Revolver work

[graycrait]

I took apart my new to me Charter Arms .38 Police Undercover. Although a used gun, only slightly used and I traded a couple of run of the mill .22 rifles for it.

I have worked on and completely dis & re-assembled the following revolvers, including repair and action jobs:

1. Taurus: 85s and the big ones.

2. Many S&W J/K/N frames.

3. Ruger DA in GP and SP.

4. Dan Wesson.

5. Charter Arms.

6. Arminus.

7. I don't mess with Colts at all, but clearly understand the differences between a Python and Trooper action.

what I have learned:

1. If you want a great shooting yet elegant DA Revolver get a S&W.

2. If you want a great shooting and magnum durable DA revolver get a Ruger or a an L frame S&W or the X-frame.

My recent foray into the Charter convinced me to write this. Taurus and Charter are what they are, they work, Charter seems more reliable than Taurus. If you want reliability and excellence get S&W or Ruger. Ruger DA allows you to stack a little better in DA only shooting & allows some hefty loads. I think speed and dexterity goes to the S&W design.

Craig

[eapking]

Thanks for positng this. Really getting interested in a Revolver.

[Alpha7]

In your experience which da revolvers have the lightest trigger pulls?

[Guest mikedwood]

I don't like Charter Arms stuff one bit.

If one is into revolvers I think S&W or Ruger are the way to go. No regrets that way. I do like my Taurus 9mm snubbie alot. Do I wish it was a S&W, yes.

[mac12]

As they say, you get what you pay for.

[setsdw]

I've had S&W, Rugers and Taurus 357's. (I have a revolver problem.) I honestly could not tell the difference between function in any of them. In fact the Taurus locked up tighter when the hammer was back than any of them. Probably had at least 300 or 400 rounds down each. And I had always been a S&W only guy and just bought the Taurus as an after thought.

[setsdw]

But.... I've had three Charters and I wouldn't have given them to my worst enemy. Timing was off after less than 50 rounds on two of them and the third locked up and I couldn't even swing out the cylinder.

[bvarnell]

Thanks for the evaluations. I agree about the S&W's & Ruger's, but I wonder why you won't work on a Colt???

[Steelharp]

Because Colt's don't need work. Their trigger's (snakes) are perfect.

[keeterbird]

I have two colts left. Traded off a few, but I have kept two Official Police both of the early 50s vintage. I they have not had any problems and are still accurate, even with all the blue worn off. Triggers work well still.

I have a smith early model 10, and it too shoots well and accurately. Maybe the old ones will last forever.

[glockster157]

Because Colt's don't need work. Their trigger's (snakes) are perfect.

Actually Colts are backwards...cylinder turns the wrong way .

I also have worked on and stripped these revolvers. Rugers are the strongest by far and SW have the best trigger system for me. Colts, I hate to say, are the weakest but they do have the smoothest trigger. However, I like to feel the stacking and know when the hammer is going to fall. And it is that trigger spring that allows Jerry Miculek to shoot so fast.

[frankmako]

as an old school wheel gun guy back in the day it is s&w first followed by colt and ruger. charter and taurus are side by side when it comes to wheel guns. you can get a good one that will never have any problems and the next time you get one that is a "pos". you just don't never know. some never have problems with them. other do. but you get what you pay for.

[Steelharp]

Actually Colts are backwards...cylinder turns the wrong way .

You know, I've always wondered if Sam Colt was left handed; what with the loading gate and all on a SAA... it seems it was really designed for a lefty, to me.

[JPS]

You know, I've always wondered if Sam Colt was left handed; what with the loading gate and all on a SAA... it seems it was really designed for a lefty, to me.

I never thought about this, but that sure makes sense! I'm thinking of how much easier it would be to load with the gate on the opposite side...

I have 3 Rugers - 2 SP101's and an LCR. I like the heft and solid build of the SP101's, and the amazing lack of heft for the LCR.

[Oh Shoot]

I never thought about this, but that sure makes sense! I'm thinking of how much easier it would be to load with the gate on the opposite side...

I have 3 Rugers - 2 SP101's and an LCR. I like the heft and solid build of the SP101's, and the amazing lack of heft for the LCR.

I've got a SP101 and a .357 Blackhawk

The BH makes the SP feel like an air weight.

- OS

[JPS]

I've got a SP101 and a .357 Blackhawk

The BH makes the SP feel like an air weight.

- OS

I guess it's all relative, eh?

My LCR is not fun to shoot becaues it's so light weight, but it sure is easy to carry.

[Guest JimmyJ]

I really like the early Charter Arms .44 Bulldogs with the exposed ejector rod and three inch barrel.

Jimmy

[DaveTN]

I’ve not owned those other brands but I’ve owned probably a couple of hundred S&W’s (too many to count), three Colt Pythons, and a couple of Rugers.

I agree with most of what you say except about the magnum load business. While the L-frame is excellent choices I’ve have put thousands of magnum loads through several K-frame guns with no issues. I don’t hunt, so I don’t see me ever having or needing an X-frame.

I bought a Python for competition on three different occasions. I had shot S&W’s for so long that I could not shoot the Python as well. But it was me not liking the longer trigger pull the gun. That was 30 years ago; I sure wish I had those Pythons now.

Ruger’s are very good quality revolvers, but there was always an S&W model that filled the same application. Nothing against Ruger, but when you have the kind of history I have had with S&W; there just is no reason to switch.

[graycrait]

I've only owned a dozen or so S&Ws, 4 Taurus 3 or 4 Rugers and the Tacklebox Charter I have. The only S&W I regret moving over the years is a pre-17 5-screw .22LR. It looked rough but shot great. Then I did something stupid: I had it reblued by a local smith and hated myself for doing it, that and during the buffing process the bluer rounded off the sharp edges of the target sights. I hadn't seen a S&W in what I like in a few years: cosmetically rough ("cheap") with small round count. Then recently I pick up two rough looking S&Ws: a DAO 64 and an "import" M&P 4" Mdl 10. Hopefully next week I'll be getting a 3" 36. Now it looks like I'll have 3 S&Ws. The two .38s function great, while show a low round count after rummaging around their innards.

The one Ruger I should have kept was a Speed Six 9mm but my Glocks are as reliable, lighter and carry more rds. I have had two 9mm Taurus 905s but don't regret moving them. I also had a ported titanium Taurus 5-shot .357. IMHO the only practical use for that gun was to load it with heavy .357s and hand it to "big" guys at the range. I never had someone tell me, "That was so much fun, load it it up, and let me shoot it again." Come to think of it I did have a SS .357 Rossi that shot well, but someone needed it worse than I did.

I've shot Pythons and other Colts but whatever it was the style, and likely the cost, kept me away from them. I had a friend who had a Royal Blue 3" Python. He sold that for a "huge" amount of money. As far as other DA revolvers a friend was having trouble with a DW one time so I took it apart and fixed it for him. I didn't like that revolver at all.

I took one revolver belonging to a friend, and literally chopped it up before it blew him up. He wanted me to fix it cause it quit working. I am sure I did him a huge favor by destroying the gun.