Charter Arms Off-Duty Undercoverette Review: Is the .32 H&R Magnum Good for Concealed Carry?

When you hear someone say a company “isn’t what it used to be,” that’s usually not a compliment. It can mean the company’s products have declined in quality, become overpriced or simply fallen behind the times.

I’m happy to report that’s not the case with Charter Arms.

Charter Arms isn’t what it used to be because today the company produces a wider variety of revolvers in more finishes, styles and calibers than it did in years past. Better yet, you can still purchase a quality Charter Arms revolver at a reasonable price.

Charter Arms has been around since 1964, and its original revolver models are still part of the lineup. These original revolvers are the .38 Special Undercover, legendary .44 Special Bulldog and six-shot .32-caliber Undercoverette.

Today, Charter Arms has chambered the compact Undercoverette in .32 H&R Magnum

Why Consider a .32 H&R Magnum Carry Revolver?

My opinion of the .32 H&R Magnum began to change after its introduction by the now-defunct Harrington and Richardson Firearms and Federal Ammunition company in 1984. While one advantage of a .32 snub revolver was that you could carry six rounds instead of five, ammunition was a problem.

The only commonly available .32 caliber revolver cartridge at the time was the .32 Smith & Wesson Long with a plain, round-nose lead bullet or the target wadcutter. The relatively low velocity made it less appealing for off-duty or undercover police use.

The .32 H&R changed that.

It offered higher velocity and energy while retaining the six-round capacity of a compact .32 revolver. Just as importantly, full-power .32 H&R Magnum loads remain quite controllable, even from lightweight snubnose revolvers like this Charter Arms.

The .32 Magnum simply does not deliver the same knuckle-rapping recoil as that from .357 Magnum or hotter 9mm and .38 Special loads.

.32 vs .38 Ballistics

Caliber	Bullet Weight/Type	Muzzle Velocity	Muzzle Energy
.32 Smith and Wesson	90-grain LSWC	765 feet per second	117 foot-pounds
.32 H&R Magnum	95-grain LSWC	980 feet per second	203 foot-pounds
.38 Special	129-grain Hydra-Shok	950 feet per second	258 foot-pounds

 

While the velocity difference between the .32 Magnum and the .38 Special isn’t huge, the differences in energy and recoil are significant. The .32 Magnum is easier to shoot, gives you six rounds in this compact Charter Arms and can also chamber the lower-powered .32 S&W Long.

Those are some worthwhile advantages in a snubnose carry revolver.

Charter Arms Off-Duty Undercoverette Features and Specifications

I was happy to see Charter Arms preserve both the Undercover and Undercoverette names. I carried a .38 Special Charter Arms Undercover while working as a municipal police officer in the mid-1980s. It was a solid shooter that carried well in either a pocket or ankle holster.

For this test, I selected the Charter Arms Off-Duty Undercoverette chambered in .32 H&R Magnum.

Interestingly, “Undercoverette” isn’t actually marked on the revolver. Instead, OFF DUTY is boldly marked on the left side of the one-piece barrel and shroud. According to Charter Arms, the “Off-Duty” name is actually tied to several models built on this particular compact frame.

The Undercoverette is built on a clear anodized aluminum frame and features low-glare stainless steel components for durability. The contrast of dark gray and silver metal is eye-catching.

Concealed Hammer and Double-Action-Only Trigger

The Off-Duty Undercoverette uses a concealed hammer with no exposed hammer spur, making it a double-action-only revolver.

Some shooters insist on an exposed hammer so they can thumb-cock a revolver for single-action fire. On a defensive revolver, there isn’t much advantage.

A double-action defensive revolver is most likely going to be fired double-action. If an imminent threat forces you to use the gun, you’re going to pull the trigger and fire rather than stop to manually cock the hammer.

The lack of an external hammer also prevents snagging on covering clothing.

Grip and Controls

The rubber grip is among the best I’ve seen on a compact revolver. It strikes an excellent balance between concealability and controllability.

Two finger grooves accommodate the middle and ring fingers. The pinkie wraps underneath the grip while the thumb locks against the middle finger, giving me a surprisingly solid hold for such a small handgun. Combined with the relatively mild recoil of the .32 H&R Magnum, the grip on the Off-Duty Undercoverette works very well.

The cylinder latch release pushes forward to unlock the cylinder.

Older Charter Arms revolvers such as the original Undercover, Undercoverette and Bulldog used free-standing ejector rods, allowing the user to open the cylinder using either the latch or by pulling forward on the ejector rod. It was kind of handy if you had a sticky case. A few Charter Arms models, including the Classic .44 Bulldog, retain that feature.

Sights

The sights are standard for a concealment revolver. There is a rear sight groove in the topstrap of the frame. The front sight is a green light gathering pipe to enhance visibility.

These are not considered night sights. There is no self-illuminating component.

As I discovered at the range, the green insert helped, but indoor lighting could still make the sight difficult for my older eyes to track.

Charter Arms Off-Duty Undercoverette Specifications

Caliber: .32 H&R Magnum/.32 Smith & Wesson Long
Capacity: 6 rounds
Weight: 14 ounces
Length: 6.25 inches
Height: 4.25 inches
SKU: 53211
MSRP: $429.13

Shooting the Charter Arms Off-Duty Undercoverette

I took the Off-Duty Undercovette to a local indoor range with a full box of Federal Champion Training 95-grain ammunition — muzzle velocity of 980 feet per second — and 10 rounds of Federal Personal Defense 85-grain JHP ammo — muzzle velocity of 1,005 feet per second.

One Drawback: .32 H&R Magnum Ammunition Availability

Before we get to the shooting results, there is one potential issue that .32 H&R Magnum owners should be aware of: local ammunition availability may be limited.

Despite the number of .32 Magnum revolvers currently available, I sometimes have difficulty finding much ammunition selection at local gun stores. Even at a large store in my area, I found only two boxes of Federal LSWC ammunition.

There are more choices available online, so if you purchase a .32 H&R Magnum revolver, my advice is simple: Plan ahead and stock up unless you have a local dealer that keeps a good selection on hand.

Recoil and Shootability

The Off-Duty Undercoverette performed well, just as the other Charter Arms revolvers I’ve fired over the years have.

The .32 H&R Magnum is an interesting cartridge to shoot. It speaks with authority as it leaves the muzzle, yet recoil remains mild enough that it doesn’t disrupt the shooter. Basically, it has all of the “bark” with none of the “bite!”

The 85-grain and 95-grain Federal rounds are very similar in terms of velocity and muzzle energy. There was little felt difference between the two.

The green front sight worked reasonably well, although I had some difficulty keeping track of it under the lighting at this particular indoor range. Older shooters may encounter the same problem.

Fortunately, Crimson Trace’s LG-325 lasergrips fit most large- and small-frame Charter Arms revolvers. It would make an excellent addition to a Charter Arms defensive revolver.

Accuracy Results

I set a Baker GT-BE-2B dual-bullseye target at 18 feet and fired all groups using a two-handed hold.

My first six-shot group used the Federal 95-grain LSWC ammunition. Five rounds grouped into approximately 3 inches, with one flyer opening the overall group to 5 inches.

For the second target, I fired 12 rounds using a mixture of the Federal LSWC and JHP loads. Nine rounds landed in a group measuring approximately 5 inches, with three shots to the left opening the total group to about 7 inches.

Shooters wanting an even milder experience can also fire .32 S&W Long ammunition through the .32 H&R Magnum revolver. Muzzle velocity is often around or less than 787 feet per second.

.32 Magnum vs .38 Special for Concealed Carry

There are a pros and cons to either .32 Magnum or. .38 Special snubnose revolvers. For a compact defensive revolver, I see three major differences between the .32 H&R Magnum and .38 Special: capacity, recoil and ammunition availability.

Concealed Carry Factor	.32 H&R Magnum	.38 Special
Capacity	6 rounds	5 rounds
Revolver size/weight	Comparable	Comparable
Recoil	Least Recoil	Most Recoil
Ammo availability	More limited	Greater selection
Accuracy	Comparable	Comparable

 

For me, the .32 H&R Magnum’s biggest advantages are the sixth round and reduced recoil. The .38 Special’s major advantage is ammunition availability. Walk into most gun stores and you’re simply more likely to find a wider variety of .38 Special loads.

That advantage becomes less important if you plan ahead and keep an adequate supply of .32 H&R Magnum ammunition at home.

Charter Arms Off-Duty Undercoverette Final Verdict

The Off-Duty Undercoverette offers a combination that makes a lot of sense in a concealed-carry revolver.

At 14 ounces and 6.25 inches long, it is genuinely compact and lightweight. The enclosed hammer removes a potential snag point, the rubber grip gives you excellent control for a revolver this size and its six-round cylinder gives you one additional shot compared to many five-shot .38 Special revolvers.

For someone who values low recoil, six-round capacity and a compact revolver that is easy to carry, the Off-Duty Undercoverette has a lot going for it.

Charter Arms makes a wide range of unique defensive revolvers, and the company’s lineup has continued to expand over the years.

The Off-Duty Undercoverette shows just how far the company’s compact revolvers have come. It is lightweight, sharp looking and easy to control.

Sources:

Charter Arms: CharterArmsManufacturing.com
Federal Ammunition: FederalPremium.com
Crimson Trace: CrimsonTrace.com