Bulldog 44

[sagamore-one]

Well Mr. Kevin... I am on my fourth 44 Bulldog. The local shop was concerned enough for my safety with my plus P reloads in the Bulldog that they talked me into a Smith 329PD, the Scandium/ Titanium 44 mag blaster. I shot the first three Bulldogs enough to completely wear them out and never had a problem, even with plus P loads. The second day I had the 329PD my son wrote on the calendar.... " Dad Flinched Today".
The Charter Bulldog in 3 inch is a good, sturdy pistol.

[Gray Fox]

One year for Christmas my lovely bride bought me a 396 in the fitted metal case. Once I picked it up I knew I was going to have recoil problems, and boy, did I. Moderate loads with the 180 grain Gold Dot were the only things out of my stash I could handle for more than 10 or so rounds.

With wife's OK (hard to sell a gift), I got a Taurus 431 3". It was heavy, but handled the loads I like well--boolits. But, it shot nowhere near point of aim past 7 yards, regardless of what I tried. So, got rid of it, too. Pehaps someday I'll try a 696 if I can find one.

[Combat Diver]

I traded for a used CA Bulldog back in the late 80s. Just got it back from a 10 yr loan to my BIL as I've been down range. Carry first round shotshells for the copperheads around the house, then 240 gr SWC both load behind Unique.



Used to have on of the Taurus 431 3" blue but it didn't feel quit right to me compared to my other 3" K frames.

CD

[kbstenberg]

Sagamore-one you have been the first one to indicate that the BD will digest a large quantity of shooting. Thank you. Most others indicate they have only put a minimum of rounds through there guns.

[NoDakJak]

I bought my first 3" Bulldog in the early seventies and then sold it when transferred back overseas. I bought the second one in the early eighties and ended up selling it to an undercover cop that thought he needed it worse than I did. Then I couldn't find a replacement and ended up buying a 4" Target Bulldog. Good choice. I have fired it more than both the previous revolvers combined. I consider these revolvers to be anti snake medicine and also for self defense. These are very hard kicking little guns that are for a specific purpose and rarely get fired for "fun". The Target Bulldog is much more user friendly and I carry it a lot. I'm reetired and work part time on a couple of local ranches in the summer. The TB always rides with me in the tractor. I normally carry it with two shot loads followed with three boolits. I've collected one coyote and probably a dozen rattlesnakes with it. The recoil is still pretty stout so in an effort to reduce it and also increase effective knockdown I chuck the rounds loaded with 240 grain Keith boolits into the lathe and turn the entire nose off. Talk about a full wadcutter.

[sagamore-one]

I have no real hard count as to the actual number of rounds I put through my Bulldogs, but I wore out a 2 cavity Lyman mould feeding them.
My current Bulldog load is H&G 107B, 185 gr. full wadcutter over a mild charge of 4756 powder.

[Bret4207]

I bought my BD used and I've put a good grand through it. I see no signs of any problems. My loads ranged from plinkers in the 650 fps range to Skeeter loads. Most were around 6.0 Unique with a 429421.

[cabezaverde]

I bought my BD used and I've put a good grand through it. I see no signs of any problems. My loads ranged from plinkers in the 650 fps range to Skeeter loads. Most were around 6.0 Unique with a 429421.

Have you chronographed that load Bret?

[Bret4207]

Yeah, but danged if I can recall what it did out of the BD. IIRC it was in the general 750-800 fps area. Seems like it was faster than the same load in my Smith. My rememberer ain't worth spit these days.

[Dark Helmet]

Rossi made a nice one-watch for .434 throats, though.

[TCLouis]

Even though I seemed to be complaining about the BD, I would not trade it for a Ruger SA for the intended purpose for which it was purchased.

Guns are like any other tool, some are specialized for what one needs and others are for general use.

Then there is the general purpose tool (hammer, pliers) and pistol (GP 100, Model 66, Ruger SA).

I had two different CA Pathfinders and both were great fun to shoot. Both were plinking accurate to at least 25 yards (never shot them any farther) and were great fun.

[SlamFire1]

I have one of those 80’s Bulldogs. It is uncomfortable shooting 240 factory loads. You would think 44 Specials are powder puff after shooting them in an N frame, then you light one off in a Bulldog you will learn different.

Mine shot to point of aim with 240’s, 200 grain bullets shot elsewhere. These pistols are lightweight big bore pocket pistols and should never be hot loaded. Never ever hot load the things. In 1975 Gun Digest, Major George Nonte Jr. wrote an article and promoted shooting Elmer Keith loads in Bulldogs. Keith loads are hot in N frame revolvers and are totally inappropriate for use in a Bulldog. I suspect lots of Bulldogs lost their top straps or were beaten out of time due to that article.

Unique worked well, you can drop the load to 6.0 grains with a 240 and it will shoot well.

Charter Arms Bulldog 3' Barrel


250 LSWC 6.6 gr Unique little dandy R13 lot UN 331 Fed
T ≈ 75 ° F 15-Aug-92
Ave Vel = 698
Std Dev = 20
ES = 46
Low = 670
High = 716
N = 5

I did more extensive chronograph testing with my Taurus M431.

The factory wooden grips that came on my 431 were uncomfortable. Luckly a Pachmayr gripper grip was much more comfortable.

My 431 shoots to point of aim at 25 yards with 200 grain bullets. Obviously Taurus meant this to be used with the advanced 200 grain self defense loads on the market. My normal 44 Special loads with 240 grain bullets shot quite high. I was able to purchase 200 grain LSWC bullets, at an advertized brinell hardness of 13.
I used Unique as that is an exceptionally flexible powder, something I normally use in 44 Spl, and it did not let me down.

Since I had light leading at 6.0 grs Unique, and it shot to point of aim with excellent accuracy, and it is the lightest recoiling of the test sequence, that is what I use in practice. I suspect I was pushing the pistol on the heavier loads.

Taurus M431 3" Barrel

240 LSWC 5.0 grs Red Dot thrown, Midway Brass CCI 500

Ave Vel = 684.1
Std Dev = 17.11
ES = 57.84
Low = 654.1
High = 712
N = 16

Shoots way high



205 LSWC 6.0 grs Unique thrown, Midway Brass WLP
T = 54 °F 11-Dec-04
Ave Vel = 789.6
Std Dev = 27.18
ES = 96.54
Low = 724.1
High = 820.6
N = 30
Accurate, shoots point of aim, light leading.



205 LSWC 6.5 Unique thrown, Midway Brass WLP
T = 54 °F 25-Nov-04
Ave Vel = 866
Std Dev = 16
ES = 52
Low = 839
High = 891
N = 11
Elevation good, but left; more leading



205 LSWC 7.0 grs Unique thrown, Midway Brass WLP
T = 57 °F 25-Nov-04
Ave Vel = 906
Std Dev = 16
ES = 56
Low = 876
High = 932
N = 15
elevation good but left: worst leading

[Catshooter]

With a 429421 cast of 20 to 1 over 7.0 grains of Universal Clays I get 830 fps from my 3".


Cat

[x101airborne]

I had a Taurus Tracker in 44 mag. Blew out my left ear drum the first time I fired it hunting without ear plugs. Sold it and bought a Bull Dog in 44 special. They may look stainless, but they are not. I dont know what the are. I always carry a pistol when fishing the coast. Saltwater attacked that pistol and had it bound up in around 6 hours. I wasn't finished fishing yet, much less cleaned the weapon. Mine has stayed in time after around 300 rounds of +p ammo, but I would hesitate using it in a corrosive environment like the coast. I am currently saving up for one of the S&W titaniums in 44 mag. The tracker is obnoxious with a ported barrel, the bulldog is loaded light for my needs and does not do well with adverse environments. I dont mind recoil in an emergency, but my left ear has been ringing constantly for over 2 years. THAT is annoying. I could not in any good conscious recommend a post 2000 bulldog to anyone for any reason other than a depth-finder. Other opinions may vary, but that is mine after 5 years.