Charter Arms' Undercover Blue Diamond is a five-shot .38 Special revolver with a 2-inch barrel, 6.75 inches overall and 12 ounces on the scale. The aluminum frame keeps the weight down, while the barrel and cylinder are stainless steel in a stainless/silver finish. It fires double action or single action from an exposed hammer, the sights are fixed, and the black rubber Blue Diamond grip fills the hand on a gun this small. There is no manual safety.

For a Connecticut owner this is a pocket or purse gun. Carrying it needs the State Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers, available at 21, and the same permit or a Handgun Eligibility Certificate covers the purchase itself; once the dealer has the DESPP authorization number there is no fixed waiting period. At 12 ounces it is light enough to forget in a coat pocket, and the fixed sights have nothing to snag on the draw.

Key features

• .38 Special, five-shot cylinder, 2-inch barrel
• 12 ounces, aluminum frame, 6.75 inches overall
• Stainless steel barrel and cylinder
• Exposed hammer, double and single action
• Fixed sights, black rubber Blue Diamond grip

Handguns ship to a Connecticut FFL dealer, who runs the background check and completes the transfer; you must be 21 or older.