[TRAINING AID] Smith 43c VS Charter Arms Pathfinder

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My current carry piece is a model 638 no dash but I'm currently looking around for a small framed revolver in 22 lr to use as a training aid since I'll be able to hit the range a lot more often with how cheap 22 is as opposed to 38. It's obvious Smith makes a finer revolver than Charter Arms, but as a training gun is it really that much better? Would it be worth it to drop $650 on the 43c over $300 for the Pathfinder?

Also a big reservation I have about the Pathfinder over the 43c is that I'm concerned that the feel (such as the trigger) will be too different from my 638, therefore defeating the purpose of buying the gun to begin with. Would the shooting the 43c be a lot more similar to my 638? Or would the pathfinder work just as well?

**btw ik some of you might say to reload my own 38 ammo to cut costs but I just don't have the time for that
 
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Great idea, but I don't have an answer to your question.
I carry a J-Frame, either a 640-1 or a no dash Model 60, used to carry a 638. I prefer the all steel guns.

My trainer is a Model 34-1 2", the rimfire trigger is a bit stiffer in DA but it still feels like a Smith. Firing the 34 regularly has made the most significant improvement in my DA shooting. I can run a few hundred rounds without breaking the bank, and the reduced recoil lets my focus on the fundamentals.

I've never shot a 43c, but my experience with the 34, has me leaning towards it as a trainer for your 638, rather than the CA.

My $0.02
 
I made a similar decision a couple years ago. I went to buy a 43c to use as a cheap to shoot trainer for my 642 and 640 Pro. LGS had one in stock, but the barrel was canted. I ended up buying a Taurus 942, all stainless steel version. A heavy little chunk of a gun. It was an excellent gun, and I shot the snot out of it for 18 months. But it didn't feel quite the same as a J frame, so I took it back and traded for a new 43c. One without a canted barrel.

I'm a fan of Charter Arms. I love my Pitbull .45. But I say spend the extra $$$ and get the S&W, since you're trying to duplicate the feel of your J frame.
 
I have an older Pathfinder. I like it a lot. The older Stratford and Bridgeport Charters are decent guns. Can't speak to the new guns. In some ways I like them better than J frames.
 
I use the 43c as the counterpart to my 442. The trigger is a little stiffer, so it's not an exact match, but the feel, other than the substantial difference in weight, is the same.

It's a bonus that it fits the same holsters, as well.

Full disclosure- the 43c is the first firearm I've ever had to return. It is currently at the Mothership. It suffers from light strikes, which have actually gotten worse over time.
 
Accuracy with the CA will come with single action shooting. If you want to duplicate a S&W da pull, you will probably need a S&W 22.
 
From my experience, 22 revolvers virtually all have much stiffer triggers than center-fire guns. I’ve had a 317, it was a challenge to shoot and I don’t see value as a trainer for a 38 snub.

Honestly, the idea of reloading lighter ammo works better for training. You also get to practice handling (speed loading, etc) the actual size rounds, rather than tiny rimfires. And you won’t get used to having 8 rounds on tap!
 
If you are talking about training in the strictest sense such as drawing, reloading ect, then you better train with what you carry. If just practicing for accuracy then most any handgun should suffice. Trigger finger and sight picture should not change with guns. That is just my opinion;-)
 
Thanks for the input guys. And yeah when I say training gun I mean just the shooting part since I'll be able to shoot way more often with 22 (like once or twice a week vs once or twice a month). Not saying I'm not gonna train with the 638 anymore, but more trigger time is better than less.

As of right now I'm gonna go look around the local shops this week and see if I can score a deal on a 43c, if not I might just get the pathfinder considering the good things I've been hearing about it.
 
The 43 will more closely simulate your 638. Either gun will provide great benefit by increasing your trigger time.

I once owned one of the older, original Pathfinders. It was well made (not as well as a S&W) and reliable. Liked the adjustable sights. Bought it for a woods carry gun, but it was just not very accurate, and eventually replaced it with a Ruger Bearcat.

Larry
 
I too carry a 638. Recently picked up a 351PD and looked hard at the 43C at the time. Just goin knowing those little rim fires have Heavy trigger pulls. That said, if you can hit will with one your 638 will be easy to hit with. Love my 351 for here on the farm. Weighs Nothing. .22 Mag shot will make a good one out of no shoulders, and a short barrel Gold dot will deal with any other varmints that need attention. Great pistol. I wish my 638 had sights as good as the.22’s
 
I generally like Charter Arms revolvers. They usually make good guns. However, their QC is kinda spotty and a lemon does slip through now and again.
I had a 2" .22 Pathfinder like what you're looking at. Poor thing wouldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside. :(
Go with S&W.
 
Another alternative would be 5 laser cartridges like the ones iTarget sells:

iTarget Laser Bullet (sold separately)

At $60 each they are not cheap but are less expensive than another gun, ammo and range fees. Nothing feels more like the trigger on your 638 than the trigger on your 638. You can also practice things like drawing from a holster that many ranges frown upon.

You still need to go the range of course. Dealing with the recoil and noise of 38 Special in a light gun can have a big impact on how well you shoot it. But while laser cartridges will not provide that neither will a 22. I enjoy shooting 22s and shoot a lot of them but for mastering the trigger on your 638 I think you would be better off with the lasers. Its OK to dry fire a 638 so you could also buy less than 5 and assume the other 4 chambers would hit about the same as the one with the laser in it.

I carry a small 9mm so I only bought one of these but it has been quite useful for dry fire practice and particularly useful for practicing drawing my carry gun from concealment.

Bonus benefit: No cleaning!
 
I have both, with my CA being a very modern Pathfinder. My 43c is a very frequent BUG, or 'walk the dog' gun, LOL. That said, my concern would be more for the grip than the trigger. The two designs feel distinctly different in the hand. The CA will also allow you full-length extraction that the Smith does not.

After any 'training' with the .22...it's always a good practice to put a cylinder or two through your carry-snub. You want THAT trigger, THOSE sights, and THAT recoil feel to be what's fresh in the handling, should you have a need for it.
 
Oddly enough I actually picked up a High Standard Sentinel R-103 snubby in near-perfect condition for like $300. Heard a lot of great things about them and it feels like a quality piece. It is a bit bigger than a j-frame, but like others have said the other guns also felt different from my carry 638 when i handled them. Looking forward to test firing it!
 
Last edited:
petepeterson said:
I use the 43c as the counterpart to my 442. The trigger is a little stiffer, so it's not an exact match, but the feel, other than the substantial difference in weight, is the same.

It's a bonus that it fits the same holsters, as well.

Full disclosure- the 43c is the first firearm I've ever had to return. It is currently at the Mothership. It suffers from light strikes, which have actually gotten worse over time.
Click to expand...

I am curious about how many here have had the problem of light strikes with their 43c’s?
 
hyena said:
I'm a fan of Charter Arms. I love my Pitbull .45. But I say spend the extra $$$ and get the S&W, since you're trying to duplicate the feel of your J frame.
Click to expand...

As another fan of Charter Arms, I second this reply. I much prefer the grip feel of the Charter Arms, and have them in .32, .38, .41 and .44. However, the trigger pull, cylinder rotation and grip feel of the Charter are all different than the S&W.

I have a recent production 2" pathfinder for that exact purpose and am very pleased with it. In DA shooting, it hits POA at 7 yards inside a 3" circle easily.

But if you carry a S&W, I suggest getting another Smith.
 
Last edited:
smoothshooter said:
I am curious about how many here have had the problem of light strikes with their 43c’s?
Click to expand...

Me too. It's one of the few firearms I ever bought that was NIB. Pretty disappointing, and I'm hoping it works when it comes back. It's a handy little thing, and makes all of your other handguns' triggers feel lovely.
 
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