Stratford Ct Charter Arms Undercover - buy or pass?

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gunsrfun1

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Hello, would like some informed advice.
I have a line on a CA Undercover 1 3/4" snubbie stamped with the Stratford CT rollmark. Bluing is very nice, and it has the CA wood grips. S/N is 6xxxxx, if I recall. I haven't done a full inspection, but I did dry fire it once and it seems ok. I would look it over more before buying.
Out-the-door price would be $280. (Yes, I know this is overpaying, but at least I see what I am getting vs. buying online.)
I'm not interested in the historical value per se, but I thought it would make a decent truck gun or car gun for concealed carry. Obviously I want it to be dependable.
If I could get a used S&W snubbie in good shape for the same price, I might spring for that. But I don't think I can pick up a good used S&W snubbie for this kind of price. And heck, my 38 Bodyguard is currently back at S&W for repair because the cylinder won't lock up. So even Smiths can have problems.
Any thoughts based on your experience with the older CAs? I don't want to buy a paperweight, but I won't be overshooting this either.
PS - I have already read other posts on this, but just want to get some more input other than hearsay.
Thanks
 
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Not familiar with Stratton but you likely are referring to Stratford since I think currently CA is located in Shelton.
But as to your question, I have an early Stratford bulldog and it's ok. Actually I like it pretty well. It's not a S&W but they don't offer a similar model. As to the newer bodyguard, I wasn't impressed and have stuck with traditional J's, ie; Centennials, Bodyguards, Chief's special, etc.
Likely can't get one for the amount you mentioned so either save your dimes or try the CA if it checks out. That's what CA's market is, a less expensive option than S&W, Ruger or Colt in their day
 
If it is a model made in Stratford Ct. in the 70s I may have made it so watch out lol.. But I did work for CA around 76. Got my father a snubby .38. It ran flawless.. But it is a low end gun but a good gun well made for the price.. How a used one was taken care of that is another story! :O Price wise I have not followed the CA line so no help.
 
Thanks all and keep those comments coming. I have corrected my post to say "Stratford;" sorry about that.
 
BTW, one question. I guess I never really checked. Are the Undercovers an aluminum or steel frame?
 
from what I remember all were steel frames . When the Bull Dog 44 and the . 357 came out they were metal frames with a aluminum sleeve over the barrel! That was in the late 70s line, not sure if it changes later
 
The old ones were decent guns. The new ones are absolute junk. At my LGS we had an old Undercover. I compared the old one with a new model. Not even in the same universe as the Undercover of yore.
 
gtoppcop said:
The old ones were decent guns. The new ones are absolute junk. At my LGS we had an old Undercover. I compared the old one with a new model. Not even in the same universe as the Undercover of yore.
Click to expand...
Wow they went that far downhill bummer ! When I was there in the late 70s they were IMO a decent gun . Sad to see they may have fell downhill like the Taurus line
 
I acquired this Stratford built Charter Arms Undercover .32 S&W Long a few months ago. There is nothing wrong with these guns other than they lack the popularity of S&W and Colt handguns. S&W no longer builds guns like they did three decades ago, Colt dropped the D frames years ago, and God knows Ruger has always produced it's products by the most cost effective ways. I can't speak for the latest CA products, as I do not own any, but the older Bridgeport and Stratford built guns were decent firearms.
Charter_Arms_UC_32.jpg

Charter_Arms_undercover_32.jpg


As a pocket gun, the CA is about 1/2 price of a S&W. If carried daily, both will wear at the same rate. Use it and lose it, justified or not. I recently got back a firearm that was stolen from me in 2011; it sat in a property room for just under four years. Would you rather have a $600.00 S&W or a $300.00 Charter Arms sitting in a property room for four years?
recovered.jpg
 
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Some more food for thought. A Stratford built CA is easily a thirty year old gun. For $280.00 you can spend a bit more and buy a band new gun with a warranty.

Like this:
ShieldGlockS_W_005.JPG


I have purchased three S&W Shields, all 9mm with the thumb safety. These are fine pistols. Unless you have physical problems that make operating a semi-auto pistol difficult or impossible, this would be superior to a five shot revolver. Slimmer, same weight, greater firepower, quicker to reload.

You do not mention your location, but if you are near metro Atlanta there is a LGS with several new Kahr pistols marked down at the $300.00 range and some LE trade-ins of various types.
 
I had an early Stratford Undercover .38. I'm sorry I sold it, a very nice and well-made piece. I have an elderly neighbor lady who has one as a house gun, and I have loaded wax bullets in .38 Special so she can practice in her back yard with it, She does pretty well at 15', which is all she needs. She keeps it loaded with full wadcutters (I think she bought them when she bought the gun back in the 70s), and I guess those work OK if she ever needed to use it. I don't know what I was thinking, but at the local gun show about a year ago, I passed up one in very nice condition in its original box for $250. I've thought about that mistake a hundred times since.
 
I bought a new Undercover. 38 in 1977 to use as a backup/off-duty gun. I bought the CA because it was decent quality and a good bit cheaper than a similar S&W or Colt. I didn't shoot it much but it performed well enough. I got a new Colt Agent a few years later and gave the Undercover to my widowed mother who lived alone. I've seen one in stainless for sale by a private seller for $300 and it has been tempting for nostalgia sake but I wouldn't pay $300 for any Undercover without being unused with the original box and etc. For a serious carry revolver, I would add a bit more money and get a S&W Airweight with a warranty.
 
Thanks all for your advice and counsel. I'm probably going to pass on this one, based on the comments I've heard. I'm not a collector, and I'm not rich. But I can afford another $100 toward something with a warranty, or at least something used that is current production.
 
Gunsrfun,

Don't let us turn you. If you think it's a good gun, buy it. They were wonderful guns. Parts are plentiful at Numrich. They were well-built and can take +P. I like the cylinder's ejector rod. You can open it by pulling on the end of the ejector rod also.

They're reasonably easy to repair. Unfortunately, the one we had at my LGS was sold from under me. I could have gotten it for a fair price and would have. They are good revolvers.
 
I've owned several of the older Charter Arms 38's and thought they were good guns for the money. Sold all of them now, but I buy and sell guns all the time, so that means nothing. I've had a couple of the newer Charters also and thought they were decent too, BTW.

Now the only thing I didn't like about the old Charters are the grips. Those things would beat my knuckles bloody even with wadcutter loads. They're just small and hard to hold onto IMHO.

So the easy way to fix that, is to go to Charters website and order a set of their current neoprene grips. They'll fit the old revolvers just fine, and again, IMHO, are one of the most comfortable grips I've ever used.

However...around here, I see Smith & Wesson 442/642's for sale used for not a lot more than a used Charter, even less than a new one. Just last week my wife saw one of the "Pink Lady" Charters, (NIB) and asked about it. We walked around the counter and found a used 642-1, (no lock) for $70.00 less. She didn't think pink was that important.
 
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