my girlfriend wants a Lavendar Lady .38 special from charter arms

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - my girlfriend wants a Lavendar Lady .38 special from charter arms

Posted: 9/26/2012 4:34:21 PM EDT

She has tried many many pistols by "feel" and likes the full size grip and small size. Most other .38 special revolvers that were snub noses had stubby grips and she does not like them. How are these pistols?

thanks for any information

Posted: 9/26/2012 6:31:11 PM EDT

[#1]

For fun, sure...
For carry, nope. Not reliable enough IMO.

Posted: 9/27/2012 2:46:11 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
For fun, sure...
For carry, nope. Not reliable enough IMO.

not good to hear

what would be comparable and reliable?

Posted: 9/27/2012 7:11:40 PM EDT

[#3]

Smith and Wesson 642. A few more bucks but you can trust it. Holds value well too. Very light, compact, great gun.

Posted: 9/27/2012 8:14:40 PM EDT

[#4]

has she handled a Ruger sp101? Nothing against Smiths, great revolver. Just more of a Ruger guy.

Posted: 9/27/2012 8:23:15 PM EDT

[#5]

Problem we had with a Charter Pink Lady was that the supplied grips were just too damn big. It's funny that Charter markets a gun to women, yet makes the grips HUGE for man hands.

We had to buy some used, skinny wooden grips from an older Charter revolver to make the gun shootable for her.

Posted: 9/27/2012 8:41:56 PM EDT

[#6]

I like Rugers too. In some ways I like them better than Smiths... and depending on what the use is, sometimes the heavier Ruger is easier to control. Carry gun: Smith and lots of practice. Nightstand gun: Ruger (still lots of practice of course!).

Quoted:
has she handled a Ruger sp101? Nothing against Smiths, great revolver. Just more of a Ruger guy.

Posted: 9/27/2012 9:31:57 PM EDT

[#7]

Get an SP101, LCR or comparable Smith. I'd rather a Taurus than a Charter Arms gun.

You can get the hogue grip for the SP101 that adds a place for your pinky. The LCR is kind of chunky too, but does not have a spot for the little finger.

Posted: 9/28/2012 4:00:27 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Problem we had with a Charter Pink Lady was that the supplied grips were just too damn big. It's funny that Charter markets a gun to women, yet makes the grips HUGE for man hands.

We had to buy some used, skinny wooden grips from an older Charter revolver to make the gun shootable for her.

the main reason she liked the charter arms was for the big grips. Don't understand it as she has tiny hands but she likes the full size grips

Posted: 9/28/2012 4:00:27 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Problem we had with a Charter Pink Lady was that the supplied grips were just too damn big. It's funny that Charter markets a gun to women, yet makes the grips HUGE for man hands.

We had to buy some used, skinny wooden grips from an older Charter revolver to make the gun shootable for her.

the main reason she liked the charter arms was for the big grips. Don't understand it as she has tiny hands but she likes the full size grips

Posted: 9/28/2012 5:43:05 AM EDT

[#10]

That's strange. I'd like to know how your girl manages to pull the trigger with the giganto-grips. My girlfriend has tiny hands, and was physically incapable of pulling the trigger more than once or twice with the huge original grips. The geometry was all wrong. It wasn't an issue of strength. With the slim wood grips, she can pull the trigger all day long with either hand.

Posted: 9/28/2012 6:34:03 AM EDT

[#11]

meh... Charter is fine. Not as robust as the others, and trigger isn't as good, but it shoots. I've had a couple. My first one was more accurate than the old Smith bodyguard my boss carried. I wouldn't pay $350 for one when you can buy a Smith for $375.

I bought my last one used for $125.

Posted: 9/28/2012 4:57:34 PM EDT

[#12]

Agreed. Get her a 442/642 and her grips of choice. The Hogue bantams are good, and they come in rubber or wood (but at a pretty high cost). Mine are in pao ferro.

Posted: 9/28/2012 4:59:29 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Smith and Wesson 642. A few more bucks but you can trust it. Holds value well too. Very light, compact, great gun.

Yep, and they have pink grips as a option

Posted: 9/28/2012 5:53:10 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
That's strange. I'd like to know how your girl manages to pull the trigger with the giganto-grips. My girlfriend has tiny hands, and was physically incapable of pulling the trigger more than once or twice with the huge original grips. The geometry was all wrong. It wasn't an issue of strength. With the slim wood grips, she can pull the trigger all day long with either hand.

Given that she's only tried the guns by "feel", we have no idea how the gun will actually function for her. Maybe repeated dry firing would give some insight, if she can't actually test drive a rental or a friend's?

Posted: 9/29/2012 8:22:20 PM EDT

[#15]

When it comes to revolvers (new ones atleast) stick to Smith or Ruger. The quality is well established and grip options are near infinite (even more so for the j frame Smiths) given that you could even make you own with some wood and tools if for some reason the multitude of aftermarket options don't fit you. Not to mention a revolver with a good trigger will go a long way on someone with small and possibly weak hands.

My girlfriend has tiny hands and a 638 IIRC and the factory grips fit her like a glove. She wasn't even gun shopping, I was. I let her handle it and she said "I want this one"

Posted: 9/30/2012 9:04:13 AM EDT

[#16]

Check the used gun market for a Colt Detective Special. Also look for the Colt Cobra too.

You can get aftermarket grips to fit any hand.

Posted: 10/5/2012 1:12:18 PM EDT

[#17]

if you get it, test it out alot. Seems like w/ a little hard use the cylinder can lock up. I am not saying any given charter is likely to do that but googling will indicate that current production charters have low quality control. Usually is doesn't take that many rounds to proof test a revolver (unlike an auto). But w/ the charter, run a lot of plus P round through it to make sure it won't lock up on her. Hundreds probably.

If you do get a lemon, charter will make it right but it is a hassle and cost a lot to ship handguns.

Also some current charters are shooting way off to the side.

Definately handle the gun, make sure the cylinder doesn't wobble when open, the lockwork feels good etc.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - my girlfriend wants a Lavendar Lady .38 special from charter arms

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