by: Chad Reimer
Charter Arms revolvers have been around since the 1960s, when Doug McClenehan and his best friend Doug Ecker decided to make a better revolver. McClenehan had a great deal of firearms experience from working for companies like Ruger Arms, Colt Arms, and High Standard, which allowed him to create some of the most affordable, high-quality firearms. Charter also had a brief stint producing Armalite AR7 rifles and pistols, which helped to maintain the cost of growth and further develop the Eugene Stoner design into pistols and standard rifles. The Charter Arms guns began as duty revolvers for law enforcement agents and concealed carry holders; now Charter Arms revolvers can be found in almost any gun shop around the country.
Charter Arms revolvers come in a wide range of calibers and configurations, making them ideal for all types of shooting, from plinking to duty guns, and everything in between. The last forty years have been a series of twists and turns for Charter firearms; you never knew what the company would do next. That all changed in 2005, when MKS Supply was contracted to maintain their sales and marketing, allowing Charter Arms to stick to what they do best: making guns.
Giving up on marketing helped take Charter Arms to the next level, rather than being stuck with interaction between customers, dealers, and other time-consuming parts of the firearms manufacturing process. This helped to make sheer volume Charter Arms main focus. This decision has proven to be the break Charter Arms needed, bringing them to the top ten handgun producers in the USA and getting their products back in the public eye.
Charter revolvers are now available in a wide range of models, including pink revolvers. A large number of firearms manufacturers have begun the new trend of producing firearms specifically for the female market, which Charter Arms has always done with the controllable recoil of their revolvers. The lightweight design is also compact enough to fit inside a womans purse, offering their users piece of mind. Another great feature is the Charter Arms South Paw, which is made specifically for left handed shooters.
Aside from the full-sized revolver, the Charter Dixie derringers have become a must-have for concealed carry enthusiasts, providing a simple, affordable revolver that can be stored anywhere. Charter Arms also has been credited with the design of the full hammer block safety system, which has been on all Charter revolvers since the 1960s. Another key feature of the Charter Arms revolvers is the three point locking system, which is exclusive to Charter firearms and cannot be found on even the most expensive revolvers.
The Charter Arms revolver is built like a tank and priced very competitively, leaving all other American manufactured revolvers in the dust. Many have still never heard of Charters outstanding revolvers. I know there are a wide range of competitors out there, but an American revolver that is less than four hundred dollars is certainly a rarity. In my experience, I would recommend the Charter Arms handguns for anybody looking for a solidly-designed, affordable revolver.
Chad Reimer is a firearms specialist for the largest firearms dealer in the USA. http://www.charter-arms.com