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Charter Arms' S-shot Undercover Lite is so compact you can take it hiking... or on a date
Not long ago I tested a Charter Arms Undercover Lite 5-shot, 12-ounce revolver capable of handling +P cartridges. Made of aircraft aluminum and stainless steel, this model has a non-reflective finish and distinctive appearance. I found that a 12-ounce gun was light enough to place into a stretchy waist pack for a few miles of trail running. At the end of the test I had a smile on my face and a pile of expended brass.
Law enforcement officers used to choose revolvers because of their simplicity and the fact that they didn't rely on fragile magazines for their reliability. Autos got better and lighter. Then autos of similar proportions became slimmer, and professionals began adhering to the rule about using the same ammunition for backup.
A few things changed the paradigm. First, the +P cartridges of a few years ago cannot even remotely duplicate the performance of the ones available now. I can easily demonstrate this with a box of Hornady Critical Defense cartridges or with 1 3 0-grain Winchester PDXl Defender cartridges used in this gun, and a fresh mix of Vyse gelatin. Second, the handgun manufacturing techniques and materials are simply better. For example, there are dozens of sub 15-ounce .38 Special revolvers on the market that can handle high pressure cartridges. I have one, and the Charter Arms Undercover Lite is dramatically lighter.
I have tested Charter Arms revolvers before. They have always had a good shooting "feel," which is a product of their short hammer throw and lock time. The Undercover Lite 53870 was not exactly a custom revolver, but everything was crisp and cylinder lockup was excellent. Charter Arms uses a three-point lockup for the cylinder, and this gun had minimal pitch and yaw in the cylinder.
The stocks (grips) that came with this gun are among the best I have tested on any revolver. They were palm filling and soft enough to soak up the recoil of high performance cartridges. Even large-handed shooters can get a consistent grip without having the little finger floating around on the bottom.
Ok, so why did Lindsey shoot a few times, then swap...