Disassembly and Reassembly of the Charter Undercover Revolver

Forty-five years ago, a young gun designer and engineer who had worked for several prominent firearms manufacturers in New England’s "Gun Valley, USA" envisioned a reliable, high-quality, and affordable new revolver. His name was Douglas Mc Clennahan. After establishing a business, Charter Arms, to bring his idea to life, he soon offered a .38 Special called the "Undercover." Weighing just 16 ounces, it was the lightest steel-frame wheelgun in the world at the time.

In addition, it had the fewest moving parts of any revolver, among which was a hammer-block safety system Mc Clennahan had invented. Mc Clennahan’s revolver and its low price tag made no small impression with both law-enforcement agencies and the general public. Its quality, weight, and size are still appreciated by a growing number of presentday carry-permit holders, and in the intervening years that first revolver became the platform on which all Charter Arms revolvers are built.

Doug Mc Clennahan did not achieve his success entirely alone. In 1967, he partnered with his life-long friend, David Ecker. Ecker’s son Nick joined the company in 1984, ultimately running the manufacturing and production end of the business. In 1988, the vice president of finance for Charter Arms acquired 100 percent of the stock and changed the company’s name to Charco.

Wisely, he decided to sign over 20 percent of his shares to Nick Ecker in exchange for remaining with the new company as the head of production’an arrangement that lasted until the mid-1990s. Production suffered after the exit of Nick Ecker, and Charco briefly closed its doors in 1998. But they didn’t remain closed for very long.

Upon learning of the closing, Nick Ecker, along with two partners, bought the struggling company and changed its name to Charter 2000 just in time for the new millennium. (Barrels were marked "Charter 2000" from 1999 to mid-2007.) The company again prospered, and Nick was able to buy out his partners in That includes models with longer barrels, in other calibers, as well as those with the "passionate-pink" frames preferred by some shooters. 2002 and change the name back to Charter Arms. (Barrels made since mid-2007 are once again stamped "Charter Arms.") Lest I forget, D.

Nickerson Ecker is now sole proprietor of Charter Arms, and now I want to personally thank him for taking the time to provide most of the takedown instructions you’ll be reading below. The revolver we’ll be working with is the Undercover, but the instructions apply to all

current Charter Arms revolvers. Basic Disassembly Usually, this section is titled "Field Stripping," but the initial takedown for the Undercover goes far beyond the basic steps typically published in most owners’ manuals. After you’ve checked to ensure that the cylinder is empty and the barrel is clear, back out the grip screw (#37) until its head is several threads above the surface of the left grip panel (#38).

Much as you would with a sidelock shotgun or a Civil-War-era rifle, tap the head of the screw to dislodge the opposite panel (also #38), and set aside both grips. Now cock the hammer fully, straighten one leg of that magical gunsmithing tool’t he paper clip’and insert it through the hole now showing at the bottom of the mainspring-guide rod (#47). Fail to do this and you’re liable to take a serious hit from the mainspring later on.

Uncock the hammer, but hold it back and control its forward movement after you’ve pulled the trigger. Remove the mainspring (#46), the guide rod (#47), and seat (#48) from the frame, but leave the paper clip attached. Take out the frame-assembly screw (#34) located behind the hammer, the frame-assembly pin (#33) below the hammer, and the cylinderretaining pin (#31) located in front of the trigger. (Note: Some of these pins have a larger head showing on one side of the frame.

You’ll drift them toward the large end, of course, and reinstall them smaller end first.) Undo the hammer screw (#45) from beneath the cylinder latch (#8) and remove the hammer assembly from the frame. You may opt to perform this particular operation with assistance from a plastic bag as insurance against the loss of components such as the hammer plunger (#17) and its spring (#18). Take a short break and see if the cylinder rotates freely after being swung out.

If it seems sticky or sluggish, the cause could be fouling present on the crane barrel, which is the cylindrical extension at the top end of the crane (#3). To remedy the condi- The tab (A) on the end of the tool is used to depress the latch plunger. tion, remove the crane screw (#4) and its washer (#5) from the front of the frame, then slide the crane far enough out of the cylinder to clean and lubricate the barrel. See? I told you field stripping the Undercover goes beyond the norm.

Detailed Disassembly The latch-release screw (#14) is backed out counter-clockwise. Loosen the latch-retaining screw (#13) slowly or you’ll risk losing the latch plunger (#10) and spring (#11). Notice how the cover plate (#12) is positioned in the latch body before taking out the plate. Remember what you’ve seen for reassembly. This is important, as is making a study of the trigger assembly right after it’s been taken from the gun. A Drift the trigger pin (#33) out left to right.

The trigger assembly will drop down and can be removed from the guard. Take plenty of time to examine this assembly. In particular, note how the trigger spring (#50) is installed as well as its relationship with the hammer block (#42) and hand (#39). The trigger-spring bushing (#51) and trigger spring will also have been freed When the screw is properly seated, this is how it should appear after the tool is withdrawn.

Charter Arms Undercover Double-Action Revolver (Specifications subject to change without notice) 1 Barrel 3 Crane 4 Crane Screw 5 Crane Screw Washer 6 Cylinder 7 Ejector 8 Cylinder Latch 9 Cylinder Latch Washer 10 Cylinder Latch Plunger 11 Cylinder Latch Plunger Spring 12 Cylinder Latch Cover Plate 13 Cylinder Latch Retaining Screw 14 Cylinder Latch Release Screw 15 Cylinder Stop 16 Cylinder Stop Bushing 17 Hammer & Cylinder Plunger somewhat when you drift out pin #33.

They might choose to remain positioned within the trigger or they might decide to fall out of the frame. Remove the cylinder from the revolver and address the cylinder stop (#15).

Press the stop down to depress its plunger (#17), and use a jeweler’s 18 Cylinder & Hammer Plunger Spring 19 Cylinder Stud 20 Ejector Rod Assembly Pin 21 Ejector Rod Bushing 22 Ejector Rod Lock Spring 23 Ejector Rod 24 Ejector Rod Collar 25 Ejector Rod Collar Spring 26 Ejector Rod Head screwdriver to wiggle the cylinder stop away from its bushing (#16). Be careful not to lose the plunger and its spring (#18) or their twins who serve to hold the hammer pawl (#43) to the hammer (#40).

The ejector-rod head (#26) is attached to the rod (#23) with Loctite. 27 Ejector Rod Return Spring 28 Ejector Rod Washer 29 Firing Pin 30 Firing Pin Spring 31 Firing Pin & Cylinder Retaining Pin 32 Frame Assembly 33 Trigger & Frame Assembly Pin 34 Frame Assembly Screw 35 Grip Frame & Trigger Guard 36 Grip Locating Pin Only 37 Grip Screw 38 Grips 39 Hand 40 Hammer, Regular 41 Hammer, Spurless 42 Hammer Block 43 Hammer Pawl 44 Hammer Pawl Pin 45 Hammer Screw 46 Mainspring 47 Mainspring Guide Rod 48 Mainspring Seat 49 Trigger 50 Trigger Spring 51 Trigger Spring Bushing Don’t moan, folks; Charter Arms uses the blue compound, not the red, for this, so you only need about 200 degrees of heat to defeat the bond.

After that, you can knock the cylinder (#6) off the crane with a plastic or rawhide mallet. (Note: The crane barrel wears (continued on page 14)

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