The Charter Arms Undercover is an aluminum-framed double-action .38 Special built for pocket carry. It is still in production and made in the United States. Charter builds the frame from 7075 aircraft-grade aluminum with stainless steel for the parts that take the pressure, and the finished gun weighs 15 oz.

The hammer is exposed, so it can be cocked when there is time to aim. The sights are fixed, with nothing to adjust and no dovetail to put a new blade into. The grip is black combat rubber with finger grooves, which fills more of a hand than a boot grip does. The gun is 6.25 inches long and 4.25 inches tall, the cylinder holds five rounds, and there is nothing on it to mount a dot to.

If you're cross-shopping, the Smith & Wesson Model 442 Airweight has an MSRP of $569, weighs 14.6 oz and fires double action only behind an enclosed hammer, so there is nothing to catch and nothing to cock. The Taurus 856 Ultra-Lite has an MSRP of $431 and fits a sixth round into an aluminum frame behind a 2-inch barrel. All three sit in the same weight class, and the Charter's hammer can be thumbed back for a deliberate shot.