11 Reasons My Charter Arms is Better Than Your Smith & Wesson

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by ME262

" they may just be trying to get you to stop doing whatever it is that's causing the problem."


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Here were the problems, the reasons that I returned the gun(s) three times, what i was doing that's causing the problem, as you put it:

The original gun I ordered was a Charter Arms Pink Lady 5RD 32H&R 2" barrel. I had both Buffalo Bore and another brand, both in .32 long, only the BB in magnum. All shot fine, and there was no problem ejecting the longs of either brand. But the BB magnums stuck tight. I needed tools and a long struggle to remove the spent shells from the cylinder with the magnums. Otherwise it was good. But then what I did - yes, i did this - was unscrew the magazine release screw in order to put locktite on it as i always do on other revolvers. That was a mistake. A lot of little parts sprang out and try as i might i couldn't put it back together..

Charter has an inexpensive "third hand" type tool available to make that do-able. Just FYI.

https://charterfirearms.com/collecti...cts/latch-tool

And see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSlqqSCFqbM

[ME262]

Thanks, Lee, but I'm not going to unscrew that stupid thing again!

[Drm50]

When using second rate firearms, which is exactly what CA is, it’s a good idea to stick to standard factory ammo. The gun is suppose to be designed and safe at industry standards.
Have it come apart with specialty ammo or handloads and I can guarantee you that you will be on your own, if they are aware of it.
I don’t give a rats patoot what others shoot or carry but get tired of hearing about second rate firearms being equal to or better than top shelf pieces. Some of this stuff may preform as well as top shelf, if it does it’s not going to last. You can also get a lemon in the good stuff, but they are few.

[dgludwig]

To me, there are basically two kinds of firearms-related "catastrophic failures": (1) a gun "blowing up" and perhaps killing or maiming someone in the process and (2) a gun failing to operate for whatever reason during a self-defense scenario. Most everything else are inconveniences that a gunsmith can remedy.

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by ME262

Thanks, Lee, but I'm not going to unscrew that stupid thing again!

Now if only they made a tool that made replacing the transfer bar easy.

[44 AMP]

And i don't understand why BB longs are forbidden.

Cause the cases stuck in your cylinder???

First gun, BB longs didn't stick but magnums did. Second gun both BB longs and magnums stuck in your cylinder. Is that right?

Charter says don't use BB ammo.

So, why are you?

it's not so much a matter of what someone says should work, its a matter of what DOES work and what DOES NOT.

Buffalo Bore says it should work, but it doesn't. Charter is telling you not to shoot BB ammo.

Seems to me the solution is obvious, don't use BB ammo, or get a different gun.

Someone made a cute saying popular nowdays that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"

I don't think that's proof of insanity, but it does seem rather dumb.

[ME262]

Cause the cases stuck in your cylinder???

First gun, BB longs didn't stick but magnums did.

First gun no brand of longs stuck; BB magnums (the only kind i had) stuck.

Second gun both BB longs and magnums stuck in your cylinder. Is that right?

Yes. Everything, including both brands of longs i now had, stuck in the second gun before I returned it for the third time. Now, after the third return, the non-BB .32 longs seem to work fine, at least for the limited number of times i tested it. I have not tried it with BufB because they said not to lest "catastrophic failure" might ensue.

Charter says don't use BB ammo.

Correct

So, why are you?

I'm not. I'm simply asking why I can't use the BB longs in a gun supposedly made to handle .32 magnums.

it's not so much a matter of what someone says should work, its a matter of what DOES work and what DOES NOT.

The gun is a .32 magnum. BB says - see above - their longs at least will work in all modern guns.

Buffalo Bore says it should work, but it doesn't. Charter is telling you not to shoot BB ammo.

I don't know if the BB longs work in the third iteration of this gun as I haven't tried it.

Seems to me the solution is obvious, don't use BB ammo, or get a different gun.


As I said, .32 revolver ammo is almost impossible to find, and so are .32 revolvers, which is why i got the CA revolver in the first place, and even that does not seem to be available any more. Most of the ammo i do have is BufB.

Someone made a cute saying popular nowdays that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"

I don't think that's proof of insanity, but it does seem rather dumb.


__________________
All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

There are 32 Lee dies available now. Get a cheap press and follow good data and you'll never go wrong.

To get primers you may need to sell yourself to strangers in a dark alley. But that's the only real hurdle to shooting what you want when you want it.

[ME262]

Drm50 and DGLudig, I agree with u both. I saw a lot of good reviews for C.A. so i bought it. I'm sorry i did. It seems to work good with non magnum non BufB ammo, but can i trust something like that as a defensive weapon, which is the purpose it was intended to serve?

[ME262]

Originally Posted by ME262

I messaged Buffalo Bore. I'll post their response here.

They didn't respond.

[PzGren]

The only ting that counts is how well you can shoot your gun and that means in matches beyond club level.

[pete2]

I'll sticking to my Smiths, thank you!

[SSGN-Doc]

You haven’t even met MY S&W, so how do you know?

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by Driftwood Johnson

As several have pointed out, Smith and Wesson revolvers do not have transfer bars, they have hammer blocks. A hammer block works the exact opposite of a transfer bar. A hammer block blocks the hammer from moving forward enough for the firing pin to contact a primer unless the trigger has moved back, withdrawing the hammer block and allowing the hammer to fall all the way.



Going back even further, this is the first style of hammer block that S&W used. I have placed the hand in its groove in the side plate to show how it worked. When the hand rose, it pushed a tapered pin sideways that withdrew the hammer block, allowing the hammer to fall all the way. I do not know exactly when this style of hammer block was introduced, but I do know that this S&W left the factory in 1920.



.

(Dredging up an slightly older thread.)

Oh, interesting. Taurus revolvers for a while did the hand the same way, in a recess in the sideplate, pushed by a spring and plunger. My old Model 66 from the late 80s was like that. It wasn't as hard as you might think to get it back together.

See attached. Quite a bit more S&W-ish than their current products.

I think they changed to their current transfer bar design not long after that.

[buckeyeshooter1]

Glad you like your Charter Arms. I own Smith and Wessons, especially N frames. Mine are all prelock and most purchased new in the 60's, 70's and 80's. I prefer the N frame target grips as I have very large hands. I have N frames in 38 Special, 357, 41 mag, 44 special, 44 magnum, 45 Colt and 45 acp/ auto rim. The beauty of the N frame is the workmanship, the large variety of chamberings, horsepower of the chamberings and they all feel the same, so you shoot them well.

[JERRYS.]

I hate to be the one that posts this but.... as a mother's day gift I purchased a new Pink Lady .38spl. using snap caps and empty chambers I found that the gun locks up on occasion. There is a .44spl bulldog video recently load on youtube about the same problem.

I sent an email to C.A. and will see if I can take this back to the shop and have them do all the shipping since I cannot be home for a gun return.

[Carmady]

CA's customer service is top notch; tied with Ruger's ime.

They'll have it up and running and back in your hands lickety-split.

[JERRYS.]

was sent next day air label via e-mail, dropped off at UPS this afternoon. Time will tell.

[44 AMP]

Good customer service is something we all appreciate.

The very best "customer service" is the kind you never need to use.

Since even the best makers have a mistake get past the inspectors from time to time, having good customer service, that you can easily use is a huge plus, as far as I'm concerned.

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by JERRYS.

I hate to be the one that posts this but.... as a mother's day gift I purchased a new Pink Lady .38spl. using snap caps and empty chambers I found that the gun locks up on occasion. There is a .44spl bulldog video recently load on youtube about the same problem.

I sent an email to C.A. and will see if I can take this back to the shop and have them do all the shipping since I cannot be home for a gun return.

https://www.grantcunningham.com/2007...e-of-endshake/

Charter Arms cylinder shim

Charter Arms cylinder disassembly

[JERRYS.]

next day aired May 6th, text May 9th saying they had it, May 19th they said it is not repaired yet.

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by JERRYS.

next day aired May 6th, text May 9th saying they had it, May 19th they said it is not repaired yet.

Chill a bit. When I shipped mine in last year some time, I think it was 8 weeks before it came back. (Back 2014-5-ish they'd have had it turned around in 2 weeks.)

[JERRYS.]

got the call today, revolver is repaired and over night shipped. However the tracking number shows delivery for Tuesday the 31th. Guess UPS does overnight ship and deliver on Saturdays.

[JustJake]

CA's customer service is top notch.

It should be.

Their current revolvers generally are inaccurate, malf-ing junk. So I’d expect CA’s policy is: “fix ‘em right when returned under warranty, just like we should’ve built them the first time.”

tied with Ruger's ime.

That’s not sayin’ much, although lately Ruger’s customer service appears to have gotten better based on what you can find of the online reviews.

They'll have it up and running and back in your hands lickety-split.

Maybe on the second or third return, ... if you haven’t sold or traded it for a real wheelgun first.

[jrothWA]

Somebodies Smith need a DETAILING on the interior. [#114}]