Will 9mm para work in charter arms pitbull chambered for 9mm federal

[greywalker]

So the thread title pretty much says it all- I have found and am looking at a charter arms pitbull in 9mm federal, but have no desire to reload for it, or attempt to find the mystical unicorn that is a box of 9mm federal.... so I am wondering if this puppy will chamber and fire 9mm para, or if its a paper weight..... I know already that it will not work with moon clips, and that it will of course not extract with para ammo, provided it will fire it...

Thanks for any info.....

 

[zxcvbob]

.38 Short Colt looks like it might work.

 

[rcmodel]

I remember at one time reading a review of the Charter 9mm Federal by Hal Swiggett, I think.

In it, he said he successfully fired a cylinder full of 9mm Luger in the test gun.

I would guess though that headspace issues could rear their ugly head on a used gun and that would prevent the firing pin reaching the primers on rimless rounds.

I think what I would do, had I had one, would be to call Pinnacle or somebody and see if they would do a moon-clip conversion on a Charter.
That would take care of any headspace issues permanently, and also allow ejection.

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

rc

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Good question...not sure if standard 9mm will work or not. I had a Charter Arms 9mm Federal revolver once upon a time when ammo was obtainable. It was a blued one and shorter barreled than the stainless ones I see upon occasion now...had a hammer spur too.

There's usually some ammo available on Gun Broker but it ain't cheap...some for $69 + $12 shipping per box (50) and some for $65 + $11 shipping...yikes!

 

[MMCSRET]

I'm scratching around in the back room of my memory, stirring up some dust, makes me sneeze!! I seem to remember that there was, in the chambers, a head space shoulder to head space a 9MM Luger round but it would not extract, much the same as the 45 ACP/45 Auto Rim. I would email Charter Arms and then do a follow up phone call, they would have the definitive answer.

 

[tekarra]

Yes, 9 x 19 will work in the Pitbull. However, you will have to extract the cases wiht your finernail or poke them out with something from the front of the cylinder.

 

[ugaarguy]

They don't list Charter Arms on their work pricing, but you might call or e-mail Pinnacle. They convert just about everything to use moon clips. Already having the weapon chambered 9mm Fed should allow them to simply machine the cylinder face to accommodate the moon clips. http://www.pinnacle-guns.com/revolver.asp - scroll down to the moon clip conversions section.

 

[BCRider]

Sounds like a likely candidate to have the cylinder relieved to accept moon clips in this case. Yes? No?

 

[ugaarguy]

Sounds like a likely candidate to have the cylinder relieved to accept moon clips in this case. Yes? No?

That's what I would do. Paying the money one time to get the cylinder face machined for moonclips would pay for itself in money saved on brass if you reload - not to mention saving the headache of finding 9mm Fed brass in the first place. If you don't reload it makes the revolver functional for you again, and the money spent would likely be the same or less than what would be lost trading it in toward something else. Besides all that I think moonclipped revolvers are cool anyway.

 

[rcmodel]

I think that's what I said in post #3.
(along with a link to Pennacle)

rc

 

[ugaarguy]

Don't know how I overlooked the fact that you'd already linked to Pinnacle rc. Oops. At least we're thinkin' alike.

 

[lobo9er]

might be better to just find another revolver if tis something you want to shoot. If its a collector thing it doesnt matter just my 2 cents not much fun if its a pain to reload.

 

[greywalker]

well, I decided to take a pass on the one I found at the shop- I figure that while I could pick it up uber cheap, its not worth the chance that its just a paper weight- btw, for anyone interested, I have found mentions of reloading for 9mm fed by cutting down .38 special or by loading 9mm bullets into .38 S+W cases with the appropriate charge or powder- I dont reload as of yet, so it would pretty well be a wash for me if it doesn't take 9mm para as well.... Thanks to all for the info and ideas, if nothing else it was educational...

 

[Old Shooter]

Would it be better to park the Charter in a safe for another 20 or so years? Buy one of those boxes of over priced ammo to put in there with it. I don't know if an original, unmodified, Charter in 9mm Federal with one box of ammo will be worth an easy retirement but it might turn into somewhat of a collectors item by then. Otherwise you've just got a cheap, Charter that has been modified for moon clips and is valued as a shooter only.

I would buy something else for shooting and let the Charter sit....But it's your gun