Anyone have/use a older model Charter Arms Undercover .38?
Opinions?
Thanks,
Jimmy

When we got married in 1979, all of my handguns were too big for my wife's purse so we started looking for a S&W J frame or Colt Detective Special. There were none to be had without paying twice suggested retail. We found new Undercovers on sale at a sporting goods chain for $141.75 out-the-door. I had owned a couple of Charter Arms Bulldogs so was familiar with their quality.

I think Jeff Cooper said it best, and to paraphrase him, Charter Arms small revolvers were built to a price point, to undersell S&W by 10% or more. If you aren't expecting a S&W or a Colt and don't pay too much, they are okay for what they are.

They had big, blocky fixed sights that are much better than either the sights on a Model 36 or a Colt D.S. The screws that hold the alloy grip frame onto the steel mainframe need to be lock-tited. The crane retaining screw will come loose without the little nylon or plastic washer. If the cylinder latch screw comes loose, and backs out even with the breech face, the cylinder will flop open; it needs some thread locker too.

They do not hold up to Plus-P ammo, the area around the firing pin hole in the frame will crater.

That said, we shot it a bit and it shot to point-of-aim, roughly, and worked pretty well. I put a set of Pachmayr stocks on it. As money got less tight and I acquired J frames and a Colt D.S., I tried to talk her into one of them, but she was familiar with the undercover, preferred the sights on it, and kept it.

Fit and machining quality varies quite a bit on these, from gun to gun and from era to era, so it's a revolver I wouldn't buy through the internet, I would want to examine it in person first.

No.

And in my opinion, on average, red heads are sexier than blondes.

__________________
Thirty characters. Exactly...

I got one used when I was fourteen. I don't know how much it had been shot but it was in decent shape. I put about 1000 rds through it. It still works but you can push the hammer forward from the cocked position with your thumb. So, it's retired now. As stated above, they work ok just expect to get what you pay for.

I also bought one of these in the later 70's...perhaps 77 or 78. I got it not too long after getting my first job as a Public Safety Officer(police officer with fire training) on a local city department. I wanted a .38 snub for off duty and BUG use. I also could wear a .38 snub on desk duty(yuck)...I couldn't find a S&W 36/60 locally and the one or two Colt DS's I came upon were too expensive on a new cop's salary. I believe I paid around $120 for it new. The grips were so tiny that they seemed useless so I put a pair of Pachmayr Compacts on it. The grips were nearly as big as the revolver. I carried it a lot but didn't shoot it much and then with mostly issued practice stuff which were light 148 gr LWC loads. The sights were decent and it was accurate enough for my purposes. I also encountered the screws coming lose. The one on the front of the crane especially did this...It was ok but I would rather have had a Colt or S&W. I traded it away after a couple of years and got a Colt Agent that I still have and carry some...I would still rather have a Colt or Smith or Ruger, etc...

I have an older one with a 3" barrel. No complaints. Shoots fine.

Are they considered Saturday night specials?

It depends on how you define "Saturday Night Specials."

Generally, no, they are not.

The oldest of the Charters, made where ever they were first made at in CT, those are pretty nice guns. I have an old Charter Patherfinder .22 with a 3" bbl. It is a handy little gun. I've had two or three of the .44s, and came close to buying one of their .32 mags (from later years). I've seen them selling in the 225 to 250 range (for various .38 snubs) and that is probably a decent enough price.

I have one, acquired in 1970. Shoots/functions ok, a sister in law carried it in her purse for a while and seemed to like it. My first handloading experience was with this pistol and 158 fr semi-wadcutters. shoots more or less to point of aim, although the "point" has a fairly large diameter...
Shot some hollow base wadcutters for a while, ok but shot low & left.

All in all they're ok for a casual carry revolver. I don't think I'd want to try and run 1,000 rounds a week through it though. Still carry it occasionally when walking around in snake / skunk territory loaded with 2 CCI shot and 3 158 gr SWC lead loads.

In short, ok for casual carry.

rayb

__________________
"cumplo pero no obedezco"

I've got one that is my everyday carry gun. I don't shoot it a lot, but when I do it works just fine. I suppose I could buy a Smith & Wesson, or a Colt, but I don't really care enough for this size gun to bother. I've got this one. It works. Good enough. It was made in Stratford, Conn, in 1977 for what that's worth.

With the standard wooden grips it would beat my knuckles bloody, even with wadcutters. I contacted Charter and they said the neoprene grips they put on their new production guns would fit the old ones. Ordered a set and it's like a new gun.

__________________
John 3:16 .

I have one that I purchased new for $145 back in the seventies. It is a gun that you carry alot, shoot very little. It does not have S&W quality, but it works fine........goes bang when you pull the trigger. It has never failed to function.

my wife has a CA bulldog .44 special

she loves it.

I have an early, high mileage Undercover made in Bridgeport, CT. Not much to look at anymore but still a good shooter.

Paid $50 for one in 1982. Late sold it for $100. Kept it in the car and on the nightstand. Shot it enough to see that it hit POA at 10 long steps. No problems with it.

__________________
<><