Charter Arms

F

Frank G

Inactive
Does anyone have experience with the Charter Arms "Off Duty"?

Its a small framed (J frame?) 38special 2 inch, 5 shot revolver.

In comparison the Ruger or S&W snubnoses are much bulkier.

I bought it a year and a half ago for $175. I was seeing seeing several of them at different gun stores for about the same price.

It's the only gun I have that I got for its looks: black (blued?) metal with smooth,polished wood grips. I don't know when it was made but it looks very '30's-'40's American film noir.

My other guns are semi-autos.

It's painful to shoot but I feel it's worth practicing with.

Frank
 
The Charter is not a bad gun, but it is made to a price. IMHO, it is not as well made as an equivalent Colt, S&W or Ruger. Since it is a five shot, the closest comparison is to the Ruger SP101 or the S&W J frame guns like the Chiefs Special and its variations. I would prefer the S&W's, but the Charter is reliable and as robust as it has to be for the caliber. It is less bulky than the six-shot guns but about the same as the J frame S&W's.

As you note, there is a considerable price difference between the Charter and its competitors.

Jim
 
I bought a charter arms Off Duty a couple months ago. It came with the box and original papers for $149. They are good pistols, my father has had them off and on over the years and they make good little carry guns. No there not S&W or Colt quality, but they are good dependable guns. There not warranted for +P loads, but neither were the S&W J frames of this era. The older Charter Arms revolvers do not have a shrowd covering the ejector rod, the newer ones do. If yours is without the shrowd, it's probably 70's vintage.
 
Right, a late 70's production will have the ejector rod "just hanging out in the open". I have a late '70s Undercover like that and I *would* put it right up there in quality with a similar-era Colt or Smith. I may be biased because mine was well-tuned by a good gunsmith before I got it...but still, it looks good, feels good, shoots *good*.

There's not a single J-class piece I'd rather own.

Jim
 
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