Thoughts on a Charter .32 H&R

[Mr_Flintstone]

I've wanted a .32 H&R revolver for a while now, but Charter is the only current production DA/SA model I can find. I've never owned a Charter revolver before. Does anyone have comments about the relative quality of this pistol? How do they compare to Taurus, Ruger, etc...

 

[SteadyD]

Ruger makes two DA 327 revolvers currently. You can fire 32 H&R from them as well as 327, 32 S&W and 32 long. 4.2 inch sp101 and the LCR.

I've never owned a charter so I'm no help there.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Ruger makes two DA 327 revolvers currently. You can fire 32 H&R from them as well as 327, 32 S&W and 32 long. 4.2 inch sp101 and the LCR.

I've never owned a charter so I'm no help there.

Thanks for the heads up. I was looking for something I could carry, so the SP101 is out (at least for carry). I'd like to have one, but I can't buy two. I'd buy the LCR in a heartbeat if they had a DA/SA model, but for some reason I don't like DAO or hammerless revolvers; and if I don't like it, I'm not likely to use it.

 

[If1HitU]

I own a Charter Arms but it's a .44 special,I haven't had any problem's with it.There is not anything else I can say other than I really like it and use it as my EDC revolver.

 

[Will_G]

Thanks for the heads up. I was looking for something I could carry, so the SP101 is out (at least for carry). I'd like to have one, but I can't buy two. I'd buy the LCR in a heartbeat if they had a DA/SA model, but for some reason I don't like DAO or hammerless revolvers; and if I don't like it, I'm not likely to use it.

Ruger has announced recently that they are coming out with a LCRx in .327. See this link from Ruger...the .327 version is towards the bottom of the page.

http://www.ruger.com/products/lcrx/models.html

This should be a good revolver!

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Ruger has announced recently that they are coming out with a LCRx in .327. See this link from Ruger...the .327 version is towards the bottom of the page.

http://www.ruger.com/products/lcrx/models.html

This should be a good revolver!

That appears to be just what I'm looking for. I wonder when the release dat will be.

 

[Zendude]

I have a Charter Arms 32 H&R and it's a nice combination of light weight and low recoil. I also have a Charter 38 Undercover. I prefer the trigger of the Charter to that of the S&W j frames. They fit S&W j frame holsters too.

 

[C0untZer0]

See this link from Ruger...the .327 version is towards the bottom of the page.

The new Model 5462 basically the 5452 but with an exposed hammer and it can be fired SA, but it still has the 1.87" barrel.

I noticed they came out with a new 9mm model also. That gives me hope that they'll chamber the 3" LCRx in 9mm someday

 

[SteadyD]

Is the charter a 5 shot? If so I'd hold out for the lcrx given that it's a 6 shot.

 

[C0untZer0]

In .22LR I looked at the Ruger SP101 ( KSP-242-8) side by side by side with the Charter Pathfinder and the S&W Model 63.

The Ruger had the worst lockup of all three. The Charter Arms Pathfinder had the tightest lockup of the three.

I thought that even in single action the Charter Arms had the worst trigger of the three. I thought the DA trigger on the Pathfinder was unusable. But it definately had the tightest lockup.

The Smith had the best trigger, both is DA and SA.

I purchased the Model 63, and it was a gift for my daughter.

I own a Charter Arms PITBULL in 9mm and the trigger really improved with use. I know most triggers smooth out and improve with use but it was a marked improvement with the Charter Arms. But as much shooting as I've done with the PITBULL, its DA trigger is no where near as nice as my LCR in 9mm

I had a chance to handle the LCR in 9mm, the Charter Arms 9mm PITBULL, and the Taurus 905 side by side by side.

There is no doubt that the Ruger LCR had the best DA trigger of the three guns. The Taurus had the worst DA trigger of the three. The Charter Arms in single action was a lighter trigger with a crisper break than the Taurus.

I've never been able to test the LCRx trigger in single action.

 

[C0untZer0]

Yes the Charter Arms .32 revolvers are 5-shot. They make the .32 H&R Pink Lady / .32 H&R Lavender Lady and the Undercoverette and they're all 5-shot cylinders.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

A friend of mine recently bought a Charter Undercover in .38. Nice gun, nice shooter- but it developed a problem quickly. Charter fixed it up promptly and she said they were a pleasure to deal with. That's about all I can tell you about Charter Arms these days.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have three vintage Undercover models in .38 Special. I bought the first new in 1987, the day I was sworn in onto the job, and carried it as a BUG and ODG for the first few years. I inherited the second, made in 1966, when my dad died in 2010. He carried it in much the same capacity. I bought the third, from about 1985 (and a stainless one at that; I hadn't known they had made them in stainless back then) early last year.

They're all very impressive in fit, lockup, and finish. I'm carrying my dad's now, all this week, as his birthday would have been yesterday. Just kind of a tribute, I guess (his service sidearm, a Ruger Service Six, is on my nightstand this week as well.)

I handled an older Undercoverette at a store about a year or so back. I probably should have bought it. If I saw it again, I probably would.

I have no experience with the current crop from Charter Arms, but I understand the company to have made leaps and bounds in progress in repairing the reputation other owners of the company gave it in the years between 1990 and about 2005, when it ran under the names Charco and Charter 2000. It's original owners are back at the helm.

 

[khari]

That appears to be just what I'm looking for. I wonder when the release dat will be.

In my experience, when Ruger announces a gun they are very close to shipping. I would expect it in the next few weeks.

 

[mnrivrat]

I don't think you have to worry much about buying a Charter Arms. I have no personal experience but my brother has had a couple of the undercover models that gave him flawless service and were his regular carry guns until he gifted them to two of his kids.

In the used market, if you can find one, the Taurus M731 is a 6 shot revolver made in steel, made in light weight with alloy frame, made in Stainless Steel if I recall correctly, and the one I have owned for years now is made in total titanium. I would not give mine up for anything. It is light weight , dead on mechanics, and more accurate than I ever thought it should be. It comes as #1 on my recommend list for the .32 H&R.

S&W makes a .327 which I would also consider. As mentioned, the .32 H&R can be used from that chambering.
PS: The .32 Auto has a semi rimmed case and also shoots and extracts just fine from my .32 H&R.

So - The S&W will work with .327 Federal Magnum, .32 H&R magnum, .32 S&W Long , .32 Auto, and .32 S&W.
5 different cartridges from one revolver - not bad.

 

[HB]

Charter is to Harbor Freight as Dewalt is to Smith. Yes, there is lemons in both but Charters are not as refined. Never bought a charter because they are extremely crude. I would look a for used Smith J frame or a single action Ruger if you want to play with a 32. On the whole charter will go boom but they are primitive in comparison to a quality gun. Similar to an amscorp.

HB

 

[kBob]

I have a Charter .38 SPL Undercover bought used in 1978. Still cranking. Currently on car gun duty with the wife. Can't say any thing about the guns during the years the original family was out of the picture or even the "new" guns. Just thought folks aught to know that the old ones could soldier on. My only mod was to put a set of Charter .44 Bulldog wood grips from the original .44 CA on the undercover for more control and not that much loss of concealability.

-kBob

 

[C0untZer0]

The transfer bar broke on my Charter Arms 9mm PITBULL a few months after I'd purchased it. Charter Arms cut me an airway bill, I shipped it to them and got it back in 2 weeks. SO.. its not great that the transfer bar broke, but they handled it really well. They have good customer service.

 

[Tallball]

I have a Charter Arms 32 H&R magnum Undercoverette. I got it used for very little money a few years ago. It has a good trigger, is accurate for a snubby, and has been completely reliable. It's my wife's preference for SD (bad wrists).