Charter arms current reputation?

[brian10x]

I've been around guns for over 35 years, and always heard bad things about Charter arms.

The thing is, they make the only affordable revolver (that looks any good?) in 32 H&R magnum. The call it "The professional".

Are they any better than they used to be?

Thanks for your input!

Brian
In sunny Tucson

 

[QuietM4]

I’d buy a Taurus before I bought a Charter Arms.

 

[MarkItZero]

A questionable manufacturer in a dead caliber seems like a bad idea to me

 

[Suck My Glock]

OK,...I'll play the contrarian here.

I have owned several Charter Arms products over the years and never had a bad experience. I've owned 3 Undercovers (.38 5-shot), one Bulldog (.44spl. 5-shot) and 2 AR-7s. (Henry makes the AR-7 now, but in the 70s it was Charter Arms.)

In fact, I was impressed with the first Undercover I owned back in the 80s because it held together and didn't blow up in my hand as it should have when I made a serious reloading mistake. Back then, as a poor shmuck earning minimum wage, I was using Lee Powder Dippers to measure out my powder charges, because I was poor. I had loaded up some simple standard pressure loads of 4.2grns. of Herco. The smallest powder dipper held 2.1 grains of Herco,...so 2 level scoops of Herco per case came to 4.2 grains for the desired charge. But what I didn't know was that I goofed, and somewhere in the 100 rounds I loaded up, I lost count and accidentally put in 3 scoops,...producing 6.3 grns. for a charge rated as mid-range .357!!!!

There I was at the indoor range at Shooter's World, just plinking along;...blap! blap! blap! KABOOM!!!!!! I instantly knew what must have happened. But to my shock, when I pulled my hand down from recoiling over my head,...not only was the hand still attached to my wrist, but the little revolver was intact.

So that made a believer out of me, and I have nothing bad to say about Charter Arms. Are they as refined as a Colt or a S&W? No. But they are completely serviceable products.

 

[Cbvanb]

I carried a Charter Arms .38 as a back-up gun for years. I thought of it as cheap and ground off the front sight and hammer spur. I could stand on a traffic stop or suspicious person situation with my hand in my pocket, and nobody knew it held a gun. Then I shot it, about 50 rounds as I recall, and the trigger cut a groove through the cylinder stop and the gun was out of commission. I sent it back to Charter Arms and they not only fixed the problem, but they also put a new barrel and hammer on the gun. I switched to a S&W after that, but I have had a love affair with the .44 Bulldog since it first came out. I don't know how many I have owned, but most of mine got shot a lot and I never had a problem.
If you're going to shoot the gun a lot I probably wouldn't get one, but for occasional use it should be fine.

 

[pneuby]

I bought a Professional for a good friend of mine, but that one in .38.
I've had several CA, and currently just two. NEVER an issue with .44, .38, .32 or .22

I bought the Pitbull in .45acp once. It was too much in recoil for me, and it was quickly re-homed.
I've had two of the same in 9mm. The 'original' was a 6-shot. Allegedly they had issues with that one prompting them to revamp it in a 5rd configuration.
They were manageable and fun, and the extractor system worked like a champ. However, neither of them shot POA/POI for me. So, also down-the-pike.

 

[brian10x]

Well, count me as one of the lucky ones. I bought the "Professional" and the "Undercoverette" both in my favorite new caliber, 32 H&R magnum. The triggers are acceptable , and this is coming from a S&W man. Accuracy is "good" , not better or worse than my other snubbies. Quality control seems "OK". All in all, nothing to rave about, but no complaints either. Worth it for the price.

I love the company though. They all seem like red-blooded 2nd amendment-loving 'Mericans.