A Quest of Info

F

fiVe

New member
I know there have been numerous debates about brands--Smith&Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Taurus, etc. The purpose of this post is not to support or degrade a particular brand--I'm just requesting info and/or looking for knowledge.

I read the following on the Charter Firearms website under "Points of Superiority"...

..........
Smallest, lightest one-piece frame for better strength than designs with side plates. Is one-piece really stronger? If so, why aren't all revolvers one-piece?

Barrels are one-piece, machined with eight groves instead of six for higher velocity, flatter trajectory and better accuracy. Aren't all barrels one piece? Are 8 grooves really better?

Lock up is in three places instead of two, at the hand, cylinder stop and ejector rod collar for additional safety, strength and cylinder to barrel lock up. What exactly is lock up? Are 3 places really better than 2?

No stud to hold cylinder in place when open, only US manufacturer to feature. Can someone please tell me what this statement means?
..........

I hope it is not inappropriate to post the above points. I know most do not hold Charter in very high esteem(except some older models). I was on their site to just read/learn about this brand. Any help with the above would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

Regards,
fiVe
 
Best econo gun?

Perhaps they are now saying that they are the best among the secondary economy brands of revolvers, but I would not necessarily hold them in higher esteem than any good rev. from Smith or Ruger. Colts are now pretty much used guns anyway. Might check out a Charter and see how they are made IN PERSON, these days. There used to be a maker that had epoxied shrouds on the barrels, might have been them. They would usually fall off after some moderate use. Maybe they are acceptable nowadays for cash strapped folks. Need not be as nice as a big name, but in any case gotta be reliable!
 
In order:
A one piece frame MAY be stronger than a frame with a side plate, but this type of strength has no real practical application on a revolver.
The main points of stress are not in the frame sidewalls.

All barrels are one piece, with the exception being the Dan Wesson and new S&W models where the barrel is covered with a shroud.
These might be termed "two piece" except the actual barrel is one piece.
Only automatics can be made with a two piece barrel, in which the rear section with it's locking lugs and linking system is one piece with a rifled sleeve inserted in it.
So, for a revolver, this is slightly disingenuous, since there really can't be a true two piece barrel.

Eight groove riffling is somewhat over-kill, especially in a revolver.
Even high-precision rifles usually have only 4 grooves, with some using as many as six.
Eight grooves, especially in a short barreled, inexpensive revolver is more a matter of advertising hype than a useful feature.

Lockup refers to the method of securing the cylinder in the frame. This is simply a method of holding the cylinder in place in the frame, and is accomplished in a S&W by a pin inside the center of the cylinder entering a hole in the frame, and also interlocking with a stud mounted on the barrel.
Colt uses a single pin at the rear, mounted inside the frame that enters a recess in the rear of the cylinder.
Both are quite sufficient to the need.
Three point lockup CAN be stronger, and a few revolvers over the years do have three point lock systems.
In practical application, manufacturers have found that two locking points are sufficient to the task.

Most revolvers have a small lug, or stud on the side of the frame at the lower rear of the frame window.
This stud prevents the cylinder from moving backward when the cylinder is open.
Whether a revolver has a stud or some other method of preventing the cylinder from moving rearward is strictly a matter of design.
There is no advantage or disadvantage to either method.
Again, inexpensive gun advertising hype.
 
From their website FAQ

Q. Can I shoot +p in my .38 five shot revolver?

A. Charter .38's are the smallest revolvers in this caliber, they can handle +p but we do not recommend a steady diet. Studies have shown that +p ammo is not a great defensive round because the bullet travels so fast that unless a critical area is hit the perpetrators may not be stopped. We recommend hollow points and full metal jacketed ammo as it will open and have a better chance stopping the intruder.
 
"We recommend hollow points and full metal jacketed ammo as it will open and have a better chance stopping the intruder."?????????


WTF????


there's a good reason to not buy a charter gun....
 
No stud to hold cylinder in place when open, only US manufacturer to feature.

Barrels are one-piece, machined with eight groves instead of six for higher velocity, flatter trajectory and better accuracy.

Observation: I have a lot of years in sales, marketing and management, one interesting thing I have noticed in advertising, when a company is behind the technology curve, or are of poor quality and really don't have anything to sell their product, take a feature that is hopelessly out of date, or a mark of cheap manufacturing, and hype it like it's an advantage. Some of the statements labeled as "Points of Superiority" seem to fit that method.
 
my SRH does not have that stud to hold the cyl in.....I don't think my sp101 did either, but I may be wrong on that..
 
If Im seeing it right the sp101 does have the stud , the gp's do not. interesting maybe due to the smaller frame.
 
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