Two Dogs on a Bulldog - Front Sight, That Is

[jeffh]

I searched for the thread where I posted about making a new fixed rear sight, to replace the factory adjustable sight on my Charter, stainless, 3", 5-shot Mag Pug in 357, but couldn't find it.

Now, I'm no gun smith, but after I posted that, a REAL gun smith got in touch and offered a hand. Fermin took me under his wing and convinced me that I really needed to put a REAL front sight on that revolver now that I had a decent rear sight. I wanted to, but the rear sight was a fair bit of work and I made excuses not to fix it. Fermin, whether he knows it or even intended to, talked me into it.

Not only did he talk me into it, he hooked me up with a marvelous, crisp, sharp and well formed front sight blank and saved me a LOT of work making one, which wouldn't have been half as nice as the one he provided. He also provided a piece of stainless welding wire to make the pin out of, instead of the more industrial-looking roll-pin I'd planned to use. That would have added a real touch of class had I not somehow, after much measuring and testing, drilled the hole too big. I ended up using a roll pin and hope Fermin can forgive me holding such a classy sight to my barrel with a roll pin.

Since the front sight looked so good, I stripped the remainder of the black paint off the rear sight and did a little touch-up work on it too, lowering it a bit more since I could make the front sight whatever height I wanted now, without making it look "messed with." If I can find the thread again, I'll put the link in this post so anyone who hasn't will see how I made a sight with a tenon fit where an integral sight once was.

I've had a time of it getting back to this project, but finally had time to put a few through it so I could start filing the front sight height. The finish on both sights was achieved by heating to dull orange and letting them cool on their own, dragging them through a can of paste wax while they were still hot enough to melt the wax.

A great big THANK YOU to Fermin for his wisdom and generosity.

[magpouch]

Great job on the sight,and good on you, Fermin, too!

[strawhat]

Good job on both sights. I am a big fan of fixed sights. I prefer them on most of my revolvers.

Kevin

[bula]

Nicely done ! Like to see folks fuss over their Charter Arms. 

[jeffh]

Oct 15, 2022 7:42:35 GMT -5 bula said:

Nicely done ! Like to see folks fuss over their Charter Arms. 

While I never found my original thread on the rear sight, I found several threads on Charters here and it reminded me of one of the reasons I post here (and only one other place).  I've got nothing against Ruger, Smith, Colt, and have owned a lot of Rugers and several Smiths, but for some reason I just keep doting on my lowly Charters.

Thanks, all for the kind words.

Fermin made a half-___ed project really come out nicely.  I can't say enough about the character and generosity of such a busy man who would jump in and help someone, who is effectively a stranger to him, like he did.

[ezekiel38]

That is a classy setup. I can see a rear sight like that on my Colt King Cobra 3".

[Encore64]

That does look really good. Congratulations on a job well done...

[tdbarton]

Oct 15, 2022 16:57:19 GMT -5 Encore64 said:

That does look really good. Congratulations on a job well done...

Seconded. And Charter Arms makes some fine revolvers.

[2 Dogs]

Honestly, it was my privilege to be of service to Jeff. You might not know what I know about him but if you did you would be humbled to be of service to a man like him.

My best to you all!!

[jeffh]

Fermin, you are a very generous AND kind man. I feel privileged to be able to associate with men of such fine character. Thank you.

My takeaway from this whole project is that if you need something done to a gun, just have a real gunsmith do it. Don't balk at the price, because doing it yourself (in my case and probably many others) is folly and will cost more in the long run. It's nerve-wracking and takes so much longer. I started this back in the spring or summer, so waiting on a good gunsmiths "list" would probably have been a similar time-frame, and while I HAD the gun in my possession, I couldn't really use it while it was being worked on.

If you don't have the skill (I don't), it takes about ten times more stubbornness (this is an affliction I DO have) to get something done. I am not likely to grow out of it, but I'd really rather be shooting my guns than working on them.

But, it's done now, and I have a genuine Fermin Garza front sight on my favorite DA revolver. I'm no longer looking through the rear sight at an ambiguous lump at the end of the barrel!

NOW, I need to make a set of WOOD grips and a good IWB holster. Charter isn't well-supported in the aftermarket, so I can't just buy what I want. I had to make my knock-around holster several years ago for my 4" Target Bulldog, but cut it off this summer to fit my Mag Pug. I'm old enough now that not only do I KNOW what I want, I'm also old enough to be tired of compromises and am determined to have things how I want them, at least in a DA revolver.

Next time I have to do a sight, I'm hiring Fermin. I have truly come to appreciate the skill, knowledge and finesse required to do what a good gunsmith does. I will say this - whatever they make doing this, they don't make enough.

[jeffh]

Oct 15, 2022 12:36:38 GMT -5 ezekiel38 said:

That is a classy setup. I can see a rear sight like that on my Colt King Cobra 3".

Thanks, all for the compliments.  Means a lot coming from folks who seem to have great taste in revolvers.

Yeah, the Colt King Cobra,...  That's a fine-looking revolver and I'm thinking it would probably have gotten me close enough to my detailed preferences.  I'm far enough in now that I'm sticking with this one, but that Colt is the first Colt (DA revolver) that has really, really gotten my attention.

[tdbarton]

Oct 15, 2022 21:37:20 GMT -5 2 Dogs said:

Honestly, it was my privilege to be of service to Jeff. You might not know what I know about him but if you did you would be humbled to be of service to a man like him.

My best to you all!!

Had the privilege of making an ejector rod for Jeff and can attest. Good people.

[reflex264]

I like it! I wish Nick would look at some of the improvements done to their guns and take heed.
Love Charters and use them. I love your description "ambiguous lump."
I even hunt with them.

[jeffh]

Oct 16, 2022 21:30:10 GMT -5 tdbarton said:

Oct 15, 2022 21:37:20 GMT -5 2 Dogs said:

Honestly, it was my privilege to be of service to Jeff. You might not know what I know about him but if you did you would be humbled to be of service to a man like him.

My best to you all!!

Had the privilege of making an ejector rod for Jeff and can attest. Good people.

Only "good people" would say that, Tim. 

I felt quite privileged on my end as well to associate with such skilled craftsmen. 

Your ejector rods are the classiest and most functional upgrade a body could make to a Ruger single action - by themselves.  I put it right up there with Kelye's base pins as a must-have on any newly acquired Ruger SA.  For any who might see a classy ejector rod as merely decoration, mine made me acutely aware of how many times I've slipped off the factory model over the years.  As insignificant as it may seem, once you use one with some traction, you feel like you're handling the piece more skillfully and professionally - you don't have to focus on keeping a cold finger on the smooth button. 

Thanks for the kind words, sir and keep making those ejector rods, because I've been telling everyone I know with a Ruger SA to hit you up.

[jeffh]

Oct 17, 2022 7:46:04 GMT -5 reflex264 said:

I like it! I wish Nick would look at some of the improvements done to their guns and take heed.
Love Charters and use them. I love your description "ambiguous lump."
I even hunt with them.

Man, I LOVE that photo!  Some may consider it a "stunt," based on their perceptions of Charter's revolvers, but a 44 bullet exiting a muzzle at X-speed, and going where it's intended does the job regardless of the name on the side of the gun.  Ive found most of the Charters I've owned to be very accurate and have not found them to be particularly fragile or easy to wear out.  One of the 3" stainless Bulldogs I had (paid $140 used) - the one I had the longest - shot more rounds than I could ever count, and I always kept the loads up around the (admittedly mild) 44 Special "book loads."  Some of those loads are a bit stiff in such a light gun, but when I finally traded that one off (mistake), it was no worse for wear.

I love that Nick added t he longer barrel-lengths on the 44 Target Bulldogs.  Haven't seen one in a long time.

Nick seems to know Charter's niche.  I agree on making some changes, but have hesitated to make suggestions, as he's managed to keep the company solvent, so he's doing something right.  I wish they would do something about the ugly muzzles and the barrel ribs that stand proud of the top strap.  Maybe if someone (else) offered a replacement rear sight and the grip manufacturers would support the line more too.  My hypothesis is that 99% of those who buy a Charter take it home, shoot it, put it in a purse or a sock drawer and forget about it.  I don't think the idea of an upgrade ever crosses most of the Charter buyers' minds.

They've come put with some models, which with a little finessing would be SUPER.  The one I've been messing with, the "High Polish," being a 5-shot, 3" 357 caught my eye, because I think t he 5-shot, 3" 357s are the most versatile and useful revolver extant.  I wish it had come with fixed sights.  The "Professional" models took a step in the "right" direction, but the front sight is a glow-blob and doesn't look all that durable.  The contoured wood grips were a good move, but they just look like they would be all wrong in shape.

These innovations seem to fizzle rather than being tuned to their potential at the factory, but if Nick's not seeing enough demand, I suppose it would be hard for him to justify satisfying such a small number of us who appreciate these arms.