Another promised shipping date has come and gone for the Charter Arms Rimless Revolver in what has become a disapointing trend. The latest deadline, June 2010, came and went without even a whisper of explanation this time.
When I spoke to a Charter rep earlier this week, I was told the the CARR project “…got put on the back burner,” and that there is not any time-table for delivery.
While I would really like to see this gun make it to the market, I am extremely skeptical that Charter Arms will ever deliver the rimless revolver. Take a look at the timeline surrounding the gun:
- November 2008 – Charter Arms announces the CARR, and states the .40 S&W version will ship in the first quarter of 2009.
- January 2009 – At the 2009 SHOT Show, the CARR is a “no show.” Charter Arms said “patent issues” were being nailed down, so they could not show the handgun yet. Charter Arms states the .40 S&W version will ship in the second quarter of 2009 (April), and the other calibers will follow by year’s end.
- April 2009 – Charter Arms pushes the release date of the CARR to “late July” of 2009. The company rep explains that demand for Charter Arms’ current products is so high, they cannot dedicate additional production work to the new line.
- May 2009 – Charter Arms removes links to the CARR from their website. I publish an article wondering if the CARR will be vaporware. Two days later, Charter Arms responded with a press release, stating the gun “… is tested, patent checked, cleared and ready for production,” and that “…the CARR is not vaporware…” No new photos or information about the gun were included in the press release.
- August 2009 – I speak with a company rep who states the CARR will ship in late 2009 or early 2010.
- January 2010 – The CARR is missing from the Charter Arms display at the 2010 SHOT Show. The Charter reps I spoke to said the company had “jumped the gun” with the 2008 announcements, and there had been some bugs in the design they had been working out. The new delivery date was set at June 2010 for the .40 S&W, with the other calibers following by year’s end.
- June 2010 – No CARR, no surprise.
If Charter Arms can ever deliver these guns, they will likely sell well. But the longer the project drags along, with missed deadlines and delivery dates, the more skeptical buyers become.
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I agree, I have been keeping an eye out for news of this project for a while now. A 9mm revolver is cheaper to shoot, and 9mm is more powerful than 38 special, even with the best ammo.
It would be great if S&W would reintroduce the 547 from the eighties. And maybe include a J-frame version.
All mentions of the CARR have been scrubbed from the Charter website as well. The Banner was there until this past week
http://rockinaseaofchaos.blogspot.com/2010/07/damnit-charter-arms.html
Yeah gonna have to call it now as vaporware.I don’t think it’s gonna ever see the light of day.
MKS now owns Charter ..MKS makes Hi-Point firearms……I’ve been waiting for 7 yrs for the Hi-Point 45acp carbine….
Soooo….what does that tell ya….
Five more years until we see a CARR?
I am still waiting for my Ruger XG1! ?
I’m still waiting for plasma rifles and light sabers.
Keep your fingers crossed but just got off the phone with them and they are ‘in production’. The lady at the desk said the first shipments should hit stores by the second week of January, 1 week prior to the Jan 18-21 SHOT Show in Vegas.
Well another promising product that’s pretty much bit the dust-Feb 2011, and still no mention on Charter Arms website-its Vaporware along w/VLTOR Fortis/Bren Ten. Just something to get people to look @website and other products!!