Reviews of 22lr Charter Arms Pathfinder 2 Revolvers

April 18, 2022 Post a Comment

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Midweek I purchased a brand new 4" Target Pathfinder by Charter Arms,,,
Thursday I took it out and ran some rounds through it,,,
Overall I'grand very satisfied with the picayune shooter.
Pro's

Information technology'south the least expensive DA/SA .22 revolver on the market,,,
Okay, Okay, a Czechpoint is a flake cheaper,,,
Only this pistol is all American made,,,
Comes with a lifetime warranty,,,
Out the door was $380.63.

Information technology seems to be very solidly built,,,
You know how some guns just feel inexpensive,,,
This revolver has a very solid heft to it and feels good in your hand.

Information technology is virtually the verbal size and shape of a S&W J-frame,,,
It fits a holster I made for a South&West Model 34 perfectly,,,
I'm told that the HKS J-frame speed-loaders fit it.

I went through 250 rounds of ammo the first 24-hour interval,,,
100 of Mini Mag, 100 of Remington Gilded Majority,,,
And 50 rounds of Federal Bulk from Wal Mart,,,
Every round went off with a dainty rim dent.

It seems to be an authentic piddling gun,,,
I was hitting water bottles at 25 yards with it.

Con's

The terminate of the gun could be better,,,
It's stainless steel just looks to be bead blasted,,,
The surface has more of a matte look than a glossy sheen.

The front ramp sight is smooth,,,
It seemed to disappear under bright light,,,
I'll probably use some orange sight paint to fix that.

The gun has a very tight action,,,
By tight I mean it needs some breaking in,,,
Everything moves where and when it is supposed to movement,,,
Only everything is a scrap more than attempt than you would think is necessary.

The trigger pull is non heavy at all,,,
Simply it is a scrap "gritty" compared to a well used pistol,,,
I expect information technology will take a bit of shooting to become all the internals smoothed out.

Full general Comments

The rubber grips are very slender and resemble Pachmayer "Compac" grips,,,
If I were going to go along the gun for myself I would change them,,,
But it'south going to be a graduation gift for a young lady,,,
They will probably fit her smaller hands simply fine.

MSRP of the Lease Arms Pathfinder is $459.00
MSRP of a Ruger SP-101 in .22 is $689.00,,,
MSRP of a Due south&W Model 63 is $769.00,,,

I recently got to shoot an almost new (less than 50 rounds) Model 63,,,
In my not-so-apprehensive opinion it's trigger was non any better,,,
It's fit and terminate were not worth a $310.00 price bump.

I have also fired ane of the newest model Ruger SP-101 revolvers,,,
It's trigger was worse than the Pathfinder I merely purchased,,,
The finish of the stainless steel was a wee bit better,,,
But once again not enough to justify a $230.00 bump.

All in all I'thousand pleased with the Pathfinder,,,
If you desire a solid DA/SA revolver but are on a budget,,,
Practise yourself the favor of checking out the Charter Arms Pathfinder.

I was pleasantly surprised with the handgun,,,
I remember information technology'southward going to be a fine little shooter for her.

Aarond

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Last edited: Nov 26, 2012
Thank you for the review.
I've been eyeing the Pathfinder .22lr snubbie. I know that the "target" model has an option where both the 22lr and .22WMR cylinders are offered. I'd really like to see that offered on the snubs as well.

I accept 4 Charter Arms revolvers, and they all piece of work great.
Hello lowercase,,,
Charter does offer the Pathfinder with two interchangeable cylinders,,,
I believe that gun is called the "Target Pathfinder Philharmonic"

I purchased the plain .22 LR version,,,
It's considerably less in price.

Aarond

P.S. My lady friend has the .38 Hush-hush snubbie and the .22 Pathfinder,,,
Her guns are what got me to consider a Charter Artillery handgun.

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- Contributing Member
tubeshooter Contributing Member

Joined:

Aug fifteen, 2006

Messages:

1,745
Cheers for the review, aarondhgraham.
I had been considering this offer from Charter Arms for my .22 DA revolver needs. Ever good to encounter an American company putting out a quality product.

About of your "cons" are either minor bug or should get better over time. Another plus.

Hope the recipient appreciates the souvenir. Very gracious of y'all.
i owned a 3" blued .22lr pathfinder years ago and kick myself for letting it get.
i looked at a iv" new pathfinder in stainless a while back and found a lot of "blow holes" on the surface.....not corrosion craters merely a manufacturing process that isnt quite that good.
That'due south very often due to polishing media or sandblasting media left in the gun. Particular strip it and clean it thoroughly. Go into pivot holes and screw holes and all the recesses you tin find with a dental option.
I was eyeballing them back in the eighties, simply never got around to getting one. After, I got a Taurus 94, which served well; I let my ex have it with her when we divorced.
Glad you lot like yours. Prissy to run across some Charter Arms respect. I accept two Underground 38 revolvers. One is from 1987, purchased the day I was sworn in as a law enforcement officer. The other is from around 1966, and was carried past my dad in the eighties when he was a deputy (we did non know each other so.) His became mine in 2010, when he died. Both are fine performers.
Thanks for the range review on your Pathfinder .22. I have the Grandad for the ane you reviewed...1965 iii" Pathfinder .22. I like them!
I also have this and was simply able to shoot information technology finally a couple of weeks ago. My experience mirrors yours Aarond. This is a not bad shooter. I actaully prefer the matte terminate stainless vs. the more glossy terminate. Overall a very good purchase and wait forward to more range time with it. Might even use information technology for my CCW course in a couple of weeks. It is very accurate.
Dang Cocked & Locked,,,
Your Pathfinder is way prettier than the new ones,,,
I have and enjoy several other stainless steel handguns,,,
But for pure beauty the blue steel guns are my personal favorites.

Earlier I whipped out the Visa card for this new 1,,,
I spent a lot of time looking for used DA/SA revolvers to buy.

If I would have seen one like yours I would have snagged information technology chop-chop.

Aarond

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Howdy Vern Humphrey,,,
I wish I had the expertise to do a detail strip on this gun,,,
But it looks like the side-plate is partially pinned.

I was considering trying to flush the gun out with spray CLP,,,
Only I honestly don't know if that would exercise annihilation positive for it.

One of the reasons I purchased this gun,,,
Is considering a lady friend of mine has one merely like it.

Hers was tight and gritty likewise,,,
But afterwards a few bulk packs it got much meliorate,,,
I'm hoping this one will better in the same manner as hers did..

Aarond

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Charters do not have side plates. Just aye you lot accept to dial at least one pin to drib the grip frame and trigger baby-sit off the gun. There are instructions on youtube. If I were you, I'd pull the grips and and so flush the internals with CLP.
The hammer is also an easy in and out...one screw. That will offer some other opening for the BREAKFREEclp flush.
This thread needs some more pics.
Here are my 4 Charters:
Comparison flick - Pathfinder vs S&S Model 34,,,
As yous can see they are well-nigh identical in size and shape,,,

A Tom Threepersons holster I made for the Model 34,,,
Fit the Pathfinder very nicely.

Aarond

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spotch Member

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Dec 29, 2011

Messages:

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This thread is great... I was only looking at the pathfinder with the 22wmr+22lr option and actually liked what I saw. Keep us updated about how this gun works out over time
Hello spotch,,,
I'll reopen this thread when I have ran two 550 round majority packs through the gun.

Past then some of the grittiness should have disappeared,,,
I say this because it was around the 1000 circular mark that the one my lady friend owns started loosening upwards.

Aarond

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spotch Member

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