jeffh
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Post by jeffh on Jul 21, 2022 10:34:48 GMT -5
I have nothing against "expensive guns" and have owned many. Still own a few. To be clear, when I say "expensive," I'm talking about Colt, Smith and Ruger, DA or SA. I don't mean this to be a criticism of either "expensive" OR "cheap" revolvers, rather to make a distinction between revolvers of two significantly different price ranges. I KNOW there are a lot of fellas who own Charters, who aren't necessarily ashamed of them, but they just don't talk about them either. They are what they are, they do what they do - almost boring in that regard, but I find the "do what they do" part an endearing trait. They do what they do, usually well and always with admirable humility.
If you've ever talked to Nick Ecker, you might get the same impression of him - at least I have.
Charter Arms is my favorite - not just among "cheap" revolvers, but among revolvers, period. I like the other stuff just fine, but I REALLY like my Charter stuff. I've had a few Rossi 720s in 44 Special and they were superb little DAs. I'm actually starting to take a shine to this new Taurus 605 now too, and I really didn't expect to.
MY current favorite Charter came along while I was saving for another SP101. I didn't buy the charter because it was cheaper than the Ruger, but because I hadn't seen a Charter 357 in 3" before and that's MY barrel length for DA revolvers. For all of its attributes, it was a bit of a booger to start, which was highly unusual for Charters I've had, and this is the ONLY Charter I've EVER had to send back to the factory. Once it settled down and proved to be accurate and reliable, I ditched the "adjustable" rear sight and made a new fixed sight, which is WAY easier for me to see. I'm now kicking around the idea of making a new front sight too, but it's a lot of work, as I don't have a mill.
Charters rubber grips just suck. I tried my first pair in '82 on a 3" Bulldog and they went into the trash right quick. Aftermarket support on Charter revolvers is almost nill, and I've not been wowed by any grips I've seen made for it. Some rave about the Pachmyer Compact, which has been my default rubber grip for Charters, but they are too big and bulky for me. When I first handled the Taurus 605, with an ugly, rubber Hogue grip, I WAS wowed! I love that skimpy little grip and it FITS me. I'd already don som grinding on the Charter grip, but not enough, so yesterday I went back at it and I've probably removed at least 25% of the material in that hideous factory Charter grip, but NOW it FITS me.
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,730
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Post by jeffh on Jul 21, 2022 10:40:11 GMT -5
This little 3", 5-shot 357 is a slick little gem. It will shoot under two inches at 20 yards (from a rest) and is very comfortable to shoot using cast form 148 grain WCs to 180 grain WFNs. I'm very partial to it.
The pic below was at ten yards - part of my sighting-in/adjusting of the fixed sight I made for it. The other pic is a comparison of the Charter and Taurus. The Taurus has a long way to go to match the Charter, but I am seriously impressed with it so far.
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Post by Lee Martin on Jul 21, 2022 10:54:22 GMT -5
I'm also a fan of Charter Arms. Are they the tightest fit DAs out there? Far from it. But for the price they're decent little guns. And both of my Bulldogs shoot really well for being fixed sighted and small. Like you, I've never been a fan of their factory rubber grips. Pachmayr Compacts are a nice upgrade: Now the early version of the Bulldog had the small wood grips and those worked for me: -Lee www.singleactions.com"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,730
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Post by jeffh on Jul 21, 2022 11:14:21 GMT -5
I'm envious every time I see either of those pics!
Pachmyer did the world a great service with those grips and I do still use them on a Target Bulldog, which I don't shoot DA much. I need to get right down to the back-strap, and be able to crawl up on the handle to get a really good hold and be able to reach the trigger in DA though.
The wood was well designed - on purpose or by accident. There's a lot f real-estate on the back-side to spread out the force of recoil, which is why shooting fifty or a hundred 44 Specials isn't out of the question.
The older Bridgeport and Stratford production guns were NICE, and even LOOKED nice. I am not sure of the vintage of your PUG, but it looks very nice also. Either way, dropping any one of these into the back pocket on the way out the door to "check on things" is second-nature and they get USED here. Any of the stainless ones I've had still look good after many trips into and out of back pockets, coat pockets, stuffed into a glove wedged between the driver's seat and e-brake handle,...
I took these guns for granted and many came and went over the years. If I could roll back time, I'd save almost every one I'd let go and I'd have sought out more of them as well. The 3" models are my favorites, and I had 3" blued Undercover in 38 SPL and an early "Pocket Target" 3", but let both get away at some point, always expecting to be able to find another one cheap. I've narrowed the cartridges I support drastically, and the 32s gave way to the 35s, but if I ever found a tapered, 3" 32 mag Charter, I'd be looking for brass, dies and moulds too.
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Post by Encore64 on Jul 21, 2022 11:23:33 GMT -5
Also a fan of these revolvers. Have the Charter Arms Target Bulldog 4.2" in 44 Special. It's a dandy Trail Gun.
Interestingly enough, I bought a used Taurus 44 Special years ago from a Pawn Shop. It is the most accurate DA Revolver I've ever fired.
Anyone who buys a Freedom Arms expects and gets a great gun. But, it's just fun to get an inexpensive shooter...
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Post by 45MAN on Jul 21, 2022 12:06:30 GMT -5
jeffh: TO ME "CHEAP" DENOTES MORE OF POOR QUALITY THAN LOW PRICE WHILE "INEXPENSIVE" REFERS MORE TO PRICE THAN QUALITY. AM THINKING CHARTER AND TAURUS ARE "INEXPENSIVE" BUT NOT NECESSARILY "CHEAP".
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,730
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Post by jeffh on Jul 21, 2022 12:46:19 GMT -5
I agree with that, 45MAN. I just play along with the stigma, because it's allowed me to buy a lot of these guns over the years for not a whole lot of money. Picked up a used, stainless, 3" Bulldog at a show once, marked $140.
I asked the man who's table it was "what's wrong with it?"
Well, THAT pushed a button! "NOT A *&^W%$ THING! EVERYBODY THINKS BECAUSE THEY"RE INEXPENSIVE THAT THEY'RE CHEAP AND NO ONE WILL BUY IT!!!"
I bought it. I put into one back pocket while pulling my wallet out the other. His mood changed when he saw I was a fan of the guns and we had a good conversation that day.
encore64, I had several of those older Taurus 44 Specials and they were EXCELLENT guns! Very nicely done, accurate - just plain nice guns and they too were "cheap."
The Rossi 720s were about the slickest and smoothest, and actually had VERY classy finish details and lines, except for that blocky, sharp-edged barrel with the Evil-Kinevil Snake River Canyon jump ramp. Oh, and plastic sights. I sold one to my brother not too long ago, and if my gun smith were still in business, he and I'd have made a project of putting a sleeker 4" or 5" Smith barrel on that one. He was "cheap" too, because he liked stuff I liked and he always seemed to figure the fun he had into the bill, because he did a 44 Special OM Ruger conversion for us once for $245, maybe 20 years ago. I think he'd have done that Rssi project for $200 or so.
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Post by 2 Dogs on Jul 21, 2022 12:56:40 GMT -5
Jeff, excellent thread! I’m enjoying your work too!
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,730
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Post by jeffh on Jul 21, 2022 14:28:11 GMT -5
HUGE compliment coming from you, Sir. Thank you.
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Post by needsmostuff on Jul 21, 2022 14:32:14 GMT -5
For an "affordable " oddball this one checks a lot of boxes. It's a Taurus smallish mid frame, a little larger than a J. I believe it was their 22lr frame. The important thing is its 32 mag, adj. sights and a 4" barrel. Was not lookin for it but could not put it down when I picked it up.
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Post by Lee Martin on Jul 21, 2022 14:57:46 GMT -5
Jeff - you're absolutely correct about the Rossi 720's. They were fantastic revolvers. I used to shop at Potomac Arms, which was Interarms storefront in Alexandria, VA. They always had 720's in stock back in the 90's. I thumbed a few and was impressed. Sadly, my money always went to some other purchase. I really wish I had bought one. Seem to remember they were around $250 NIB back then. -Lee www.singleactions.com"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"
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Post by taffin on Jul 21, 2022 15:02:51 GMT -5
CHEAP AND INEXPENSIVE ARENOT SYNONOMOUS TERMS
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Post by Encore64 on Jul 21, 2022 15:02:55 GMT -5
For an "affordable " oddball this one checks a lot of boxes. It's a Taurus smallish mid frame, a little larger than a J. I believe it was their 22lr frame. The important thing is its 32 mag, adj. sights and a 4" barrel. Was not lookin for it but could not put it down when I picked it up. YES!!! These are excellent... Have the 5" version in 8-Shot 22 Magnum. Shoots everything you stick in it...
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StanleyWhite
.30 Stingray
Former Marine and still working for the man.
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Post by StanleyWhite on Jul 21, 2022 17:19:20 GMT -5
I see cheap as implying quality while inexpensive implies price.
Inexpensive but well made vs inexpensive but cheaply made etc.
-Stan
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,730
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Post by jeffh on Jul 21, 2022 18:09:05 GMT -5
For an "affordable " oddball this one checks a lot of boxes............. Dude, you are a terrible influence on me! Those ARE nice guns! I had 4" in 32 mag, early nineties, and it was finished to rival the best of the best, I adored that little gun, but mine was a fluke, with terribly oversized chambers, which split brass every time I shot it. ONE less than comforting customer service incident with Taurus turned me off and I traded it to someone who did not hand-load. THAT was an absolute DOLL of a revolver other than that, and I wish I'd been more persistent with Taurus regarding the chamber problem. Truly an affordable little darling, which could have taken the 32 Mag to new heights - for anyone willing to shoot an "affordable" little gem pf a revolver.
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