Bought 9mm revolver w/pics

[doddg]

Picked up the Charter Arms Pit Bull 9mm 5 shot SS revolver this am after Marksman Shooting opened at 11am.
They put a new cylinder (with extractor rod, I assume) on it.
In the shop when I pushed up the extractor rod a few times it started hanging up halfway and then you had to use some force to get it to go all the way.
At home when I put shells in it and pushed on the extractor rod it would go up halfway and then when I had to use more force to put it all the way up/in the shells simply fell back into the chambers of the cylinders and I had to coax them out.
We'll see if it does that after firing the gun at the range tomorrow also (I imagine it will be worse).
And, when I would put shells into the chambers they would hang up and have to be forced in: very odd.
I will take it back to Chris at Marksman Monday after work to send it back again.
Chris said he would call them Monday when I also have my range report (and they are closed on Sat. anyway).
I suppose they thought putting a new cylinder with the extractor on it would solve everything: I can't believe I got 2 bad cylinders.
Even the first cylinder didn't have a problem with the extractor rod pushing up, just bringing the shells out with it.
Good grief!

This certainly takes the joy out of buying used guns.
I would think the manufacturer of any gun would simply send you a new one while they reworked the old one, but if they were going to repair the old one, at least put it through its paces to ensure 100% quality.
I told Chris to tell them I have a thread in IN's largest gun club dedicated to this and most had a good attitude about their customer service.
I have had 4 bad guns: 2 Tauruses (709 Slim 9mm and PT22 tip-up barrel), 1 Charter Arms (this 9mm revolver) and a Comanche 22 revolver.

 

[Route 45]

I have had 4 bad guns: 2 Tauruses (709 Slim 9mm and PT22 tip-up barrel), 1 Charter Arms (this 9mm revolver) and a Comanche 22 revolver.

Certain makes have certain reputations for a reason.

 

[doddg]

Certain makes have certain reputations for a reason.

1. Lesson being learned.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

1. Lesson being learned.

Don't feel bad. A majority of us have learned that same lesson.

Some people have good luck with certain manufacturers. I get the impression though, that those same guns get very little range time.

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

I got the 9mm cylinder for my Chiappa Rhino.
It made it sweet to shoot IDPA.
But then I only really notice the recoil is when I shoot 357.

 

[BE Mike]

1. Lesson being learned.

My good experience is with their older .38 Special offerings. I bought my first Charter Arms "Undercover" in Stainless Steel back in the late '70's when S&W model 60's were as scarce as hen's teeth. I shot it quite a lot for a small snubby and never had a problem. I finally gifted it to my eldest. Still no problems. The berylliam copper firing pins are touted as being unbreakable. I guess this 9mm is a little different animal.

 

[doddg]

My good experience is with their older .38 Special offerings. I bought my first Charter Arms "Undercover" in Stainless Steel back in the late '70's when S&W model 60's were as scarce as hen's teeth. I shot it quite a lot for a small snubby and never had a problem. I finally gifted it to my eldest. Still no problems. The berylliam copper firing pins are touted as being unbreakable. I guess this 9mm is a little different animal.

1. I bought a Charter Arms SS 38 special back last May for $250 or $275 at Markman Shooting Sports in Westfield and it was fine, but I gave it up b/c I joined the Smith snubbie bandwagon (Cablelas: $300: hammerless, SS, 5 shot). Had to get a Delta grip for it b/c it beat up my middle finger when shot.

 

[browndog2]

doddg,

You do clean and oil these new parts and/or repaired firearms when you get them back, correct?

 

[doddg]

doddg,

You do clean and oil these new parts and/or repaired firearms when you get them back, correct?

1. Absolutely!

 

[doddg]

Range report.
I put 120 rounds / 24 cylinders through it.
The issue of the shells getting hung up putting them in the cylinder and having to use more force to get them all the way in, nearly went away around 90 shells with only 1 chamber requiring a little extra push: greatly improved, a non-issue for me now.
The shells ejected normally (to a point: read disclaimer).

When I shot about 60 rounds the extractor rod started being difficult to push in to eject the empty shells and by the time I got up to 80 shells, I could no longer push it in with my fingers and had to "tap" the extractor rod on the bench, which at that point it went past the end of the shells and none extracted, which was the original problem.
I push on the extractor rod slowly but forcefully the shells would come out mostly: one time 2 didn't come out and the next 1 didn't.
I was done with it at that point and after 120 shells/24 cylinders: I moved on.
Same problem.
At this point I just want free of it.
If I use the gun to fire only 50-60 rounds through it: no issue, but since I don't really need the gun and will sell it, it makes it problematic b/c I would not be dishonest about a gun.
I want to send it back, and when I get it back from Charter Arms, and if the extractor rod is moving smoothly: sell it and be done with it.

 

[mcapo]

The solution is simple.


https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-pro-series-model-986


Sorry...just trying to entertain myself instead of doing the 24 hours of work due before 9 am....

 

[Ricnzak]

Get Chris to trade you for the AMT Backup 380 he just got in Saturday. It's a cool gun.

I had that same gun you're having problems with when it 1st came out. It would only fire 4 maybe 5 times a cylinder. Light hits. It was a fun gun when it shot.

 

[doddg]

Get Chris to trade you for the AMT Backup 380 he just got in Saturday. It's a cool gun.

I had that same gun you're having problems with when it 1st came out. It would only fire 4 maybe 5 times a cylinder. Light hits. It was a fun gun when it shot.

1. I saw that AMT .380 when I was there Sat. and remarked to Chris that back in the late 80s that was a cheap gun that even I would not have owned and asked him if they had improved them.
2. I was shocked when I saw the price tag on it online tonight: I thought it would be a $100 gun.
3. I saw a small .380 Ruger sell there for $100 online just this evening and I'd certainly rather have the Ruger than an AMT
4. But, perhaps I'm just out of touch.

5. Light strikes? I had a couple tonight out of the 120 rounds I shot. I just assumed it was the shell, but it did shoot when I came back around to it the 2nd time.

 

[doddg]

Chris at Marksman messaged me at work and he talked to a tech:
they want the gun back, and Chris told them to run at least 60 rounds through it.
It started getting harder to push the extractor rod in around 60 rounds but it was at 90ish rounds that it bacame impossible and I had to revert back to the "tapping" method which wouldn't eject the shells well then, but I gave up at that point.
If the gun worked like it did at the range Sunday, it would be fine for CC since it fired 10 cylinders w/o incident and you'd only need 1 or 2 cylinders in an emergency, but since they are willing to pay shipping both ways this time (I had to pay to get it there the last time), I wanted them to try to make it right again.
Chris indicated that continued firing of rounds through it would probably heat up the cylinder making the shells harder to extract, and maybe that is why it become too difficult to push the extractor rod after 60 rounds and impossible after 90ish rounds.
To me, that is not a good design if that is something you have to live with.
Oh well, I'll be able to sell it to someone who isn't going to put 100 rounds through it at the range, just test it out with a few cylinder fulls and be done with it, but I want the extractor rod to be consistently smooth pushing it in.

 

[doddg]

The solution is simple.


https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-pro-series-model-986


Sorry...just trying to entertain myself instead of doing the 24 hours of work due before 9 am....

1. Couldn't believe the price: I'm sure they didn't sell many at $1145 for a 9mm revolver: outrageous!
2. But, the titanium barrel could explain why it worked since repeated firing is heating up the Charter Arms revolver causing the issues (or such is the theory).

 

[doddg]

Why buy a 9 mm 6 shoter

1. Only a 5 shot (like my Smith Snubbie 642).

2. Reasons:
-Another possible CC (since it is small)
-9mm cheaper than 38 special to shoot
-I have a thousands of rounds of 9mm but not much 38 special
-price was under $300 and it was stainless steel (or some alloy of it)
-I'll buy anything I think I can resell quickly w/o a loss, and even though Charter Arms is a 2nd tier brand, it's reputation is decent.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Chris at Marksman messaged me at work and he talked to a tech:
they want the gun back, and Chris told them to run at least 60 rounds through it.
It started getting harder to push the extractor rod in around 60 rounds but it was at 90ish rounds that it bacame impossible and I had to revert back to the "tapping" method which wouldn't eject the shells well then, but I gave up at that point.
If the gun worked like it did at the range Sunday, it would be fine for CC since it fired 10 cylinders w/o incident and you'd only need 1 or 2 cylinders in an emergency, but since they are willing to pay shipping both ways this time (I had to pay to get it there the last time), I wanted them to try to make it right again.
Chris indicated that continued firing of rounds through it would probably heat up the cylinder making the shells harder to extract, and maybe that is why it become too difficult to push the extractor rod after 60 rounds and impossible after 90ish rounds.
To me, that is not a good design if that is something you have to live with.
Oh well, I'll be able to sell it to someone who isn't going to put 100 rounds through it at the range, just test it out with a few cylinder fulls and be done with it, but I want the extractor rod to be consistently smooth pushing it in.

You are being more than reasonable to expect the extractor rod to work for at least 100 rounds. I have a 1981 vintage S&W Model 13 that has fired at least 4000 rounds with zero problems. 100-200 rounds is average for one range session.

 

[BE Mike]

You are being more than reasonable to expect the extractor rod to work for at least 100 rounds. I have a 1981 vintage S&W Model 13 that has fired at least 4000 rounds with zero problems. 100-200 rounds is average for one range session.

I would think that 100-200 rounds per range session is pretty unusual for a small frame revolver, especially one with an alloy frame. I'm not defending the Charter Arms revolver in this instance. Something is still not right with it. The current trend of internet "torture tests" of pocket guns is done these days to make unknowns celebrities overnight, IMHO. There again, I'm not implying that doddg is in that category. No slam to you, but comparing an all steel, medium frame revolver, designed to shoot .357 magnums, to an alloy framed snubby isn't a fair comparison.

 

[doddg]

I would think that 100-200 rounds per range session is pretty unusual for a small frame revolver, especially one with an alloy frame. I'm not defending the Charter Arms revolver in this instance. Something is still not right with it. The current trend of internet "torture tests" of pocket guns is done these days to make unknowns celebrities overnight, IMHO. There again, I'm not implying that doddg is in that category. No slam to you, but comparing an all steel, medium frame revolver, designed to shoot .357 magnums, to an alloy framed snubby isn't a fair comparison.

1. All valid points and exactly what Chris (owner of Marksman Shooting) processed with me.
2. The shells were dropping out freely now since the cylinder is cool, so that is what its characteristics will be.
3. Even if I wanted to keep it, that wouldn't be a problem since you are so right about its usage, I would not be putting multiple cylinders through it at the range.
4. But, since they are willing to take it back for another look: fine.

 

[Bosshoss]

2. The shells were dropping out freely now since the cylinder is cool, so that is what its characteristics will be.

Just curious what shells are dropping out now? New unfired rounds or previously fired empties?
Reading about your issues I would say the way to test the heating of the cylinder theory is shoot it until the extraction gets sticky and then let the cylinder cool for a few minutes and then see if the sticky extraction goes away. DON'T clean the cylinder or do anything else while it is cooling. If gun is still dirty from last firing you could just shoot it again with the same brand ammo and see if sticky extraction goes away.
While the heating of the cylinder is a possibility I would guess that the gun is getting dirty and causing problem.
The 9mm and it's tapered case is the most ammo sensitive I have ever experienced in a revolver no matter the manufacture. S&W's old 9mm and the new 9mm revolvers have/had problems with sticky extraction. You find the right ammo and they run well.