Opinions on Charter Arms Pug, please

4

45 Fu

New member
I have the opportunity to purchase a lightly used (it's never been fired) CA Bulldog Pug in .357 mag for $225. I have heard some good things about the first run Charter guns, but not the newer ones. Is this an OK price and is this a decent weapon?

I will be using it for runs to the store and possibly as a backup for my Glock. No military or police use, and I don't expect it to be a match gun. I just thought it would be something fun to have since I haven't had a revolver in quite a few years, not to mention the inherent reliabilty of the things.

Thanks in advance.
 
Greetings from the Peoples Republic of Connecticut!Home of Seecamp,Mossberg,Ruger,Marlin,Colt,US Repeating Arms,and Charter Arms.Answer to your question they are decent guns and 225 sounds OK.Try to get the price lower.Sometimes it pays off to haggle.Make sure you check it out real well.
 
Well I'm no Charter fan, but it sounds like you have a realistic idea of it's qaulity and expectation of performance.

So, the price sounds as right as it could be.

But........ inherent reliability, would be about all it would have going for it.

Think something Taurus ?

A little more bread, alot more gun.

No offense intended to the great state of Connecticut.

________________________________________

An old west lawman once said when asked why he carried a .45, "because they don't make a .46"
 
41special

I live in Connecticut-no offense taken.But we are number 3 in gun control laws in spite of all the gun makers here.Hence my comment.Charter Arms guns show up alot used and new here.Mostly the 357 and 44SPL versions.A lot of people bought guns here since 911 here,mostly shotguns and small revolvers.After the scare died down these guns started appearing unfired or used very little on the market. A couple of my friends bought used ones in 38,357,and 44 and they have no complaints so far.They seem well made all though we still have not subjected them to a torture test.I agree with your suggestion about Taurus.I have a M85 with 4000 +Ps through alone and it is still tight and accurate.It was made and bought in 1998 with out the silly lock.Great gun for the money
 
jvlip3: what part of CT? I used to live in Farmington, then Barkhamstead before bailing (just before they put the state income tax in). It's a shame so many gunmakers are in such a socailist hole.
 
Stay away from the heavy bullet loadings for it and it should provide you pretty good service. Lead bullets are a lot easier on them than the jacketed ones also. Think WC or SWC.
 
Magnum88C

I lived Stratford from 60-67,Monroe 67-92,Milford 92-present.But after 45 years I getting tired of this state.Too much Taxes,liberals,corruption in state goverment,and gun control.Taxes is probably the reason the first Charter Arms went out business on Honeyspot road in Stratford.My brother worked there as a firearms tester during the early eighties.I think it went Charter Arms,then Charco,and now Charter Arms.Remember MAC-10s were made by a number of companies who used the name M.A.C.I agree,I would not use any high pressure loads(Corbon) in this gun.Remington Golden Sabres or Remington Medium Velocity.I would use all lead also.
 
The reason I asked about this particular revolver is that the price seemed good. If I ran up on a similar deal on a good used Taurus I would go that route. I would like to have a revolver in my stable again, I just can't drop more than $300 for it.

I plan, if I get it, to use the old .38 Spl. FBI load. I figure that since it's chambered for the .357 some warm .38s wouldn't hurt it too much. The only shooting I plan to do with it is for familiarization and to test for reliability. Then it will be a "carry much, shoot little" proposition.

Thanks for the input.
 
Biggest complaint about 357 snubs is the recoil.I doubt that many will ever be worn out.I just don't know the long term reliabilty of these guns but it should serve you well in it's intended mission.But make sure you check the gun for everything.Also check and see if there is a Charter Arms owners group on the web.There might be someone out there with more info than us.
 
Aside from the recoil, the biggest complaint I hear about the pugs is that the barrel shroud shoots loose. I don't have that worry with my non-Pug 44 but the pins that its assembled with want to walk under recoil and need pushed back into place here n there. Thats something I can live with since its carried some and shot less.
 
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