Posted: 6/5/2003 6:49:00 PM EDT
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Hello all, I recently got this Charter Arms .38 special Undercover for a gift. I know nothing about it. I'm thinking about using it for a carry. Any thoughts about that? anything about the reliablity of this revolver? anything at all would be of great help Also, can i fire .357 magnum rounds through this safely? Thanks alot |
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The Charter Arms Undercover is smaller than the J frame S&W and was priced lower as well. I believe they went out of business some years back but might have been recently resurrected. Its a very concealable weapon, but with a grip many feel is uncomfortably small. I'm not sure if the Undercover was +P rated and certainly not designed to fire .357 even if you could get the cylinder closed. |
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I owned a Charter Arms .38 spl back in the 60's. It was not rated for +P ammo but it was a good gun. The new Charter 2000 that I've seen at the local gun shops are too "loose" for my taste. Barrel/cylinder lockup isn't up to my standards. For the money and type of weapon I'd get a Rossi or Tarus .357 snub. I use to carry a S&W model 36 Chief Special that I have since given to my wife. The prices on new ones are too high. But since it was a gift then you're ahead of the game. |
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Good gun, use standard pressure loads, all should be well. I liked the sight picture on those Charters way better than the more expensive S&W chief. Do not remove the front crane screw as (if memory serves me) a little nylon washer lives in there that becomes deformed and cannot be reused or easily replaced. Reassembly without it causes the cylinder to bind. The only reason I bring it up, there are some who like to disassemble an arm to see what "makes it tick"...not saying you would.  Those were advertised as having an unbreakable beryllium copper firing pin, back in their heyday. Good gift, I shoulda kept all mine, especially the .44 Bulldogs. |
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I have a Charter 2000 Bulldog, and it serves its purpose very well for the price. Depending on your choice of holster, you'll probably need to smooth the corners of the hammer and front sight with a file to make it less painful to carry. I don't know abou the Undercover, but the grips on my Bulldog kinda suck... I think Pachmayr is the only one to make replacements. If yours is stainless, the finish will start to darken a little with carry. Not quite rust, but not bright stainless anymore. For the price and purpose of the gun, I'm not complaining at all. As an aside, mine is actually pretty darned accurate when I fire it with the hammer cocked, and yours will probably be the same. |
Ok, this is exactly what my undercover looks like, do you know if it belongs amongst the ones with the beryllium copper firing pin? http://www.geocities.com/hanniballecter02/Undercover.jpg thanks |
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Sorry, I couldn't open that link, Lockedon, but I know what they look like anyway. Chances are, if it was made in Stratford Conn., it has that firing pin. If it's a Charco manufactured gun, I don't know because I have heard beryllium causes health problems...not the firing pin so much as the process to make it. Chronic berylliun disease, caused by high levels of beryllium...irreversable and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs may have been enough reason to discontinue manufacture of this type of firing pin, I would think. |
