Additionally, all of the ammunition used in the Pathfinder during evaluation was purpose-built for personal protection, with those loads being Hornady’s Critical Defense, Speer’s Gold Dot and Winchester’s PDX 1. The single-action pull weight is decidedly crisp, breaking consistently at about 4 pounds.Īs we envisioned the revolver primarily employed for personal defense, we conducted accuracy testing at 7 yards.
That being said, the action is relatively smooth, even though the double-action pull weight is 12 pounds. When the trigger is pulled, however, a plate rises up over the firing pin and when impacted by the hammer forces the firing pin forward.Īlthough it has a single-stage trigger, it feels more like a two-stage because of the stacking mid-pull. This prevents the hammer from hitting the firing pin. This system works well because the hammer has an extension at the top that rests against the frame when the hammer is forward. The Pathfinder incorporates a hammer-block safety system that was patented by the company in the 1960s. The revolver was zeroed at 7 yards right out of the box. The sights are, in snub-nose revolver fashion, small, but they are effective. The rear sight is a long trough that runs the length of the frame, but at the rear the notch is square. It is machined, button-rifled and then threaded directly into the frame. The barrel, underlug and front sight are one piece of stainless steel. The rubber stock panels are attached to the grip frame with a single screw and a stud at the bottom of the frame. The grip frame houses a coiled mainspring and slips inside the action frame. The frame consists of two pieces the grip and trigger guard are combined in one assembly, while the action frame around the cylinder is the other. Unlike some revolvers, the Pathfinder has no side plate. Depressing a grooved, sliding thumb button on the frame’s left side allows the six-round cylinder to swing out to the left for loading and unloading. The Pathfinder’s frame is made from stainless steel and exhibits a smooth matte finish. Similarly, it would be a viable candidate for a survival pack as well. 22 WMR-chambered revolvers that are appropriate in size for concealed carry. The Charter Arms Pathfinder is among the very few. What it does bring to the table is controllable recoil and minimal muzzle blast, and for some shooters that’s a deciding factor. 22 WMR is suitable for personal protection is a question you must determine on your own. Charter Arms, which is American-owned and uses U.S.-made parts to produce handguns in its New England facility, has maintained that mantra since its inception. McClenahan’s goal was to produce a quality handgun that was also affordable.
The company was founded in Connecticut by Douglas McClenahan, who had previously worked for Sturm, Ruger & Co., High Standard and Colt. If you run into an IP ban, it likely wasn't you.Charter Arms has been making firearms for almost 50 years. We try not to ban legit subscription VPN services, but they rarely label their IP blocks correctly. We do not ban legit Internet Service Providers from the USA(exception for certain individual IP addresses). If you run into a IP ban afterwards as a member, again - turn off your VPN or switch servers. Failure to do so will result with your new account denied. When signing up, do so from a US based Internet Service Provider. Attention! About VPN's and foreign IP addresses.Thanks for visiting and we hope you become a regular! Once registered you will have access to participate in our community. Welcome to the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association Forum, we hope you like what you find here and we strongly encourage you to register for an account with us, especially if you are from Pennsylvania. Select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. 22 WMR KEYHOLE PROBLEMīefore you can post: click the register link above to proceed.