{
  "apiVersion": 1,
  "kind": "work-order",
  "purpose": "Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification.",
  "firearm": {
    "slug": "charter-arms-undercover",
    "name": "Charter Arms Undercover",
    "manufacturer": {
      "id": "charter-arms",
      "name": "Charter Arms"
    },
    "category": "revolver",
    "action": "double-action-revolver",
    "calibers": [
      ".38 Special"
    ],
    "alsoKnownAs": [
      "Charter Undercover",
      "Charter Arms Off Duty"
    ],
    "coversAlso": [
      "Charter Arms Off Duty",
      "Charter Arms Bulldog (.44 Special)",
      "Charter Arms Pathfinder (rimfire)"
    ],
    "page": "firearms/charter-arms-undercover.html",
    "bundle": "api/v1/firearms/charter-arms-undercover.json",
    "lastUpdated": "2026-10-29"
  },
  "notices": [
    "Low-confidence entry: compiled from limited or non-authoritative sources. Verify every step against the manufacturer's manual before relying on it.",
    "This work order is written for the Charter Arms Undercover. It is reported to cover Charter Arms Off Duty; Charter Arms Bulldog (.44 Special); Charter Arms Pathfinder (rimfire) — if the firearm on the bench is one of those, check the torque notes: values do not always carry over.",
    "No torque values are recorded for this firearm. Get them from the manufacturer or a gunsmith; do not estimate."
  ],
  "disclaimer": {
    "headline": "Read this before you use anything here.",
    "points": [
      "This is a guide, not an authority. Entries are compiled from manufacturer manuals, technical manuals, published references, and community knowledge. Some of it comes from sources that are not authoritative, and some of it may simply be wrong.",
      "Always consult the manufacturer's manual for your specific firearm and serial-number range. Manufacturers change designs mid-production without renaming the model. The manual that shipped with your firearm outranks anything on this site.",
      "Consult a licensed gunsmith for anything beyond routine field stripping and cleaning, for any firearm you are unsure about, and for any procedure marked as gunsmith-recommended here.",
      "Treat every firearm as loaded. Verify it is unloaded, with the magazine removed and the chamber physically and visually checked, before any procedure in this database. Point it in a safe direction the entire time.",
      "Disassembly can damage a firearm or injure you. Springs are under tension, parts can launch, and reassembling a firearm incorrectly can make it unsafe to fire in a way that is not obvious from the outside. If a reassembled firearm does not pass a function check, stop and see a gunsmith.",
      "Torque values are shown in two groups. Values from the manufacturer or the issuing military are shown as such, with the document they came from. Values reported by anyone else — parts makers, gunsmithing publishers, articles, forums — are shown separately with who said them, how reliable that source is, and their exact words. Those are not specifications. Confirm any torque value with the manufacturer or a licensed gunsmith before relying on it.",
      "Nothing here is legal advice. Firearms law varies by country, state, and city, and some modifications or configurations are regulated or prohibited. You are responsible for knowing and following the law where you are.",
      "No warranty of any kind. Contributors and maintainers accept no liability for damage, injury, or loss arising from use of this material."
    ],
    "page": "disclaimer.html",
    "legal": {
      "summary": "Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.",
      "page": "legal.html",
      "notice": "https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown/blob/main/LEGAL.md"
    }
  },
  "sourcing": {
    "confidence": "low",
    "verification": "unverified"
  },
  "manufacturerDisassembly": {
    "status": "not-recorded",
    "limit": null,
    "statement": null,
    "source": null
  },
  "recalls": [],
  "shopTier": {
    "tier": 2,
    "group": "revolver",
    "rating": "Pew-Takedown editorial rating (1 easy – 3 hardest), not the manufacturer's",
    "reason": "Small 5-shot DA with a one-piece frame and no sideplate, so the lockwork comes out through the bottom with the trigger, hand and transfer-bar safety as a group; fewer loose parts than a S&W, but the procedure differs from every other DA and Charter treats the lockwork as not owner-serviceable. Moderate, low confidence.",
    "confidence": "low",
    "partCount": null,
    "painPoints": [],
    "minutes": {
      "strip": 30,
      "rebuild": 50,
      "basis": "estimated",
      "note": "Estimated: grips, cylinder/crane, trigger group and hammer out through the bottom of the one-piece frame, ejector parts and sights. Rebuild dominated by refitting hand, transfer bar and springs through the bottom and a timing check.",
      "source": null
    },
    "stripScope": [
      {
        "assembly": "Cylinder and crane",
        "removes": [
          "cylinder and crane per Charter procedure (not an S&W yoke screw)",
          "ejector rod and spring if the cylinder is coated"
        ],
        "tools": [
          "fitted screwdrivers"
        ]
      },
      {
        "assembly": "Lockwork (through the bottom of the frame)",
        "removes": [
          "grips",
          "mainspring",
          "trigger group with hand and transfer-bar safety",
          "hammer",
          "cylinder stop and spring",
          "cylinder release / thumbpiece"
        ],
        "tools": [
          "pin punches"
        ]
      },
      {
        "assembly": "Frame",
        "removes": [
          "front sight if pinned"
        ],
        "tools": [
          "pin punch"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "hardware": null,
    "specialTools": [
      {
        "tool": "Pin punches sized to the trigger/hammer pins",
        "usedFor": "Trigger and hammer pivot pins in the one-piece frame"
      }
    ],
    "fitOnRebuild": [
      {
        "check": "Timing / carry-up: every chamber locks before the hammer falls, single and double action; cylinder gap and end shake",
        "why": "Standard revolver check after lockwork has been out; worn hand or cylinder stop gives the \"does not lock up\" fault under Common issues.",
        "source": null
      },
      {
        "check": "Transfer bar rises with the trigger and the hammer cannot reach the firing pin with the trigger forward",
        "why": "Charter uses a transfer bar; it comes out with the trigger group and must be refitted correctly (well-known check).",
        "source": null
      }
    ],
    "assessed": "2026-10-29"
  },
  "videos": [],
  "configurations": [],
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "Hollow-ground gunsmith screwdriver",
      "required": false,
      "usedFor": "Grip and any screw work."
    }
  ],
  "phases": [
    {
      "id": "clear",
      "title": "Clear and make safe",
      "steps": [
        {
          "n": 1,
          "instruction": "Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger."
        },
        {
          "n": 2,
          "instruction": "Push the cylinder release forward and swing the cylinder out."
        },
        {
          "n": 3,
          "instruction": "Press the ejector rod firmly to eject all cartridges or cases.",
          "partsFreed": [
            "Cartridges or cases"
          ]
        },
        {
          "n": 4,
          "instruction": "Look through every chamber, one at a time, and confirm each is empty.",
          "warning": "Every chamber, counted."
        },
        {
          "n": 5,
          "instruction": "Confirm the bore is clear and remove all live ammunition from the work area."
        }
      ],
      "videos": []
    },
    {
      "id": "disassemble",
      "title": "Disassemble",
      "videos": [],
      "procedures": [
        {
          "procedure": "field-strip",
          "title": "Field Strip — Cylinder Removal",
          "level": "field-strip",
          "configuration": false,
          "steps": [
            {
              "n": 1,
              "instruction": "Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and leave the cylinder open."
            },
            {
              "n": 2,
              "instruction": "Following the procedure in the manual for your revolver, release and withdraw the cylinder and crane assembly from the frame.",
              "warning": "Charter cylinder retention differs from the S&W yoke screw. Do not apply an S&W procedure to it.",
              "partsFreed": [
                "Cylinder and crane assembly"
              ]
            },
            {
              "n": 3,
              "instruction": "Clean the chambers, bore, cylinder face, forcing cone, and crane bearing surfaces."
            },
            {
              "n": 4,
              "instruction": "Stop here. The one-piece frame has no sideplate and the lockwork is not owner-serviceable.",
              "warning": "If the revolver is not functioning correctly, send it to the manufacturer or a gunsmith."
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "refinish",
      "title": "Refinish",
      "components": [
        {
          "name": "Cylinder and crane assembly",
          "procedure": "field-strip",
          "level": "field-strip",
          "step": 2
        }
      ],
      "manufacturerPartsList": null,
      "partsDiagrams": [],
      "materials": [
        {
          "component": "Frame",
          "material": "Stainless Steel",
          "finish": "Traditional Polish",
          "appliesTo": "Undercover, .38 Special, 2in, SKU 73820",
          "note": null,
          "source": {
            "title": "73820 - Undercover® | CHARTER ARMS Manufacturing",
            "publisher": "Charter Arms",
            "reliability": "primary",
            "url": "https://www.charterarmsmanufacturing.com/product-page/73820-undercover",
            "page": null,
            "pdfPage": null,
            "pageUrl": null,
            "quote": "Frame Material: Stainless Steel … Finish: Traditional Polish"
          }
        },
        {
          "component": "Grips",
          "material": "Rubber",
          "finish": null,
          "appliesTo": "Undercover, .38 Special, 2in, SKU 73820",
          "note": null,
          "source": {
            "title": "73820 - Undercover® | CHARTER ARMS Manufacturing",
            "publisher": "Charter Arms",
            "reliability": "primary",
            "url": "https://www.charterarmsmanufacturing.com/product-page/73820-undercover",
            "page": null,
            "pdfPage": null,
            "pageUrl": null,
            "quote": "Grip: Combat Full Rubber"
          }
        }
      ],
      "note": "The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks \"factory fit\" should not be swapped or reworked."
    },
    {
      "id": "reassemble",
      "title": "Reassemble",
      "videos": [],
      "procedures": [
        {
          "procedure": "reassembly",
          "title": "Reassembly",
          "configuration": false,
          "steps": [
            {
              "n": 1,
              "instruction": "Reinstall the cylinder and crane assembly into the frame following the manual for your revolver."
            },
            {
              "n": 2,
              "instruction": "Close the cylinder gently by hand and confirm it latches.",
              "warning": "Never flick it closed."
            },
            {
              "n": 3,
              "instruction": "Perform the function check."
            }
          ],
          "instruction": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "torque",
      "title": "Torque",
      "coverage": "none-recorded",
      "manufacturer": [],
      "reported": [],
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "id": "function-check",
      "title": "Function check",
      "checks": [
        "Verify every chamber is empty before each check.",
        "Cock the hammer slowly and confirm the cylinder locks up at each chamber before full cock.",
        "With the hammer at full cock, confirm the cylinder is locked with minimal play.",
        "Press the trigger in single action and confirm a clean hammer fall.",
        "Cycle the action in double action through every chamber.",
        "Confirm the cylinder latches closed securely."
      ],
      "videos": []
    }
  ],
  "troubleshooting": [],
  "sources": [
    {
      "n": 1,
      "id": null,
      "title": "Charter Arms Revolver Owner’s Manual",
      "publisher": "Charter Arms",
      "reliability": "primary",
      "url": null,
      "accessed": null
    },
    {
      "n": 2,
      "id": "charterarmsmanufacturing-specs-a084fc",
      "title": "73820 - Undercover® | CHARTER ARMS Manufacturing",
      "publisher": "Charter Arms",
      "reliability": "primary",
      "url": "https://www.charterarmsmanufacturing.com/product-page/73820-undercover",
      "accessed": "2026-10-03"
    }
  ]
}