otis24
Member
How would you rate the quality of Charter Arms products? Comparable to S&W? Not that I am getting one soon, but I am entrigued by the Charter Arms Pit Bull in .40 S&W. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Charter Arms, quality?
- Thread starter otis24
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ContinentalOp
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I've always been interested in the Charter Arms Bulldog .44 but mixed reports regarding reliability have kept me from buying one. However, models made during certain years are reported as being better than others. From what I've read it's probably more hit-or-miss than S&W in terms of reliability and quality control. It's been a while since I've followed anything Charter Arms has done so maybe it's changed recently. Hopefully someone with more knowlege will chime in.
Fishinfool
Member
Otis - I owned a .44 spl Bulldog, and a .22 Pathfinder. Both were decently made. Not to the quality, or fit and finish of a S&W or Colt, but serviceable, and reliable.
The Pathfinder was not very accurate. The Bulldog shot well, and I carried it quite a few miles hiking in the woods, loaded with a stiff 240 hard cast SWC load.
These were 1980's guns, and I cant vouch for current production.
Larry
The Pathfinder was not very accurate. The Bulldog shot well, and I carried it quite a few miles hiking in the woods, loaded with a stiff 240 hard cast SWC load.
These were 1980's guns, and I cant vouch for current production.
Larry
KSDeputy
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I am interested in a .45 Pitbull. This morning I saw a .38 spl Charter Arms at a pawn shop. It was typical of their products, they seem to work well but lack the fit, finish and stainless steel quality of Walther, Smith & Wesson or Colt.
mrrick
Member
I have a few years old Bulldog .44spl SS. I find it a good gun and well worth the money. Fit and finish is fine, shoots accurately for a cloose range defensive gun.
I prefer the classic .44 model over the others.
I prefer the classic .44 model over the others.
Stranglehold
Member
I had wanted one of the original 3" .44 Bulldogs for many years, yet struggled to find one where the condition of those I found and the price I was willing to pay intersected. I finally, through impatience, bought a NIB current production stainless Bulldog Pug.
The action was smoother than I expected, a bit heavy, but lightened up and got even smoother with a modicum of tweaking. Unfortunately, the lockup...and the alignment of the cylinder to the barrel...was such it did not inspire confidence. A range trip would ultimately tell the tale.
Halfway through the second cylinder of lead-bulleted, factory-equivalent reloads, I noticed excessive blast and spitting from the barrel-cylinder gap. Inspection revealed a good sized wedge of the forcing cone broken away on the port side where the misalignment caused bullets to impact. A call to Charter's CS resulted in a faxed shipping label and home it went.
10 days later it reappeared with a new barrel installed and the entire revolver so full of machining grit and shavings I could barely cycle the action. The alignment of the barrel/cylinder was improved, but still far less than perfect. A+ for speed...D- for quality. After the necessary complete strip and flush, the subsequent range trip resulted in light firing pin hits and misfires. I rectified that problem myself, and additional testing has resulted in no further problems, although the lockup still concerns me.
I haven't put more than a hundred rounds through it since, the vast majority standard velocity loads. I did try approximately 20 rounds of the "Skeeter Load" and the little pistol handled it just fine, although recoil was becoming noticeable. It will take much more to resolve my distrust.
It currently resides in the cabinet above our toilet in case I'm disturbed while....reading. Hey, if it's good enough for Taffin, it's good enough for me. I still covet an original 3".
Roe
The action was smoother than I expected, a bit heavy, but lightened up and got even smoother with a modicum of tweaking. Unfortunately, the lockup...and the alignment of the cylinder to the barrel...was such it did not inspire confidence. A range trip would ultimately tell the tale.
Halfway through the second cylinder of lead-bulleted, factory-equivalent reloads, I noticed excessive blast and spitting from the barrel-cylinder gap. Inspection revealed a good sized wedge of the forcing cone broken away on the port side where the misalignment caused bullets to impact. A call to Charter's CS resulted in a faxed shipping label and home it went.
10 days later it reappeared with a new barrel installed and the entire revolver so full of machining grit and shavings I could barely cycle the action. The alignment of the barrel/cylinder was improved, but still far less than perfect. A+ for speed...D- for quality. After the necessary complete strip and flush, the subsequent range trip resulted in light firing pin hits and misfires. I rectified that problem myself, and additional testing has resulted in no further problems, although the lockup still concerns me.
I haven't put more than a hundred rounds through it since, the vast majority standard velocity loads. I did try approximately 20 rounds of the "Skeeter Load" and the little pistol handled it just fine, although recoil was becoming noticeable. It will take much more to resolve my distrust.
It currently resides in the cabinet above our toilet in case I'm disturbed while....reading. Hey, if it's good enough for Taffin, it's good enough for me. I still covet an original 3".
Roe
Charter Arms doesn't come anywhere close to S&W quality in any way you want to measure it.
I currently own 2 Bulldog Pugs and while one is ok, the SS one is a dog. I use it as my truck gun becuse if it is stolen, I wouldn't care.
Have had many more of their products in the past and while they have been serviceable, comparing them to S&W is like comparing a Dodge to a Ferrari.
I currently own 2 Bulldog Pugs and while one is ok, the SS one is a dog. I use it as my truck gun becuse if it is stolen, I wouldn't care.
Have had many more of their products in the past and while they have been serviceable, comparing them to S&W is like comparing a Dodge to a Ferrari.
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Skeptic 9c
Member
Charter Arms has a quality all their own.
Geoff
Who would take a Taurus, Rossi or Rock Island 200 series first.
Geoff
Who would take a Taurus, Rossi or Rock Island 200 series first.
cbore
Member
I have a 38 undercover that stays in my truck most times. It does go bang and a lead comes out. That's about all I say about a Charter when compared to any Smith
Otis - I'm very pleased with my 2 1/2" stainless Bulldog. Bought it new a few years ago. Approaching the 2,500 round count. It barks everytime the trigger is pulled, has a very decent trigger pull (got better after a few range sessions) is very accurate and makes big holes. It's become my primary carry weapon and is a compact, light weight, easy to carry revolver. Is it a refined as my 4" 629? Heck no! But at less than half the price, I wasn't expecting S&W workmanship. I think folks sometimes equate low prices with poor quality. But in my experience the newer CA is not the "cheap" *** some claim they are. I view CA revolvers as low priced, high value weapons/tools. I would not hesitate to recommend the new CA's to folks on a tight budget who are looking for a big bore snubby. In fact, I'm kicking around the purchase of the new 40 S&W Pitbull as a companion to my M&P 40.
Be well all.
URL=http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/Hunting/IMG_0398_zpsc1gwfebr.jpg.html]
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Be well all.
URL=http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/Hunting/IMG_0398_zpsc1gwfebr.jpg.html]
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I've owned and carried everyday the Bulldog .44 spl
(Son of Sam) gun with 3" bbl. and Love carrying it.
Shoots well for a 3" and was very concealable with
not too much recoil. I've owned two at different times
and never had an issue but these were earlier guns.
No comparison to a S&W or Colt in regards to fit and
finish but they were not meant to be purty just effective.
I'll own another one some day.
I keep letting buddies talk me out of my favorite carry
guns...
Chuck
(Son of Sam) gun with 3" bbl. and Love carrying it.
Shoots well for a 3" and was very concealable with
not too much recoil. I've owned two at different times
and never had an issue but these were earlier guns.
No comparison to a S&W or Colt in regards to fit and
finish but they were not meant to be purty just effective.
I'll own another one some day.
I keep letting buddies talk me out of my favorite carry
guns...
Chuck
DWalt
Member
I share the opinion of many that the early Stratford Charters were better made. For a number of years, I had one of the earlier Undercover snubbies in .38 Special, and would compare it favorably to a Chiefs Special, but maybe a little cruder in execution. I have no experience with newer ones.
CATI1835
US Veteran
My wife carries a CA Undercoverette in .32H&R Magnum. She loves it. It goes bang every time we pull the trigger. I have tried to get her to go to another revolver but she keeps going back to it. It is not as pretty as a Smith would be, but costs half the price and works every time. I said would be, because S&W no longer makes a J frame in this caliber. A shame really.
johnnyflake
Member
Years ago I owned two Charter Arms .44spls and I loved them both. Never a problem, firing many thousands of rounds between them. Eventually, I sold them off, becoming more of a .45acp guy.
I just ordered my first Charter Arms in years, a few days ago. It's a 5 Shot Pittbull .45acp 2 1/2", no moon clips of any kind, A friend has a .40 Charter Arms, in the same configuration, which he bought about a year ago and loves it. He claims that their unique extract system, works like a dream.
I should get mine next week. I try to follow up, after I get it!
I just ordered my first Charter Arms in years, a few days ago. It's a 5 Shot Pittbull .45acp 2 1/2", no moon clips of any kind, A friend has a .40 Charter Arms, in the same configuration, which he bought about a year ago and loves it. He claims that their unique extract system, works like a dream.
I should get mine next week. I try to follow up, after I get it!
crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I bought a 2.5" backpacker 44spl Charter Arms a few months ago. I love the size & weight for a carry gun and shoot 7.0gr unique with 240 SWC. Mine has combat type grips and is a lew horton spl gun. I wish the trigger had a little less curve to it and there is a part of the frame inside the trigger guard that I can feel as a sharp edge, but I can fix that. If this one got gone for whatever reason, I would buy another.
Charlie
Charlie
I have an original 3" and a newt stainless 2.5".
They've both been fine except I sent the newer one back because the barrel was over torqued and it made the front sight a little cockeyed.
They covered shipping and corrected and had it back in a week.
They're not comparable to a Smith with fit&finish.
I've read to avoid hot loads with them and keep them to standard loads.
That works for me for a close range .44 weapon.
Mine have been good guns for the price and very easy to carry.
They've both been fine except I sent the newer one back because the barrel was over torqued and it made the front sight a little cockeyed.
They covered shipping and corrected and had it back in a week.
They're not comparable to a Smith with fit&finish.
I've read to avoid hot loads with them and keep them to standard loads.
That works for me for a close range .44 weapon.
Mine have been good guns for the price and very easy to carry.
USAF385
US Veteran
I had the .40 pit bull. I liked the idea..... but mine was a dud. One chamber wasn't machined right and the round wouldn't fire 1/2 the time from that chamber. I also had to manually push out the rounds from 3 of the chambers. Overall a headache.
I have an older .44 special that aside from one of the cylinder latching screws needing constant tightening, works fine. Locktight doesn't hold it.
Not overly impressed with the quality from my two experiences, but I'd give it a 3rd try if the price was right.
I have an older .44 special that aside from one of the cylinder latching screws needing constant tightening, works fine. Locktight doesn't hold it.
Not overly impressed with the quality from my two experiences, but I'd give it a 3rd try if the price was right.
Cocked & Locked
Member
I've had three, still have two of them. One is an early Pathfinder .22 and the other is a .38 special Undercover that I did a CA factory hammer swap on and made it a DAO. Both are great and no problems with them.
The one I no longer have was an older one that was chambered for the 9mm Federal rimmed cartridge. Traded it off years ago.
If I run across a .44 or .45 I may get it.
The one I no longer have was an older one that was chambered for the 9mm Federal rimmed cartridge. Traded it off years ago.
If I run across a .44 or .45 I may get it.
DWalt
Member
"The one I no longer have was an older one that was chambered for the 9mm Federal rimmed cartridge. Traded it off years ago."
Have you seen any recent prices on those? Pretty amazing. I believe Charter was the only maker who chambered that round. Last ammo (Federal) I saw was $100/box if you bought 4 boxes. Otherwise $125/box. Problem was some used 9mm Federal in old .38 S&W breaktop revolvers which blew up.
Have you seen any recent prices on those? Pretty amazing. I believe Charter was the only maker who chambered that round. Last ammo (Federal) I saw was $100/box if you bought 4 boxes. Otherwise $125/box. Problem was some used 9mm Federal in old .38 S&W breaktop revolvers which blew up.
Cocked & Locked
Member
Yes I've seen the prices on those...up, up, and away! Last time I looked ammo was still available on Gun Broker but wasn't cheap. I had the box and papers on the 9mm Federal CA one I had. Sold it probably 20 years ago.
As with some other guns, wouldn't mind having it back now.
As with some other guns, wouldn't mind having it back now.
