Charter Arms Research

[32 Magnum]

I've begun doing research on 1st GENERATION Charter Arms revolvers. I'm looking for pieces with either BRIDGEPORT or STRATFORD CONN Barrel addresses.
What I need is which address, what is the serial number (XX is Ok for now), model name, finish and any information about when made or purchased? I've just started and so far I have about 60 serial numbers and addresses. When I get enough info to develop some idea of dates, I'll post and update. Thanks in advance.
Jim

[lwood5543]

I have a stainless Pathfinder .22 LR w/ 3" barrel, labeled Bridgeport, Conn., serial number 811xx.

Any idea of date range of manufacture?

Thanks

[Flash]

Mine is a 38SPL, Stainless, 2". I prchased it in 81 or 82, and had Charter put the bobbed hammer and no-snag sight on it. I later silver-soldered the front sight.

S/N 778XXX "STRATFORD"

OP on thread " "Inexpensive does not mean "cheap" " describes it.

Nice goal - keep me posted on your results.

Flash

[lwood5543]

Got a reply from the current Charter Arms saying my Pathfinder is circa 1967. Hopefully a nice little find!

[32 Magnum]

lwoods - thanks for the info. Your piece is Nickel plated - Charter Arms didn't produce anything in stainless steel until April/May of 1981. It's good for a research milestone to know that this one is 1967 era.

Flash,
Thanks for your info also. The bobbed hammer was called the "Pocket Hammer" in their catalogues. Is your piece an "Undercover" model?

[Flash]

Flash,
Thanks for your info also. The bobbed hammer was called the "Pocket Hammer" in their catalogues. Is your piece an "Undercover" model?

Yes, it was called the "Undercover" when I purchased it. It did originally come with the spur hammer, but I sent it back for the "pocket hammer". You are right on that name, I just kinda forgot in the two or three years since I bought it - - - LOL.

I had a blued S&W 36 since late 60's, and one of my friends on the Wash, D.C. (city) PD department had a blued Charter with spur hammer and a nickel-plated Chief's Special, and it kinda set me afire for having anothe J-frame - but shiny, and when the Charter came out in stainless and at a price vastly less than the prized S&W, I opened up the wallet.

Flash

[Matazel]

Not sure if this is a Undercover or a Undercoverette. As you can see in the scans the manual says "Undercover" and shows an exact image of the gun I have. The back page has a picture of a "Undercoverette" and it looks exactly the same. This was my mothers gun and I'm guessing she bought it in the mid 70's. I found it in it's original box (with wax paper) wrapped in newspaper. The manual was in the box. There was also a box of bullets with 10 missing. I'm guessing she and my father both shot 5 rounds when they bought it at a local gunshop (I know that shop had a range). The box is a generic Charter Arms box with a sticker on one flap with "Charter 2 38 SPL" and the serial number printed on it. Price sticker says "List Price 173.00", "Our Price 164.95". I see some on the web going for $300 in good condition, this one looks like new. Serial Number is 644XXX. It weighs 16 Oz's empty.
It's a nice old gun, looks like it's well made. I never heard of a 5 shoot revolver. Trigger guard and handle frame look like there aluminum. Hammer looks like hardened steel. Wooden grips. The barrel is about 1 1/4 inches long so I'm guessing it's the 2 inch barrel model I have been reading about on the web. The 4 scans are the entire manual.
So is it a Undercover or a Undercoverette ? And when was it made ?

Well OK, so I should have read the manual. The Undercoverette comes in .32 and mine is a .38, I have a undercover. Thanks for pointing that out Flash. (It says so in the manual, and I read it many times, it's in the third thimbnail, mental block I guess)

[Flash]

Not sure if this is a Undercover or a Undercoverette. As you can see in the scans the manual says "Undercover" and shows an exact image of the gun I have. The back page has a picture of a "Undercoverette" and it looks exactly the same. .....

So is it a Undercover or a Undercoverette ? And when was it made ?

"Undercover" was chambered in 38 SPECIAL

"Undercoverette" in 32 SPECIAL.

Flash

[bronco]

I have a blued undercover .38 with a Stratford address, Ser.# 6993xx. I bought it used along with a shotgun a few years ago with no paperwork included.

[32 Magnum]

Sorry for the delay in responding - I had my left leg busted up pretty badly earlier this year and haven't been able to sit at the computer for very long - up untill just recently - I'm determined to answer or at least add some data to all the previous postings, but it may take a couple days to do so. Thanks, Jim

The box is a generic Charter Arms box with a sticker on one flap with "Charter 2 38 SPL" and the serial number printed on it.
Box should be Black - flat on half and shiney on the other.
It's a nice old gun, looks like it's well made. I never heard of a 5 shoot revolver. Trigger guard and handle frame look like there aluminum. Hammer looks like hardened steel. Wooden grips.
This model was the ORIGINAL issue from Charter Arms Corp. and was a 5 shooter from the start (the 6 shot PATHFINDER in .22 lr and .22 WMRF {originally called the POCKET TARGET} was derived from this model). The trigger guard and grip frame assembly (one piece) are made of anodized aircraft grade aluminum. MOST 1st Gen. CA revolvers were made this way - however, I have a couple pieces in stainless steel that also have stainless trigger guards and grip frames. Triggers and hammers on the blued versions are case color hardened.
The barrel is about 1 1/4 inches long so I'm guessing it's the 2 inch barrel model I have been reading about on the web. The 4 scans are the entire manual.
The barrels, measured from the front face of the cylinder, were offered in 1 7/8" or 3".
So is it a Undercover or a Undercoverette ? And when was it made ?
It is the UNDERCOVER in .38 SPECIAL. The UNDERCOVERETTE was chambered for 6 rounds of .32 S&W LONG and is basically the same frame. The name change seems, to me, to be merely an advertising ploy to interest female LEOs or female shooters, who, at that time, were felt not to be able to handle the .38 SPL rounds. From my research, which now includes close to a thousand data points, your piece was made sometime in 1981, probably late summer - I have data on s/n 625962 indicating production in April of '81

Jim Hauff