Need Info & Value on 60s?(Low ser.) Charter Arms Undercover .38 Snub

[hometheatreguy]

I am trying to find info for my father on his very low serial number undercover model he has had for ~35 years. After 20 pages of searching I gave up, I learned a lot, but need more specific info on this one.

He purchased used from a friend. It is like a grey stainless(?) and shoots perfect. It locks up very tight and I know my dad did not even shoot 100 regular 38 rounds through it in all that time.

Serial is under 1600(and ends in 38, which I thought was neat), makes me think this is a year 1 or 2 gun. Barrel has just "Charter Arms Corp." on right side, no place of manufacture. Finish is nice, gun still looks good(pics coming). One of the original wood grip medallions has some of the metal worn down. No box, just a set of pachmayr rubber carry grips.

He just got a new S&W airweight +p and depending on Charters value may keep or sell to help pay for the smith. Let me know any info you have or links. Thanks

Here is a pic of one exactly like it, but blued. It is a higher serial, it is in the 8-9K range and had a few marks on it. It sold for $226

 

[bannockburn]

hometheatreguy

While Charter Arms was around 35 years ago, they weren't making stainless steel revolvers at the time. Initially they offered what they called polished blued; a few years later they added bright nickel. I believe stainless steel models were first introduced sometime in the early '80's. Maybe your dads Undercover was made around then with a new serial number sequence being started. I couldn't tell you anything about its value, but if it still looks and works alright, maybe just keep it and save up for something new.

 

[MICHAEL T]

orginal company didn't make them 2 time around did made in later 80 into early 90's These guns are not high on collector or retail charts Guessing Maybe 200 value . keep it it is a good home or carry pistool just not S&W or Colt I have a old 44 spl and like it

 

[hometheatreguy]

It must not be stainless then, it does not look like todays bright stainless finishes, more like a dark grey, polished steel look. I thought maybe the blued finish just wore off(can that happen?), but it is even finish and has no rust like a lot of the older charters I saw when trying to find more info.

 

[David E]

Pics would help, but even if it were the best possible version of a Charter Arms .38, it'll still only be worth less than $300.

It's a good, reliable light duty snubby, tho. Shoot it and remember your Dad every time you pull the trigger.

.

 

[hometheatreguy]

So the low serial number does not affect the value much? I will get a pic asap.

I would probably keep if it were mine, but he wants to move up to a lighter S&W +P

 

[bannockburn]

hometheatreguy

The problem with the value of an older model Charter Arms revolver is the fact that they were relatively inexpensive to begin with. I think I paid $88 for mine back in 1977; a comparable S&W snubbie would have been around $115 to $130. Their construction, using an alloy sub-frame pinned to a steel cylinder frame, was considerably less intricate, and labor intensive, than a Colt or S&W revolver. Think of it as being more like an upscale Iver Johnson, rather than a cheaper copy of a S&W. This was also reflected in their lower cost and retail pricing.

 

[hometheatreguy]

Don't get me wrong, I know this is not a big dollar item, hell my dad was shocked it may be worth ~200, he was thinking 100 tops. I just wanted to get him a fair price for it, and being such a low serial number I did not want to price it too low for him if that added signifigantly to the value.

 

[hometheatreguy]

Added pic of one almost exactly like it

 

[David E]

Were it mine, given the current political climate, I'd KEEP the Charter Arms for a second/spare gun instead of selling it.

.

 

[hometheatreguy]

Have plenty of spares already between the two of us