Charter arms undercover .38 special

.Bought one brand new sometime in the early 80's. Seems like I broke something early on, I remember it wouldent lock all the way into battery. My gunsmith fixed it easy enough. Then once an underpowerd reload lodged a lead 158 grain SWC part way between the barrel & the cylinder tying up & jamming the little gun. But that was not the guns fault.

Liked the little Charter well enough to have carried it off & on for 20+ years. It was easy to conceal diden't weigh anything yet it was all steel.

Bad points were the wood grips which I kept because I needed maximum concealabilty,but man did that thing ever hurt the hand when I fired it!
The other bad point (major one) the little charter was absolutely hands down the single most inaccurate handgun I have ever owned!
I sure coulden't hit much with it nor could anyone I ever handed it too.

However, one of the two times I ever thought I would have to actually shoot someone the little Charter was quickly in my hand and the situation was just as quickly defused.

While the little Udercover Charter wae busy saving my families bacon my Colt Combat Goverment model with the 4 lb. trigger & the Bowmar sights was "safely" locked in my car trunk ....back at the Motel....

I owed that little hard kicken inaccurate Charter an awful lot.

I still regret ever trading it off.

not much resale on the gun. i would keep it. make a good house gun.

Prolly gonna end of selling this to fund another gun. I see a lot of the for sale on GB . What would be a fair price? Most are selling for $300ish.

I've had one since around 1980. I've never really understood rather it was rated for +P or not. It serves as one of my house "hideout" guns.

I thought about that , but I rather have a G27 more than this .

My father has a old Charter Arms .38 Saturday night special from either the late 70's or early 80's. I bet every bit of 10,000 rounds and still a reliable gun. I am seriously considering getting a Charter Mag Pug .357 2.2in as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DooSPX

My father has a old Charter Arms .38 Saturday night special from either the late 70's or early 80's. I bet every bit of 10,000 rounds and still a reliable gun. I am seriously considering getting a Charter Mag Pug .357 2.2in as well.

---

I have a mag Pug. Cool little gun that really grew on me. Only gripe is the ported barrel that spits burning powder with .357 loads.

However, I like my .44 Bulldog about 10 times as much as the Mag Pug.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Newman5

Prolly gonna end of selling this to fund another gun. I see a lot of the for sale on GB . What would be a fair price? Most are selling for $300ish.

---

200 bucks is what you can expect to get for your vintage Undercover. I paid 200 bucks for each of my two vintage Undercovers at local gun stores. In the current buying panic, you may be able to get more, especially in a face-to-face purchase because some people pay a premium to have a "no paperwork" firearm.

lowercase,
Thanks for the heads up! I was leery about the ported barrel. I assume it was for two reasons, marketing and slight help with muzzle flip.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lowercase

200 bucks is what you can expect to get for your vintage Undercover. I paid 200 bucks for each of my two vintage Undercovers at local gun stores. In the current buying panic, you may be able to get more, especially in a face-to-face purchase because some people pay a premium to have a "no paperwork" firearm.

---

I'd take $200 for it . I doubt a shop that I'd buy a gun would give that on trade.

I had one, nickel plated, bought it in 1979 .... and then sold it not long after I bought my .357 SP101 maybe 20 year ago. Friend pestered me into selling.
I wish I had held onto it. It was light, I made it a habit to always use regular .38 spl ammo in it for shooting after them first 5 158 grain lead semi wadcutter +Ps made it jump and I figured a steady diet wouldn't do it good. I carried it in a ankle holster or in my duty coat pocket as a BUG a lot and then I had the +Ps in it.

I've owned mine for I think 38 years. I've carried it as a primary and a backup off and on for many years. My job these days requires greater firepower so I carry autos, but my Charter is still my preferred hiking gun here in the southwest desert. My SO bought a "Judge" last year as a snake gun for me, but I found it to be too heavy when hiking so I went back to my trust old Charter Arms with snake shot. My pancake holster fits in my back pocket perfectly so the gun's handy but out of the way.

I wouldn't sell it. Especially if it was your grandfathers gun. It will never be a valuable gun (gee in 38 years mine has maybe tripled in value...whoopee) but it is a classic, and was built to last a lifetime. I'd keep it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DooSPX

My father has a old Charter Arms .38 Saturday night special from either the late 70's or early 80's. I bet every bit of 10,000 rounds and still a reliable gun. I am seriously considering getting a Charter Mag Pug .357 2.2in as well.

---

That's about when I bought mine but have rarely fired it until recently. However, I just applied for my CWP and will probably carry it till I can get a single-stack semi-auto to carry. Mine has the small wooden grips.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FastDraw

I've had one since around 1980. I've never really understood rather it was rated for +P or not. It serves as one of my house "hideout" guns.

---

If it was produced before 1986 the .38 Undercover is not +P rated..........

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chuckusaret

If it was produced before 1986 the .38 Undercover is not +P rated..........

---

Hey that's my gun!! I bought it from him