Bulldog 44

[kbstenberg]

I am looking at getting a 44spcl pistol. I was interested in getting a Taurus 431 or 441 but they are few to be had on Gunbroker. So I have turned my attention to the Bulldog in 44.
Can anyone give me there experiences with the Bulldog.
Kevin

[subsonic]

I have no experience with those you mention, but would like to throw the S&W 396 and 696 in there for you to look at. These are L-frame 5 shot 44 specials. 396 is scandium (light!). They also have made the N-frame 6 shot 624 and 24 - but these are very large and much heavier.

[C A Plater]

I have a .44 Bulldog and it is a very light gun. I mostly shoot cowboy action level loads (700-800fps) and find recoil quite manageable. It;s not a heavy duty type revolver but I've had no issues so far with the few hundred rounds I've put through it. Not as nice as the S&W but lots less money.

[kbstenberg]

Subsonic
I did look at the Smiths but they are twice the price of either the Taurus or Bulldog.

[Don Purcell]

Had one of the original 3" blued Bulldogs 34 years ago and wish I had it back. Initially I loaded 5 grains of Bullseye with a 250 grain Lyman "Keith" bullet. This load would pretty well shoot to the point of aim but would only bury the bullet in a hedge post with base flush with the post. Next load was 7.5 grains of Unique with the same bullet. Things started coming to life then (Still have a light scar on my thumb knuckle from the back of the cylinder) but I learned how to manage it. Charter Arms is supposed to bring this version back out according to their website and I plan on getting one.

[richhodg66]

I've had a Bulldog for about 21 years now and like it. I haven't pounded hundreds of rounds though it, but I have shot several hundred throug it over the years and never had a problem. Dad had a stainless one for a long time too and never had any trouble with it either. Charter Arms has undergone some changes in management since mine was made so I'm not sure what their quality is like now.

Good advice to use light loads. Full power loads can be kind of unpleasant in that little gun.

[TCLouis]

I bought one of the new SS Buldogs.

I never fired it or removed the tags til I sent it back for a new barrel

Most pitiful barrel I have ever seen. Rough with chunks galled out and it looked like it was threaded from the drilling or reaming.

Since it still had the tags on it when it went back to the factory you would assume one would get a letter apologizing for such crappy QA/QC. Naw!

Note the pres of Charter Arms is too busy playing graba$$ with NRA Rep on YouTube to be worried about the kind of product they turn out.

A slightly used Taurus 431 is as smooth, slick and trigger pull is great. Barrel is glassy smooth and fit and finish is most perfect. Just too dang heavy for a carry gun.

180 Remmie in the Bulldog and 200 Lee RNFP in the 431 would be what I would load if I had guns like that.

[Treeman]

With Pachmayr grips I find mine quite controllable even with fairly "serious" .44 special loads. Fun gun.

[MT Gianni]

My new 4" Patriot Target Tracker 327 Fed has the literature for the Bulldog as they share the same frame. Fit and finish is fine as are the loads I have tried so far. I sold my old 3" Bulldog in Dec and replaced it with a Lipsey' Ruger 44 special.
My Bulldog was a carry a lot shoot a little gun. It was accurate for my needs, 2" @ 25 yards with the group 2-3" left. It barked smartly with 250 gr bullets and 7 gr Unique but shot it well. I bought it as a bear gun for backpacking and have others that fit that need as well now. I would not turn down another from the 70"s if it came my way.

[Edward429451]

I too, have a Bulldog from the mid 80's. These are the ones to get over the newer ones if you can find a good used specimen. I don't load mine with anything over a 200 gr boolit. Great gun for the money.

[Piedmont]

My first carry gun was a Bulldog. I shot it out of time in 110 rounds with mostly 7.5 grains of Unique and a 250 grain Keith. When I took it to my pistolsmith who did mostly custom competition pistols, he looked at it and told me he thought they were junk. I sold it and picked up a S&W M36 and never looked back. The Smith took thousands of rounds before it needed retiming and seemed like a quality gun in every way.

I wouldn't own a current production S&W either though. Mine are all prelock and it will stay that way.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I was looking at the Bulldog too, then I found out about the Ruger .44 Spec Bisley, and since I have a .44 mag SBH Bisley with the barrel cut to 5" it seemed like a good companion gun.

I paid $450 for mine and it came from Lipsey's second run.

Much better gun than any of the CA Bulldogs I have seen. Not very much more $.

Randy

[Bret4207]

I have been completely satisfied with my particular BD. It's light, accurate, not so finely finished that I worry actually using it. It's a working mans gun. I don't put zillions of rounds through it, but I don't baby it like I do my Star PD. I wish it was slightly more nicely finished from the factory, the almost sharp edges are a pain. Mine is from the 70's or 80's. If you get a good one you'll love it, if you get a lemon...well, that's life.

[2shot]

Bought a original 3" Bulldog when they first came out back in the 70's. IMO if your going to spend hard earned money buy something good. My Bulldog is a piece of ****. I still have it and would be embassesed to sell it.

2shot

[EMC45]

I don't have a Charter, but I do have a Taurus 431. It is the SS 4in. fixed sight model. It shoots well. Very slick and smooth!

[buck1]

I have had my Charter Bulldod 2 years now. I am very happy with it.

[Dframe]

I have a .44 Bulldog and it is a very light gun. I mostly shoot cowboy action level loads (700-800fps) and find recoil quite manageable. It;s not a heavy duty type revolver but I've had no issues so far with the few hundred rounds I've put through it. Not as nice as the S&W but lots less money.

My thoughts exactly. The one I fired was actually quite accurate, easily toppling plates at 20 yards in spite if it's 3 inch barrel. Like he says, VERY light and servicable. Certainly NOT a Colt or S&W but a whole BUNCH less money.

[cabezaverde]

I have had my Charter Bulldod 2 years now. I am very happy with it.

Buck,

Is yours made by the new Charter Arms, which is the original owners after Charco and Charter 2000?

I have been thinking about a 2.5" stainless. How is the trigger, throats, etc?

[buck1]

Yes mine is the new one Charter 2000. The trigger is better than a Ruger in fact its not bad at all. I have never measured the throats or bbl but I size to .430 and have never ANY leading issues (even pushing boolits hard and fast).
I was spookie of getting it at first as it seemed to cheep in price. But I would buy it again in a heart beat.
The only thing is the front sight is a bit tall and thick. I think its ment to be fine tuned with a file to fit your load. That is what I did (easy). a great buy for a real good gun in my opinion.

[kbstenberg]

Thank you all for your thoughts! I think I will keep watching Gunbroker for a month an see about a good deal. I hope I can keep my billfold closed until I can find a Taurus or Charterarms.
If anyone hears about either one that is available would you give me a shout?
My personal tasts tend to be with a DA, otherwise I would be looking at a Ruger SA.
Kevin

[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.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/CA_Bulldog.JPG

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


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Pistols%20various/ReducedTarusM43144SplDSCN2708.jpg

[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.