Originally Posted by DanTheWolfman
I haven’t fed it alot of 357 mag ..and not alot of even 38+P .. due to the expense .. mostly 38spl standard pressure
And it is as tight as new
The cylinder diameter is larger than a S&W L frame .. I wish Charter would build a 7 shot 38spl on this setup
Last edited by Buckeye63; 12-12-2022 at 12:53 PM.
I've got 7shots I could carry but this looks nice and much lighter weight so...maybe someday I will pick one up thanks
The usual Charter haters come out whenever that company is mentioned, but truth be told they are quite strong and serviceable guns. However, they are intentionally light-framed guns, and they will not withstand thousands of hot loads without developing the usual revolver problems of end-shake and timing (common to all DA revolvers). They are also economical, so neither are they exquisite specimens of the gun making art - the finish, rougher polish and tool marks will not appeal to the connoisseur of fine pre-war Colts.
Numerous gun makers large and small have gone through bankruptcy, reorganization and distressed sales, only to recover (Colt and S&W come to mind). Charter Arms was founded in 1964 and has always been a smaller company, and so inevitable changes of ownership did result in some distress during 1996-2005. Charter was late to change from traditional manufacturing techniques and so there were some growing pains. They have been back on their feet for many years now and selling guns faster than they can make them.
Their website is cranky and does not show their entire product line. In addition, they add new versions of existing models frequently during the year. Being a small company, I suppose they don't put enough resources into updating their site. Also, supply chain and other issues facing most manufacturers have forced unplanned changes regarding which models are offered and how often. However, a quick search of various distributors shows a plethora of models and variations.
I have had numerous Charters over the years. They offer very lightweight and serviceable revolvers. Their QC is no different than S&W, Ruger and Colt, which unfortunately doesn't say much today. However, they have the same Lifetime Warranty as S&W, and in the event of a problem they will cheerfully fix it on their dime and do it much faster than the others. The last brand new S&W revolver I purchased in February was a disaster right out of the box, and it took S&W nearly 3 months to replace it after being returned. Charter turn-around is generally about 3 weeks on repairs.
And they are 100% American made.
The Charter Arms Professional (blue) or Professional IV (Stainless) in .32 H&R Magnum, and are NOT built on the XL frame. They are built on the Large frame, which is the same as the 5-shot .44 Special Bulldog, the 5-shot .357 Mag Pug and the 6-shot .38 Special Police Undercover.
Charter Professional .32 H&R Magnum (Large Frame)
Charter Police Undercover (Large Frame)
The XL frame as noted by others is an oversized frame for their 5-shot niche guns in .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .41 Mag and the 6-shot .357 Magnum Professional II, III, V and IV.
Charter .41 Mag Pug (XL Frame)
I have carrying the Police Undercover .38 Special and the Undercoverette in .32 H&R magnum. The latter is built on their Small Frame and is a 6-shot. Charter has been building mostly aluminum frames lately - as S&W is, due to both demand, lower cost of raw material, and easier machining. The Police Undercover and Undercoverette were originally steel frame guns and they are now aluminum frames.
Charter Undercoverette
I like the aluminum frames much better! The guns are finished better and have better trigger pulls. Speaking of the latter, these are greatly improved on the newest Charters. The trigger pull is more Colt-like than S&W. Also, Charters lock up MUCH tighter than S&W guns, much in the manner of Colts, and they have always had locking at the front of the cylinder on the yoke.
The .32 H&R Mag guns are ideal for recoil sensitive folks. The guns ship with very serviceable rubbery-synthetic grips that fit a wide variety of hands as they are not too thick. All grips for Charter arms are interchangeable regardless of frame size, as the grip frame is a separate piece and is the same for all. The Professionals shown above have Charter factory grips in synthetic and wood. The Hogue grips pictured on the Police Undercover are even better for folks with grip issues as they are even more cushioning, yet not overly large like the Pachmayrs.
None of these guns have given me a lick of trouble. The sights on Charters are generally sighted for heavy standard bullet weights at 7 yards with center hold, which is plenty adequate for self-defense at typical distances. Most of mine I have filed the front blade to match to the trajectory of lighter or faster handloads @ 15 yards - but I'm purist.
The fiber optic front sight on the original Professionals resulted in a low POI with anything other than a so-called "combat hold". They were still usable at normal defensive distances, but not ideal. The current production has addressed the issue with a change to the barrel rib. Charter will fix older guns than are shooting low - as you can see on my blued model they fitted an adjustable rear sight.
The most effective factory load in .32 H&R Magnum that is readily available - Buffalo Bore aside - is the Hornady 80 grain FTX. The recoil is quite mild and the performace is superior to .32 S&W Long factory wadcutters, which are particularly underpowered and designed for bullseye shooting.
I've had three, a couple Undercovers about a decade ago, and a 2010-ish .44 Bulldog I bought a couple years ago. Each has needed to go back to the factory at least once. Most common (5 times in 3 guns), broken transfer bar. (Yes, even with snap caps.)None of these guns have given me a lick of trouble.
Yeah, working in places where people bring their broken guns has given me a slightly larger statistical universe to observe than the average consumer.
I will say that your experience is, sadly, not surprising to me.
But I’m a “hater”. *shrug*
I love the idea of the bulldog. The execution leaves some to be be desired. If they actually focused on putting out quality with fewer models. And better engineering. They would have a winner. Or winners.
May I suggest opening a lemonade stand? Lemons seem to be attracted to you.
I did a quick count of the number of Charter Arms revolvers I both own now, and have owned over the years, and it's in excess of two dozen. Total round count around 15,000 rounds. Some more than others, probably one .44 Bulldog the most with almost 2000 rounds through it. Have never experienced a broken transfer bar, nor ever heard of anyone else experiencing one. Also have never used a "snap cap" in thousands of dry fires.
Can it happen? Of course, it's a mechanical object. So can hammer nose on a pre-revision S&W revolver break. I had one break one three times on the same S&W Model 13. Should I have condemned all S&Ws?
Asking an armorer, or someone who repair guns, which gun to buy, is like asking a car mechanic which car to buy. You receive a skewed response because all they see are broken problems. There is a good video online of a retired police armorer talking about all the problems with old-school pre-revision S&W revolvers, and amount of repairs they required to keep in service. He's not wrong, but it's a skewed viewpoint. If you watched that video you would never buy a pre-revision S&W revolver.Yeah, working in places where people bring their broken guns has given me a slightly larger statistical universe to observe than the average consumer.
Owning, extensively shooting and training with, and daily carrying, of well over a hundred revolvers of all manufacturers over the past 40+ years, competing with revolvers for the same amount of time, being a firearms instructor for a well-known national law enforcement agency (which used revolvers during my early tenure) for over 30 years, and being a certified S&W armorer with experience on working on not only S&W but also Colt, Ruger and Charter revolvers... has given me a slightly larger statistical universe to observe, than the average person who works in places where people bring broken guns.
My previous opinion remains unchanged. Within their realm, Charters can give good service, as well S&W, Colt and Ruger products. Now retired, I can choose from a wide array of defensive arms. Charters are amongst them.
I guess I'm a realist.
Well, I think I've found our disconnect.
I'm going to hop in with what I have handled at gun stores....the .38 charters and a bright stainless .357 seemed...not the best quality.
The Boxer I handled seemed pretty decently good and I really like it's specs and that of the Professional.
A couple days ago I handled a New Pitbull 9mm and the quality seemed pretty darn good. Those in 9 40 and 45acp all seem interesting to me.
I can't imagine the recoil of the .41 magnum.....pretty light revo for that I would think and ammo hard to find so it would be like Underwood.....
So is it a who works on Monday thing or what? IDK
Maybe.
Did I save it .....
This is where they broke, every single time. Always the same place, and it looks like metal fatigue. When I got the Bulldog (used) there was a broken bit of transfer bar in the box, and a handwritten note not to dry fire. I counted. The transfer bar broke at around 800 dry fires. With snap caps.
I bought a couple from Charter (CA will sell you parts other companies won't, which is nice), and had a local guy install one, as it's a 3 hand PITA to get the trigger and attached parts back in once it's out.
(Not, BTW, the only thing mine have had to have work done for.)
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