Charter Arms Undercover

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OrangePwrx9

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Picked up a new CA Undercover today. It's the 73820 model, so it's a stainless .38 Spl and the first CA I've even touched. Haven't shot it yet. Seems like a good little revolver. Cylinder locks up tight and carry-up seems fine. Trigger is surprisingly good.

One thing I didn't expect was that the trigger guard and grip frame appear to be plastic. Not a problem, I'm sure it's strong enough. Just throwing it out there because all the reading I did researching this model didn't indicate that to be the case. Maybe someone else is interested.
 
I'm pretty sure those parts aren't plastic. Maybe cast alloy or something. But I have been wrong once before so........
My Undercover was made in 1972 so it's all metal.
 
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Even some of the older Undercover models had an aluminum trigger guard/grip frame. The stainless one I have from about 1985 does. I can't remember if I've ever checked my blued versions, from 1966 and 1987.

None has come with a polymer (plastic) grip frame.
 
Charter Arms doesn't use plastic to make their grip frames, as far as I know. The Undercover I had from the mid-'70s had a steel frame and an aluminum grip frame. It was one way of keeping the weight down (and probably a lot cheaper), than going with an aluminum alloy frame. I believe all of them were made that way until they started making revolvers in the larger calibers.
 
I can see where an aluminum grip frame would save a couple of ounces. Only thing I know for sure is that the gun's stainless parts are magnetic while the grip frame is not, so it could be aluminum.

Don't feel like disturbing that nice even grey finish to find out for sure.
 
Well this thread inspired me to stop by the LGS and see what was under the counter. As much as I want to join the Bulldog Club, .44 Special isn't something I am prepared to start reloading any time soon. However, I wanted something a bit smaller than my Pitbull in .45 for when I wanted to pocket carry a revolver. I love my little .380s as they disappear in my pocket. However, their double action and slim size make them tough to shoot.

I figured a lightweight .38 special would do the trick. Now, I learned a long time ago that I simply suck with revolvers under 14oz. It's weird. Get them up to 16 or 17 and I shoot them fine. Even snappier rounds like 9mm +P out of an LCR. However, I can't shoot a 642 or .38 LCR worth a lick.

The LGS had a sale on their blued Charter Arms Undercover revolvers. It's DAO and came with the Off-Duty grips already installed. This was nice as I was planning on swapping my OD grips I put on my Pitbull onto the Undercover should it come with the chunkier style grips. The Undercover they had was a typical Charter Arms specimen: Nice lock up, lightweight, sharp edges, ho-hum bluing. For $300, these are minor things I can live with regarding a gun that is going to ride around in a coat/pants pocket. The bluing doesn't bother me at all. The gun is stainless, so any cosmetic scratches are just that...cosmetic.

I like the feel of the gun, and I actually prefer the DAO trigger (at least when it comes to dry firing it) to the 642 I had once upon a time. Also, while I think the LCR trigger is superior when it comes to smoothness, I sometimes had the habit of short stroking it. Another thing I have come to prefer is a smooth bobbed hammer over an internal one. I like that when I reholster the gun, I can keep my thumb on the hammer to feel it it starts to go proud if something gets stuck in the trigger guard. I prefer the light recoil of the Ruger ARX ammo, So I picked up a box of that as well since I am out of SD .38 rounds.

I've got some flat semi wadcutters kicking around somewhere as well as a box or two misc lead round nose and 158 gr fmj. I hope to give the little charter a work out next week. If it's as reliable and shoots as well as my Pitbull in .45, I think I may have found my fall weather carry piece.

Edit to add, the grip frame on the blued models appears to be polymer and NOT aluminum. I just cleaned the gun and noticed a bit of plastic shavings where the steel frame meets the guard. Looking at the grip, what I had assumed was a flashing line in the aluminum is actually just left over from the mold. Not totally convenced, I scraped a bit of the frame edge thats under the grips with a knife, and it indeed polymer.

No big deal. Lots of poly framed gripped revolvers these days. It does nothing but make the gun easier to pack. It seems about on par with what Ruger is making the LCR out of.
 
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I had forgotten how comfy Pach Compact grips are. Night and day on how nice the gun feels in hand. I might be scrapping the off duty grips and keeping compacts on the Undercover.
 
Hey @Fiv3r; if you've still got your receipt and warranty card, you can get a $25 rebate and a hat from Charter Arms. Visit the CA site for details. Program runs until the end of August.

I saw some flashing on top of the trigger guard under the crane pivot. Sure looked like plastic to me.
 
OrangePwrx9 said:
Hey @Fiv3r; if you've still got your receipt and warranty card, you can get a $25 rebate and a hat from Charter Arms. Visit the CA site for details. Program runs until the end of August.

I saw some flashing on top of the trigger guard under the crane pivot. Sure looked like plastic to me.
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm sending that in first of the week. I'm not much of a company swag kind of guy, but I don't mind the check:D
 
My 38 has a plastic grip frame. I think anything with a 4+” barrel or 40+ caliber gets the aluminum grip frame with modern production.
Charter will sell you an aluminum frame. ~$50 after shipping iirc.
 
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The gripframe on the undercover model is polymer or some sort of impregnated fiberglass. It's not a big deal, and I actually find it a bit less sharp than the aluminum one on my Pitbull. With the black on black of my Undercover, I never gave it a thought. It sure looks like they figured out how to dress it up to make it look like brushed aluminum.

Here's a snip from a gun review back in 2011:

"The Undercover is not constructed entirely of steel but features a trigger guard and grip frame composed of some type of well-camouflaged polymer."

https://www.handgunsmag.com/editorial/charter-arms-undercover/138729
 
Email from Bob at CA April 2019.

We produce 3 frame sizes, Small used for 22, 32, 38 revolvers, Large used for 44, 357, 9mm, 40 S&W, and 38 6 shot, and our XL frame used for 41 mag , 45 Colt, and 45 ACP


All of our large frame and XL framed guns use a aluminum grip frame also all long barreled models use the aluminum grip frame regardless of frame size.
Click to expand...
 
Well now I'm in a quandry. Was thinking about picking up a mag Pug or a 9mm Pit Bull or a 6-shot Police Undercover as another Charter Arms acquisition before the rebate offer ends. But this darned 73820 .38 Spl Undercover seems perfect in every way that counts. Anything else would be a step backward in one way or another.

It's gotten to the point of thinking about getting a second gun just like the one I've got...and that's crazy, right? ...right? Well, a fella' can always use another gun, and if one ends up in the Police evidence locker I'd still need one to carry. That's what's passing for logic at the moment.

First world problems...
 
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