Now I know it's not a s&w and can't match the quality but what do you guys think? Any experience with them? Anything I should look out for? Also are s&w j frame grips interchangable? I got a good deal an it's made in America so I figure it's a step up from the Taurus and the Rossi.

CA quality control is very spotty. Sometimes you get a beauty, other times you get a junker. CA is a company that I would love to support (especially with the .44 Special) but I can't commit when QC is so hit-and-miss. Hopefully yours is a hit.

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I'm with the banned ...

From what I can tell its a 70s or 80s model for Stratford conn. I guess they are the best years but you know how it is online read contridictions all over the place. Ill try it out and see. Hopefully it will do alright till I have a little more dough then ill trade up to a smith. I normally carry my m&p 9c but with this hit weather it's getting a little hard to conceal.

For what its worth, I used to have one of the old Stratford Pathfinder 22's with the adjustable sights. It was not a bad gun for the price, certainly serviceable. Carried it a lot as a woods walking pocket gun, and it was always reliable, if not overly accurate. Sold it when I found a nice S&W .22 kit gun to replace it.

Larry

I've got one in 38 that I bought back in the 70's and it's been a really good little gun. I still carry it from time to time as it's small and easier to CC in the warm weather we have out here.

Never had a problem with it in any way, well there was that time the front sight fell off, but really it is a good little gun.

Interesting little gun. They came out in '65 as I recall. In the late 60s, all Smiths and Colts, especially snubs were hard to come by, so other mfgs, especially foreign, turned out near-clones. Quality was variable. Charter may have been the best of an iffy bunch. See article in '69 Gun Digest.
I note the following on Charters: The yoke assembly is thinner than the J and is held on by a short screw with a washer that is easy to lose. The ejector rod assembly is haphazard and the collar on it serves as the front crane lockup. The end of the ejector rod is screwed on and has to be tightened often. The cylinder latch also has many parts including a tiny spring that is also lose-able. I found that the cylinder/crane assembly can be switched from gun to gun without adjustment. Odd.

Frame is 2 piece unlike the Smith and Colt 1-piece. The hand is much thinner than the J, it looks like a blade from a small penknife, it is that thin. The sights are big and clear unlike the early Js. Grips are NOT interchangeable with Js. Trigger pull is stage-y but can be managed.

I would shoot only standard-pressure wadcutter or service-style ammo in it, forget about +Ps (Never thought I would ever say that!). I would use a CA if could not obtain a better gun. Sorry for being wordy,but I've had some experience with CA. Hope this helps.

6-8 months ago I did a test with a friend who is a Grad student, pretty smart, on J frame size guns. I had a Charter, Security Industries, Taurus, SP101, and a model 60. She had no idea on make, reputation, or value. I had her shoot all 5 than asked her what she liked best. She chose the Charter. Go figure.

I've got an Undercovertte. A Smith & Wesson it ain't.

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

I bought a SS and a blued Charter Arms Undercover back in the mid 1980’s and they were certainly adequate for occasional use and I never had any problems with either of them. I bought them then because they were the best affordable guns on the market. I paid $119 for one and a little more for the SS one. However, they just never felt quite substantial enough to suit me for self-defense and you would definitely not want to put any + P ammo in one. I really did not shoot them that much, probably less than 200 rounds through either one of them.

I later sold them and replaced them with a 649-2 (new) and a Model 60 no dash (used). Of these two the 649-2 is by far my favorite and I will soon sell the Model 60 with the plans to replace it with a second 649-2 or an SP-101 2 inch.

Charter Arms was sold several times and their quality changed with each new owner. I never used their customer service so I don’t know if it was nay good or not.

If I wanted a light 38 I would buy a used Model 60 which with a little shopping and patience can be had for about the same price as a new Charter Arms and you will have a much better light weight snubbie.

For me I like a little more steel on my guns, even my pocket pistols, and the 649, 649-1, and 649-2 are just about perfect. It may well be a but* ugly design, but it really is a beauty in terms of functioning for a small .38 cal revolver. The later 649 dash numbered models have slightly less appeal to me. But be warned a 649-2 or earlier will cost you more than the new Charter, but you will have so much more gun and + P ammo is no problem if you ever want to use it in the 649.

I have one from late 80s picked up for 200 bucks.
16 oz unloaded. Very accurate .
Well worth the price. Mine has been a good one.
And I don't worry about scratches and such.
I like it a lot for what it is.

Back in the early 1980's I owned a blue Charter Undercover and a little later a stainless Charter Pathfinder (kit gun). I would describe both as "servicable" and "suitable for rough duty"-- they were OK guns but certainly no S&W, but much more suitable for tossing into the tackle box or boat bag for "just in case" use.

i would save my money...and put it towards a S&W

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I checked one out awhile back. I spun the cylinder--it was like the wheels on the Flintstones car.

I agree. Save up for a J frame, and if you want something in a snubnose that's a hair larger and a bit heavier in a 2 1/4", go for the SP101.

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John

My experience with CA was the same. I've been looking for a snubbie with more power than a .38 sp. and checked out a CA .44at a LGS. It felt like it was filled with sand.

Charter guns may not "feel" as good but should hold together, especially those from the Stratford era. I have owned both 38s and 44s and they provided good service.

But, hey, you may not want to listen to me. I have a Rossi snubbie whose quality is as good as a Model 36 and has lasted forever.

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

I already purchased it just haven't had much time to take it out yet. I plan on replacing it with a ruger or smith down the road. ( my two favs) thanks for the info everyone seems like I hear alot of bad but decent things about the Stratford years. Seems like some say +p is fine and some don't so I think ill stay away from them. This is my first wheel gun I'm always owned semis before and I'm pretty stoked too give this a whirl. It's too bad the j frame grips won't fit they're easy to come by. Thanks for letting me know before I wasted the money.

I think the undercover gets a bad rap from some questionable quality years ago, but the new ones appear to be a bit better made, if not nearly as nice to look at.

I bought on a whim a f years back and it has performed flawlessly. Trigger has smoothed out over 500 rds and I stuck a set of pachmayr compact grips on it.

158 gr LRN or SWC 38spl is all I ever fire from it. I have a saffariland speed loader full of Remington lswchp fbi loads, but have only fire one cylinder of the stuff from it. A nice back up gn, but not a prize winner.

I've owned a couple of charters over the years. The action feels a bit gritty and the fit and finish arent up to quality Colt or S&W standards but the price isn't either. I consider the Charter to be a very servicable "economy" gun. It's lower cost makes it available to folks who either don't want to, or can't afford a more expensive gun. It's a "plain jane" workhorse gun.

I bought a Charter Arms Undercover right after I got my pistol permit in the late 80's.....I put thousands of rounds through it! Me and my friends would shoot 500 rounds at a single range session. I was young and foolish and fired many many +P'S and even some +P+ stuff my god father got while a police officer. I did have to lock-tite some screws...but she held together. I was given 2- 50cal ammo cans of 158 gr SWC we shot through both cans in one weeks vacation! The good old days when ammo was dirt cheap....use to score free stuff from my god fathers buddies who were Police officers who were switching to semi autos! By the way that old charter is still around...gave it to my wifes aunt when she got her permit..she fires maybe a box a year through it when ever I visit....check the gun out if it has good lock up good timing buy it!! Shoot it!! trade up latter!

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Model-60 Chiefs Special

There are pleny of grips on gunbroker for charters. I say Plus P's won't hurt! maybe just your hand!

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Model-60 Chiefs Special

I've had three...no problems. All 1st generation CA's. Still have these two.

The Undercover .38 spl I carry often and shoot occasionally. I converted it to DAO.

The 3" .22lr Pathfinder I shoot often.

keepers






I have no idea how the newer ones are.

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C & L

I like the grip extention you have on your charters. I never seen one like that before. I was fiddling with it earlier and I noticed when I push down the ejector sometimes the cylinder goes with it. Some of the time ins not hitting the cylinder stop stud. What would I do to fix that issue?

And here's a pic of it missing the stop stud

I was bored so I took some more pics with my smith and my ruger

I have an older .44 special Bulldog, 70's vintage, it's OK, I keep it in the truck sometimes for a CC, my feelings wouldn't be hurt if someone broke in a stole it nearly as much as if it were one of my S&W's or Dan Wessons got lifted. Made up some shot shells for it for snakes when fishing in the mountains, works well for that also.

When I was shopping for the wife a new light weight revolver for conceal carry I looked at the Charter Arms Off Duty model. I tried to like it, but couldn't. And it was about the same price as the S&W 642. So I walked out the store with the 642.

Quality is just not there. I would like to have one of the older model bulldog .44 specials if one came my way in really nice shape and I considered purchase of one of the Southpaws just because I am a lefty and it is unique but I do not care for them compared to S&W, Colt or Ruger. You mentioned Taurus in your post. I think that they are better quality than a CA or a Rossi.

I have a CA Undercover that I bought in 1985. I have shot maybe a dozen rounds out of it and it seems to be accurate at 7 yds. I have the original box, papers and even the receipt. This pistol is like new and stays in its box in a place of honor in my safe. I have two J frames that I shoot and carry.

I've owned a couple without any problems. Several guys carried them as backups a bunch of years back. Department nixed them cause of one person of rank didn't care for them.

I had a .38 Undercover for a while. Decent little gun, shot well. My issue was with the grips. No, they won't interchange with a S&W and these things left a nasty blister in the web of my hand after just one box of 50 rounds were fired. I traded it off.

I have an older charter undercover 38. It does not have the quality of a S&W or Ruger, but it works. It makes a good back up revolver. Mine has never failed to work.

My Dad bought one of the Bridgeport guns when they were first manufactured; it has a 4 digit serial number. It was his constant companion for over 15 years; he bought a model 60 and sold the Undercover to a friend. I bought it from the new owner later on and still have it. It has digested countless rounds and never let any of us down. Now for the bad. I have owned several Stratford era and later guns and they were pure unadulterated junk. Both Undercovers and Bulldogs of later manufacture, none were worth keeping. I had a brand new Bulldog that was roll stamped "harter Arms ratford Conn" on the barrel that threw lead bullets sideways at 15 yards. After two trips to the factory for repair didn't fix it it got traded. And then there was a similar vintage one that put the first round spot on at 7 yards, then grouped the next 4 six inches to the right every time. It also is gone. I had a brand new one in hand in a LGS that had such horrible timing a range rod wouldn't go down the barrel into the cylinder. I guess the moral of the story is if you find a good one, keep it.

The Bridgeport and Stratford Charter Arms are good and show up at pawn shops for cheap around here. The company got sold and the ones marked Charco and Charter 2000 were the ones that gave them the bad rap. The company was bought back by the original family and the current stuff is good.
I have two old Undercovers and they work just fine. I also have an old Bulldog .44 and a newer Off Duty. I am interested in the 9mm and .45 ACP revolvers that they are coming out with. I think the .40 S&W is already out but I'm not a fan of the .40.

I saw that. I was thinking it would be cool to have one in 9mm since that's what I shoot the most besides .22. I finally got to take it out today. I only ran 20 rounds through it and it worked just fine. Even my 9 year old handles it well and put holes in the target at about 15 ft. I figure it's a keeper but I still want a smith.

I had a nickeled one for a while and I designated it as strictly a wadcutter gun, simply because Charter didn't warrant it for +P. now I did fire some and it held up, but it would flat out print tacks with wadcutters.
It's now with my folks as a "thump in the night" piece loaded with some old Federal "Chief Special" Nyclad rounds. Every so often I go I've and get it out and fire the rounds off to put fresh ones in.
They're a good light duty piece. Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"