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Vintage Charter Arms Undercover

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ontarget

ontarget

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Nov 30, 2009
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Michigan (Gods country)
Picked up a Charter Arms Undercover recently while watching for a good deal on a snubbie. Locks up tight and shows some wear from carry, but overall a nice little .38. Near as I can tell it was made prior to 1973. It has an exposed ejector rod and is a 5 shot. Smooth wood grips.
Anyone else like these inexpensive revolvers?
 
I'm a vintage Charter revolver fan and own a 4 inch Target Bulldog in .357 that was made in the 80s. The grip wobbles a bit, but I've shimmed it with paper to reduce the wobble and holster wear has worn the bluing on it, but the trigger is the smoothest out of all the revolvers I have and the lockup is still tight.

After I bought that .357, I instantly regretted buying an Armscor .38 snub. Yeah, it's a 6 shot, but a vintage Charter .38 snub is better built, lighter, and Charter will still service it.

I keep my eye out for 6 shot .32's and .38 Charter's that were sold as "Police" revolvers, I'd love to have a shot .32 H&R. The .22's Charter made back in the day are probably the best bargain priced, yet quality .22 revolver a person can buy today. My only gripe is they only hold 6 and I just detest a 6 shot .22 revolver.
 
Nice find! :)

I have a 32 H&R Undercoverette, a 44 special Bulldog, and a 45acp Pit Bull. I got the Pit Bull used a month or two ago and it malfunctioned. Charter fixed it for free.

I also have a couple of older Taurus revolvers that are trouble-free and good shooters.

I don't have a top-break revolver and have been stalking Gunbroker for an old Harrington and Richardson in 32 S&W long.

My really nice DA S&W revolvers and SA Rugers are my favorites, but I also have some very functional less expensive ones that get the job done just fine.

I got this Japanese Miroku (38 special) a couple of months ago for $195. It's an excellent shooter and seems well-made.

Miroku 38 special

Miroku 38 special

 
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The day I was sworn in onto the job, in 1987, I bought a then-new Undercover 38 revolver. It rode OD/BU with me for the next few years. It had the then-rare anodized-aluminum barrel/ejector shroud on it. It shot well and true, and still locks up nice and solid. Yes, I still have it.

Unknown to me at the time, my dad (with whom I was not in contact, having not seen him since I was very young) was also doing some time as a LEO, in a rural Colorado county. His OD/Jeep gun was also an Undercover that was made in the same year in which I was born (1966.) We re-established contact in around 1999, and the gun became mine when he died in 2010. It's a bit slicker than mine, having the slimmer and smoother stocks, and lacking the shroud. It shoots well, though.

A few years ago, I picked up a third Undercover I came across in a gun shop. This one dates from around 1985, and is stainless steel instead of blued. I hadn't known they made them in stainless back then. It has the checkered stocks my first one has, but no shroud. I carry this one now and then since it's more rust-resistant. It's also probably the tightest-lockup revolver I own.

I had in hand at a store once a six-shooting Undercoverette. I wish I'd brought it home.

Yeah, I like the older Charter Arms line...
 
I bought a new Charter Bulldog Pug in 1987 and carried it daily for about 10 years. I still have it and occasionally still carry it. It has never failed to function in any way and I would gladly pay the $200 or so I paid in '87 again for one built like that and would choose that Charter .44 over any of the plastic fantastic little 9 mm pocket pistols favored today. It just works.
 
MedWheeler said:
The day I was sworn in onto the job, in 1987, I bought a then-new Undercover 38 revolver. It rode OD/BU with me for the next few years. It had the then-rare anodized-aluminum barrel/ejector shroud on it. It shot well and true, and still locks up nice and solid. Yes, I still have it.

Unknown to me at the time, my dad (with whom I was not in contact, having not seen him since I was very young) was also doing some time as a LEO, in a rural Colorado county. His OD/Jeep gun was also an Undercover that was made in the same year in which I was born (1966.) We re-established contact in around 1999, and the gun became mine when he died in 2010. It's a bit slicker than mine, having the slimmer and smoother stocks, and lacking the shroud. It shoots well, though.

A few years ago, I picked up a third Undercover I came across in a gun shop. This one dates from around 1985, and is stainless steel instead of blued. I hadn't known they made them in stainless back then. It has the checkered stocks my first one has, but no shroud. I carry this one now and then since it's more rust-resistant. It's also probably the tightest-lockup revolver I own.

I had in hand at a store once a six-shooting Undercoverette. I wish I'd brought it home.

Yeah, I like the older Charter Arms line...
Click to expand...
Great story, sounds like a nice set! Pics?:)
 
ontarget said:
Anyone else like these inexpensive revolvers?
Click to expand...

I love mine as well. Built before the Charco disaster and still solid as a rock. I put the cushy oversized grips on it because I have XL hands and the small wood grips seemed to magnify the recoil. Now it purrs like a kitten. It's been my nightstand buddy for many years.
2.JPG
 
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I can attest to the fact that the small wood grips are cruel. When I bought my Charter it only took one trip to the range and about 50 rounds before I bought Pachmayr Compacts for it. HUGE difference.
 
MedWheeler said:
The day I was sworn in onto the job, in 1987, I bought a then-new Undercover 38 revolver. It rode OD/BU with me for the next few years. It had the then-rare anodized-aluminum barrel/ejector shroud on it. It shot well and true, and still locks up nice and solid. Yes, I still have it.

Unknown to me at the time, my dad (with whom I was not in contact, having not seen him since I was very young) was also doing some time as a LEO, in a rural Colorado county. His OD/Jeep gun was also an Undercover that was made in the same year in which I was born (1966.) We re-established contact in around 1999, and the gun became mine when he died in 2010. It's a bit slicker than mine, having the slimmer and smoother stocks, and lacking the shroud. It shoots well, though.

A few years ago, I picked up a third Undercover I came across in a gun shop. This one dates from around 1985, and is stainless steel instead of blued. I hadn't known they made them in stainless back then. It has the checkered stocks my first one has, but no shroud. I carry this one now and then since it's more rust-resistant. It's also probably the tightest-lockup revolver I own.

I had in hand at a store once a six-shooting Undercoverette. I wish I'd brought it home.

Yeah, I like the older Charter Arms line...
Click to expand...
Do you remember what the asking price was for that 6 shot Undercoverette? Also, was that a .32 S&W Long or .32 H&R? The S&W Long's were 6 shooters, but the H&R's with 6 shots were the "police" revolvers and are pretty uncommon.
 
I was very happy when I found this one. I picked it up for $150.00. It's my first snubby but after shooting it I doubt it will be my last. I kind of like the smooth wood grips, even with large hands its fairly comfortable to me, especially in comparison to my LCP.
 
I have a couple of newer alumium framed Charter 38spl.'s
The Gold Finger model , I changed tbe hammer to DAO .. installed custom black polymer grip panels .
image.jpeg image.jpeg
I carry'em usually with staggered loads of Federal 130gr HST & Winchester 147gr LWC

Why the Goldfinger ?
Im a Georgia Tech fan !!!
 
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Bought mine from our Motor Sgt in '81. Dates from the mid '60's Carried on and off duty for the last almost 40 years It now sports a 3" stainless barrel and still shoots better than I can hold it. Go to the Backwoodsman home page and in one of the back issues (December 2017?) you'll find my article on the 38 special
 
My most favorite was a 357 Magnum-don't remember the model name. It was a handful but shot very well. I have had two Bulldogs and one or two Undercover's. The little guns shot well. I had to have one of the Bulldog's repaired. Otherwise no real problems. I would not pass up a good deal on a Charter handgun today.
 
A mid-80s Undercover was my first CC weapon. Got it specifically so I could take the course in Utah, because I was offered a job as an armed courier and ended up becoming an armed chaperone for 'exotic dancers'.
Not as fun a job as it sounds, but that little heater served me well, especially when I decided to experiment with other types of pistols for the job. From the Commander to the S&W 59, whenever I had an issue with the autos, that little piece served me well.
 
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