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Charter Arms refinishing advice

S

SigSlinger508

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Hey fellas, need some advice from you guys, I bought a Charter Arms .38 Undercover yesterday from Mark over at Holliston Firearms. It was a great deal but it is the Santa Fe Sky model which is a god aweful shade of turquoise. Like I said, good price decent gun so I said what the hell im not gonna forego it. I am looking for

a) anyone with experience duracoating a revolver for any advice 

) someone to tell me if it’s ever possible to duracoat properly on annodized aluminum (I’m pretty sure thats the reciever material and finish)

And c)and suggestions on what color to make it that will go well with the black barrel and grips and cylinder

I was thinking of taking it to Saxonville Armory and seeing if they can do it as I know they do smithing there and I don't want to screw it up trying it myself. Anyone have experience with them doing this? Any idea of what this little project may run me?
 
SigSlinger508 said:
Hey fellas, need some advice from you guys, I bought a Charter Arms .38 Undercover yesterday from Mark over at Holliston Firearms. It was a great deal but it is the Santa Fe Sky model which is a god aweful shade of turquoise. Like I said, good price decent gun so I said what the hell im not gonna forego it. I am looking for

a) anyone with experience duracoating a revolver for any advice 

) someone to tell me if it’s ever possible to duracoat properly on annodized aluminum (I’m pretty sure thats the reciever material and finish)

And c)and suggestions on what color to make it that will go well with the black barrel and grips and cylinder

I was thinking of taking it to Saxonville Armory and seeing if they can do it as I know they do smithing there and I don't want to screw it up trying it myself. Anyone have experience with them doing this? Any idea of what this little project may run me?
Click to expand...

It will probably cost you $150 to get it refinished. If I were you, I would remove the cylinder, tape the barrel, and hit it with flat black grill paint. Total cost should be less than $10 which fits the value of the gun better


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browncoat said:
It will probably cost you $150 to get it refinished. If I were you, I would remove the cylinder, tape the barrel, and hit it with flat black grill paint. Total cost should be less than $10 which fits the value of the gun better
Click to expand...
this^

advice my dad gave me a long time ago..."spend the money and buy right the first time."
 
you wont recoup the price you paid....either sell it at a loss or hit it with some paint.

If you don't mind telling us whats a good deal on a charter arms these days
 
Last edited:
browncoat said:
Hey, we don't know what OP paid, could have been a steal :)


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Click to expand...
It would be great advertising for the dealer if he posted the great deal. After all if the dealer can give a great deal on a ugly blue pistol for one person why not others...who knows maybe the dealer can unload a shit ton of ugly guns if buyers new the deal[wink]
 
CASFS38-2T.jpg
well, not that bad. if the price were really right i'd buy one and throw it in the nightstand.

on the brighter side, op, at least you didn't buy charter's "lavender lady" model. that one's a little limp. [laugh]
 
MisterHappy said:
Embrace the strange. Get some Hello Kitty grips.

Besides, if you ever have to use it in a self-defense situation....they'll never be able to paint you as a Tacticool Mall-Ninja Vigilante! [rofl]
Click to expand...

Plus you will get a tactical advantage over your opponent while they try to figure out what you have in your hand.[laugh]

Bob
 
Its actually a little darker/brighter turquoise than in the picture and most of them. It's actually grown on me a bit over the day today. As long as the thing works I guess I dont really care if it's pretty haha.

browncoat said:
This picture looks way better than I imagined. I would leave it,myself


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Click to expand...
 
SigSlinger508 said:
Its actually a little darker/brighter turquoise than in the picture and most of them. It's actually grown on me a bit over the day today. As long as the thing works I guess I dont really care if it's pretty haha.
Click to expand...
When i read Santa fe sky, I was thinking of a pale baby blue... hence why my mind went immediately to flat black grill paint haha

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There are some good suggestions. Leave it as is. Rattle can paint it black.

They are all better than spending $100 plus getting it professionally refinished.

Its a charter arms for gods sake. Its an 84 Yugo of a gun.

I might do something in between. Buy a cerakote kit for $25 and give it a go yourself. If you fail and its a crinkly, flakey mess, oh well. It still goes bang. If it looks good, fantastic.

I once took a HiPoint 9mm in trade. I used it to refine my soldering iron stippling and grip shaping skills. That's the beauty of cheap guns. No stress.

Don
 
SigSlinger508 said:
Its actually a little darker/brighter turquoise than in the picture and most of them. It's actually grown on me a bit over the day today. As long as the thing works I guess I dont really care if it's pretty haha.
Click to expand...

Its a charter arms......manage your expectations. If it goes bang when you pull the trigger smile and be happy....just don't be sad when it breaks......cuz it will break.
 
Just shoot coated bullets with a coordinated color scheme...

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2010/12/ares-color-coated-cast-bullets-from-slovakia/

F5iY93Dl.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDaIP3yCh1E
 
Last edited:
whacko said:
Its a charter arms......manage your expectations. If it goes bang when you pull the trigger smile and be happy....just don't be sad when it breaks......cuz it will break.
Click to expand...

I've seen two charter arms pistols lock up while firing, first hand. Not a story from a friend of a friend. But witnessed with my own eyes. I would buy a used Ruger for similar money LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG before I'd buy a charter arms.

Don
 
browncoat said:
If you sand off the anodizing, you are removing a protective layer and you will likely get some corrosion with exposure to sweat and etc.


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Click to expand...

Oxidation of aluminum results in aluminum oxide, no? Anodization is basically a controlled method of creating a nice, even, thick layer of hard aluminum oxide.
 
qqac said:
Oxidation of aluminum results in aluminum oxide, no? Anodization is basically a controlled method of creating a nice, even, thick layer of hard aluminum oxide.
Click to expand...

Right, and it's that controlled, even, and thick layer that you don't necessarily get from exposed aluminum. Check an old aluminum ladder, they often get rather crusty and pitted.

Likewise browning is controlled rust, but if you just strip the bluing off a gun and let it sit you don't get the same effect at all


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