The shape of the cylinder latch, and the serrations milled into it, give the user a sure grip.
CHARTER ARMS SERIAL NUMBER DATE FREE
The cylinder can then be swung out of the frame with the free hand. To load the Off-Duty, the cylinder latch is pushed forward using the thumb of your shooting hand (if you are a right-handed shooter). The trigger pull is also smooth, and the shape of the triggerguard ensures the shooter’s trigger finger does not get pinched between the bottom edge of the trigger and the inside of the triggerguard. The Off Duty has smooth, rounded edges for a snag-free draw. The rear groove is wide so the front sight is easy to pick up and get on target quickly. The rear sight consists of a groove milled into the top of the frame. In bright light the sight glistens, but the serrated ramp lessens glare just like it is suppose to do. The front sight, like the rest of the barrel, is brightly polished. The front sight is milled into the barrel and the ramp is serrated to reduce glare. It can be carried in a holster, dropped into a pants pocket or in a coat pocket without the conspicuous, telltale print. The lug also completely encloses the revolver’s ejector rod assembly.
CHARTER ARMS SERIAL NUMBER DATE FULL
It has a full lug that is rounded at the muzzle, which helps aid in holstering the piece. The barrel is threaded into the frame and is one piece. To access the innards of a Charter Arms pistol, the triggerguard/backstrap is removed and the trigger, hammer, pawl, etc., are removed from the bottom of the frame. There are fewer internal parts in the Charter Arms model (about 40 parts in total), and the parts are all hand-fitted by the skilled technicians at Charter Arms’ manufacturing facility. Ruger uses a similar one-piece frame like the Charter Arms model. There is no side plate, like there is on Smith & Wesson or Taurus revolvers. Like all Charter Arms revolvers, the Off Duty has a solid frame. The remainders of the parts-pins, triggerguard/backstrap, trigger cylinder latch, crane, ejector rod-are all brightly polished. The barrel and cylinder are made from stainless steel that’s been given a high-gloss polish that is as shiny and glossy as chrome exhaust pipes. The frame is built from heat-treated aluminum and wears a semi-gloss black finish. The weight of the pistol is almost equal to five 158-grain. The Off Duty is manufactured from 7075 aluminum and stainless steel and weighs 12 ounces. More With Less The barrel and front sight are brightly polished, contrasting with the black frame. It has a bad boy look to it, but can it walk the walk? The dual-tone Off Duty revolver looks sharp. The silver-and-black revolver reminds me of a laid back panhead I once knew that had just enough chrome on the V-twin and pipes, and a black, lacquered gas tank between your legs.
The barrel, cylinder, triggerguard and frame are stainless steel polished to a bright, glossy finish that’s as shiny as chrome plating. The Charter Arms Off Duty has a finish that looks good in hand. Jerry Miculek’s IDPA revolver is a stock S&W 625 JM tweaked with a green HiViz front sight, a Bowen white outline rear sight, a bobbed hammer and Miculek’s smooth, hardwood grips. Bat Masterson special ordered a Colt SAA with a nickel finish, gutta-percha grips and requested that it be “light on the trigger.” Colonel Jeff Cooper’s 1911 is sort of a parts gun with a Commander-style hammer, an arched/checkered mainspring housing and an ivory grip with a water buffalo etched into it.
Firearms are a reflection of our personality and character.