun too." I like Charter arms the Pink Lady is a good gun.
I purchased a 9mm PITBULL because I love 9mm revolvers. I have the 6-shot version I purchased in 2014 and don't plan on having them change it to a 5-shot for me. My review is here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...31#post9710831
They weren't producing a lot of them and that kept the prices up. When I saw one become available I jumped at the chance, afraid that they'd eventually stop making them. I think now its about a $400 revolver.
My Charter Arms PITBULL had nicks or machine marks in a lot of places. The finish was just not that good.
One chamber is a little tighter than the others, its the first to have difficulty extracting a round.
I had the transfer bar break when I'd had probably less than 50 rounds through it - definitely less than 150. I wasn't keeping track of how many rounds I put through the PITBULL but I was keeping a log on my CM9 and I know I shot a little less than 150 rounds through the CM9 and I wasn't shooting the PITBULL more than the CM9, so 150 rounds tops - but probably less than 50.
I wouldn't say I've fallen for it. After a year of owning one, I like it, I don't love it.
Its just OK.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...31#post9710831
They weren't producing a lot of them and that kept the prices up. When I saw one become available I jumped at the chance, afraid that they'd eventually stop making them. I think now its about a $400 revolver.
My Charter Arms PITBULL had nicks or machine marks in a lot of places. The finish was just not that good.
One chamber is a little tighter than the others, its the first to have difficulty extracting a round.
I had the transfer bar break when I'd had probably less than 50 rounds through it - definitely less than 150. I wasn't keeping track of how many rounds I put through the PITBULL but I was keeping a log on my CM9 and I know I shot a little less than 150 rounds through the CM9 and I wasn't shooting the PITBULL more than the CM9, so 150 rounds tops - but probably less than 50.
I wouldn't say I've fallen for it. After a year of owning one, I like it, I don't love it.
Its just OK.
Dframe
Member
I don't love mine but I certainly "Like" the two I own. Bulldog and southpaw
kBob
Member
Once Wells Fargo's Pony Express (don't laugh, it was a job) decided to disarm its agents I had three county Sheriffs inform me that they did not like "anyone having the keys to my banks that ain't got a gun!"
One threatened to arrest me for disturbing the peace if he caught me unarmed as it "disturbs the hell outa my peace that you ain't got a gun"
As one did not argue with rural county southern sheriffs in the 1970's I there fore said to hell with company policy and carried a nickeled undercover where the boss would not see it.
I later obtained a blued one and then another. One went to a girlfriend who kept it when she became my ex girl friend and I was not enough of a heel to make an issue of it.
The other is currently my wife's back up gun. I bought it in about 1978, used and she has been using it since about 1985. She used to win supper with it by challenging college kids that did not know better at the public range to shoot at plastic milk jugs at 115 yards on the back stop with what ever hand gun they had against her and the Charter.....she never bought them supper.
The Nickeled one is still in the family and also going great still.
Best bud had two, one an Undercover and one a bulldog. He loaded the bulldog ridiculously hot on occasion and when he died it went to a niece and was still working fine.......I did gather up all the hot loaded stuff so she only got factory LRN and some mild SWCs.
I know that Mas Ayoob was not pleased to see one of the Undercovers on his book cover. For whatever reason he did not like them. Though she used a P7 for his LFI1 class (except half a day when Mas loaned her his Python) my wife did demonstrate her "long range skill" with the Undercover to him one afternoon.
-kBob
One threatened to arrest me for disturbing the peace if he caught me unarmed as it "disturbs the hell outa my peace that you ain't got a gun"
As one did not argue with rural county southern sheriffs in the 1970's I there fore said to hell with company policy and carried a nickeled undercover where the boss would not see it.
I later obtained a blued one and then another. One went to a girlfriend who kept it when she became my ex girl friend and I was not enough of a heel to make an issue of it.
The other is currently my wife's back up gun. I bought it in about 1978, used and she has been using it since about 1985. She used to win supper with it by challenging college kids that did not know better at the public range to shoot at plastic milk jugs at 115 yards on the back stop with what ever hand gun they had against her and the Charter.....she never bought them supper.
The Nickeled one is still in the family and also going great still.
Best bud had two, one an Undercover and one a bulldog. He loaded the bulldog ridiculously hot on occasion and when he died it went to a niece and was still working fine.......I did gather up all the hot loaded stuff so she only got factory LRN and some mild SWCs.
I know that Mas Ayoob was not pleased to see one of the Undercovers on his book cover. For whatever reason he did not like them. Though she used a P7 for his LFI1 class (except half a day when Mas loaned her his Python) my wife did demonstrate her "long range skill" with the Undercover to him one afternoon.
-kBob
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