Charter Arms 38 any good

RockB · 03-06-2008, 06:05 PM

I have a Charter Arms .38 that was given to my wife many years ago. She was told at that time it was a junk gun and just leave it in the car in case she needed it but don't do a lot of shooting with it as it would probably fall apart.

I don't think he was talking about that specific gun but Charter Arms in general. What is the general census of the weapon? Serial No is 585XX

rfc357 · 03-06-2008, 06:09 PM

Decent quality, nothing fancy. I carried one for years, and shot it extensively. Never had a problem.

TXplt · 03-06-2008, 06:41 PM

I've a .44 bulldog by Charter 2000, new a year ago or so. I did have a failure of the cylinder screw (which locks the gun up when it fails) after around 500 rounds, but the customer service was first rate and they fixed the gun up right away. No problems after this, but only about 60 or 70 rounds fired since.

The gun is "rough around the edges" and has not so good of a DA trigger pull (SA is fine). I wouldn't classify the frame as strong. Reasonably durable, but more of a shoot moderately and carry alot type of piece. But it's also very accurate and a powerhouse. Bottom line is OK carry gun for the $ and caliber. For me, good knock about and carry gun.

I wouldn't shoot +Ps in their older .38's, but don't think it would fall apart either with standard pressure rounds. I'd take it out and shoot it to see. Haven't heard alot of negatives about the earlier undercovers. Charter's been up and down thru their history; maybe on an "up" period now.

mitch_mckee · 03-06-2008, 07:09 PM

My Dad carried one just like that for maybe 20 years except it had synthetic grips. I cleaned it for him about every other year. This usually involved flushing out the lint, seeds, and other misc. stuff out with a can of WD-40. I don't know how, but it always worked flawlessly as it still does.

blaster · 03-06-2008, 07:17 PM

I bought one new in the early eighties, I shot and carried it a lot and never had a problem. my favorite load for it is 3.8gr. of Bullseye under a 158gr. lswc bullet. the only problem that I did have however is that the women in my life have always laid claim to it. one of them has it now.

squirrelbaster · 03-06-2008, 08:23 PM

dont know anything about it but wanted to interject and say that for some reason i realy like the look of that grip not sure why just do....

RockB · 03-07-2008, 01:02 PM

Just happened to look at the cover of my copy of IN THE GRAVEST EXTREME by Massad F. Ayoob. There is a picture of one just like it. He is supposed to be one of the experts so I guess if he chose to put one on the cover it must be a decent weapon.

big boomer · 03-07-2008, 01:06 PM

I had one in the 70's was a good handgun just don't shoot to hot of loads or the screws loosen standard loads are fine.

rondog · 03-07-2008, 01:39 PM

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

Two feets they come a creepin
like a black cat do
and two bodies are layin' naked.
Creeper think he got nothin' to lose.
So he creeps into this house, yeah
and unlocks the door
and as a man's reaching for his trousers
shoots him full of thirty-eight holes.

It's the Saturday night special
got a barrel that's blue and cold
ain't good for nothin
but put a man six feet in a hole

Big Jim's been drinkin' whiskey
and playin' poker on a losin' night
and pretty soon ol' Jim starts a thinkin
somebody been cheatin' and lyin'.
So big Jim commence to fightin',
I wouldn't tell you no lie.
Big Jim done pulled his pistol,
shot his friend right between the eyes.

It's the Saturday night special
got a barrel that's blue and cold
ain't good for nothin
but put a man six feet in a hole

Hand guns are made for killin',
they ain't no good for nothin' else.
And if you like to drink your whiskey
you might even shoot yourself.
So why don't we dump 'em people
to the bottom of the sea
before some ol' fool come around here,
wanna shoot either you or me.

It's the Saturday night special
you got a barrel that's blue and cold
you ain't good for nothin
but put a man six feet in a hole

It's the saturday night special
and I'd like to tell you what you could do with it
and that's the end of the song

- Edward King & Ronnie Van Zant

ezearln · 03-07-2008, 02:04 PM

Owned one myself that was foolishly sold off many years back never had a complaint with mine and still wish it was back in my gun cabinet.

mitch_mckee · 03-07-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rondog

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

It's the saturday night special
and I'd like to tell you what you could do with it
and that's the end of the song

- Edward King & Ronnie Van Zant

Note: They later recanted and atoned for their sins with the song "Give me back my Bullets."

03-06-2008, 06:05 PM	#1
RockB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 196	Charter Arms 38 any good I have a Charter Arms .38 that was given to my wife many years ago. She was told at that time it was a junk gun and just leave it in the car in case she needed it but don't do a lot of shooting with it as it would probably fall apart. I don't think he was talking about that specific gun but Charter Arms in general. What is the general census of the weapon? Serial No is 585XX

03-06-2008, 06:41 PM	#3
TXplt Lost in the Ozone Again Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,773 Images: 4 Blog Entries: 2	I've a .44 bulldog by Charter 2000, new a year ago or so. I did have a failure of the cylinder screw (which locks the gun up when it fails) after around 500 rounds, but the customer service was first rate and they fixed the gun up right away. No problems after this, but only about 60 or 70 rounds fired since. The gun is "rough around the edges" and has not so good of a DA trigger pull (SA is fine). I wouldn't classify the frame as strong. Reasonably durable, but more of a shoot moderately and carry alot type of piece. But it's also very accurate and a powerhouse. Bottom line is OK carry gun for the $ and caliber. For me, good knock about and carry gun. I wouldn't shoot +Ps in their older .38's, but don't think it would fall apart either with standard pressure rounds. I'd take it out and shoot it to see. Haven't heard alot of negatives about the earlier undercovers. Charter's been up and down thru their history; maybe on an "up" period now. __________________ Old fighter pilots never die.....They just wind up in Texas

03-06-2008, 07:17 PM	#5
blaster Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: big pine key, florida Posts: 435	I bought one new in the early eighties, I shot and carried it a lot and never had a problem. my favorite load for it is 3.8gr. of Bullseye under a 158gr. lswc bullet. the only problem that I did have however is that the women in my life have always laid claim to it. one of them has it now. __________________ peace through superior firepower

03-07-2008, 02:04 PM	#10
ezearln Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Hill Country Posts: 3,175	Owned one myself that was foolishly sold off many years back never had a complaint with mine and still wish it was back in my gun cabinet. __________________ "You can have my Freedom when I'm done with it!"

03-06-2008, 06:09 PM	#2
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	Decent quality, nothing fancy. I carried one for years, and shot it extensively. Never had a problem.

03-06-2008, 07:09 PM	#4
mitch_mckee Banned Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 1,085 Images: 3	My Dad carried one just like that for maybe 20 years except it had synthetic grips. I cleaned it for him about every other year. This usually involved flushing out the lint, seeds, and other misc. stuff out with a can of WD-40. I don't know how, but it always worked flawlessly as it still does.

03-06-2008, 08:23 PM	#6
squirrelbaster Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,233	dont know anything about it but wanted to interject and say that for some reason i realy like the look of that grip not sure why just do....

03-07-2008, 01:02 PM	#7
RockB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 196	Just happened to look at the cover of my copy of IN THE GRAVEST EXTREME by Massad F. Ayoob. There is a picture of one just like it. He is supposed to be one of the experts so I guess if he chose to put one on the cover it must be a decent weapon.

03-07-2008, 01:06 PM	#8
big boomer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minn. Posts: 939	I had one in the 70's was a good handgun just don't shoot to hot of loads or the screws loosen standard loads are fine.

03-07-2008, 01:39 PM	#9
rondog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 1,321	SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL Two feets they come a creepin like a black cat do and two bodies are layin' naked. Creeper think he got nothin' to lose. So he creeps into this house, yeah and unlocks the door and as a man's reaching for his trousers shoots him full of thirty-eight holes. It's the Saturday night special got a barrel that's blue and cold ain't good for nothin but put a man six feet in a hole Big Jim's been drinkin' whiskey and playin' poker on a losin' night and pretty soon ol' Jim starts a thinkin somebody been cheatin' and lyin'. So big Jim commence to fightin', I wouldn't tell you no lie. Big Jim done pulled his pistol, shot his friend right between the eyes. It's the Saturday night special got a barrel that's blue and cold ain't good for nothin but put a man six feet in a hole Hand guns are made for killin', they ain't no good for nothin' else. And if you like to drink your whiskey you might even shoot yourself. So why don't we dump 'em people to the bottom of the sea before some ol' fool come around here, wanna shoot either you or me. It's the Saturday night special you got a barrel that's blue and cold you ain't good for nothin but put a man six feet in a hole It's the saturday night special and I'd like to tell you what you could do with it and that's the end of the song - Edward King & Ronnie Van Zant