Athalon Outdooors reviews the Coyote .380 ACP
- Mar 4
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 4
by William Bell
My history with Charter Arms revolvers goes back many years. As a young deputy sheriff in the late 1970s, I carried a Charter Undercover .38 Special snub in an ankle holster as a BUG. Later, as a state Parole and Probation Officer in the mid-1980s, I carried another Charter Undercover. This one had a matte black finish and shrouded ejector rod housing. Recently, Charter Arms released its Coyote in .380 ACP, and I was intrigued.
The Charter Arms Coyote Arrives
During and after my duty as a deputy sheriff, I evaluated several Charter Arms handguns as a gun writer. I have found them, for the most part, to be functional and reliable, if somewhat utilitarian. They are also affordable, and I think they offer great value for the money. This year (2024) is the 60th Anniversary of Charter Arms, which was founded in 1964.
I’m now at the age where I don’t get my jollies doing a lot of shooting with hard-kicking handguns. Recently, after a gun test, I had a bout with “Tennis Elbow,” which has not entirely subsided.
Lots of folks my age, or those who are recoil sensitive, might be looking for a handgun for defensive use that is effective yet doesn’t intimidate them with heavy recoil, muzzle flip, and blast. This may be where the new Coyote revolver fits in.
It’s a small-frame, double-action revolver with a 2-inch barrel and is chambered in .380 ACP. Yes, this cartridge was invented for and used primarily in semi-automatic pistols. However, this revolver takes advantage of the round’s milder-shooting attributes, mated with its 14 oz. weight.
The 8-groove rifled barrel on the Coyote is also ported to cut down on muzzle flip and recoil. We’ll see how this works out later on.
A Solid Foundation
One of the attributes of Charter revolvers is their solid frames, unlike some small-frame wheelguns that have side plates. This most certainly strengthens the frame, which, in the case of the Coyote, is constructed of 7075 aluminum. The barrel, cylinder, crane, and other component parts are formed from 416 stainless steel.
My test gun (Model 53802) has an anodized frame, while the stainless-steel parts have a darker, matte finish, providing a nice contrast. Other versions are available with a pink or lavender anodized frame, with the stainless-steel components highly polished.
Grips on all Coyote models are checkered rosewood. Likewise, the sights on all models are serrated ramp front sight and fixed square-notch rear sight.
One of the other features is the barrel underlug or ejector rod shroud, which has four diamond cuts to reduce weight and look cool. Cylinder locking points are located in the breech face and on the crane/yoke. The cylinder release latch is pushed forward to unlock the cylinder for loading.
Coyote Action
Charter makes revolvers like the Pitbull in .45 ACP that don’t require moon clips for cartridge case ejection. However, that isn’t the case with the Coyote.
The .380 ACP chambers cut in the cylinder headspace on the case mouth. However, for proper case ejection, two TK Custom moon clips are provided. The cylinder is 1.5-inches, like that of other Charter revolvers.
A .380 ACP cartridge, like one with a 95 gr. FMJ bullet, has an overall length of 0.95 inches. So, that bullet will have a 0.65-inch gap to jump before it engages the forcing cone and rifling. We shall see what effect this has on accuracy potential.
תגובות