Taurus vs Charter Arms

Plus 1 on Taurus

I have a Old Charter Undercover from 1972. I have owned both and you can get good service from either company.

Rossi is owned by Taurus and both are Brazilian companies. Charter Arms is an American company and they are again in the original owner's hands. Their QC is back where it should be and they make a really good product. I would by Charter Arms above Taurus any day!

If you can check it out carefully, and preferably shoot it first, I'd get a Taurus 85 or 605. I wouldn't trust anything else they make, and I wouldn't trust anything Charter makes without putting half a case of ammo through it personally first.

I've purchased several guns for under $300.00 One was a Colt Detective Special for $179.00. It has about the same holster wear now that it did then - not much, just on the edges, and I wouldn't take less than $400.00 for it today.

I got a brand new Star Firestar M40 once upon a time for $249.00. I traded it for a beautiful Smith & Wesson Model 10. Should never have sold that Smith. Fits of stupidity, and so forth.

I got a KelTec P11 for a touch over $200.00 about ten years ago. Don't regret selling it, but it was reliable, accurate enough (when I was practiced up on managing the trigger), lightweight, compact, and carried decently. Didn't enjoy the recoil or the trigger, but if I had it back today and it was my only gun, I would carry it confidently. I never had a question about whether or not it was going to work. It always worked.

I got a Bulgarian Makarov, a 1984 military one, for $129.00. My wife adopted it as hers. It is much easier to shoot well, with much more pleasant recoil, than the P11. It is also heavier, and bigger. But I would carry it just as confidently as the KelTec. It always, always works, and it always hits the target.

I got another Smith & Wesson, an M&P from a long, long time ago, with lots of finish wear, for just over $100.00. I have carried it confidently, and it is currently in my father's nightstand.

I paid $329.00 for a LNIB CZ75B SA, and curiously enough, $329.00 for a brand-new in box Smith & Wesson 642-2. Those are the two I carry the most now.

If a guy is willing to shop carefully, and look for a deal, he doesn't have to put up with second-rate guns that he's going to wonder if they're going to work when he needs them to. Deals are out there, even today.

well the OP was asking about 2" snubs in 38, Charter vs Taurus

But I do agree with what McGunner said about the old model Taurus 66 and the Interarms era Rossi. I have both, although my late 80s vintage T-66 is a 6", and my late 80s vintage Rossi 38 is a 4", and not a BrazTech Rossi of course.
my Taurus 66 will hold accuracy equal to both my S&W 66s, though not better than, and has every bit as good a DA trigger

I don't trust the T-66 metallurgy as well as I trust the K-66s, but it really doesn't matter for me; I run only 38s thru the T, and run 38+p & 357s only thru the Ks, when I run 'em
I obviously do believe the current manufacture T-85s metallurgy (any/all variants) is plenty fine with any 38/38+P load

I have not myself shot an 85 enough for me to say that it is as good as any of those mentioned (other than easily better than the Rossi), nor better/worse than a 80s vintage SS S&W 60 (which is not for me as good as the "k" triggers), but the 85s I shot were the best triggers on snubbie j-sizes I have myself felt in many a year, but some part of that is maybe driven by the DAO mega-trend these days
ain't tried an LCR yet though, probably won't, just not in the market for another snubbie, and not being partial to DAOs anyway.

PS
McGunner ain't no slouch with centerfire snubbies, by the way, for those that don't know

If you can check it out carefully, and preferably shoot it first, I'd get a Taurus 85 or 605. I wouldn't trust anything else they make, and I wouldn't trust anything Charter makes without putting half a case of ammo through it personally first.

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Good advice. The Charter I bought new was the most disappointing gun I have ever owned. For $300 I expected something that works. My Bulldog was horrible, cylinder dragged, it didn't shoot where aimed and it had timing issues.

I would never own another Charter Arms product no matter who owns the company.

If you have money to throw away buy a new Charter, but I'd opt for something else.

oldfool, his premise was that a guy only had $300.00 to spend, and felt that limited him to Taurus and Charter.

Wrong premise, to me, as I demonstrated by my listing of many guns, including a 2" .38 Colt, that I got for under $300.00. And if you shop carefully, you might even get a new S&W for just a bit over $300.00 - that would be worth saving up for, to me, vs. getting a gun you aren't sure about.

i have a taurus 605 and a charter mag pug, i have shot the 605 about 200rds without any problems. i've put about the same thru the charter also without trouble but this is the new charter it was made in dec of 2010. if i had the choice of choosing just one, i would pick the charter. the 605 is more accurate but not by much and has a little better trigger, but a friend had to send a charter back in two weeks they sent him a new gun, no questions asked and no trouble. so considering the chance to have to send in a gun the warranty work of charter beats taurus. but i would not mind getting either with the two i have been great.

And if you shop carefully, you might even get a new S&W for just a bit over $300.00

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You mean like $337 for a SS Bodyguard? <---includes shipping!

http://www.jetguns.com/m638-bodyguard-special-stainless-p-487.html

Yeah yeah I know FFL fee...etc... Ok, in your hands for $357? Strictly as an aside, it blows my mind that people pick the LCR over this...

32 Magnum said:

Following is the research info. that I've been able to acquire on the Charter Arms firearms.

The very first Charter Arms Corporation production began in 1964 in BRIDGEPORT CONN - earliest pieces - mostly Undercover model will have either NO address on the right side of the barrel or will have BRIDGEPORT.
Around 1974, address was changed to STRATFORD CONN - all pieces made after mid 1974 will be marked with that address on the right side of the barrel and all will have CHARTER ARMS CORP. as the first line. Around 1991, Charter Arms Corp. ceased operations. This was the end of the FIRST GENERATION.
Around early 1992, the company was re-organized under new leadership and became known as Charter Arms Company - CHARCO, and was located in ANSONIA CONN. All second generation pieces will be marked on the right side of the barrel with that name and address in two lines. This is the SECOND generation and apparently the period which caused the most damage to the Charter name and reputation.
In 2000, the company was again reorganized as CHARTER 2000 and relocated to SHELTON CONN. All pieces made during this THIRD generation will be marked with the SHELTON address. Early production of this generation seems to have been spotty and reputation still lagged. About a year and a half ago, the company re-reorganized under the direction of MKS Marketing and seems now to be if not flourishing at least it is progressing in quality and market share.
From the limited data set that I have been able to assemble so far the following serialization seems to be valid: (NOTE: model name and caliber will be stamped on left side of barrel on all pieces)
FIRST GENERATION
0001 - <13000 Bridgeport 1964 - ? CHARTER ARMS CORP. right side of barrel marking only
~13000 - <315,000 ? - ~1965 CHARTER ARMS CORP. over BRIDGEPORT CONN .marking
~316,000 - <1,088,000 - ~1974 to 1991 - CHARTER ARMS CORP. over STRATFORD CONN. marking

SECOND GENERATION
>1,090,000 - ??? 1992 - 2000? CHARCO over ANSONIA CONN- marking

THIRD GENERATION
000001 - to date 2000 - 2011 CHARTER ARMS 2000 over SHELTON CONN marking.

This is the updated serial number info that I have - based upon around 800 data points
The earliest 1st Gen - ~0 to ~19,000 have NO barrel ADDRESS and s/n is on lower right corner on right side of frame. CA company founded in 1964, first production pieces of the Undercover model produced in 1965
Bridgeport CONN address - ~19000 to ~315,000 1967 - 1969
Stratford CONN address - ~316000 to ~1,090,000 1970 - ~1991
All marked as Charter Arms Corporation

2nd Generation - CHARCO, Ansonia Conn adress - 1,090,000 to ??? ~1991 - 1999

3rd Generation - CHARTER 2000 - Shelton Conn - 0 to where ever they are today.

From the 26 pieces in my collection (all 1st Gen) and from dozens more that I've had the opportunity to observed and fondle, I'd say that around s/n 600,000 the finish was made a lot finer - although the integrals (lock work, action) was at least as good as the earlier ones. I have or have read magazine articles that cover pretty much of the production life of the 1st Generation, and during that period (around late 1980, early 1981) it seems that CA attempted to capture more of the market by doing so, also in April of 1981, they introduced Stainless Steel revolvers into the mix, for the first time. Some of the articles lamented that the earlier pieces, although rough finish, were rather inexpensive (~60-65% of S&W) and when CA began their "modernization" process, the finishes got better but the prices increased to about 85 to 90% of the S&W line for comparable models.
During the 2nd Generation, the CHARCO (Charter Arms COMPANY), under new management and reorganized, the quality was definitely more spotty and haphazard. I've seen CHARCO produced guns with Stratford marked barrels, obviously using up old stock.
The earliest CHARTER 2000 pieces I had the opportunity to handle (some fairly early 4 digits s/ns - were uniformly, poorly fitted and finished and had some horrendous and gritty actions. That seems to have been rectified under MKS's (circa 2008) new leadership and the most recent pieces I've handled - s/n's in the high 100,000 range have been "decent" but not as fine in finish and action as the mid years of the 1st Generation. This is simply my studied opinion based upon experience.

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I have a CA undercover with a 4 digit serial number starting with the number "1"...stamped on the lower right hand side of the right side frame.

Is that an original 1964 model?

With the exception of a NAA mini revolver, a charter arms aluminum frame undercover is THE MOST CONCEALABLE REVOLVER MADE.

Charter arms revolvers have a slightly smaller diameter cylinder than other 5 shot 38cal revolvers. This makes the whole gun smaller. The problem with the new charter arms guns is that they come with those stupid oversized rubber grips. This ruins the concealability of the gun.

My recommendation is to buy a brand new aluminum undercover and put a set of old fashioned small wood grips on it, or buy a set of barami hip grips for it.

Indications are that production began in 1965. Funding was secured in mid 1964 and it took some times to find a place and set-up tooling and machinery for production.

I havn't attempted to remove a CA barrel yet. I've seen some barrels that don't have threads on them. Do you happen to know what year(s) the barrels were threaded in and what years they weren't(if any)? If they were all threaded, then what was the barrels i've seen with no threads on?

I'm in the process of figuring out how to fabricate a "cut down" charter undercover. I've got some spare grip frames and I'm going to start trying to cut out a piece of the grip and weld it back together to make a shorter grip. Also, I think I've figured out I can shorten the tube on the ejector rod (the thing that locks into the front of the frame) without effecting function. Doing this will enable a shorter ejector rod without sacrificing stroke length, I think.

Once I got that figured out, I'm going to try shortening a barrel.

You mean like $337 for a SS Bodyguard? <---includes shipping!

http://www.jetguns.com/m638-bodyguar...ess-p-487.html

Yeah yeah I know FFL fee...etc... Ok, in your hands for $357? Strictly as an aside, it blows my mind that people pick the LCR over this...

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*Exactly* what I'm talking about.

I have two Taurus revolvers and Taurus makes crap. Now they own Rossi I hope they don't send a memo and tell them to make crap. My previous Rossi 357 was a gem. Taurus does have a lifetime warranty but only the chosen few get their guns fixed (Mine came back worse). My local dealer told me they have more returns on their revolvers than all others combined. Check the internet and you will see the complaints about Taurus are far greater than Rossi and Charter Arms.

Because Taurus has their hand in Rossi's cookie jar I would have to say go with Charter arms.

Shopping for a .38 Sp?

Scrape a day or two more and get a gun you will love.

Ruger LCR all the friggin way.

I own about 6 S&W revolvers right now, and one S&W auto

and a 1911.

I carry a Rossi 462 stainless 6 shot .357 magnum snubbie. I replaced the hammer spring with one recommended by Woll Springs-the one they sell for the S&W J frames.

I have been shooting handguns since the 1970's and have owned 3 Rossi's and liked them all.

I bought it used for about $265.

mark

added; I have heard good things about the new Charter Arms, but the only one I ever owned, an old .44 Bulldog, was a real POS.

Taurus

Taurus makes a good 44 magnum The Raging Bull i wouldn't trade it for no S&W Made i save up for nearly 2 yrs to buy a S&W PC 10.5 " In 500 Mag. Nothing but trouble with the thing the gun wouldn't stay in time for nothing . I even sent it back to S&W twice for he same thing & repaired it & sent it back & wouls start shooting & after about 10 rounds it done it again .I paid $1,150 + tax for it NO MORE S&W's For Me

I have tried 3 different Taurus revolvers over the years, I now own none, every one had malfunctioned many times. I keep a recent Charter Bull Dog 44 spec in my car, I has over 500 round thru it with "0" FTF. I would trust in with my life. The new Charter Company is wonderful to deal with, and Its MADE IN THE USA

i've seen brand new charter arms revolvers that were so rough you couldn't hit a barn with them. the newer ones are junk.

i have owned around 10 different taurus guns ,both wheel guns and auto's and never had a problem with them. i have a tracker 357 ,4in barrel now. i'd like to find a more accurate 357 then this one,but i don't think anyone makes it. the smiths ,rugers and colt that i've shot haven't came close.

I have a Charter Arms Undercover that I bought when I knew nothing.
Not that I know that much more now, but I do know I'd never buy another.

I've never owned a Taurus, but I've held a few of them.
I won't be buying any.

But the choices given were Taurus or Charter...

Under penalty of death... I'd buy a Taurus.

I currently own a new production Undercover 38 special and a new production Target Mag Pug in 357 magnum. Both are well made and very accurate. I had an early Undercover that I bought at a gun show. I bent the ejection rod by mistake. Charter Arms fixed it and didn't charge me a penny. A previous poster indicated that the original owner's family again owns the company. QC is 100% better than the Charco and Charter 2000 incarnations of the company.

A S&W model 10 can be found in that budget range. I bought a really nice one for about $250 and it was in excellent condition. But to address your specific question, I would go with a Taurus over a Charter arms any day of the week. I have a lot Taurus wheel guns and all are great pieces, especially if you plan on doing a lot of shooting, +P+ or other wise, they can tollerate what ever you throw at them, all day long!

I do not own a Tarus but i do own 2 Charter Arms 38 Special On duty snubs. One I bought new and the other was taken for debt. Both are 2010 manufacture guns. New gun has pushed out over 600 rounds of 125 grain practice load and about 200 +p carry load, the other about 1/2 that much. No failures, no failures at all. These are so light I carry both in a vest for a New York reload. They are accurate within 20 yds and neither has failed in any way after more than 1000 rds. They aint like my S&W but they appear as if they will do the job I need done.

blindhari

I have owned and do own now several of Charters .38 snubs, and a Bulldog Pug in .44 spcl. I have to laugh at joed. Did you shoot plus P's in it or handloads? Did you contact Charter they would have repaired it if the gun was at fault. There are junk guns from every company. If you buy something you think is a lemon don't fault all the guns. Maybe yours was made by someone on pain meds that day, stayed up all night on the computer, watched TV, had a fling. It happens. I guess I am fortunate. All of my Charters that I've bought shoot accurately, conceal well etc. I believe that Charter used/uses a plastic for the grip frame.
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