I put the Undercover Lite Earthborn through a series of tests for accuracy, velocity and close-quarters shootability at the Flagler Gun & Archery Club and Volusia County Gun & Hunt Club. Live-Fire Testing Whether shooting groups slowly off-hand to measure its accuracy or running rapid-fire drills, the Undercover Lite Earthborn proved that it was quite effective out to about 10 yards. The DA pull weighed approximately 11 pounds, and it tended to stack until the transfer bar was raised to its uppermost position and the cylinder bolt locked in place, at which point a slight additional rearward movement of the trigger tripped the sear, which again broke cleanly. The SA trigger pull was about 4 pounds with some creep but a clean break. On the other hand, the timing was perfect, and the cylinder star was well formed with cleanly cut facets. In addition, the cylinder was a bit hard to open and close, as the rear of the ejector rod showed some evidence of dragging on the recoil shield.
For example, there was a small amount of back-and-forth play in the cylinder when the hammer was cocked and at rest. The fitting of the various parts to the frame and each other was generally good overall with a few exceptions. The large finger grooves on the grips provide a good purchase for the strong hand and help cushion recoil.Īt the workbench, I closely examined the revolver for fit and function. The color of the soft rubber grips is a good match to the color of the matte black stainless steel. Some areas, such as the interior surfaces of the crane, were not polished, although they were properly conformed and sufficient for their intended task.
Overall, the finish on my test sample was well applied, and there were no scratches or places on the gun where the finish was uneven or misapplied. The matte black finish on the barrel, hammer, cylinder, triggerguard, trigger and hammer is dark and one of the least reflective finishes I’ve seen on a handgun. The Undercover Lite Earthborn has one of the most subdued finishes of any of the Undercover Lite revolvers. Back To Earth The barrel, trigger and cylinder contrast nicely with the earth tone frame for a stylish yet functional look. The advantage of the DAN system is that it’s possible to achieve a high level of quality control when it comes to the finish no matter how small or large the part is. This feature is usually found on more expensive revolvers, as is the Undercover’s fully shrouded ejector rod.įinally, Charter Arms states that it’s the only firearms manufacturer that polishes its products using DAN robotic work cells. In addition, the cylinder locks in three places instead of the usual two, which, through time, helps prevent wear and excessive cylinder endshake between the cylinder and frame. Another unique feature is the eight-groove rifling, which Charter Arms says gives the bullet a higher velocity and a flatter trajectory. Not having a side plate adds strength to the frame. There is no side plate that must be removed to clean, lubricate or repair the lockwork. Undercover Lite revolvers also have some features not found on many other wheelguns.