Charter arms snubbies any good?

[megatronrules]

I am asking about the older one not the new "charter 2000" made guns. Are these decent snub nose revolvers?

 

[Sistema1927]

I had a 70's vintage .38 that shot loose after 400 rounds. My Dad has an 80's vintage that he still uses. YMMV.

 

[Ala Dan]

The first generation Charter Off Duty models were decent firearms,
at a fraction of the cost of a new Smith or Colt snubby.

 

["yote"]

I have an 80's in 44 spec and love it. The only reason that I bought my
new Charter Arms 2000 in 44spec SS is for carry in the hot summer sweat.
Both are exellent. 200g Gold-Dot hp's at 900fps. Bad news for the bad guys!!

 

[GaryP]

I purchased my Charter Arms Bulldog .44Spl (713xxx) new in 1980 and have put around 1500 rounds through it over the years. It is just as tight as the day I bought it 25 years ago! The key to keeping these light weight guns together is to keep your loads around 800 to 900 fps max (Bulldog .44 spl)! They are not designed for a steady diet of super hot loads and as long as this fact is recognized these light weight gems will give excellent service.

 

[fiVe]

Yote: How long have you owned your new Charter 2000 snubbie?

 

[hightech]

Pathfinder

I have carried a Charter Arms Pathfinder for 20 years of packpacking and it still functions fine. I use it for teaching students now.

 

[foghornl]

Had a Charter Bulldog .44Spl in the mid-late 70's. Decent snubby, but man that ammo cost a bunch.

Didn't shoot it a lot, but it always went BANG!, and put the lead where I pointed it.

 

[moxie]

Have a Bulldog Pug bought new in '88. Shot many rounds, well over a thousand by now, through it, including Blazer, Glaser, factory loads, and my own reloads, both cast and JHP. Shoots fine, although it does bark and bite at 21 ounces. Favorite round for in-home use is the Glaser Blue. Otherwise it likes CCI Blazer 200 gr. JHP, which have the Gold Dot hollowpoint bullet. For practice I make up some light 200 gr. SWCs. I like it!

 

[HighVelocity]

I have one of the original Charter Arms undercover snubbies with the exposed ejector rod and have had no problems at all. It's a solid little gun.

 

[Upriver]

I've got an early 80's 44 spl Bulldog - locks up tighter than my blackhawk
I'd echo the ammo cost and light weight issue. If you don't reload, it's not necessarily cheap ($18+ / box), and all I ever seem to find are 180 jsp's...
The combination of the smallish grip and light weight make it a bit uncomfortable for me to shoot regularly (less than 800 rds), but it's dead accurate, and has made a great truck gun for the last 14 years.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I had a Charter Arms .38 years ago -- the cylinder would swing out past the stop, and would come off backward, if you weren't careful.

 

[mainmech48]

I carried an original Charter 'Undercover' as BU in private security jobs for several years until about 1982. Weighed only 16 oz. empty and cost 1/3 of a S&W M36 or Colt DS at the time. It was fired extensively in training and practice, mostly with standard pressure .38 Spl. 158 gr. SWC loads. It shot to POA with them, and nothing broke or wore-out in the course of about 4K rounds total. There were also a couple of hundred +P LSWCHPs in the mix, as that's what I carried in it.

I'm told that there were quality issues with some of those made while Charter was on its last legs and from subsequent manufacturers, but mine held up at least as well as comparable models from other manufacturers which were much more expensive. Can't ask more from a 'budget' priced CCW, IMO.

 

[Bear Gulch]

You get what you pay for.

 

[Maddock]

I’ve had a .44special Stainless Bulldog since the early eighties. I spent almost as much as it cost to have the barrel bobbed to 2â€, the front sight replaced and the hammer bobbed. I shot it major (240gr @775fps) in snubby class at local matches and carried it for years, primarily in a Renegade ankle holster. It’s had about 4-5000 rds through it, mostly hand loaded 240 SWC cast at 750 to 800 fps. A few of the hand loads stretched the envelope, but the limiting factor for me was the recoil, going past a factor of 185 or so quickly became very unpleasant. The gun is still tight and though it is showing use is still fully functional. My wife of the time had an Stainless Undercover in .38 special that had at least 3000 rds through it, primarily midrange wadcutters, and last I knew it was still tight. However, it did break the firing pin return spring twice in the first 300 rounds. During that same time period (mid eighties) I purchased another Stainless Undercover (used) for a steal and put 6-700 rds through it without problem.
That said, I’ve seen very inconsistent QC from Charter, even in the “Golden Daysâ€. A friend bought a new blued Undercover, partially because of the good luck I’d had, and shot it loose in less than a thousand rounds of midrange wadcutters. After Charter’s repair (free) it started to develop end shake within the next 500 rounds. He sent it back for repair and sold it when it returned. I’ve also heard a few other stories of very limited durability, but I couldn’t verify the details.
My sense is that of the earlier pieces, the QC was significantly better with the stainless guns but could vary even with them.

 

[GaryP]

You get what you pay for.

Actually Bear in the case of certain Charter models You get a lot more than you pay for.


On the other hand, it is very true that many Charter models, especially Charco era guns, earned a bad reputation due to poor Fit & Finish and questionable Reliability. Charter 2000 seems to have overcome these issues with modern CNC machining and several upgrades to the guns.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Mine a early one from late 70's and it still going strong Now its a sometime carry gun but mostly a stay at home. I only shoot couple hundred rounds a year thru it so I will most likely never wear it out.

 

["yote"]

My Charter 2000 in SS, 44 Bulldog was purchased in Aug of 01'.
+- 4000 rnds later it could still pass for new.

 

[EVIL5LITER]

I bought a Bulldog "Pug" in .357mag for my old lady a few years ago for her to have as a daily carry gun. It is of the newer Charter 2000 series though, but I wouldn't have a problem buying another one. I've tinkered with the idea of getting the .44 special Bulldog to complement the pug, but I've got other guns on my list of things to get first.

 

[Jack2427]

I have an undercover with a 3 digit serial number. Had it for almost 30 years, shoots every time, hits too. Cannot complain about it. Used to carry it when I did not care if I lost it overboard, then I realized it was a great little gun. Only wear is on the alloy parts from holster.

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

My CA Undercover I've had for 25 years or so. I shot it allot and carried it for several years.It's held up well.It's now been retired to being a nightstand gun.They weren't a bad gun for the money.I don't know anything about the new CA's.

Ruger Redhawk

 

[Crownvicman]

Is charter 2000 still in business?

 

[Henry Bowman]

I have a stainless Charter Arms Undercover (.38spl - 5 shot snubbie) S/N 84XXX from the 70's. It is a gem and nice to carry.

 

[GaryP]

Is charter 2000 still in business?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Good Question!
Their website is down today, but that could be due to any number of reasons.

 

[BluesBear]

In the late 70s I bought a Charter Arms Target Bulldog, (4" barrel adjustable sights) that I carried off duty for several years. I wish I had kept it. it was a damn fine revolver.

In fact I found one for sale just this past weekend, unfired, in the box, for an incredibly cheap price. Really saddened me that I had to pass it by.