Charter Arms Undercover 38

[chickenstripe]

Just shot one of these today. Was hitting about 6" low at 15yds with factory 158 round nose, and about 15" low with 140gr handloads.

Any guidance on what bullet weight/velocity and/or loads these are regulated with?

[nagantguy]

Have a pair of them, they seem to like everything from 125 jhp to 158 cast semi wade cutter, not exactly match grade guns but good shooters, the best load in both is 148 gr hollow base wade cutters. Is yours a newer production gun? Only have experience with old ones. But 15 inches low would have me sending it back for some service repair work.

[FergusonTO35]

If yours is a newer one the front sight is very tall on these, I've owned two of them. I think Charter intends for you to aim with the top of the front sight quite proud of the rear. I lowered the front sights by about half on mine and they worked great after that.

[35remington]

You should be happy they shoot low. Now you can file them in by removing metal from the top of the front sight, very carefully, using a bunch of ammo using your favorite bullet weight and speed.

Be sure to shoot the pistol with your normal stance, not with the butt of the pistol resting on sandbags as this alters point of impact adversely and is not representative of how you actually shoot it.

Since my two inchers are short range guns, and 50 yards is a gracious plenty, mine are "filed in" with 148 grain cast wadcutters at the upper end of the standard velocity range for the 38. This also is close enough when the same 148 wadcutters are loaded to Plus P pressures and/or seated out a little to maximize velocity and minimize pressures........in other words, about 800 fps or a bit better would be "plus P" and 760 fps standard velocity. Seating out will mitigate the high pressure issue to some extent and allow 20 to 40 fps more velocity at similar pressures, at the cost of slightly more powder. Depending, of course, on just how far you seat out.

The Lee 148 TLWC with multiple places to crimp is ideal for the "seating out" idea. There is little benefit to seating it shallower than the conventional Lee TL 158 SWC.

[Forrest r]

I've owned a bunch of different ca's over the years, they all shot low when I used a 6 o-clock hold. They are designed to cover what your shooting at & pull the trigger (IE, headshot, torso,etc).

A pair of ca's that I own/use right now. 38 undercover & 44spl bulldog.

Attachment 83109

The sights on my 38 undercover.

Attachment 83110

If I use a 6 o-clock hold with those 38 undercover sights it will shoot low. If I hold the gun level (top of front sight & the top of the rear sight notch in the same plain/level) & put that red dot on whatever I want to hit. The bullet goes where ever the red dot goes. If it's too dark to see the red dot then I simply cover what I want to hit with the front sight.

You might consider buying/using/trying this method of shooting (combat sights) on a torso target. Target shooting (6 o-clock hold) is for target sights, combat shooting is for fixed sight.

I'd try to use the sights the way they were intended before I'd break out the angle grinder, files, sander or hammers.

[FergusonTO35]

I'm hoping the S&W 642 I have on layaway won't have this problem. I know it's a fixed sight snubby and not a target gun, I just don't want to have to file the sights or remember to use a special hold or sight alignment with it. If I can put all five shots into a pattern of a couple inches roughly centered around the sights at 15 feet I'll be quite happy.