My New Charter Arms Off Duty .38 Special Revolver.

[Bassat]

Well, another range day, another batch of misfires. Magtech and Federal: up to 3 misfires per cylinder-full. 3/5 don't go off? WTF? Sellier & Belloit and Fiocchi, at least one misfire per cylinder full. I held out the mis-fires to examine primers. Noticeably smaller primer hits on the misfires. I will try to get up some photos, soon. I have requested an RMA/Call Tag for warranty repairs from Charter Arms. I also informed them that all of this ammo works just fine in my S&W 686+. Is that rubbing it in? I took a long hard look at K6S (over $1,000), and a Ruger SP101 ($700+), and a S&W442 ($500+). The Kimber was smoooooooth! I'll give CA a chance to get the Off Duty working, first. Maybe. Just got a $5148 IRS refund. Seems it is only right to spend some of that on a gun. Right? Guys? C'mon!?!?

 

[Route 45]

You seem to like cheap guns that don't work. Have you tried a Lorcin yet?

Lorcin Guns For Sale Online | Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore | Online Gun Store

Online shopping from a great selection of discounted guns for sale by Lorcin for sale at Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore.

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Seriously, though...get yourself something nice. I'm not even a revolver guy, but I've got an SP101 .357 and 2 GP100s that I will not sell. You generally get what you pay for with revolvers.

 

[92FSTech]

Well, another range day, another batch of misfires. Magtech and Federal: up to 3 misfires per cylinder-full. 3/5 don't go off? WTF? Sellier & Belloit and Fiocchi, at least one misfire per cylinder full. I held out the mis-fires to examine primers. Noticeably smaller primer hits on the misfires. I will try to get up some photos, soon. I have requested an RMA/Call Tag for warranty repairs from Charter Arms. I also informed them that all of this ammo works just fine in my S&W 686+. Is that rubbing it in? I took a long hard look at K6S (over $1,000), and a Ruger SP101 ($700+), and a S&W442 ($500+). The Kimber was smoooooooth! I'll give CA a chance to get the Off Duty working, first. Maybe. Just got a $5148 IRS refund. Seems it is only right to spend some of that on a gun. Right? Guys? C'mon!?!?

I wouldn't say you're rubbing it in. You did their troubleshooting for them. You tried multiple varieties of ammo, had issues with all of them, and confirmed that that same variety of ammo worked in a different gun. While Charters aren't exactly high-end "nice" guns, they don't have a reputation for not working, and something is clearly out of spec with that gun. Everybody has a lemon now and then, but how they handle it now will speak volumes about the company. I'm currently going through a return on a new S&W myself, and I've been incredibly impressed with how the distributor (Lipsey's) is handling it.

 

[Bassat]

You seem to like cheap guns that don't work. Have you tried a Lorcin yet?

Lorcin Guns For Sale Online | Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore | Online Gun Store

Online shopping from a great selection of discounted guns for sale by Lorcin for sale at Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore.

www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com

Seriously, though...get yourself something nice. I'm not even a revolver guy, but I've got an SP101 .357 and 2 GP100s that I will not sell. You generally get what you pay for with revolvers.

Lorcin? Nope. But, I don't mind buying inexpensive toys to try them out for myself. For instance, my SCCY CPX-2 Gen 3. Short story: total POS, that the company would not stand behind. Kahr CM9: Initially, another total POS. With this one, Kahr REPLACED IT after my first complaint on my first range trip. I have 1200 error free rounds through that replacement gun. Kahr stood behind their product. I carry that gun. The Charter Arms Off Duty is still a work in progress. I am giving CA an opportunity to stand behind their product. If they fix it, or replace it, I will be happy with my purchase.

I vacillated between the Charter Arms and a Taurus product for this purchase. A significant portion of 'commenters' on the interwebs said, "Charter Arms. American company that can/may/will stand behind their product." So, I bought Charter Arms. The gun is cheaply designed and cheaply made, no doubt about that. Fit and finish are way less than stellar. If they get it working, I'll have gotten what I paid for.

Bottom line? I can afford to play with inexpensive toys, tinker with them, find out what they like and don't like, problem-solve issues that come up. Some companies seem to have stellar reputations. I've tested that, too. Para-Ordnance, 30 years ago, was an innovator. 14-round 1911? Very popular gun. I had a P14-45. It failed in spectacular fashion. I got stitches and an everlasting respect for quality safety glasses. Wonder-gun? Not my copy. About the same time, I had a Kimber Custom II. Nice, smooth, well-made gun. Fit and finish were excellent. It would not reliably feed and/or eject anything buy 230gr FMJ. Magazines? Nope. I tried 2 or 3 name brand magazines. Same issue. Good shooter? Yes, but it was a range toy only.

I have a few very nice guns, but thanks for the suggestion. S&W 686+, G21g4, Browning BuckMark. The Browning is my second copy of the same gun. I wore out the first one.

 

[Bassat]

I wouldn't say you're rubbing it in. You did their troubleshooting for them. You tried multiple varieties of ammo, had issues with all of them, and confirmed that that same variety of ammo worked in a different gun. While Charters aren't exactly high-end "nice" guns, they don't have a reputation for not working, and something is clearly out of spec with that gun. Everybody has a lemon now and then, but how they handle it now will speak volumes about the company. I'm currently going through a return on a new S&W myself, and I've been incredibly impressed with how the distributor (Lipsey's) is handling it.

Agreed. CA deserves a chance to stand behind their product. Right now, I am batting .500 with cheap guns. SCCY refused to stand behind a gun that 'not once in 400 rounds fired an entire magazine without at least one feed/fire/extract/eject problem'. Kahr REPLACED my CM9 after my first range trip. That replacement works, just fine. I trust S&W will make everything right for you. Here's to hoping CA CS is as good as Kahr.

 

[Bassat]

CA customer service is emailing me a call tag. I 'm good with that.

 

[92FSTech]

Glad to hear they're taking care of it!

 

[Bassat]

Got my shipping label this morning. On the way to UPS now.

 

[DadSmith]

Got my shipping label this morning. On the way to UPS now.

Definitely keep us informed on CA customer service, and if they fix this issue.
Good customer service is a big plus for companies. If they stand by their product, and fix the lemons.

 

[Bassat]

Definitely keep us informed on CA customer service, and if they fix this issue.
Good customer service is a big plus for companies. If they stand by their product, and fix the lemons.

That is exactly why I bought Charter Arms, and not Taurus. Way too many horror stories out there about Taurus CS not fixing, or even further messing up returns. Charter Arms has a fairly decent reputation (far as I could tell) for fixing their mistakes and keeping customers happy. I will be happy if/when mine fires a round every time the hammer falls. Poor fit and finish are not going to be topmost in my mind if/when I need it to perform.

 

[92FSTech]

Hopefully it comes back functional!

 

[Qwerty357]

Thanks for the info. My father in law is looking at buying a 327 fed mag. I recommended he look into the CA. After reading your report I think I’d steer him away. Appreciate your transparency. I can’t stand an unreliable firearm.

I recently bought a S&W/M&P 340. Really love it, but that stiff 38.5# trigger (ok it’s an exaggeration fellas) is ridiculous. I need to get the wolf spring kit for it and I’m having TK cut it for 9mm. Really like it, but I’m not trying to hijack your thread.

Good luck getting your CA issues resolved good sir.

 

[Bassat]

Thanks for the info. My father in law is looking at buying a 327 fed mag. I recommended he look into the CA. After reading your report I think I’d steer him away. Appreciate your transparency. I can’t stand an unreliable firearm.

I recently bought a S&W/M&P 340. Really love it, but that stiff 38.5# trigger (ok it’s an exaggeration fellas) is ridiculous. I need to get the wolf spring kit for it and I’m having TK cut it for 9mm. Really like it, but I’m not trying to hijack your thread.

Good luck getting your CA issues resolved good sir.

I agree about unreliable firearms. Even S&W, Ruger, Sig, and quite possibly Glock let a bad one get out the door once in a while. That is not the point. Will they make it right matters more to me. I bought CA because Taurus has a reputation for QA problems, which are hugely compounded by CS problems. The Off Duty is designed, engineered, and built cheaply; you can't handle one and not come to that conclusion. I need my guns to fire a round when I pull the trigger. If CA can make it do that, I'll be a happy camper. Admittedly, the main reason I bought a 442 (S&W, not Oldsmobile ) is S&W reliability and warranty. Oh, and thanks for the well-wishes.

 

[Bassat]

According to UPS tracking, my Off Duty was delivered to Charter Arms Customer Service, yesterday. First thing this morning, I got a text letting me know they've received it, and it has been assigned 'ticket' number. So far, so good.

 

[92FSTech]

I'm always a bit nervous when a gun is in the mail, and it's a big relief to learn it made it!

 

[DadSmith]

According to UPS tracking, my Off Duty was delivered to Charter Arms Customer Service, yesterday. First thing this morning, I got a text letting me know they've received it, and it has been assigned 'ticket' number. So far, so good.

I'm curious to hear how they do, and waiting on a new range report.

 

[DadSmith]

I picked up my new CA Off Duty at Range USA this afternoon. As usual, the in-store experience was pretty good. I did pick up 2 boxes of FMJFP, also. One MagTech and one S&B. They were a bit salty, but I expect that in the store. I'll get some 148/158gr WCs after I shoot this up. I did not fire it today. That appears to be a good thing. On to my impressions...

TLDR version. It is a cheap gun. I got what I paid for, mostly. I hope it works as intended.

The good:
It is a reasonably attractive gun. It is very light. It comes in a plastic case, with a lock, and all sorts of papers nobody ever reads. It shipped with a large(r) 3-finger grip, which is OK. EVERY SINGLE AD or REVIEW I'VE EVER SEEN, this gun wears a boot grip. I can live with it. I'll pay $20 for a boot grip; I never would have paid for this grip. Finish seems about right for cheap gun, but nothing to write home about. Lockup is solid. It is made in the USA.

The bad:
Fit leaves a bit to be desired. The side plates are not machined to blend smoothly with the frame (top of the trigger guard). The ejector rod is two-piece, and both pieces are gritty/catchy, and the entire ejector system seems under-engineered. The same word, under-engineered applies to the crane, also. The entire The top of the grip, at the top of the backstrap hangs over the backstrap more than a bit. Maybe because it was made for the boot grip? I'll let you know when I put the boot grip on. The trigger is unbelievably gritty. Ditto the cylinder release. After 250 dry fires, and about 100 open/close the cylinder ops, it seems much better. There is no stacking, but can certainly feel the internals engaging. There is a noticeably tick in the trigger that I assume where it engages the transfer bar. Actual hammer release is clean and crisp, so that is something.

The Indifferent:
I really don't care about having to buy a boot grip for this gun. At least I'll also have this one for range time, if I want to use it. I ordered the black version online, and got the flat finish bare metal version. That is the store, though, not the MFR or the gun itself. Again, I don't care. The lock is a cheap plactic POS. A six-year-old could get it off with hammer, quickly.

Just a bit of perspective, if you don't mind. I've had many revolvers in the past. S&W, Taurus 85CH, Taurus 441 (.44 spl), Rossi 720 (.44 spl), and a Rossi 518 (.22LR). None of them were anything special, or much to make a fuss over. But, each and every one of them was smoother (trigger, ejector, cylinder release) and had much better fit and finish than my new CA Off Duty. (EDIT: I also have Kahr CM9, and Keltec P32. Both were better out of the box than this gun.) In defense of my new hardware, I bought for use as a pocket carry EDC. Its main test? Reliability: does it go off when I pull the trigger? Secondary test is accuracy: I'll be happy if I can put an entire cylinder into a 6" circle, in a hurry, at 7 yards. If it proves reliable, and accurate to my meager standards, I will be satisfied with my purchase.

I'll get to the range next week. It needs more dry-fire and open/close/eject action before I try to run it with live ammo. More to come.

I figured out the whole problem. You don't have the right colors on you CA to run properly.

CHARTER CHIC LADY
This would no doubt run flawlessly.

 

[Bassat]

No word from Charter Arms customer service, yet. I did take my new S&W 442 to the range this morning. I took all the ammo (6 different brands, about 150 rounds) that had mis-fires in my CA Off Duty, and ran 20+ rounds of each through the 442. Not a single misfire. Ran about as much through the 686+ last week, also not 1 misfire. For those just catching up: 686+ no misfires in ~150 rounds. 442, no misfires in ~150 rounds. CA Off Duty: out of maybe 300 rounds, I got ONE CYLINDER to fire all 5 rounds. I had at least ONE misfire in every OTHER cylinder full. And last but no least, I had at least 2 different brands of ammo give me 3 misfires in ONE CYLINDER of ammo. I have still have faith that CA will stand behind their product. I will update you, when CA updates me.

 

[Bassat]

I figured out the whole problem. You don't have the right colors on you CA to run properly.
View attachment 341419
CHARTER CHIC LADY
This would no doubt run flawlessly.

Wow. CA quality on display for all to see. Cheap, flimsy, two-piece ejector rod, similar quality design of the cylinder release. Under-engineered and poor fitting crane. I can't tell, but its either casting marks or poorly done MIM on the trigger guard, trigger, and hammer. And last but certainly not least, the frame doesn't fit the sideplates that don't fit the grips. Except for the color, it looks like my CA. I really don't give a FFA about fit and finish on a cheap gun though. I want it to go BANG when I want it to go BANG, with whatever I feed it. Sadly, as of yet, mine does not do that. I still have faith that CA CS will make it right. Waiting...

 

[92FSTech]

I figured out the whole problem. You don't have the right colors on you CA to run properly.
View attachment 341419
CHARTER CHIC LADY
This would no doubt run flawlessly.

The contrasting colors definitely serve to accentuate the giant tolerances between the parts and poor grip fitment lol.

I got to handle an old-school Charter Arms .38 this week, and the amount of rotational play in the cylinder when it was "locked up" was absolutely terrifying!