Charter Arms Bulldog review is published.

[Hunter]

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/rangehotdotcom/Charter%20Arms%20Bulldog/RHcom-3_zps08d4f6c2.jpg (http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/rangehotdotcom/media/Charter%20Arms%20Bulldog/RHcom-3_zps08d4f6c2.jpg.html)

I really liked the little snubby revolver is .44 Special but as always your thoughts and opinions are welcome.

http://rangehot.com/charter-arms-bulldog-guard-dog-pocket/

[backhoe]

Got an old 70ish ,44 spec.,Bulldog and man she sho is a handful!

[Hunter]

I shot some warm .44 Specials out of the Bulldog and I agree, they were a handful.

[c1skout]

Nice review. I've got the police bulldog (same frame but 6 shot 38spc) and really like the gun for a carry piece, but it doesn't like my boolit reloads, I blame the tight throats and carry j-words.

[Don Purcell]

When I had mine (wish I had it back) I loaded 7.5 Unique with 250 grain Keith.

[pworley1]

I have had a SS 44 Bulldog since they first came out with the SS version. It has had "0" issues in all that time. I hope you enjoy yours as much.

[Forrest r]

I've owned bulldogs since the 80's, they'll put the smack on anything they hit. The bulldog's seem to do their best with 200gr to 220gr bullets. Mine gets allot of 200gr wc, 200gr swc hp's and mihec 220gr hbwc's ran thru it. A 2 1/2" bbl's bulldog/44spl.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/3inchbbl_zps5d3a2f29.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/3inchbbl_zps5d3a2f29.jpg.html)

A mihec hbwc shot from a bulldog with a full house load of power pistol.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/44hbwcaround.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/44hbwcaround.jpg.html)

Some swaged jacketed hbwc.s turned around (hb facing out) and shot out of snub noses charter arms 38spl & 44spl.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/firedtop.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/firedtop.jpg.html)

2" bbl'd bulldog/44spl & 2" bbl'd off duty/38spl that shot those swaged jacketed hbwc's

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/charterpistols.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/charterpistols.jpg.html)

[Thumbcocker]

I have a three digit 70"s vintage one. Forcing cone looks like it was cut with a dull rock and cylinders look chewed. Still shoots suprisingly well though.

[Combat Diver]

I still shoot my 3" Bulldog I got in the late 80s. Usually carry as my woodsroaming gun with first two rounds loaded with #9 shot/Speer Shootcapsules which is then followed by 3 rounds of Lee 240gr LSWC boolits under a good dose of Unique. I'm always running into cottonmouths, black bears and alligators when I ramble in the swamps at home.


CD

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I've got a blued 3" which I carried in uniform as a back up for years as a peace officer. Carried daily shot seldom. The recoil makes you wish you were done shooting after 5 shots but I never carried a reload for it so it never mattered anyway. The load was my cast RCBS 44-250-K 6 parts ww 4 parts Linotype sized .431" lubed with Alox over 5.2 gr of Bullseye.

Now my agency has issued a new policy that prohibits handloads. The problem with that is the shelves of the gunshops are sans any decent ammo for a Bulldog. I don't want to stuff 5 rhino stoppers in the snubbie and rn isn't a good option. I just have to keep shopping.

[wonderwolf]

I got one a few months back as a carry option, and possible back up to my 29 4". I have shot mostly 200gr DEWC's through it and a few jacketed 180gr HP's (mostly noslers). I have a swage die set on the way so soon I'll have more weight and nose options (Hp,solid etc). The thing is accurate for what it is. The 200gr WC's should fly about 700 FPS? I'm thinking out of that short barrel with the 5gr of red dot i'm loading behind it right now. A older Hornady manual says I can push the load a little faster so I might try that. Realizing if I load some HP's they may need the velocity to function properly...but I can't imagine a DEWC not plowing through a good amount of tissue going that slow. might have to do a wet pack test on it when it warms up with a few layers of denim in front.

Short story though is I've been looking for a bulldog for sometime, I found one priced right and I'm happy with it overall. The only con I have is that the DA trigger is very LONG and doesn't break until the very very end of the pull, I may fit with a trigger shoe after I get more trigger time and if it wont hinder use with gloves. Kind of looking at aftermarket grips for it. but I have had speedloaders on it I purchased off the S&S forum here prolly 4 years ago so it was a purchase I've wanted for awhile.

[Love Life]

I have gotten alot of use out of the charter arms guns I own. I recommend them over Taurus all day everyday and even twice on Sunday.

[wonderwolf]

I have gotten alot of use out of the charter arms guns I own. I recommend them over Taurus all day everyday and even twice on Sunday.

I would agree with you on that taurus comment. Yes they make some things others don't (41 mag compact) but I've never been impressed and I have read two accounts where small ammo manufactures specifically say not to shoot their defense loads in Taurus guns.

[richhodg66]

I have one that's probably from the 70s and like it a lot. Doesn't get shot much, maybe a couple of range trips a year, but it sits loaded in a drawer in the house at easy reach all the time.

[dualsport]

How about a Bulldog in .45 Colt? Possible? Might be interesting. Give it a cool name, sell a bunch of guns.

[wonderwolf]

How about a Bulldog in .45 Colt? Possible? Might be interesting. Give it a cool name, sell a bunch of guns.
One in .45ACP would be nice....and much cheaper than a 325. Although I would want it with moon clips and CA has been doing all the rimless stuff (9mm and 40S&W) with the ball detents.

[Mtnfolk75]

During my summer gig on the Stampede trail in Alaska back in 2010, I wore one daily under a vest in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake. I had started the summer with a 5.5" Raging Bull in .454 Casull that I carried crossdraw in a Sourdough. I couldn't fly with much ammo, so I tried buying .454 there ..... TRIED is the operative word .... :veryconfu All I could find was W-W 255 Grain LFN in .45 Colt, a Cowboy load. After a month of no Brown Bears ( found out from DFW & NPS that I was staying in the only place in Alaska without fish or Brown Bears .... ). Called the better half and she sent me my SS Bulldog and Sourdough Pancake, but had trouble finding good .44 Special ammo. Finally located a box of CCI Blazer 200 Grain Gold-Dot in the Sportsman Warehouse in Wasilla. Carried that strongside the balance of the summer and found the Gold-Dots were pretty accurate ..... Minute of Destructive Squirrel as a matter of fact .... :shock: Traded it away when I got back and have missed it since. Reading this Great review has me starting the search for another ..... funds being the only derail to the thought .... :bigsmyl2:

[Hunter]

Thank you very much for all of the feedback.
I have decided to buy the test sample and start shopping for molds. I have a pretty good collection of brass and factory bullets but I like the look of those wad cutters.
The rubber grips tame the recoil a little better but it is not something i would want to shoot on an extended range day.

[TCLouis]

I guess I am the lone dissenting vote on the Bull Dog.

Purchased it for planned carry gun.

Love that 44 Special cartridge, well all 44s actually.

Much prefer to sling 100 grain 44 caliber boolit over the 158 35 caliber.

my bulldog has been THROWN to the back of the shelf in the safe a couple of years ago, and only seen recently because I had to take out all of the junk I have stuffed in there while I was looking for something.

It was THROWN back at the end of the search.

[williamwaco]

I guess I am the lone dissenting vote on the Bull dog.

Planned to be a carry gun.

Love that 44 Special cartridge.

Much prefer to sling 100 grain 44 caliber boolit over the 158 35 caliber.
THROWN to the back of the shelf in the safe a couple of years ago, and only seen recently because I had to take out all of the junk I have stuffed in there while I was looking for something.
THROWN back at the end.

Nope. You are not.

I have owned three of them.

The first one had a 2 digit serial number. The last one bought two years ago.

Not one of the three would reliably hit a paper plate at 15 yards - FROM A REST!

Here is the latest.

http://reloadingtips.com/reviews/charter_arms_bulldog.htm

[Duster340]

Hey Hunter,

Thanks for sharing that review. No surprises. Another Bulldog lover here. Picked up a new, 2103 production, model and after nearly 750 rounds I couldn't be happier. It's very accurate (5 rounds touching at 21ft if I do my part), reliable and eats anything I have thrown at it. Developed nice loads from pip squeaks to beastly using Unique, Red Dot, Blue Dot and 800X. In the process of working up some loads using Bullseye. Though it seems to like lighter 200-220 gr casts, I have had great success w 180 gr JHP and Plated 240 gr PFP. A fella (or lady!) could do a lot worse than a Bulldog .44 for a light concealable, powerful, carry weapon.


Here's a pic of some "dog food". L-R 208 gr LeeWC, 200 gr Lee FN, 214 gr Lee SWC and 240 gr Berry PFP.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/emandm/IMG_0385_zps1cf0cc6e.jpg (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/IMG_0385_zps1cf0cc6e.jpg.html)

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/emandm/IMG_0390_zpse5b2305b.jpg (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/emandm/media/IMG_0390_zpse5b2305b.jpg.html)

[jonp]

I shot some warm .44 Specials out of the Bulldog and I agree, they were a handful.

As much a handful as full house 158gr 357Mag out of a 2.5 Inch SP101? Those were unpleasant.

[Hunter]

Nope. You are not.

I have owned three of them.

The first one had a 2 digit serial number. The last one bought two years ago.

Not one of the three would reliably hit a paper plate at 15 yards - FROM A REST!

Here is the latest.

http://reloadingtips.com/reviews/charter_arms_bulldog.htm

Wow, you did have some issues with that revolver. That sucks.
Did you contact Charter Arms and see if they could repair it? The one I reviewed has clean rifling and locks up pretty tight with no end shake.

I am digging those wad cutters Duster340.
I expect they would work well for defensive use.

[jlchucker]

Do they still make a Bulldog in a 3 or 4 inch barrel? It would seem to me that a great walk-in-the-woods gun would be a Charter with a barrel about 3 1/2 inches long (not full shroud). I like my Ruger 44 special (4 3/4 inch), but the thought of a decent 5 shot DA with a slightly shorter barrel might be kind of nice to carry on a walk in the woods. Something along the lines of a Smith M60, only in 44 Special.

[wonderwolf]

Do they still make a Bulldog in a 3 or 4 inch barrel? It would seem to me that a great walk-in-the-woods gun would be a Charter with a barrel about 3 1/2 inches long (not full shroud). I like my Ruger 44 special (4 3/4 inch), but the thought of a decent 5 shot DA with a slightly shorter barrel might be kind of nice to carry on a walk in the woods. Something along the lines of a Smith M60, only in 44 Special.

They used to but their website no longer shows the longer barreled version.