Charter Arms

A

arizonaopa

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I don't see many postings about Charter Arms and I do have a question. My wife has a Bulldog .44 and has just put a Lavender Lady .38 on layaway. She loves the Bulldog but I would like to know if anyone has any experience with CAs .38s.
 
I have no experience with the recent Charter Arms but owned two 38sp and currently have a 44 (early production). The 38s were equal to the 44 only on a smaller frame. If she likes the 44 bulldog then the 38 should serve her well also.

For me the 38 sp were easier to shoot than the 44sp. Good luck and enjoy. :)
 
I've had one since last July, purchased new. It's in my pocket right now.

It's been back to the mother ship twice, once for a "birth defect" that caused intermittent light strike failures, once for a broken transfer bar. Both times Charter paid shipping, and it was back to me, fixed, in under two weeks.

Customer support, two thumbs up.

The design is interesting. The execution of that design, how to describe? The metal work is good where it needs to be, not so pretty where it doesn't need to be. Ergonomically fine. The larger rubber grip (I think it's called a "combat" grip) fits me well. The cylinder release is nice and easy to work. It reminds me of S&W's old flat latch, except it's curved up a little. The rear sight notch is wider than I've seen on other snubs, which makes it easier for me to use.

A couple pics to illustrate my point about the machining:

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Machining on the ejector star and pawl area is good. Which is where it needs to be well done. Compare that to the same area in your average Taurus.

Now the bad:

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Note the rough area in the rear sight trough. Also note how the barrel does not quite line up on the frame. Everything works, it's just not pretty.

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Note also the roughness on the frame, under where the grip panel would be. Again, ugly, but functional.

By the way, yes, that is a plastic grip frame.

Mine is the Undercover, the baseline cheapest gun. Perhaps more care in finishing is evident on their higher priced guns. I don't know. I haven't examined any.

Keeping it? Yes. It works, it shoots straight, and it's a whole lot lighter than my other snub.

Would I get another one? Yes.

I have in mind to get a .44 Bulldog. The notion of a rimmed revolver cartridge with .45 ACP ballistics interests me. (Though, my interest and desires wander. By the time I get around to it, I'll probably want something else.)
 
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It seems like they are still pretty much what they always were.

A very plain gun that does not cost a lot in frills.

The only complaint I have on my old 44 is it shoots high (and I got the target model, sight will not adjust to suit)

That said, center of mass at the ranges I would use it at and not a problem.

I don't shoot it much as I it would not stand up to it, but I keep it.
 
i got two poor examples of the .44 spl. bulldog in the 1980s, i was heart broken because i couldn't afford better guns and all the gun magazine hype set me up for a really hard fall.

when times were a little better and i could handle the gun prior to paying for it i was able to find a 3" .22lr pathfinder that was a jewel. like a fool i let it go.

ever since ive always tried to find a good example of the .44spl bulldog but to no avail. that said, i do have an old school "off duty" that is a fine gun.

ive found every bulldog .44spl i looked at (that was new) was out of timing and had excessive cylinder wobble and play.
 
I bought a blued CA Off Duty .38 special 5 shot revolver to replace my ex-GF's (blk painted?) Raven in .25 auto. That was last year. I bought it for $280 used and sold off her old Raven w/ a box of ammo for $150.

It was good enough for what it was. I haven't run across another for a long while.

Since then, I've been buying up Rossi revolvers in SS. I can usually find them for around $300. I figure SS is more practicle for this rainy weather here in OR and WA. Not to mention, that the internals look familiar vs a CA revolver.

Aloha, Mark
 
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My wife has owned both a Lavender Lady and a Pink Lady. She liked the Lavender Lady better because the grip was more handfilling and absorbed recoil better. The Pink Lady was a bobbed hammer model with a smaller grip that she had a had a hard time getting a comfortable hold on. Being aluminum framed, they are somewhat "snappy."

Both guns worked and shot just fine.
 
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I've owned/shot several different Charter revolvers, both old (70's) & new (post Y2K) and new/used - and have had an issue with only one (new), which was resolved by Charter replacing the gun under warranty.

I would recommend buying a new .38 (or other caliber) with confidence, since Charter will "make it right" - as the CA Prexy, Nick Akers, personally told me, when he answered the phone when I called about my waranteed-gun one Saturday AM.

CA .38's may be a little snappy, when compared to heavier .38's - but if she shoots/likes the .44BD, she'll have NP with a .38.



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Have 3 of them! 44cal Bulldog, 9mm Pit Bull, and an old Off Duty 38, the 38 was tough to shoot with the origional wood grips, went to the factory in Shelton got the small rubber grips, which they put on for me and what a difference they make! can shoot all day now no discomfort. Their CS is great had a small problem with the ejector on the pitbull went too them and about 10 min. later they handed it back to me fixed! cant grt any better then that.
 
Like Dan Wesson Charter Arms has gone through several changes of ownership and hence there are several "vintages" of varying quality. I have my Bulldog since 1974, no complaints.
 
you will see interesting comments expressed upon charter arms as well as taurus. the worst about charter arms i have seen is that the front sight on adjustable models is given dimensions that make for really bizarre rear sight adjustments to hit the torso as standard ranges.

however, most handguns are designed to be inserted into belly buttons before being discharged. regardless ofera and manufacturer.
 
I've owned several Charters over the years...have two in the safe and one on the way...

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44 Spl..

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357 mag Mag Pug

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On Duty 38 spl. 12oz.

Yep they are small and powerful...The 44 Spl. and 357 are both built on the same frame...slightly larger than a J frame...The On Duty has a aluminum frame partially shrouded hammer (Charters Version of a Body Guard) and weighs 12 oz...the large combat grips are gone when it arrives and a old style of wooden grips are to be installed..
 
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Don't like the new plastic grip frame and trigger guard at all!:mad: I was actually thinking about a new 44 BullDog, time to look for a good used one.
 
The grip frame a trigger guard are aircraft grade aluminum not plastic...
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Take a look at the third picture in my first post in this thread. That grip frame is most assuredly plastic. It looks like a fiberglass impregnated plastic.

I have a stash of old Charter parts I got from an ebay auction, that came with a steel (either chromed or stainless, I can't tell) grip frame. I think it's probably fairly early.

.The On Duty has a aluminum frame partially shrouded hammer (Charters Version of a Body Guard) and weighs 12 oz...the large combat grips are gone when it arrives and a old style of wooden grips are to be installed..
Click to expand...

I actually like that grip. It fits me well. I do need to work on mine, to thin out the left side better for a speedloader and because one spent round likes to hang up on the grip panel.
 
lee enfield ...I've owned alot of Charters in the past (key word past) ..and two in my safe...newest one is most likely 5 yrs old ...none have plastic grip frames...but I have a newer one on the way in...so I will check it...I may stand to be corrected...but if they have ..its just I sign of the times...I once dropped a Charter bulldog and the aluminum grip frame broke... Charter fixed it at no charge..so it maybe a improvement ?


A LGS owner ..is not a Charter fan...I asked why he disliked them so....he said

"his brother once hit a fellow in the head with a Charter revolver and the grip frame broke...."

I told him that his brother needs to carry a hammer if he is planning to hit assailants in the head anyway..:rolleyes:


And since I typed this I was looking at the pictures of the incoming Charter Revolver ...dang they do look plastic....Hmmm Glockish ? LCRish....P95ish...
tupperwareish?
 
Charter Arms' web site makes no mention of a "plastic" frame or grip area; it states that it is aluminum. They have yet to copy Ruger in this regard.
 
Charter Arms' web site makes no mention of a "plastic" frame or grip area; it states that it is aluminum. They have yet to copy Ruger update their website in this regard.
Click to expand...

FIFY. :D

Seriously though. The only one I have examined closely is mine. Other current models may have an aluminum frame, and they have used steel in the past.
 
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