looking fo a little info. on a Charter Arms Undercover .38 Spl.

O

Old 454

New member
I have come accross a Charter Arms Undercover .38 SPC.

it says on the left side of barrel
Undercover 38 SPC
Right side of barrel
Charter Arms Corp.

Right side on the bottom frt. of the frame that I think is the serial number 334. I took the grips off and the number 334 is also on the frame under the grips.

I belive its a 2" barrel.
5 shot
cylinder locks up real good.
Gold medalions in the grips.

Over all condition is pretty good, a few nick on the blueing under the grips and on the frame by the trigger.

Can any one give me any info on this little revolver. I think I may buy this from a friend and I would like to know if its worth buying, I was thinking of offering about $100.00 to 125.00

thanks
 
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you think thats a bit low ?




What value would you place on it. blueing is very good no rust or garish scratchs, rifling is good, just the nicks I described above.
 
Charter Arms has been in and out of business a few times since the beginning in the sixties. They seem to be doing OK now.

The ones that have a bad reputation in Internet Gunforum Land (YMMV) would be branded Charco or Charter 2000.

Beyond that, noting the city stamped on the barrel will give you the rough era it was made in. The second post in this thread will give you the details on that.

In a podcast (here: http://www.balloongoesup.com/blog/epi010_charter_arms/) the current CA president described their warranty policy WRT guns made by prior incarnations of the company. Basically, $49 + parts gets the gun fixed, inspected, then warrantied for life.

I picked up an Undercover this past summer. It had a problem out of the box, got fixed right the first time and returned promptly. Been fine otherwise. I contemplate getting a Bulldog.

What else to say? They're inexpensive, and they look it, but with interesting features. If you're used to S&W or Taurus, the design is quite different.

you think thats a bit low ?

What value would you place on it. blueing is very good no rust or garish scratchs, rifling is good, just the nicks I described above.
Click to expand...

Judgment call. Would depend on passing Jim March's inspection procedure, and the era it was made in. Starting low is part of bargaining. I personally would not be afraid of going higher.
 
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OK thanks, with the serial number of 334 that puts this in the first generation some time in 1965.

This gun was in storage for god knows how long. I did a cleaning job on this little gem last night, and man the rifling is really bright and nice, and there is just a little faint line on the cylinder where you would see the turning on it. I don't think this gun was shot much at all. just a little holster wear but not much.

I may have to make an offer on it.

Were these early production guns reliable, made out of good material. I seems to be a hammer forged frame, barrel and cylinder.
 
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The 1st generation Charter's are the best, and have an unbreakable berrylium firing pin.

IMO, You'd be gypping your friend by offering less then $200 for it. (It's worth about $250)

If you don't care for the grips, ANY other Charter grips, old or new, target or bulldog, wood or rubber, will fit it.

For instance, I swapped out the rubber bumpers on my stainless Pathfinder with older square/target grips.
(The blued Pathfinder has bulldog grips)

CharterConvertible.jpg


DSCN0341-1.jpg




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OK thanks, with the serial number of 334 that puts this in the first generation some time in 1965.
Click to expand...

Wow. Not quite like the 4 digit SN, first year of production colt 1902 a buddy of mine has, but interesting. If mine to buy I might get it just for that.
 
Cool beans.

Ya that serial number threw me too. I thought it was some other kinda number or something. but when I took the grips off there it was also stamped in the frame.
 
lost in the divorce

I had one in the late '70s that was capable of 20yd 410 shell-knockin'-over......it was a GREAT gun.
 
My buddy bought a charter 38 about 1981 from a gun dealer that sold out of traders village in grand prarie tx and paid $69 for it new in the box.

I bought it from him about 3 years ago for $100. I sold it for $135 a couple of weeks later. I regret selling it. I wish I still had it. But even now I wouldn't give more than $175 for one and it would have to be as clean as you describe or better.
 
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