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.
Added to this factor is the trigger pull. On my test gun, the single action (SA) trigger pull was a crisp 4 lbs. 8.6 oz. The double action (DA) pull was even, not stagey, with a weight of 11 lbs. 8 oz.
I handed the empty gun to my wife to have her try the DA trigger. Even with her small hand and arthritic fingers, she said the trigger pull was just fine. The trigger itself is smooth-faced and 0.25 inches wide, and the exposed hammer has a serrated spur. It also has a hammer-block safety.
Well Delivered
The Coyote comes in a black plastic carrying case with a foam-rubber interior lining. Inside—besides the gun—is a safety trigger lock, owner’s manual, moon clips, a catalog, and other printed matter.
Included with my gun was a handy “Coyote Shell Remover,” which makes removing the empty .380 ACP cases from the moon clips a snap. From what I’m told, this tool is sold as an accessory.
I did a once-over on the Coyote from back to front and all angles and found the fit and finish were up to snuff for a handgun at its price point.
Markings are minimal, with the serial number on the right side of the frame, and on the left side of the barrel is “COYOTE .380,” while on the other side is “CHARTER ARMS Shelton, CT MADE IN USA.”
Feeding the Coyote
For .380 ACP test ammunition, several cartridge producers stepped up. From Black Hills came 60 gr. Honey Badger load. The solid copper bullet uses an X-shaped and fluted nose to impart energy to the target.
Doubletap sent a load that has an 80 gr. Barnes TAC-HP bullet that is a solid-copper HP.
Federal provided its Premium HST “Micro” load, which carries a 99 gr. HST-JHP bullet.
A new-to-me outfit called House of Payne (HOP) Munitions supplied its 90 gr. JHP load, along with some 95 gr. FMJ practice ammo.
The Down and Dirty
Range day started with a chronograph session to see what kind of bullet velocities I’d get from the Coyote’s 2-inch, ported barrel. I was most impressed with the HOP 90 gr. JHP. You can see the bullet speed averages for all the test loads in the table (below).
Job two was an accuracy potential evaluation. The Coyote was shot in single action from the bench, using a sandbag rest. The distance to the target was 10 yards. Three 5-shot groups were shot with each of the .380 ACP test cartridges.
The tightest 5-shot cluster measured 1.37 inches and was made using the HOP 95 gr. FMJ load. Next, the Federal HST cartridge came in second place with a 1.56-inch group. The overall group average for 75 rounds fired during the accuracy test was 2.106 inches. I would say that the cylinder chamber to forcing cone bullet jump mentioned earlier had no real negative effect.
My wife Teresa also wanted to shoot the Charter Coyote. She normally uses a mid-size auto-loader in .22LR due to her arthritic hands. But as I mentioned earlier, she was able to manipulate the trigger on the Coyote just fine. So, I put up a target for her at the 5-yard line.
I loaded the Coyote with the HOP 95. Gr. FMJ loads, and she fired five shots DA, reloaded, and fired five more. Her first shot was high, but the other nine were inside the scoring rings of the yellow silhouette target.
Super Revolver Test
To evaluate reliability and practical accuracy, I tried something different and shot a course called the “Super Revolver Test.”
The rules are, “Each round has a maximum value of 10 points, and you get the points that correspond to your bullet impact. A hit in the 7-ring is a 7, etc. Hits outside the 8-ring or fired after the par time have a penalty of 10 points each. A passing score is 90%, coming in under par for each stage.”
The drill was made for a sixgun, but as I had a 5-shooter, I modified it a little.
To shoot the drill, the first stage is at 15 yards. Six rounds (in my case, five) are fired freestyle; the par time is 12 seconds (I cut this to 10). At 10 yards, five more shots, with a par time of eight seconds (I did six). At five yards, five more shots, with a par time of four (I did three) seconds.
Each stage is shot beginning from the low ready. I used my iPhone timer, with the buzzer going off at the end of the set time. My “Freestyle” was an isosceles stance with a two-handed hold. I had the phone close, hit the start button on the timer, and engaged the target. I was using a B-27NC, which had black and gray scoring rings and a red X-ring.
After I’d finished all three stages, I was pleased to see that I had cleaned the drill with 150/150-7X’s, all in the par time. I had continued to use the HOP 95 gr. FMJ load and reloaded between stages.
Impressions of the Coyote
Going back to accuracy testing, the first thing that I found was that the Coyote generally shot low and left. I had to put the front sight at about 9 o’clock, a few inches above the oval target, to get center hits with the light-bullet loads. The heavier bullets had a better point of aim/point of impact.
I can’t really quantify whether or not the barrel ports helped. However, recoil and muzzle flip were reasonable with most of the .380 ACP loads. If I had been shooting .38 Special loads in this lightweight wheelgun, I’m sure it would be a different story. Plus, the cylinder release latch would’ve probably done a number on my thumb.
Most small revolvers like this have inadequate factory grips. I noted on the Coyote that the wood grips/stocks are a bit wider than those on older Charter revolvers. I like the checkering as it’s effective without being abrasive. However, I do miss the little silver Charter medallions that were once embedded in the grips.
Parting Shots
I found loading to be easy with all the .380 ACP cartridges, and the same could be said with case ejection. In my opinion, Charter Arms should supply more than just two moon clips. But extras are available from Charter for $8 each. I was paranoid throughout the whole test session that I would lose one.
Sight acquisition was good; I might add a dab of yellow fingernail polish. What really surprised me was the performance of the Coyote and my shooting during the Super Revolver Test Drill (Yes, I do have a witness!).This seems to sum up everything that I’ve said to this point about the Charter Arms Coyote.
No, the .380 ACP is not usually thought of as a man-stopper, as you can see by the muzzle energy figures in the performance table (below). However, it does allow better rapid-fire controllability for folks who might not be able to handle a hotter round.
For more information, please visit CharterFirearms.com.
Charter Arms Coyote (53803) Specs
| Mechanism | Traditional double-action revolver |
| Caliber | .380 ACP |
| Capacity | 5 cartridges |
| Barrel | 2.0 in. |
| Overall Length | 6.22 in. |
| Empty Weight | 14 oz. |
| Sights | Fixed square-notch rear sight, serrated ramp front sight |
| Finish | Clear anodized frame, matte stainless barrel/cylinder |
| Stocks | Checkered rosewood |
| MSRP | $448.14 |
Performance
| Black Hills Factory New 60 gr. Honey Badger | |
| Average Velocity | 1,184 FPS |
| Best Group. | 1.93 inches |
| Average Group | 2.16 inches |
| Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy | 187 FPE |
| Doubletap 80 gr. Barnes TAC-XP Solid Copper HP | |
| Average Velocity | 943 FPS |
| Best Group. | 1.76 inches |
| Average Group | 2.09 inches |
| Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy | 158 FPE |
| Federal Personal Defense Micro 99 gr. HST-JHP | |
| Average Velocity | 865 FPS |
| Best Group. | 1.56 inches |
| Average Group | 2.63 inches |
| Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy | 164 FPE |
| HOP Munitions 90 gr. JHP | |
| Average Velocity | 1,119 FPS |
| Best Group. | 1.95 inches |
| Average Group | 2.17 inches |
| Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy | 250 FPE |
| HOP Munitions 95 gr. FMJ | |
| Average Velocity | 967 FPS |
| Best Group. | 1.37 inches |
| Average Group | 1.48 inches |
| Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy | 197 FPE |
NOTE: Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second 10 ft. from the muzzle by an Oehler Model 35P chronograph, and accuracy in inches for three 5-shot groups at 10 yards. FPE based on bullet weight and velocity.
