I'm years late to this video, but thank you for making it. My grandpa had an undercover just like that one in his store for 20 years. Kept it for protection. I remember being just a kid & seeing it loose in his desk drawer. (Not safe or advisable storage, but it was the 80s, and he didn't think twice.) He sold it not long after he lost the business in the 2008 crash, and he passed away earlier this year at age 96. I'll never be able to track down his undercover, but I found one just like it this summer. Charter Arms is fixing it up for me, and I plan to shoot it at least once a year on his birthday.

Got an old .38 from my grandma. My grandpa(died before I born) had it while he was a cop. Gave it to me in GREAT shape and I love it. Work 3rd shift at a gas station and conceal carry everywhere I go.

As a law enforcement officer, I packed a back-up piece for those horrible, life threatening moments that cops sometimes encounter. I wore my back-up in an ankle holster around the top of my spit-shined black leather paratrooper boots that many of my brothers wore in the 1970's. This lightweight snubby (16-oz.) was a Charter Arms Undercoverette .32, with a six-shot cylinder. It looked just like the one in this video, with exception to the caliber (.32) and six-shot cylinder. I wore this little piece of life insurance for over 3-decades before retiring it for a .32acp Stenda Pistol. My little Charter Arms Undercoverette sported the same smooth service grip panels which enhance its concealability factor. I bought this back-up for off duty carry also and kept it cleaned frequently because of the day-to-day cop wear. This would include bad weather, wading/running through water puddles chasing varmints, hot as hell summer weather, and 30+years of carry. When I retired it for the Stenda, it had been shot only a few times, still in great operating order, so I sent it back to the Charter Arms Company with a letter describing it's history as my back-up. I wanted my little gun refurbished but wasn't prepared to spend a fortune getting it done on a 75-dollar snubby. After a 2-week period, I received a package, via UPS, inside the box was a brand new looking Charter Arms Undercoverette .32 revolver. It was my old gun that now looked brand spanking new and a nice note that said "thank you for your service", NO CHARGE! Still carrying it in a inside a user-friendly velvet lined holster. I hoped my story on a compact, lightweight Charter Arms Undercoverette .32, would be found interesting to some Charter Arms owners.

My dad and I both did stints as lawmen back in the eighties, during a time in which we were not in contact with each other (my parents divorced when I was still very little.) He was in Colorado and I here in Florida. We both bought Undercover revolvers for off-duty and truck/Jeep use, it turned out. On top of that, his was made the same year I was born. We re-established contact about ten years before he died in 2010, and his Undercover came home with me (along with his Ruger Police Service Six, his duty sidearm.) The Undercover is on my belt right now. I still own mine, and another stainless one from around 1985 I picked up a couple of years ago. They're certainly neat, solid little revolvers. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent review! Love the history portion. 😊

I just got my sweet little Nannys passed down to me,she talked like it was the best gun in the world,too her it was and now it is to me 😊😥

My dad just gifted this sentimental gun to me tonight. It was my grandfather’s gun whom died way before I was born. I actually cried when my dad gave it to me. He made me promise to take care of it and never let it out of my sight. I’m going to have to get some practice in with this gun, as I have no experience in firearms. I’m afraid of the recoil if I’m being completely vulnerable and honest. I’d hate to ever need to use it, but I’m glad I now have protection. Thanks for the video!

I used carry an undercover for many years before I could afford a S&W Chief's Special. Always loved the little Charters. Only complaint I ever had against them was if you shot them a bunch, as I did, they would tend to shoot loose because of the way they were put together using mostly pins instead of screws. They were intended to be kept a long time and fired seldom, not vigorously worked out at range qualification time regularly, and for that purpose they excelled. I must correct the record on something you said about the transfer bar safety: it was first used by Iver Johnson all the way back in the 1890's, 1894 to be specific if I remember correctly. Smith and Colt were both using a different form hammer safety, called a rebound hammer, by 1900. Lots of people like to point to that excellent designer, Bill Ruger, and his introduction of hammer block safeties on his single actions as the first time they were used because that's usually the first time anyone ever heard of it, but that didn't happen until 1973.

I had a CA Undercover back in the 90's. That gun saved my bacon more than once when i was working the night shift at a local convenience store/gas station. I sold it to buy a S&W model 36, but found out that gun had a broken hammer pin, so sold that one and moved on to another. Eventually, I found another Undercover at a decent price and picked it up for old times' sake. Still shoots true.

Another youtuber, Paul Harrell, demonstrated that a revolver with fixed sights has different points of impact using different sorts of ammo with the same aiming point. His target was at of distance of about 10 yards. One brand of ammo shot left and the other brand shot right. I would try using a different manufacturer and maybe a different bullet weight. This was a very nice video, my friend's mom has a new Charter Arms snub nose and she is happy with it

it's also the epitome of a primary ccw for edc. I carry my Smith and Wesson 442, and the other day i went to the range, and at 40 ft, all 5 were in the target's kill zone, with a group that fit well within my hand. If the gun goes bang when you pull the trigger, it's done its job: accuracy is up to you. Beautiful gun. I love snubbies. my carry alternates between a Smith and Wesson 442 and a Rock Island m 206 doa snub nose.

My brother inherited an Undercover 39 from our father. We finally got a chance to take it to the range yesterday. It is definitely a close-up gun. The sight picture makes it not an easy gun to shoot for someone who hasn't put some range time in with a revolver. Great review! You cleared up a few questions we had about it.

I just bought mine today for 300 at my gun shop that I worked at. I had been looking for one for a long time 😁😁

Bought my wife's in 78. Dead on! Love it. She was coming home from work one night and two Africans pulled up beside her swerving at her, she pointed it, they jumped the median and went the other way.

what a beauty of a gun. thank you for explaination and footage of the tranfer bar. best explanation ive seen before on youtube. this is the type of gun id carry myself or give to a wife or girlfriend for her saftey.

just bought one as my first gun, shot a few rounds through it and loved it! :)

I use a .38 Special Charter Arms Undercover for home defense against both bad guys and deadly intruders. I recently protected my home a dogs from a five foot rattlesnake using the Charter Arms .38 Undercover! I always keep the pistol loaded with three hollow point and three snake-shot loads. The hollow points are ready for the first shot while, it is easy as pie to select the snake-shot load... BTW: I don't expect to repeat the O.K. Corral with my home defense pistol and I also expect that if I needed to defend against a bad guy it would be at close range...

Thank you for an excellent video.. I have one that my uncle gave me many years ago.. Mine happens to shot center mass low..just a good pocket pistol... Thanks again and keep up the good work

I remember seeing ads for them in the old gun magazines that made a point to emphasize they had a beryllium copper firing pin that supposedly was superior. Great little guns.

First handgun I ever bought back in 1973 for a hundred bucks new--gave it to my son a couple of years ago. I never shot at anything more than 5 yards away, and the patterns I got at that range suited me fine. What attracted me to it was its concealability--I could completely cover it with a hand, and it was my constant companion for at least 5 years.

I have this exact gun got it cheap at pawn store, i love to wear it around the house with a shoulder holsrer smoking cigs and playing detective. Thanks for teaching me about the gun especially the dop safety, i didnt know. Thx

I have one of these. Great little gun with an innovative design and light weight for a steel frame.

Picked one of these in amazing conduction off gunbroker for $176. Just wanted a classic snubnose to look at and teach people the difference between revolvers and semi autos without spending the money on a colt of S&W. Also, don’t have to worry about magazines. Nice review!

Excellent video. I learned a lot

i bought a similar off duty in stainless used for 160 dollars in 1992 NO ejector rod shroud /under lug probably made late 1970s or early 1980s ..mine is very accurate out to 40 ft ..love it better than my smith and wesson its not rated for plus p but plenty of great non plus P ammo out there ..i used to load with federal nyclad hollow or silvertip but now days hornady critical defense lite 90 grain ..made for light weight snubs ..goes 11-1/2 to 12-1/2 in in denim covered balistic gel [FBI STANDARD ] and expands ..low flash low recoil

These old charters are such good guns and they can regularly be had for less than $250. Go find one if your looking for a good little pocket revolver.

I have three of these vintage Charter Arms undercovers now. All three of mine are Stratford CT models, made in the 1970's from what I can find. The first versions sometimes had weird bluing, I like the Stratford models best, but all the early models are nicer IMO. I have two blued models, and one somewhat rare stainless model.

I got one that's from my towns PD and it's in amazing condition and has never been fired before, and I have the original holster for it too. It's a really fun little gun

My sister just picked one of these up today for $149, it still had the packing grease on it! Basically no use at all, I'm guessing someone bought it new and left it in the closet for decades then either sold it or more likely passed away and their family sold it off. I cleaned it up for her and was surprised to see it in nearly mint condition!

I bought one of these used in 2004. It still looks brand new. It is very snappy to fire, but I'm glad that it is in my collection.

I picked one up used at Turners in Ca. for a $150. It’s blued with rubber grips and I found some wood grips on eBay and it is a beautiful combination as a classic. Works great and a timepiece.

Snubbies just don't usually fair as well with jacketed ammo. Not enough barrel to influence them, but with something like a lead cast bullet or semi wad cutter, they are usually slightly oversized and stage down in the forcing cone allowing for greater accuracy!!! I shoot 168gr semi wadcutters out of mine, and even at 7 yards if I'm doing single action shots I can keep it pretty much on a playing card.

I bought my Charter Arms Undercover (serial #680...) in 1981 and I still carry it today. When I first bought it, I thought it was a so-called Saturday Night Special....a cheap little gun. But this thing has stood the test of time. The blued finish is almost perfect, the wood grips are in great shape, and it fires every time I pull the trigger. I also carry a Kahr CM9, but I find myself coming back time and time again to this great little snubbie.

I have the older model like the one in the video. Great little Roscoe and love the channel. Keep up the great work!

Hey great video. I have one of these and it goes with me when it’s too hot for pants and is with me at work always. 200 bones and it’s there if I ever need it. I prefer these thin grips over the bigger ones on modern snubs. I like it so much I think I’m gonna give it to my mom when I upgrade to a pocket auto

I love my early Bridgeport Undercover. I actually can hit a small piece of wood and clays at 25 yards double action. Fits perfectly in any normal size pocket

I'd been wanting to purchase my first gun for about a year now for basic self-defense. My father who owned a bar passed away a few months ago. As I've been clearing some things out, I found one of these he kept locked in the kitchen. I believe it's from the early 80s whenever he first opened. I will be keeping it. Cleaned it up with a friend and got it ready to practice with. It probably hasn't been shot since '84.

Enjoyed your review

I ran across and old ad from a gun magazine. It touted the beryllium copper firing pin as being virtually unbreakable. Mine has many, many rounds through it and it still functions like it did when it was new. Great little guns.

Great review! Just bought one in blue, at my LGS, for $200! Has a wear line, but is crisp and cylinders and barrel looked fine. Small wooden grips, lightweight to pocket carry. No shroud on extractor, and just needed a little bit of TLC. Years ago, bought a newer model in stainless steel, didnt spin cylinder right. 2 trips to factory(Charco), and didn't trust it. Sold it off for a 442 S&W Centennial. Wifey carries that daily. Anyway, I'm back with the vintage model Undercover.

I used to get these in the early 90’s from police trade ins in carried shape for $65. I wish I still had them great gun.

And they are extremely accurate in the right hands as well.

picked up a factory nickel plated undercover for my wife in 1978 .. that's the only gun she will have , shoot .. over 40 years and about 800 rounds later it still works ..period

I only carry a CA .38 Undercover with Wadcutters. Solid frame, triple lockup and protected crane. BEST revolver design out there.

Great video. Thank you. Came into posession of a circa 1966 Charter Undercover 38 recently. Still seems in decent condition, bluing looks good, shows a bit of rust on parts of the frame but overall is nice. Looking forward to trying it out at the firing range.

Not only do I have this exact pistol, but it's still my carry gun. It just fits my hand better than a modern j-frame.

I really do wish that people would not say that all double action revolvers without a transfer bar are only safe with 5 shots loaded. Colt and S&W both used hammer blocks with rebounding hammers until transfer bar safeties became standard. Both types are safe with all 5 or 6 chambers loaded. The 5 loaded in a 6 round gun mostly only applies to single actions other than 2 screw rugers.

Both Smith and Wesson and Colt had rotation hammers in say a Colt Detective Special or S & W model 10. My father had a 1940s S & W Model 10 and the hammer rotated back and off the primer. It only lined up with the primer of the bullet when in fire mode with trigger held all the way back. The old west single action revolvers had issue with firing pin on the primer. No service double action rested on the primer. The actions in the Charter Arms was a lot more delicate than Colt or S&W so they did not see the heavy police work that Colt and S&W did. They were a cheaper gun.

Its extrem light for a full steel Revolver. For me is this the perfect self defense Gun.

I just picked one of these up and I can hear and see the transfer bar move

I shot mine today and at 5 yards was able to do a fist sized group in double action as fast as I could pull the trigger.

That undercut on the grip looks like a finger buster. I only say that cause i have a new one and the stock grips are great. But i '"upgraded" to some wooden bulldog grips that have a steep undercut behing the trigger gaurd and after 10 rounds your ready to go home. It bruised your middle finger. wound up putting the stock grips back on.

I remember buying one (satin nickel) for my dad at a gun show back in the mid 80’s. It was either $135 or 165. I miss those gun shows with my dad.

Very nice brother i need to get a good ol snubbie

I want one of these for my snubby collection.

This example appears to be missing ejector rod collar, Part 24 on parts list, but maybe that was added? On mine, Bridgeport edition, cylinder latch can be sticky. More modern design includes a latch release that has an internal hole drilled, and a spring/plunger to mechanically assist forward motion of cylinder release. Not sure original units can be retrofitted for easier, more smooth cylinder release. Thx for video, and for keeping it up!

Nice video!

Frank Cannon...Private Eye. He had a snub nosed and made 75 yard shots! LOL!

nice gun. as far as shooting it goes , most 38 specials are sighted in with 158 grain standard pressure round nose lead bullets. that is what your sights are regulated too at 21 ft. also try 148grain wadcutters. and the gun will be more fun to shoot since wadcutters don't kick. though they mite shoot about an inch low. I have been looking for one of these CAs . can't find them around here ( although, no shrtage of Colt or S&W revolvers, go figure, and I keep buying them). thanks for the video.

I took notice of that conspicuous sign alongside the shooting lane reading "NO RAPID FIRE". Obviously range management has not taken notice of a fellow by the name of Jerry Miculek.

Love it

My undercover has a very nice trigger.

Aww what sweet lil snub

I still have mine from the 70's.

A lot of CA .38 spl. stories here well mine a little different I bought a CA .44 spl. sometime back in the late 70's I thought it was a a gun smith custom (haven't ever seen another since) it is a 5 shot unshrouded floating ejector model with 1"& 15/16" barrel a checkered top bobbed hammer I did call CA and I think I spoke to Vince who said yes it was a factory gun from the early to mid 70's I don't shoot it much but I do ever now and then along with keeping it clean it has small grips for concealment it has a sting to it with 240 gr SWC it was an EDC for a long time ! Serial # 4xxxxxx ANYONE GOT ANY INFO

I have one of these, light weight and concealable....

I've tried carrying concealed many different handguns. The Charter Arms is by far the most convenient and comfortable. Ditch the ugly rubber grips and get the smaller wood grips.

I have one of these I just had fixed and am gonna start carrying. Any suggestions on speed loaders you can carry?

It looks like you are missing the sleeve & spring that go on the front of the ejector rod. I just bought a used one that needed those same parts. My local gunsmith had the parts in stock. All in all it was still only $115 bucks total. Great review BTW

That one looks pretty rough 😮

i find the one i have has very heavy recoil without plus p 130 gr whats the lightest load i can use in order to help that? thanks

Have anyone experienced or know of a undercover 38spl from Bridgeport Conn to explode? Thanks in advance

How do u aim closing your eyes every shot ???

I have both stainless and blued. What years were they made? Both mine show Bridgeport CT.

mine shoots out the bull at 20 feet in single action one hole around same vintage as yours.

I pick one of these up today in great condition at one of my local gun shops for $100 ,how do you tell how old a gun is?

How much is the price of the gun ARMS

I have that same gun. Mine is circa '77-'80.

Any reason why the ejector rod looks slightly different? It's slightly shorter for some reason

I have a new model of this gun. Not bad ! Also I have a trust model 85 38 spl. Excellent! Gun !!! Very affordable . Fuck Smith and wesson to expensive !

You flinch bad!

I just got a first gen charter arms pathfinder.22 (chambered in 22lr of course) with a 3” barrel. It’s only a 22 but that 22 I have beats the 40 s&w I don’t.

Works good with the old air force light weight pilots ammo also

S&W have hammer blocks and it is safe to load all chambers.

I have carried the same gun for 50 years.

Switch to shooting 158 grain lead round nose bullets and you'll find that gun will shoot a lot straighter at even further than 7 yards

Good gun but... Every 38 I had shed the screw that holds on the cyl latch

Meanwhile with my Smith and wesson model 36 snub i'm knocking bowling pins down at 50 yards.

Bob the hammer and you have the best 5 shot revolver ever made. The new ones suck, you want one like this with no ejector rod shroud.

Although Charter Arms deserves credit for the modern transfer bar safety system, Colt patented their 'Positive Lock' safety for their double action revolvers back in 1905 with their introduction of Police Positive model of 1905. One feature I can appreciate on C.A. guns w/o a ejector rod shroud is the ability to swing out the cylinder by pulling back directly the ejector rod as with the older Colt's. Charter Arms may not offer Performance Center pistols, however the majority of what are produced are fundamentally sound in functionality. Now if I could only find a higher quality adjustable rear sight unit for my target PitBull...

the one my son uses has no problem for point of aim. he shoots baseballs at 10 yards easy.

Need a Tyler t grip with the factory wood grips

The trigger guard and grip frame is aluminum.

I have an old 32-pistol Arms gun

Can you run plus p rounds in this revolver?

I have a 1966 under cover charter arms 38

This is the same pistol John Lennon was shot with back in 1980... But I do love the gun like the Beatles

is the transfer bar supposed to be loose

If you add a T grip your accuracy may improve.

I have the older original too made in 78 or 79 and I can put all 5 in the kill zone at 25 meters I had my brother duplicate the same distance n load which were hornandy 110gr. J.h.p. and he did the same but with an even tighter group than mine my undercover is more accurate than my Glock #19 9mm and again Had my brother do the same with 5 rounds from my Glock 19 and they were all in the kill zone but neither of us were able to group as tight with the Glock as we could with the undercover so I guess I got lucky n got a excellently accurate one I've owned colt police positives and Smith n Wesson mod. 36 and none have been as accurate as my undercover n the colt had a 4inch. BBL. Now my Sig Sayer P228 n my Sig-Pro both in 9mm out perform my little undercover but they're the only 2 pistols I have that does oh and one more thing the exact same results with my wife doing the shooting . I'm lying My Colt 1911 in 45 a.c.p. outshoots it as well.