Charter Arms Pitbull 40

[10mm Shooter]

I picked this one up yesterday - Charter Arms Pitbull 40 S&W. I have a thing for revolvers chambered in an auto pistol round and since I already have the 45 ACP version, this was just the next in line. I reload 40 S&W and 10MM so this fits into my program.

I gave it a good cleaning and added the Altamont grips and took it to the range. I shot 150 rounds of handloads through it. 180 gr lead FP, 180gr Berry's FP, and 180gr Hornady XTP and it shot all without any problems. It was more accurate with my bunny fart lead reloads.

https://i.imgur.com/ReBByzV.jpg

[berettabone]

How is the trigger??????? I would be curious as time goes on, to know how the quality end holds up over time. Good choice in caliber IMHO.

[myskyn]

I can't speak about the quality of the newer models but I've got an Undercover that's about 40 years old that I've put several thousand rounds through over the years. Never had any issues and still part of my carry rotation. I'm much more accurate with it than any sub compact semi auto that I've owned.

[Planedude]

Good choice, I'm in the market for a pitbull too, but in 9mm. I'm looking to create a matched caliber travel pair of SD guns. I like to carry my K9 as I shoot it better than any of my other SD choices. I have an IWB holster and it rides wonderfully at my 4 o'clock. The issues is when I sit or drive, the gun is almost inaccessible in that comfy spot. Standing, the gun draws quick and clean, sitting, not so much.
I have been looking for a 9mm revolver that I can carry crossdraw that will use the same 124grn HP ammo as my K9, without using moonclips. I always carry a reload for my SD guns. The K9 has a well proven 8 round mag and I like speed strips for my revolvers. Pitbull's do not reload fast (they are not awful, but it's more like an old florescent bulb starting than a lightning bolt on the reload) and you can forget a speed loader, but the speed strip works great. We did a few reloads from a Kahr CW9 mag when I shot my buddies and that worked okay also (I was better with a speed strip, he was about the same either way, but liked the magazine "loader" better).
My issue has been in finding one local, for a decent price. I will admit it has not been an intensive search, but I keep looking. The last few gunshows I've been to (with $$ to spend) yielded only one, and it was the black nitride finish version. Charters are a little "rough around the edges" and I will be dehorning the little doggie to get it ready to carry. It'll be a lot easier to bead blast back the finish on a stainless gun than to restore the black fancy nitride finish that I found.
Also, If I play my cards right and can win a bid on GunBroker for a change, I will buy used and get one of the early six shooter PitBulls.
Nobody who knows anything at all about guns will mistake a Charter Arms revolver for a classic Colt or S&W in fit or finish, but they do always shoot and if you do your part, they will shoot straight.


Let us know how yours behaves at the range if you please 10mm shooter.

Peace.

[DJK11]

I like the grain on the grips. Looks like a great SD piece. Hate to be on the receiving end.

[myskyn]

I happened to be in my LGS buying ammo yesterday and way back in the corner of a case full of Rugers and S&W's I spotted a used Bulldog for $299. Inspired by 10mm Shooters Pitbull (and the fact I've always liked the Classic Bulldog) I brought it home with me. After a little research it looks like I found a first year of production revolver. Other than a little holster wear in a couple of spots this thing is in great shape and shoots better than expected.

[downtownv]

It looks angry, like a pit-bull.
I was in the hood (That would encompass the whole city) in Bridgeport, Ct and this nasty short legged Pit was chewing on the fence, hankering to get out and clamp on to someone.

[ltxi]

I can't speak about the quality of the newer models but I've got an Undercover that's about 40 years old that I've put several thousand rounds through over the years. Never had any issues and still part of my carry rotation. I'm much more accurate with it than any sub compact semi auto that I've owned.

The original Charter Arms revolvers such as yours were outstanding. My own Pathfinder, circa '68/'69 production, is on my never ever sell list. Conversely, iterations beyond those are on my never want anything to do with list

[Planedude]

I happened to be in my LGS buying ammo yesterday and way back in the corner of a case full of Rugers and S&W's I spotted a used Bulldog for $299. Inspired by 10mm Shooters Pitbull (and the fact I've always liked the Classic Bulldog) I brought it home with me. After a little research it looks like I found a first year of production revolver. Other than a little holster wear in a couple of spots this thing is in great shape and shoots better than expected.

Cool find, I found a somewhat ratty looking, but mechanically sound Bulldog at my local pawn shop for $225. I always said if I had a Bulldog it'd have to be Magnaported and wear Pacmyer compact grips. This gun had both. I sent mine back to Charter for refinishing ($149) and Dee (co-owner) was able to tell me that the gun was, like yours, a first year production piece.

Love mine, enjoy yours.

[washerman]

The original Charter Arms revolvers such as yours were outstanding. My own Pathfinder, circa '68/'69 production, is on my never ever sell list. Conversely, iterations beyond those are on my never want anything to do with list

i have 3 charter arms revolvers of the "newer" iterations...top notch revolvers in fit and function. the 6 shot police special 38 is my favorite gun that i own..and i own smith/wessons and ruger revolvers also...best service in the industry ....i had a question about my new 357 magnum ammo and the owner of the company returned my call....when i first got my 12 ounce off-duty , i had an instance of bullet-pull from a magnum +P load which is common for lightweight revolvers of all manufacturers..had charter check it out just in case....no damage and checked out fine....from the day i sent it in, it was delivered to me back in 7 days and that included one weekend!

[ltxi]

I do hear the current version is okay and will freely admit I no need for haven't hands on checked them out. But the immediate follow ons, multiple, to the original were "in name only" real junk.

[JimboTN]

THAT perked up my ears! I have an S&W 646 L frame 40 S&W with 4" barrel that requires moon clips (so I bought a goodly supply). That PitBull is very interesting...doesn't require moonclips? How's the recoil? What weight bullets are you using?

[10mm Shooter]

THAT perked up my ears! I have an S&W 646 L frame 40 S&W with 4" barrel that requires moon clips (so I bought a goodly supply). That PitBull is very interesting...doesn't require moonclips? How's the recoil? What weight bullets are you using?

The recoil is not bad at all. I shoot 180gr lead flat points and 180gr Berry's flat points. They are not full power loads, but do shoot and cycle well in my Glocks. My carry ammo for it is 135 gr Federal low recoil hydra shocks and they are not bad either, but I can tell the difference...

It does not require moon clips like my S&W 610, but it does take a little practice to load, but one you get the hang of it, there is no difference than loading a standard revolver. I does eject the spent shell casings just a well as any other revolver. There is no such thing as a quick reload like you would have with the moon clips. It is not a perfect carry revolver, but it is a hoot to shoot at the range and I do not have to load and unload moon clips to do so...

Here is a link to another thread, on this forum, showing how the no moon clips mechanics works - if you are interested...
http://www.kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?30545-What-have-you-added-to-your-collection-recently/page23

[JimboTN]

[QUOTE=10mm Shooter;396094]The recoil is not bad at all. I shoot 180gr lead flat points and 180gr Berry's flat points. They are not full power loads, but do shoot and cycle well in my Glocks. My carry ammo for it is 135 gr Federal low recoil hydra shocks and they are not bad either, but I can tell the difference...

Thanks for the reply. Although I do occasionally reload rifle ammo and .38 & .357, I've never reloaded the 40 for some reason. Now that I have reduced ammo calibers I may give it a try although at 26 cents a round the limited shooting I'm doing at present isn't breaking me....yet.

[JimboTN]

Well Phoooooey:mad: Pitbull came in today, found that the barrel wasn't installed correctly, the front sight was canted to the left about 15 degrees. LGS still has it, hopefully it'll be replaced with a proper one soon...It does look good and felt good in my hand so I'm still stoked about it...just disappointed that it was "ready for prime time".

[gb6491]

I wouldn't one with the sight canted like that, but this is one way to adjust windage on fixed sights revolvers. I've heard S&W smacks their revolvers with a babbit bar to accomplish windage regulation. You can also open the rear sight window on one side to correct windage, but I don't know if any manufacturers do this.

I once tried smacking a Charter Arms front sight to give it a cant to the left, bit I ended up breaking the front sight off:blushing:
https://s14.postimg.org/4accvj21t/bfs.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
In hindsight, that was right up there with this:p:
Following photo was previously posted by jeepster:
http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jeepster09/Obamacaredentist.jpg
Filing in a dovetail and installing a SIG front sight I had laying around yielded better results:)
https://s14.postimg.org/m0e1grxox/bfsf.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Regards,
Greg

[yqtszhj]

Oh man that dentist picture hurt to even look.

[Bawanna]

Yeah, I could of done without the dentist picture too.

I gotta look up Babbit bar, I feel like I should know what that is but I'm drawing a blank, not enough coffee yet I reckon.

[ltxi]

I wouldn't one with the sight canted like that, but this is one way to adjust windage on fixed sights revolvers. I've heard S&W smacks their revolvers with a babbit bar to accomplish windage regulation. You can also open the rear sight window on one side to correct windage, but I don't know if any manufacturers do this.

I once tried smacking a Charter Arms front sight to give it a cant to the left, bit I ended up breaking the front sight off:blushing:
https://s14.postimg.org/4accvj21t/bfs.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
In hindsight, that was right up there with this:p:
Following photo was previously posted by jeepster:
http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jeepster09/Obamacaredentist.jpg
Filing in a dovetail and installing a SIG front sight I had laying around yielded better results:)
https://s14.postimg.org/m0e1grxox/bfsf.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Regards,
Greg

Proper illustration of a moment of dumb ass..

Excellent recovery.

[JimboTN]

I'm looking into having dovetails milled into a few of my fixed front sight handguns so I can go to XS Express Sights but then the whole barrel is off center a dovetail doesn't help sooooo...still waiting to hear from LGS...sigh. AND did you say you filed the dovetail...you da' man :D

[gb6491]

I'm looking into having dovetails milled into a few of my fixed front sight handguns so I can go to XS Express Sights but then the whole barrel is off center a dovetail doesn't help sooooo...still waiting to hear from LGS...sigh. AND did you say you filed the dovetail...you da' man :D
I appreciate your kind words:) I did use a file, but though the windage on the Undercover is spot on and the sight has stayed on, I'm thinking my work here is more "Bubba" than "da' man".
https://s17.postimg.org/7qu4bfvpb/2mzie5i.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

Well I wrote the book on Bubba and that definitely ain't Bubba. That turned out nice. And a lot of work and filing. Did you have to reduce the ramp height to get the elevation right?

[gb6491]

Well I wrote the book on Bubba and that definitely ain't Bubba. That turned out nice. And a lot of work and filing. Did you have to reduce the ramp height to get the elevation right?
I think we'll have to compare Bubba notes:)
I didn't adjust it for elevation. I found it shoots low if you align the top of the SIG sight with the top of the groove in the frame, but it shoots spot on if you just settle the white dot in the groove and aim over top of it. That works well enough for me.
Regards,
Greg

[JimboTN]

2nd Charter Arms Pitbull 40 came in and the front sight/barrel wasn't canted to the left...it was canted to the right :mad:
Refund will be issued as soon as they receive the 2nd one back from the LGS.
Really wanted a 40 s&w revolver...with a short barrel...and a straight front sight...

[Barth]

Love shooting 44 Special in my S&W 629-2 4" 44 Mag Mountain Revolver.
Bad news is 44 Special ammo tends to be stupid expensive :mad:
A quality 40 S&W revolver, especially if it doesn't need moon clips, would be of interest to me.

My S&W 629 44 Mag
https://i.imgur.com/PI2rXui.jpg

[ltxi]

Well I wrote the book on Bubba and that definitely ain't Bubba. That turned out nice. And a lot of work and filing. Did you have to reduce the ramp height to get the elevation right?

I'm giving Greg a damn good enough, functional Bubba+.