MikeMike

ok, I have spend a lot of time narrowing my choice down to 2 guns.

So this is what my usage will be. I do not carry on a daily basis. Either it's with me as open carry in the woods for self defense while bow hunting, or with me on the range or it's in my nightstand.


My choices are:
CHARTER ARMS TARGET MAG PUG 357 MAGNUM 4"
or
Taurus 66SS4 M66 357MAG 4"

They are both between $400 - $450 so price doesn't make any difference.
CA is 25oz and Taurus is 38oz. I have never carried, so I am not sure how big of an issue the heavier Taurus will be. During a hunt I will typically walk 2-5 miles and be in my climber.

Taurus has 7 rounds and CA has 5.

So it pretty much comes down to weight vs capacity vs quality.

I mention quality because I saw that Buffalo Bore has a notice at their 44mag and 44special that it should not be used in Charter arms guns. That tells me that it may not be as good quality as Taurus. There's nothing mentioned for 357 though.

Oldtimr

I would not use Buffalo Bore ammo in either of those guns. My exposure to Taurus has not been good. When I was a firearms instructor I saw quite a few on the shooting line on the range and almost every one of them would malfunction at some point during the course of fire. Now it has been 12 years since I last ran a class of handgun shooters on the range, perhaps they have improved them but from what I saw, I would not have one that my life may depend on. You didn't say where you live or hunt or if you want to carry for self defense against humans or animals But Buffalo bore ammo is extremely hot and has a lot of recoil and makes it very difficult to get back on target after the shot if you need follow up shots. Since you are new to handguns if I were you I would forget Buffalo bore ammo, you will not practice enough to be proficient with you gun, it is not fun to shoot.

MudderChuck

I'd research a bit on Charter Arms, they have gone backrupt and the name has been sold to various manufactures. Or in other words their pistols seem to come in batches and varying quality depending on the year of manufacture.

I bought one in 75 (I think) never had a hiccup out of it.

If I was in the market for a new revolver I'd buy a used Ruger SP.

TN Lone Wolf

Hmm, I can't really say. I've heard mixed opinions on Taurus, but nothing about Charter Arms. Can you shoot them first before you buy them to get a better feel?

MikeMike

Oldtmr, I don't plan shooting buffalo bore, it was just the fact that they specifically mentioned Charter Arms. I think they just have a bad name from the past and probably the same with Taurus. I see nothing but good reviews on them both for the last couple of years.

@lone wolf, I wish I could shoot them, but I don't know where I could go and do that.

I'm leaning slightly towards the Charter Arms based on the much lower weight, lifetime warranty and then it's of course manufactured in USA. Taurus is from Brazil I believe.

I have them both in the shopping cart at two different sites. Just waiting to make up my mind and hit the checkout button

uncle matt

38 ounces is on the heavy side and that is prob minus the 7 rounds. If you can accept .38 special you open up you options considerably.

Nomercy448

I'm a wheel gun fanatic, as well as a guy who's done a lot of smithing on revolvers, both as elective action "surgeries" for improvements, and as repairs.

The Taurus isn't on caliber with a Smith or Ruger, but it's twice the gun the Charter ever thought of being. I have a couple Charters, and honestly, other than some fit and finish, and material control, there is very little difference between the Charter and the lowest end Taurus's - but there IS a difference. The M66 is yet another class above the lowest end Taurus's too.

I often carry a Taurus with the faith it could be employed to protect my life. I would not put such a hefty consequence upon trusting any Charter I have ever handled, owned, or serviced.

What I have seen go bad in Charters: thin main tube wears/peens quickly and the cylinder fails to lock up or bullets end up shaving and spitting, let alone poor accuracy. Poor hardening in the crane ends up tweaking and failing to lock up. Poor metalurgy in the lockwork means excessive wear and they go out of time with little use - really little use. Taurus's share a very similar design with the Charters (as do S&W's), but the metallurgy is better in the Taurus's, as odd as it sounds to say that.

I like my Charter Bulldog a lot, but I'd never trust my life to it. If I didn't have so many revolvers to turn to, and only had ONE, it would not be a Charter, that's for damned sure. It wouldn't be a Taurus either. In a 4" .357, it'd either be a Ruger GP100 or a S&W 686.

SecondChance

IF I had to choose between the 2 listed, it would be the Taurus. I as well do some smithing on the side and CCW classes and have seen less FTF(Failure To Fire) with the Taurus as the CA. But as others have said, IF you can look into a Ruger or Smith and never have to look back that you should have spent the little extra and got a HUGE amount of more!!!!

Oldtimr

As for me, I would buy either a good used S&W 686 or Ruger GP 100 before I bought either of those two guns for protection is money is a consideration.

super_hunt54

Except for a couple of Colt Pythons in .357mag, and a little lady smith .38sp for the wife, my experience with wheel guns is in .45lc and up. It's been my experience through many years of life that the old saying "you get what you pay for" to be about as close to an absolute truth in rules as one can get. Both of your choices are on the extreme low scale as far as quality firearms. As for Charter Arm's "lifetime warranty", good luck making a claim on it. They have been in and out of so many hands it's kind of funny. As Mercy stated, Taurus handguns are better by a long shot (props for that pun ) but are still a low rung manufacturer. If money is an issue, honestly try to find another way to save money because skimping on quality on something that may save your life one day is not where you should skimp. LOTS of good used wheel guns online at the prices you are looking at in Smith and Ruger which are both well known for quality and strength in their wheel guns.