Kind Of Rare Charter Arms

[mk70ss]

Just got this Charter Arms Police Bulldog .38. They did not make a whole lot of these and they are a six shot, not five. Gun is at least 99%, looks to have hardly ever been shot or carried.

[Bill DeShivs]

The 2" version is pretty uncommon.

[Hellcat1]

It looks just as nice on this forum as it does over on NES!

Congrats!


Frank

[Patty O]

It looks just as nice on this forum as it does over on NES....

...And again on the Smith & Wesson forum...

[bedbugbilly]

Nice! I like 38 snubs. Any idea of the years that CA productive ed them or what year your's is?

[mk70ss]

I believe mine is from 82

[Carmady]

Any idea of the years that CA productive ed them or what year your's is?

According to the following link (.38s):
1975 4" Police Bulldog
1981 2" Police Bulldog
1984 renamed Police Undercover

https://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/CAR/car.html

[Mike Irwin]

I never knew that they made a 2" 6-shot Bulldog .38. Neat!

[TruthTellers]

Any 6 shot Charter (be it .22, .32, or .38/.357) made in Bridgeport or Stratford is definitely worth buying.

I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one on the auction sites, but if one was on a shelf somewhere and the price was right, I'd be all over it.

[lowercase]

Nice!

I saw a Police Bulldog snub on Gunbroker in nickel or stainless (can’t remember which), and it had an old-school Charter pocket hammer.

I’m still kicking myself for not buying it. It was the first and only time I had seen one like it and didn’t even know they made the PB in that configuration. I have a blued 4” Police Bulldog with fixed sights and even that one was hard to find.

[eastbank]

i have a early pathfinder .22 magnum that looks like a baby brother to a S&W k-22, it has been a good light weight (compared to my 1950 K 22) revolver that has been trouble free for many years of use.

[Jim Watson]

I have my Uncle's Pathfinder .22 LR, given to me when he moved into assisted living. He thought it was a convertible but if so, the WMR cylinder was long gone.

[std7mag]

I too have a rare type of Charter Arms.
One that won't shoot!!

Bought a new Professional 357 with 3" barrel in October of last year.
Have had to contact Charter Arms 3 times now.
Since i've owned it, it's only fired 4-6 rounds.
That out of numerous cylinders of both factory & hand loaded ammo.
Getting light primer strikes.
On my last outing, the first round actually went off. When i went to sight for the second round, the front fibre optic sight was turned 90°.

Going back to Charter Arms for repair/replacement!!!

[mk70ss]

In my humble opinion, the oldest Charter Arms guns are the best and highest quality, the new ones….not so much.

[JustJake]

In my humble opinion, the oldest Charter Arms guns are the best and highest quality, the new ones …. not so much.

Agree. The early models from back in the day were reliable with decent accuracy for a snubby. Looks like you found a good one.

Today, the real “rarity” is getting a CA revolver that actually functions and that you can hit anything with that’s smaller than a barn door. Hard pass on those dogs.

I’d rather spend my coin on one of the Armscor/RIA wheelguns.

https://www.armscor.com/firearms-lis...less-38spl-6rd

[41 Magnum]

I just bought my first Charter Arms handgun ! It is a .357 Mag Pug. I shot another fellows .38 about a week ago, and could not believe the trigger pull and let off !! It was a big surprise to me !! So, when I found this used one at a local shop I asked to try it ! Absolutely perfect trigger action, so it followed me home !! Have not had it out yet, as it's been raining here "forever now". But, it feels really great to me !

[NC FNS]

Originally Posted by std7mag

I too have a rare type of Charter Arms.
One that won't shoot!!

Bought a new Professional 357 with 3" barrel in October of last year.
Have had to contact Charter Arms 3 times now.
Since i've owned it, it's only fired 4-6 rounds.
That out of numerous cylinders of both factory & hand loaded ammo.
Getting light primer strikes.
On my last outing, the first round actually went off. When i went to sight for the second round, the front fibre optic sight was turned 90°.

Going back to Charter Arms for repair/replacement!!!

I’ve got a 2019 (I think) in 38 special. Sent it back for light primer strikes. No improvement when I got it back. It does a little better than yours though. I usually get 4 or 5 bangs per 6 round cylinder.
I’m no gunsmith, but figure either the transfer bar isn’t coming up enough to reliably contact the firing pin, or maybe the cylinder is somehow too far forward.

[bamaranger]

I did not know that Charter Arms made a 2"- 6 shot, very interesting.

I've owned two vintage Charters, a 5 shot, 2" .38, and a traditional 3" .44spl Bulldog. I shot both of them ALOT, till they went out of time. I;d agree the early guns were of better quality. But....none of the Charters are intended for a high volume of shooting, more like nightstand guns.

[Carmady]

I’ve got a 2019 (I think) in 38 special. Sent it back for light primer strikes.

If your .38 is a 5-shot it's probably built on the Undercover frame and came with a blue hammer spring. Their Undercover size .22RFs use a green hammer spring for harder hammer strikes.

The larger guns with the Bulldog frame use a red hammer spring. I'd call Charter Arms, tell them your issue, and ask them to send you a green and red hammer spring to try in your .38. All three will work, I've done it. The green spring will likely fix it, it wouldn't hurt to get a red one while you're at it. They might send them for free since you've already returned it and it isn't reliable.

There are videos on youtube about how to remove & replace the hammer spring. It's easy.

[Algunner]

Originally Posted by JustJake

Agree. The early models from back in the day were reliable with decent accuracy for a snubby. Looks like you found a good one.

Today, the real “rarity” is getting a CA revolver that actually functions and that you can hit anything with that’s smaller than a barn door. Hard pass on those dogs.

I’d rather spend my coin on one of the Armscor/RIA wheelguns.

https://www.armscor.com/firearms-lis...less-38spl-6rd

I have looked at that and the Armscor is of poor quality. It was the loosest new gun I have seen. Mind you I have only been looking for a few months. Any the trigger was rough. The new Charters I have seen appear to be much higher quantity.

[Buckeye!]

I own
Pitbull 40 S&W
Pitbull 45acp
Bulldog 44spl
Boomer 44spl
Professional 357 (6 shot)

All work fine
I have owned at least one Charter Arms revolver since 1983

I had one tat had to be sent to the mothership ( poor cylinder crane fit)
It was repaired ..actually rather quickly.. even in the middle of Covid .

Any .. that is any gunmaker that uses humans for assembly can produce a revolver with issues…

Now .. what is happening with S&W and the Ultimate Carry series is pretty much uncalled for .. seems like 3 out of 5 is having issues. ..from cylinder forcing cone rubbing , light hammer strikes .. on a $675 J frame !!