In 1964, Douglas McClennahan, a young gun designer, founded Charter Arms. Previously, he had worked at Ruger, High Standard, and Colt, but he wanted to produce his own guns. In 1967, he partnered up with David Ecker, and the two became 50/50 owners of Charter Arms.
Charter’s first gun was a .38 caliber revolver named “The Undercover.” It was very lightweight (16 ounces) while still having a steel frame and a hammer block system that protected against accidental discharge. Over the years, they’ve introduced a number of other revolver designs in a range of calibers. However, we’ll be looking at one specific design today.
The Pathfinder
The Pathfinder is Charter’s lightweight revolver that can fill a multitude of jobs. We’ll take a look at those shortly, but first, let’s check out the Pathfinder’s specifications and see what it brings to the table.
From outward appearances, it appears to be very similar to most revolvers on the market. The solid build suggests that it could be .38 caliber, but you’d be mistaken. This one is chambered in .22 Long Rifle and it holds eight rounds.
The frame is aluminum (steel frames are available on other models of this configuration). Weight is 19 ounces. The Pathfinder’s finish is anodized/stainless steel, which looks nice. It’s a matte, silver finish that seems to be very durable. The barrel length is two inches and there is a steel barrel insert in the aluminum frame. On the side of the barrel, the revolver’s name is engraved on one side (Pathfinder), and on the other side, “Charter Arms, Shelton CT, Made In USA.” The engraving looks kind of slick.
Impressions
As I mentioned, the Pathfinder might be mistaken for a .38 Special revolver at first glance. That’s because it’s built stoutly; they didn’t skimp on any components. Some .22s are more on the petite side, but not this one.
When you pick it up, you realize that it’s a serious revolver that’s meant to last.
Part of that impression comes from the grip, which is not small at all. Actually, it’s full-sized and made from hard rubber, and imparts a feeling of confidence when held. The shooter is able to gain a very positive purchase from it; it’s definitely not going to slip.
There are some finger grooves that really feel great in the hand. They’re not overly pronounced, but they’re there and help anchor the revolver in the shooter’s hand. On either side of the grip, there is an emblem that says, “USA Charter Arms” stamped into the grip.
To be honest, I wouldn’t mind having this grip on my Smith & Wesson .38 Airweight, because it would help dampen the recoil.
Needless to say, because the Pathfinder is a .22, it does not need any recoil dampening. In fact, one barely notices the recoil at all when shooting. Between the weight and the ample grip, along with the small powder charge of the .22 rounds, recoil is barely perceivable.
A nice option that’s available is that Charter can fit a second cylinder in the .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) caliber to the Pathfinder. Having two caliber options available would be attractive, especially in the magnum format.
Trigger
The double-action trigger is pretty good. As expected, in double-action mode, it is fairly heavy. However, it is pleasingly smooth and not bad to operate. The cylinder spins in a clockwise direction. In single-action mode, there is no take-up. It’s not overly light, but it is pleasantly crisp. All in all, this is a great trigger.
Hammer
A standard hammer is used on the Pathfinder. It has several grooves cut into the top so the thumb can find traction to cock it if the shooter desires a single action shot. If I were going to carry this revolver concealed for defensive reasons, I’d likely have the trigger bobbed so there would be less chance of it snagging.
Cylinder Release
The cylinder release is substantially sized and reasonably easy to operate. It has deep grooves cut into it for the thumb to find purchase, and these work very well for the purpose. Aside from that, it has a ramp that flares toward the outboard, which the shooter’s thumb contacts, making activation of the release easier. It’s a well-designed setup that just works.
Ejector Rod
The ejector rod is housed in a shroud underneath the barrel when not in use. There it sits, tucked away until called upon.
The unit consists of a few pieces, including a bit that telescopes into a sleeve when pushed to kick the rounds out of the cylinder. A standard star ejector is used in the cylinder for the ejection of spent casings. A bit more on that shortly.
At The Range
As I’d mentioned, recoil is nearly non-existent with the .22 Long Rifle. I was using CCI Mini Mag 40-grain copper-plated ammunition, along with Aquila 40-grain rounds.
From 15 yards, the Pathfinder kept all rapid-fire hits inside a silhouette target easily. And when I say rapid fire, I mean I dumped those eight shots into the target in a few seconds. There was nothing slow about it.
I then decided to fire eight shots into the head using single action and taking my time a bit more. Considering the silhouette targets that I was using were not full-sized humanoid targets, but reduced size, I’d say this is one startlingly accurate, little revolver. It shot slightly low, but that might have very well been me.
All shooting was done unsupported in the offhand position. Given that the sights are a machined cutout in the receiver for the rear sight and a ramp with grooves for the front sight, I think I did well enough. If Charter would add some color to that front sight, it would improve things dramatically.
That said, they design their revolvers mainly for close-range work. As they state on their website, most defensive encounters occur at about ten feet, which is generally true. On the other hand, I like to be prepared for situations that are slightly more extreme, so I want to be able to reach out comfortably a bit farther than ten feet. But even so, this revolver will do that.
To be honest, I was flabbergasted at the accuracy of this little two-incher! I’m certain that resting it on a bench and shooting at longer ranges would yield even more shocking results.
Now that I’ve sung it praises, we’ll get to the less-than-stellar portion of the review.
A Minor Glitch
Ejection from the revolver was very, very sticky. The spent rounds simply did not want to eject, and it was difficult to get them out without great effort. I contacted Charter Arms and they had me send the Pathfinder back immediately so they could have a look at it. Charter’s customer service is extremely fast and responsive, which is to their credit. They’re also extremely friendly and pleasant to deal with.
A few weeks later, the Pathfinder returned to me, and we took it along to another range session. This time, it functioned much better. At first, the ejection was a little stiff, but it quickly became smoother and no further problems were experienced.
The Pathfinder is now running smoothly and I’m still impressed with its accuracy, especially considering that it’s a two-inch barreled .22 revolver. The bottom line is that Charter reacted quickly and made it right, which is all we can ask of any company.
Roles
Defense
For some people, the .22 Long Rifle is a viable defensive caliber. Those who are older and who lack hand strength or suffer from arthritis could benefit. Or just anyone who wants a low-recoiling caliber. It holds eight rounds, and eight rounds of .22 is going to ruin an attacker’s day. Is it the most potent caliber? Not at all. But with good shot placement (it’s very accurate), it could save the day.
Kit/Trail Gun
As a kit or trail gun, the Pathfinder would excel. On a hike or woods outing, a few hundred rounds could easily be thrown into a pack and toted along. It would even be attractive for a longer-duration survival scenario in which more rounds in the pack would be a good thing.
Plinking & Training
For an afternoon of plinking fun, this one would be hard to beat. A box of .22 Long Rifle ammunition is inexpensive, and an afternoon of fun could be had with a few boxes.
For shooters wanting to train on a revolver but not wanting to go broke with the prices of larger calibers, the Pathfinder would allow a lot of shots fired for a few dollars. The full size and feel of the Pathfinder certainly tricks the mind into thinking we are holding a higher-caliber revolver, so this is a viable point. You’d be working on all the fundamentals, including sight alignment, trigger control, etc. with live ammunition.
Conducting a training session with the Pathfinder, and then finishing up with a cylinder or two from your full-sized revolver would be a realistic approach to training.
Also, for shooters who are first getting into shooting, the .22 Long Rifle is a great option, given the lack of noise and recoil. It won’t scare off those who might otherwise shy away from the more stout recoil of larger calibers. The .22 deserves a little more mention here. It’s inexpensive enough that we can spend a couple hours shooting without having to remortgage the house. Light enough that several hundred rounds can be carried along on an outing without us breaking much sweat.
The noise is less than any other rounds, as is the recoil. Simply put, it has a lot of things going for it.
Final Thoughts
Will I be keeping this revolver? I’m not exactly sure yet. It has a lot going for it. Charter made the repair quickly and with no questions asked. I have a friend who’s been using them since their opening in 1964. Actually, he took one of their first .38 revolvers to Vietnam when he shipped out, and he still has that revolver!
So the company stands behind its products.
The retail price of the Pathfinder model that I have (#72224) is $413.00. That’s a pretty fair price tag for what the shooter gets, considering the street price will be even lower.
Could I use another .22LR firearm? Taking into account that I’m a hopeless addict for them, hell yes!
