Charter Arms has a long tradition of making affordable and powerful compact revolvers. A great example is the .38 Undercover series, a snub-nose that has been tweaked with features preferred by today’s shooters. Like most of Charter Arms’ revolvers, the .38 Undercover has a five-round capacity.
The .38 Undercover series features 2-inch barrels and a ramp front sight that avoids snags. A groove is milled into the top of the frame and serves as the rear sight. Under the barrel, the ejector rod is snag free by being enclosed in a shroud that smoothly blends the muzzle of the gun so it is easy to re-holster. To load the revolver, push forward on the cylinder latch and push out the cylinder from the frame. The cylinder latch is grooved so your thumb can grip it as you push. Tilt the muzzle down and drop five .38 Special or +P rounds into the chambers. Then swing the cylinder back into the frame until it snaps into place.
The checkered black rubber grip is small yet fills that space behind the triggerguard where a finger might feel the effect of recoil with hot loads. There are two finger grooves in the front of the grip that afford a good grasp. Most shooters will naturally find themselves curling their small finger under the butt. For its cost, it is a well-made firearm that provides a fist full of firepower without leaving empties rolling on the floor.
RELATED: Charter Arms’ Off Duty .38 Special Revolver
The Undercover line is also available in standard exposed hammer double-action/single-action (DA/SA) models, “On Duty” variations with covered hammers that can still be thumb cocked, double-action-only (DAO) models as well as “Off Duty” variations with completely concealed hammers. A great example of the latter is the Off Duty Black/Hi-Polish SS, which features a combination matte-black/polished stainless finish that is extremely attractive. Its concealed hammer and lightweight aluminum frame make it eminently “carryable” and a great choice for CCW use.
Powerful Options
The caliber ante is upped with the Mag Pug SS, which is chambered in .357 Magnum. At 23 ounces, the Mag Pug is lightweight yet carries a magnum punch. With a 2.2-inch barrel, the Mag Pug is a hair larger than its .38 Special brother. The grips on the Mag Pug are full size so users can grip and handle the recoil of the .357 Magnum. This is a revolver that is at its best when used with mild .38 Special loads for training, rather than full-bore rounds; the recoil can be severe since the gun is light and the rounds are powerful.
Next up in caliber size is the iconic Bulldog in .44 Special. At 21 ounces, it weighs less than a 20-round box of .44 Special cartridges. The .44 Special was extremely popular a century ago when it was chambered in full-size revolvers. It is known as a mild-recoiling, accurate, big-bore caliber quite suitable for defense work. Charter Arms was able to fit five rounds into their revolver design and ended up producing a big-bore pocket pistol for backup or defense work.
It sports a 2.5-inch barrel and full-size grip. Recoil is what you would expect from a big-bore, lightweight revolver, but it is not so brutish that you can’t get through short training exercises. These are guns you’ll carry a lot and shoot a little.
The Undercover Lite DAO is a miniscule revolver built with an aluminum frame that weighs 12 ounces. It has a short 2-inch barrel to reduce bulk and a small rubber grip that allows a two-finger grasp.
The latest Charter Arms revolver is the Pit Bull chambered in the rimless .45 ACP round, making it a great companion piece for a .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol. As with all of Charter Arms’ compact revolvers, it’s affordable, safe and reliable. No need to snub small revolvers as old-school. These snub-noses make it easy and convenient to conceal carry.
RELATED: Charter Arms Pitbull 9mm
For more information, call 203-922-1652 or visit http://www.charterfirearms.com
