Dantankerous Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Been thinking of adding another .44 Special to the mix and the Charter Arms Bulldog is priced right and gets pretty decent online reviews. Any of y'all have experience with one? Pros and cons? Quality? Thoughts on this revolver? Yup, just for fun (not SASS fun) and plinking and to say I have another .44 Special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I've had 2, first was many years ago, blue shot well and i did like it but let it get away. Second was more recent, stainless, and functioned great but either shot way low or way high I don't remember which. I didn't keep that one either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I have a Charter Arms Pitbull, (.45ACP). It's not bad, though when I first got it, it had some light hammer strikes. Charter sent me a label, and repaired it at no charge. Being lightweight, it does hit the hand hard, but it's tolerable. I probably wouldn't use it as a range toy, but it's small enough to conceal, so it's a good choice for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I've had one for about 5 years and I like it a lot. The great thing about the Bulldog .44 spl is that it is light; 19.5 oz. I'm pretty sure there's no .44 spl or other 'big bore' revolver out there that is that light. So it makes a great big bore carry gun. I use it pocket carry in the woods. Being light, it doesn't need a holster, which would interfere with the backpack belt. I shoot a couple of cylinders most times I go to the range to keep in shape with it. It kicks a bit as a lightweight, but I find it quite accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy Horn Gent Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Had one for several years. Easy to carry and shot well until I traded it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Always thought Charter was underrated. Not for heavy use, but for carry. Regrets! Never got one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I have a Taurus stainless 445 44 Special. It's not as light but is a great shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tell Sackett SASS 18436 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Well, it was the gun used by “Son of Sam”!! How can you go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I had one way back when they first came out. It may have been improved, but there was one fault: if you had any respect for your right thumb you would have to grind down and polish the cylinder latch. I did after the first few rounds and loved the ugly little brute. After I got to where I wasn't comfortable with the recoil I sold it to my son, who found some oversize softer grips for it He has since sold it to his son who at six foot five and two hundred eighty solid pounds thinks its just perfect for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I have zero experience with Charter Arms, but if I come across a Bulldog XL in .45 Colt I am probably going to buy it. https://charterguns.com/product/charter-arms-bulldog-revolver-74530-45-colt-lc-2-50-black-rubber-grip-stainless-finish-5-rd/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 16 minutes ago, Pat Riot said: I have zero experience with Charter Arms, but if I come across a Bulldog XL in .45 Colt I am probably going to buy it. https://charterguns.com/product/charter-arms-bulldog-revolver-74530-45-colt-lc-2-50-black-rubber-grip-stainless-finish-5-rd/ I think that it'll be easier find one in .45ACP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 1 hour ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said: Well, it was the gun used by “Son of Sam”!! How can you go wrong? You hear this. But for some reason, you never hear about criminals who used .38 spls back then. Probably orders of magnitude more of them. I suppose because it was and still is a somewhat rare, or at least unusual, gun. In fact, I think it's the only one in its class: lightweight snub nosed .44 spl-only revolver. Over the years, I've found that if I tell gun guys I have such a gun, and ask them if they know who made it, they always say Charter Arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 24 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said: I think that it'll be easier find one in .45ACP. You are probably right. I haven’t encountered a .45 ACP or .45 Colt in CA revolvers. I always see .38 and .357. Taurus also had a .45 Colt revolver. I believe the model was / is the 405. Everyone I have asked about those wished me luck. In truth I probably shouldn’t bother. My right wrist probably wouldn’t do well firing .45 Colt or ACP from a gun that weighs just a few ounces over a pound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 3 hours ago, Dantankerous said: Been thinking of adding another .44 Special to the mix and the Charter Arms Bulldog is priced right and gets pretty decent online reviews. Any of y'all have experience with one? Pros and cons? Quality? Thoughts on this revolver? Yup, just for fun (not SASS fun) and plinking and to say I have another .44 Special. I'd add that if you are, as seems obvious, a .44 Special aficionado, then the Bulldog needs to be in the collection. The quality is good, but it's not a Smith or a Colt, though it will last as long as one, I figure. Sharper edges.... Not really a plinker, maybe, because it's light and kicks. I will shoot about 10 rounds just to keep in practice as a carry gun. .44 Special ammo is hard to find. I lucked into beaucoup boxes about 5 years ago, so I have quit a bit. I keep my eyes open, but almost never see it. I saw a single box of .44 spl cowboy loads at Bass a few weeks ago, for about 69 bucks....didn't buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 30 minutes ago, Pat Riot said: You are probably right. I haven’t encountered a .45 ACP or .45 Colt in CA revolvers. I always see .38 and .357. Taurus also had a .45 Colt revolver. I believe the model was / is the 405. Everyone I have asked about those wished me luck. In truth I probably shouldn’t bother. My right wrist probably wouldn’t do well firing .45 Colt or ACP from a gun that weighs just a few ounces over a pound. There are a bunch of .45ACP versions on Gunbroker for under $500 right now, but yeah, if your wrist is bad, the recoil would NOT be fun. My wrists are fine and it's not fun for me. My usage will primarily be for CCW and not a range gun. Now the Taurus 450 wasn't bad. It had a steel frame and those rubber Ribber grips on it. A friend of mine had one and it was HIS CCW. But since Taurus doesn't make them anymore, good luck finding one for any reasonable price. I take that back, there's one on Gunbroker right now for $499. It's also ported to help with the recoil. If I had the extra funds, I might go for it. Since I can't, you should go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 6 hours ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said: There are a bunch of .45ACP versions on Gunbroker for under $500 right now, but yeah, if your wrist is bad, the recoil would NOT be fun. My wrists are fine and it's not fun for me. My usage will primarily be for CCW and not a range gun. Now the Taurus 450 wasn't bad. It had a steel frame and those rubber Ribber grips on it. A friend of mine had one and it was HIS CCW. But since Taurus doesn't make them anymore, good luck finding one for any reasonable price. I take that back, there's one on Gunbroker right now for $499. It's also ported to help with the recoil. If I had the extra funds, I might go for it. Since I can't, you should go for it. Thanks very much. I kind of figured the CA to be a handful. I wish I could go for the Taurus. I just paid $4500 in taxes so expendable income is rather short now. Damnit! My wife would probably shoot me if I put it on a credit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 had one years back , carried it as a tractor gun , on the farm shot well enough for its job , reloading is about the only way to keep it shooting I did like it CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 55 minutes ago, Pat Riot said: Thanks very much. I kind of figured the CA to be a handful. I wish I could go for the Taurus. I just paid $4500 in taxes so expendable income is rather short now. Damnit! My wife would probably shoot me if I put it on a credit card. Tell her she needn't bother. I'll shoot you just for the fun of it. (I hope you know I'm kidding. I don't want you to take preventive measures and shoot me.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I have a gp100 in 44 special looked at charter arms but the Ruger was attractively priced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry T Harrison Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 With my arthritis and other strength issues I’m going the other way I’m going back to my Model 31 S&W. I plan to go to a 32 magnum as soon as I can raise the funds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORNERY OAF Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Got one, love it,44spl is a hugely underrated self defense cartridge...I load mine medium.str, no warm loads in the little guy. No Skeeter Skeltons, you will feel that and so will the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Do any of you that have such a critter have a problem with getting a full ejection stroke? I don't have a bulldog. I have owned three charter arms firearms, in my lifetime, and I have not been impressed. So I shall not have a bulldog. I do, however, have a 696, which is a stainless L frame Smith & Wesson in 44 special. It is just a wee tad bit heavier than a bulldog - according to my kitchen scale just now it is 2 pounds 8 and 1/2 ounces fully loaded. But it also has a 3 inch barrel, giving it about a 2 inch ejector rod. That will not eject 44 special positively every time. So I feed mine 44 Russian. Load it just as hot, but with the shorter case we get a clean ejection stroke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 To me the selling point on the .44 Bulldog is the light weight, given the appealing caliber. It makes for very easy carry. That 696 S&W is very cool, but twice the weight of the Bulldog. The GP100 even more so (as I recall). Light weight in a big bore. It's a niche for sure; maybe why it's the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Look at the S&W 69 as well. Lightweight .44 Magnum that is brutal with full power Magnums, nut really nice with Specials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 14 minutes ago, DeaconKC said: Look at the S&W 69 as well. Lightweight .44 Magnum that is brutal with full power Magnums, nut really nice with Specials. I overheard a couple of guys talking at my LGS / indoor range. We were in the revolver display section. One of them commented that he’d like a .44 Mag. The other said “I have a model 69 Smith & Wesson” Guy 2 perked up: “Really? I didn’t know that. How do you like it?” Guy 1: “That thing is a nightmare with .44 Magnum. It’s pretty nice with .44 Special, but I don’t reload and finding Special is a real PITA!” Guy 2: “You want to sell it?” Guy 1: “Not to you.” Guy 2 gave him a dirty look and started to say something but Guy 1 cut him off. ”Look. You and I are friends. I wouldn’t want our friendship to be messed up over a gun I know you’ll regret buying as soon as you shoot magnums.” (I thought that was very nice of Guy 1) I have to rein myself in regarding harder recoiling hand guns now. Just like my comments above regarding the light .45 Colt guns. A while back one of the guys at the gun store remembered that I was curious about a 10mm Glock. He said a used one came in and he was sure the guy put 100 rounds through it, at the most. He said he’d make me a deal. I had to pass. 9mm is my limit in semiautos. It’s not the recoil so much as it is the slide action. Last Friday I took my Glocks 43 & 48 to the range. I discovered my G43 liked Federal 147 gr. HST ammo, which was nice. The recoil wasn’t bad, but later on my wrist ached. Probably because I was also shooting 115 grain loads. It’s one of the reasons I am switching to 147 grain bullets in my Glocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Not to hijack the thread, but while everyone is debating recoil in the Bulldog, consider having it magnaported. I did an alloy J-frame and it made a world of difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 Thanks all, for the responses. I'd like to find one locally to handle but these are not available anywhere locally. GB has them priced around $425 on up so I figure I'll take a chance. 44 Special has become a favorite round for me. And I do already have the Smith 69 posted a few back... great gun! Love it but I just want to add something else to the collection. I figure a Rossi 720 44 Special is next as well, just might take a tad longer to locate that one. 44 Special is an absolute joy to shoot. Cannot go wrong with a 44 Special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 2 hours ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said: To me the selling point on the .44 Bulldog is the light weight, given the appealing caliber. It makes for very easy carry. Light weight in a big bore. It's a niche for sure; maybe why it's the only one. 56 minutes ago, Dantankerous said: I figure a Rossi 720 44 Special is next as well, just might take a tad longer to locate that one. 44 Special is an absolute joy to shoot. Cannot go wrong with a 44 Special. Taurus also has a .44SPL, the 441. Pretty much like the previously mentioned 450. but also available in 4 and 6 inch barrels. They also made them, (441 and 450) in lightweight alloy frames. All sadly no longer produced. But you can sometimes find them on the used market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 2 hours ago, DeaconKC said: Look at the S&W 69 as well. Lightweight .44 Magnum that is brutal with full power Magnums, nut really nice with Specials. This is good, and doubtless a fine revolver. And I have a Ruger Redhawk that I like to shoot Specials mostly in, too. But while it may be 'light' for a .44 magnum, at 37.5 oz it's not a 'lightweight .44 special'! The Bulldog is a genuine lightweight. At 19.5 oz, it's just 6 oz more than a Ruger LCR .38. When I hike with a pack, which has a hip belt, it's in my pocket. I don't even notice it's there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 1 hour ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said: Taurus also has a .44SPL, the 441. Pretty much like the previously mentioned 450. but also available in 4 and 6 inch barrels. They also made them, (441 and 450) in lightweight alloy frames. All sadly no longer produced. But you can sometimes find them on the used market. I have a Taurus Tracker 44 mag that is a great little inexpensive revolver. 5 shot. I put in a stupid low bid on GB a number of year ago and darn if'n I didn't win. Good little gun. 44 mag is a bit hot but Specials are sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted April 10 Author Share Posted April 10 9 hours ago, Dirty Dan Dawkins said: I have a gp100 in 44 special looked at charter arms but the Ruger was attractively priced Tough to beat a Ruger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORNERY OAF Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 2 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: Not to hijack the thread, but while everyone is debating recoil in the Bulldog, consider having it magnaported. I did an alloy J-frame and it made a world of difference. Only problem is that would cost dang near as much as the bulldog ...charter arms is nice priced! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORNERY OAF Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 I think the bulldog,if loaded well, is a very good gun..the 69 is a little big and heavy for a small revolver, and the ruger gp100 44 has been know, and maybe discontinued for blowing out forcing cones left and right. Which blows me away as I love ruger revolvers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 Carried one while a lawman. Loved it. Recommend it highly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 The Taurus 445 stainless or blued steel weigh 28-29 ounces. Their ultralight and titanium models were about 22 ounces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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