Charter Arms - Goldfinger .38 SPL: Range Report (My first revolver)

**Kaos** · October 22nd, 2009, 04:35 PM

Since I got into guns about 3 years ago I've always been a semi-auto pistol guy. I started with a Walther P22 and a Russian Mak then when I got my LTCF bought a XD9SC for carry and later moved up to a Service Model XD9 for carry.

Unfortunately while on vacation and my pistol was locked in my car (as the hotel prohibited guns and it was out of state - and I had only brought to shoot @ camp perry) it was broken into and stolen.

Since I'm an NRA member I had $1,000 of complementary armscare coverage. This covered the cost of the pistol minus a $100 deductable (note they dont cover holsters stolen, night sights, attached lights, gunsmith work (trig job) or magazines).

So I got a check for about $400.

I decided on a new semi auto (Taurus 92 Two-tone) and went to my friends shop to have him start calling distributors for one which didn't pan out. The one I was looking for is an exclusive that they dont put out any more, I'd had to find one used.

So while I was there I was just going through his safe looking for interesting guns and I came across a revolver that caught my eye. Like I said before, Im not a revolver guy so I asked some questions about it. Looked some reviews up online....and decided to buy. I'd been wanting something a little smaller that I could hand over to my wife when I end up getting another full size pistol...she cant rack a slide and I kind of wanted an easier-to-carry gun.

I'm not thrilled about only having 5 shots, but as long as I do my part I should be OK.

I went to get my car appraised for a run in with bambi (see my thread in the lounge if you know a good body shop in PGH) and was pretty close to the club. I still had a box of PRVI Partisan 38 in the car so I figured I'd blow the box off and see how she shoots.

Needless to say, I'm pretty stoked about how well it shoots.

50 rounds, no ftf(fire), no light strikes and it didn't get out of time or anything. It's a snubnose, and a pretty light one at that so I was expecting a slight bit more recoil from the other 38's I'd fired in the past.

The recoil is very manageable. Trigger pull in SA is amazing. DA is what you'd expect for a carry pistol - long and heavy, I'll need to work on it a bit to that extent, but the results on paper are quite pleasing to me for my first snubnose.

I have big hands and the grip fits me very well.

The sights on this thing definitely aren't as nice as my previous guns. I might add some orange paint to the front blade. It conceals and carries very well.

Anyway - here's some shots of my targets that I took home with me:

PRVI Patrisan Lead bullets on all shots here, 140 gr.

15 yards, standing, 5 shots - All D/A:

Here's a slightly larger target @ 20 yards, one handed - All Single action:

I found an empty garbage can, flipped it over and knelt behind it as simulated cover/concealment from the same 20 yards, a mix of DA/SA:

The results are kickass, IMO, for a snubnose revolver.

I was even able to hit the yellow steel plates on the pistol range @ PMSC from the bench offhand 3 out of 5 shots...Im not sure of the range..somewhere near 25ish yards I think..maybe a shade more.

I need to go back and repeat the tests to make sure it wasn't just luck though. I was kind of shocked. I wasn't shooting fast, so I did aim each shot, just wasn't expecting any kind of decent accuracy from a 2" barrel.

**1861** · October 22nd, 2009, 06:39 PM

Charter arms are a pretty good little revolver for the money . They have come a long way . Good shooting .

**nfafan** · October 22nd, 2009, 11:09 PM

Good info and nice snubbie.

Despite whatever is said these days, I've always had a soft spot in my head for Charter Arms handguns, they always just "felt right" in the hands what with the wooden bulldog grips they once came with.
I used to fondle them back in their "Bulldog 44" glory days in the late 70's, when you could find them and the James Bond-looking Bernadelli pistols in the gun sections of KMarts.
If I ever find an original bulldog 44 or the 38/357 bulldog at a gunshow, I might just buy it.

**mrnyman** · October 23rd, 2009, 01:03 AM

Charter arms are actually good guns, they went through a bad spot in the 80's when they tried to cut cost by making an inferior gun, the new Charter is making some wonderful guns, i for one is in the market for a Bulldog, i let a beautiful Pathfinder get away from me but i want one of those too to add to my collection, Charter is the only American Gun company that i own nothing of , i want to fix that.

Excellent shooting btw. Enjoy,

Nyman

**ithinkimamedic** · October 23rd, 2009, 07:21 AM

Josh, It's good to hear that you've replaced your stolen gun and that the NRA insurance kicked in! I gotta say though dude, that's a pimps gun right there, so you've GOTTA be a pimp! The black and gold is on par with Jeff's pimped out Hi-poo! Once you get shooting this often enough you will learn how to stage the DA trigger and you will fall in love with it all over again.

Cheers brother!
Josh (the other one)

**tdyoung58** · October 23rd, 2009, 08:36 AM

I have one the stainless version of the same gun. And have seen pertty much the same results. I got it because of the grip they use, you can actually feel it in your hand unlike those pinkey grips most snub's come with anymore.

I like it and it shoots well. I had a problem with mine (I let Mauser touch it) and it needed to go to Charter for a fix. They took care of it and sent it back at no charge to me. They just had me take it to the shop I got it at and the gun shop called them, Charter arranged for pick up and return shipping.

By the way, when I initially called Charter, the phone was answered by a real person without any press 1 for english crap.