Charter arms bulldog????

[buck1]

I know nothing about charter arms but this .44 spl is calling to me.
Anyone have any opinions on the quality of these?
Thanks.......................Buck :drinks:
link....
http://www.charterfirearms.com/community/gun_schematic.html

[MSgtUSMC]

I have carried mine with my CCW for more than 15 years. Recently put on Crimson Trace laser sight. Works great. Shoot it often at the range. It's holding up and is very accurate at the distances for which it was intended.

[Ricochet]

I've got no complaints about the one I've had since 1977 or so.

[klcarroll]

I used to carry a custom .44 Bulldog.

The Barrel was cut back to be even with the ejector rod, and I fitted the small Charter Arms "Undercover" grips to further reduce the size. The whole package was as easy to conceal as a Smith Model 36.

I used a 240 grain lead handload that clocked at about 800 FPS.

It was a reliable, faithful companion; .....and given a "ranging shot" or two, I could still connect with a beer can at 75 yards! (….But, of course, every time I shot it, the recoil would make my middle finger swell up! LOL)

Kent

[NoDakJak]

I have owned several of them and have had no mechanical problems. Recoil can be a problem so go light with the powder. I load a 215 grain SWC to about 700fps. This may sound a bit puny but is much more effective than any 38 special snubbie. I no longer carry a Bulldog concealed so traded it for a "Target Bulldog" which is my usual trail gun now. I like the longer barrel and adjustable sights. I normally carry loaded with two rounds of snakeshot backed with three of the swc loads. Those snake loads are very effective and have removed the kinks from many rattlers gittalong. Neil

[MT Gianni]

Mine is an older 3" model. I shoot 25 -50 rounds through it every spring then pack it occasionally. I shoot 240 gr cast @750 fps and do not consider it comfortable to shoot. I want to be able to stick it in a bears ear or up his nose when or before he begins to chew on me. I would not buy one for a target pistol nor as my only revolver. It fills a need in my gun safe and packs it well.

[nvbirdman]

I have had one for about twenty years.
The 240gr bullets shoot high. The 180gr bullets shoot low. The 200gr bullets hit point of aim.

[leadeye]

I have one of the older models, carried it for a while years ago but it has retired to my safe. Lots of power in a nice light weight package is what I liked about it.:-D

[Dan Cash]

To me, they are kind of cobby. I would say save your money.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`m glad nvbirdman has the same P.O.A. with his bulldog as I also do. I finally settled on a lyman #429215 that weighs on or about 218 gr. then put 6.5 gr. of unique behind it. In mine it`s very accurate out to 50 ft., as far as my old eyes can can use those sights, and deadly. I use the same load with the Lee 208 gr. .44 wadcutter seated flush and crimped. Very interesting what it will do to 4" X 4" posts when struck. :castmine: Robert

[Bret4207]

I have an older BD that I have carried for several years. I've had no mechanical problems and my particular example is far more accurate than I ever expected. I can hold 2" at 20-25 yards. It's one of the few guns I have that I can see the sights of easily. I've used a variety of loads from round balls and commercial wadcutters to the Lyman 429421 backed by healthy doses of Unique. While "The Skeeter Load" is far more than I want to use on a regular basis in such a light gun, I found no mechanical issues and really didn't think the recoil was all that bad. No matter what I use the gun twists in my hand as I refuse to put a big set of grips on a gun I stick in a coat pocket or shove behind my belt for concealed carry. I still have the factory wood on mine and will until I find some smooth, non-rubber grips that suit me.

Though many of the Charter products appear a bit chintzy, I have complete faith in my BD. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one in good shape if that's the kind of peestol you want to carry.

[HeavyMetal]

I've got a target Bulldog that I bought in the late 70's! put a set pf Pachmyrs on it to tame recoil and it shoots great!

For years I loaded Lymans 429348 ( full wadcutter 180 gr) for this gun and tried several powders, Unique , bullseye, Green dot, 452 all worked very well. Velocity was in the 850 to 950 range and I was quite happy with that.

Other guns have come and gone since that purchase but the Bulldog stays in the safe. I will be shooting it more in the next year because I got both a 429421 HP and the 240 gr full wadcutter from Blammer's GB.

Sold the 429348 to a fella recently of the swap and sell section, hope he's as happy with it as I was!

So I figure this answers your question?

[mooman76]

I can't speak for Charter because I don't own one, at least not yet. But I got a Rossi which looks very similar and like it allot especially for the price. Liked it so much I picked up a 357 too. They both shoot good for snubbies. A little heavy but not too bad and it cuts down on the recoil.

[R.C. Hatter]

I've owned two, and shot about four individual guns of that model. I've not had nor heard of many mechanical issues with them. A 240 gr. factory load will rock the middle finger of your gun hand. I would advise loading a 215 gr.bullet like # 429215 to about 715 f.p.s., as it will be more comfortable to shoot. Inasmuch as most serious social engagements happen at a range of 7 yards or less, it matters not if you shoot a bit high or low, as long as you are on target. A 215 gr. .44 slug at 715 f.p.s. will be more potent than any standard .38 Spl. loading. You can also cut the velocity a bit on the #429421 250 gr. bullet and it will work OK too.

[Tom Herman]

I picked up a S & W model 624, and though that gun was cheezy and flimsy until I examined the Bulldog. It seemed much smaller, lighter, and very poorly made compared to the Smith.
Do yourself a favor: Save up for a Model 24 or a 624. It's ten times the gun that the Charter Arms is. I wouldn't trade mine for anything !
As an aside, my wife's ex husband's college roommate was none other than David Berkowitz...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[MT Gianni]

Tom I sold a 6 1/2" 24 because the Redhawk 44 out shot it by 1/2 @ 50 yards. Different applications and different uses. A CA Bulldog is meant to pack a lot A 24 to shoot a lot.

[Ghugly]

I know nothing about charter arms but this .44 spl is calling to me.
Anyone have any opinions on the quality of these?
Thanks.......................Buck :drinks:
link....
http://www.charterfirearms.com/community/gun_schematic.html

Fit and finish is poor when compared with a S&W. Much stronger than one would think. My current carry load is 13.2 gr. of 2400 under a 250 gr. Keith. This is a compromise load. The heaviest load mine has seen is a box of 50 loaded with 9.7gr. of Unique under the 250gr. Keith (shot to point of aim and did no harm, but I don't advise it). My current fun load is 7.5gr. of Bullseye under a 160gr. 44Slim SWC. Creates a huge fireball and shock wave as it goes supersonic. A lot of fun and very little recoil, really shakes things up at the range.

The new models coming out are the .40, the 9mm and the .45acp. All are rated for +p loads. Interesting new system for handling the rimless cartridges too. It will be interesting to see how well they work.

[Bret4207]

I picked up a S & W model 624, and though that gun was cheezy and flimsy until I examined the Bulldog. It seemed much smaller, lighter, and very poorly made compared to the Smith.
Do yourself a favor: Save up for a Model 24 or a 624. It's ten times the gun that the Charter Arms is. I wouldn't trade mine for anything !
As an aside, my wife's ex husband's college roommate was none other than David Berkowitz...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

I have a Model 24-3, a far nicer gun than the stainless 624's to my way of thinking. While the S+W is "nicer" they were also made with 2 different uses in mind. The S+W is a gun you take immense pride in owning, you baby it and polish it and freak out if a blemish appears. It's a connoisseurs gun. The Charter is a much less expensive gun meant to be carried and used. If it gets a blemish you fix it abd don't worry, if it falls in the dirt and mud when you're fixing fence, too bad, wash it off in the crick and away ya go. Many folks will never be able to afford the Smith, many more can afford the Charter now. It's a working mans gun.

[Tom Herman]

Tom I sold a 6 1/2" 24 because the Redhawk 44 out shot it by 1/2 @ 50 yards. Different applications and different uses. A CA Bulldog is meant to pack a lot A 24 to shoot a lot.

Agreed. A Ruger is a shooting gun, while the CA is one you hope you don't ever have to use.
I bought the Smith 624 because Ruger doesn't make a Redhawk in .44 SPL.
I could have easily bought the Redhawk or 629 in .44 Mag, but I would rather shoot a gun in the caliber it was meant for.
This is the same reason why I fire .38's out of my Model 10 instead of the Security Six .357...

I would love to see Ruger do a run of 4" .44 SPL Redhawks in Stainless. I'd find the money somewhere to pick one up!

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

BTW: I carry the 4" Redhawk in .45 LC... That's my every day gun, while the 7-1/2" Redhawk .45 LC is my woods gun. -T

[Charlie Sometimes]

I had a Rossi 720 (44 Spl) at one time. It was all stainless steel and a solid, good shooter. A bit big and heavy for concealed carry. The Buldog, if alloy construction, would be better for that, but they can't take as much continous shooting as the non-alloy types, that would be required for effective defense weapon. Maybe get two? I shot the 429421 in my Rossi, but when I shfted everything to 45 Colt, I got rid of it.

[JW6108]

I can't answer for the Bulldog that's made today, but I had one back in the '80s. Easy to carry and accurate. Charter's "unbreakable copper beryllium firing pin" broke, but they fixed it. I used the Lee 214 SWC and sometimes would use the Speer shot capsules. By the way, the .44 capsules will hold 200 #9 shot and will ruin a cottonmouth's day.

I also had a Charter Undercover .38 Special at the same time. My impression of both was that they were intended to be carried a lot and shot a little.

[buck1]

THANKS GUYS! AS ALWAYS YALL ARE A GREAT HELP!!!!!!
i LOVE THIS PLACE!!....bUCK

[Hardcast416taylor]

I read somewhere that Ruger is going to make a 44 spcl on the 357 size frame. I`m not sure if the barrel is 5 or 5 1/2". Skeeter and Elmer would love it. Robert

[mike in co]

I would love to see Ruger do a run of 4" .44 SPL Redhawks in Stainless. I'd find the money somewhere to pick one up!

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

BTW: I carry the 4" Redhawk in .45 LC... That's my every day gun, while the 7-1/2" Redhawk .45 LC is my woods gun. -T


i like those choices...for those size of guns

mike in co

[DLCTEX]

My Charter is in 38 Special and was bought used. It has been fired many thousands of rounds since and just keeps on going. My wife and the teenagers that frequent my house prefer to shoot it over my 45 and 22's. It has been a good investment.

[JohnH]

I picked up a S & W model 624, and though that gun was cheezy and flimsy until I examined the Bulldog. It seemed much smaller, lighter, and very poorly made compared to the Smith.
Do yourself a favor: Save up for a Model 24 or a 624. It's ten times the gun that the Charter Arms is. I wouldn't trade mine for anything !
As an aside, my wife's ex husband's college roommate was none other than David Berkowitz...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

I was wondering if anyone was going to remember that the Bulldog was the arm of choice of Son of Sam. Wonder if he's still listening to the neighbors dog....

[buck1]

That is a sad sad claim to fame. Oddly enugh , and to a bit of positiveness i want it for a carry gun as protection from just those kind of nut jobs.

[Tom Herman]

I was wondering if anyone was going to remember that the Bulldog was the arm of choice of Son of Sam. Wonder if he's still listening to the neighbors dog....

From what I remember of those days, the .44 SPL was moribund and when folks found out that Berkowitz used the Bulldog, it suddenly spurred interest in the .44 SPL.
I don't know about Berkowitz, but I would believe that my wife's ex listens to the neighbor's dog!!! he probably put the dog up to talking to him...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[softpoint]

I have a Smith 696 .44 special that I like. No longer made, but a few used ones around. They are on the L frame and are a nice size for a Special.

[JohnH]

That is a sad sad claim to fame. Oddly enugh , and to a bit of positiveness i want it for a carry gun as protection from just those kind of nut jobs.

Not sure I'd call it a claim to fame. As Jack Webb said so many times, "Just the facts"

[3rptr]

As above, I had one in the 80's. Nice compact powerful carry gun you hope never to use.
Some folks say bad about them.
I verified mine periodically.
It never failed.

[azrednek]

From what I remember of those days, the .44 SPL was moribund and when folks found out that Berkowitz used the Bulldog, it suddenly spurred interest in the .44 SPL. Happy Shootin'! -Tom

I've had three Charter Arms Bulldogs and currently don't have one. One was traded, one stolen and one snagged by my X-wife. Got my first one right after they were introduced about 72 or 73. Never had any trouble with any of them.

One thing the Son of Sam muders did, was show the inefficiency of the Remington 246 gr lead round nose. Fortunately for the victims some survived. The outcome might have been different had Berkowitz selected a 357 instead. When the Bulldog was introduced the only factory ammo available were Remington's 246 lead round nose and a jacketed round from Norma that I was never able to find. At the time Winchester-Western had 44 Special (Silvertips if I remember correctly) listed in their catalogs but when I searched for ammo. I was told Winchester hadn't delivered any 44 Special in 3-4 years.

I was contacted by telephone by NYPD before Berkowitz was arrested. The caller claimed they were contacting all known buyers of the Bulldog. All she wanted to know was, if I still had the Bulldog. When I asked questions about how I was located, she just gave me a phone number to call for information and I never followed up.

[JIMinPHX]

They are real palm cannons. They are not particularly pleasant to shoot. They are not something that most people put 6 or 8 boxes through on a casual day of plinking at the range. Most of the used ones you will find have little wear on them. Quality is generally OK.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I'd like to see Ruger make something bigger on the SP101 frame, but I'd like to see a 45 Colt instead of 44 Special. Who else has something like that, besides Charter Arms?

[Tom Herman]

I'd like to see Ruger make something bigger on the SP101 frame, but I'd like to see a 45 Colt instead of 44 Special. Who else has something like that, besides Charter Arms?

That is an EXCELLENT idea! I would like to see Ruger make a quality five shot in several 40+ calibers: .44 SPL, .45 ACP/.45 AR, .45 LC, .455 Webley....
I can dream, can't I?

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[buck1]

I looked at Ruger first but the .357 in the sp101 was as close as i could get to my goal (a .45) . Thats when I stumbled across the .44 bulldog. I just like big bore better, in truth the .357 would be fine but its not my first choice.

[buck1]

The .455 webley is a good cart!



That is an EXCELLENT idea! I would like to see Ruger make a quality five shot in several 40+ calibers: .44 SPL, .45 ACP/.45 AR, .45 LC, .455 Webley....
I can dream, can't I?

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Charlie Sometimes]

I think I submitted that idea to Ruger in one of their suggestion boxes on their web site once. I just mentioned 45 Colt, but your idea of 45 ACP/ 45 AR is good too. I don't know much about the 455 Webley- never shot one.
I prefer the big bore calibers too, but my carry gun is a S&W break-top in 38 S&W! I even considered getting a SP101 in the new 327 Magnum, but just can't get into the idea. It's a 6 shot, I think. I'd probably only shoot the 32 Magnum or Long, etc. in it any way. I don't have any center-fire revolver calibers below 38, and that may be why I can't get into it. I'd rather devote my resources to something bigger.

From another post- we should now include 45 Special in this list. :-D

If everyone that is interested would go to their web site and suggest this, then maybe it will happen before the Obamanation trys to shut the industry down.

[klcarroll]

The .455 webley is a good cart!

Heck!!! .......I'd like to see someone make a .455 MKVI again!!! (The whole gun!)

That weapon had a whole bunch of good points!

Kent

[Bret4207]

Heck!!! .......I'd like to see someone make a .455 MKVI again!!! (The whole gun!)

That weapon had a whole bunch of good points!

Kent

Me too, but I couldn't afford it!:(

[Tom Herman]

Hi Charlie!

If you like the S & W top break, you'll simply love the Webley Mark VI in original trim of .455 Webley!
The round is simply a hoot to shoot... It's a pain in the a$$ to master, but once you figure out the RCBS 45-265-RN-HB mold and its idiosyncracies (you need a hot mold, very hot & soft alloy), it's simple, fun, and gives you an immeasurable sense of accomplishment and joy.
You van't hot rod a Webley, so imagin running a .455 caliber bullet with the same powder load you'd use for a .38 SPL. You wind up with a great shooting, really huge bore round with a much sifter recoil than you'd think.
I agree with adding .45 SPL to the list.
I also think the same with you on the .327 Federal... I'm not a big fan of magnums, but this one might be good. And you can run the .32 S & W shorts, longs, .32 H & R mags, and .327 Fed through the gun. Pretty versatile...
Still, I prefer a large bullet...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom



I think I submitted that idea to Ruger in one of their suggestion boxes on their web site once. I just mentioned 45 Colt, but your idea of 45 ACP/ 45 AR is good too. I don't know much about the 455 Webley- never shot one.
I prefer the big bore calibers too, but my carry gun is a S&W break-top in 38 S&W! I even considered getting a SP101 in the new 327 Magnum, but just can't get into the idea. It's a 6 shot, I think. I'd probably only shoot the 32 Magnum or Long, etc. in it any way. I don't have any center-fire revolver calibers below 38, and that may be why I can't get into it. I'd rather devote my resources to something bigger.

From another post- we should now include 45 Special in this list. :-D

If everyone that is interested would go to their web site and suggest this, then maybe it will happen before the Obamanation trys to shut the industry down.

[Ricochet]

I don't think "Son of Sam" spurred much if any interest in the Bulldog or the .44. It had gotten lots of favorable writeups in the gun mags, and I knew lots of folks who'd gotten them before I got mine. There're always some freaks who're interested in a gun because of a crime it was used in, though.

[Boz330]

Heck!!! .......I'd like to see someone make a .455 MKVI again!!! (The whole gun!)

That weapon had a whole bunch of good points!

Kent


You got that right. I had a MKIV before some scumbag took it from my house. Not the best configuration of grip but stopped many a WOG in his tracks for the Brit Army. I still have several hundred rounds of brass, hoping I'll slip up on a MKVI that hasn't been converted to 45ACP. There is a lot to be said for a big soft lead slug at 900FPS.
I had a CA 44 Bull Dog and loved it, but went for a Rossi with a little longer barrel and adjustable sights for woods carry. A doer of no good looking down the barrel and cylinder of a 44 is less likely to push the issue IMO. Especially with those very hugh silvertip hollow points.

Bob

[klcarroll]

".....I still have several hundred rounds of brass, hoping I'll slip up on a MKVI that hasn't been converted to 45ACP. "

Boz330;

I'm with you on THAT thought!

I have a nice clean Browning Hi-Power (The parkerized one with ambi safety) that I would trade INSTANTLY for a good "Shootin' Grade" MKIV or MKVI .455!!

There's just nothing like those "Old Chuffers"!

Kent

[Charlie Sometimes]

I shudder to think what one of those would probably run at a gun show, from the descriptions and raves that you guys have made in this post. I will keep an eye open for one now, especially if I can get a good deal on one. What would constitute a "good deal" for a Mk IV or VI in 455 Webley? And now another mold to watch for, too!

[Tom Herman]

Hi Charlie,

I've only seen TWO Webley Mark VI's for sale at gun shows in the six years I've been here on the West Coast. The same guy sold them, and the one I bought was the one that was allegedly the better shooter, and he purposely brought it in for me the next day. I nailed it for around $400 and consider myself lucky!
It, regrettably, was butchered to shoot .45 ACP as well as .455 Webley.
The vast majority of Webleys have had the cylinders milled down slightly to accomodate either .45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim, or .45 ACP/.455 Webley.
The difference is how it's done. If the cylinder and ratchet are fully milled (flat), you're stuck with the ACP and AR.
If the cylinder is milled in straight, and then tapers up to leave a bit of the original ratchet surface, you can run the ACP with a half moon clip and have enough surface to capture the original Webley round.
Mine has the curved milling, so I can run the original round.
Here's where the rub comes in: The Webley was designed for about 12,600 PSI max. The ACP can run up to 18,000 PSI. If you shoot full house ACP's, you run the risk of rupturing the cylinder. It happens, so I encourage the downloading of ACP's if that's what you want to run in a Webley.
Smith and Colt both made WWI contract guns in .455 Webley.
I bought a beater New Service that was milled down, and it needs serious attention (20+ pounds trigger pull).
I got MUCH luckier with my Smith: I picked it up for a song and a dance at the gun show: I was first in the door, and my eyes bugged out when I saw it! The beauty was in original trim, about 98% blueing, with a great trigger pull and lockup. Needless to say, I plunked down the money, took the gun and ran out the door!
I regularly shoot the Mark VI and the "Smith & Webley"... I've amassed about a thousand .455 Webleys loaded to original specs.
Use the excellent Hornady brass, and avoid the Fiocchi as much as possible. The Fiocchi uses small pistol primers, and you'll have to segregate them from the large pistol primed Hornadies.
If you buy factory Fiocchi, be warned that it shoots dirty and leads like crazy. It's junk, only worth the brass if that.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Boz330]

$400 you lucky thief. I got my MKIV while working in South Africa and MKVIs were plentiful and cheap. I got Fiocchi loaded ammo there for the brass and it had large pistol primers in it. The only problem with 45ACP is that the boolit is undersize for the bore although I never had much trouble with it. It will shoot minute of man no problem.

Bob

[klcarroll]

$400 you lucky thief.

I'll second that!!! (LOL)

Kent

[buck1]

The mkV was and is my favorite!
Funny thing is after WWII they sold for about $20.00!

[Tom Herman]

$400 you lucky thief. I got my MKIV while working in South Africa and MKVIs were plentiful and cheap. I got Fiocchi loaded ammo there for the brass and it had large pistol primers in it. The only problem with 45ACP is that the boolit is undersize for the bore although I never had much trouble with it. It will shoot minute of man no problem.

Bob

Hi Bob!

I envy your trip to SA: There must have been Webleys everywhere, and not modified, either...
One thing I can't understand is why the Webleys have .448 throats... The fairly soft lead bullets swage down and then re-expand nicely...
No such issue with the New Service or the Smith & Webley: They have suitably large throats and bores.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Charlie Sometimes]

I've only seen one or two, but was never really interested. :neutral: One I did see up close was shown to me by a friend that ran an auto repair shop years ago. Someone was wanting to trade it to him for car repairs. This one had been "customized" by adding off center chamber "sleeves" that looked something like cresent moons to reposition smaller rounds of some caliber. Great idea, but looked awful- set screws in the side of the cylinder walls, etc. Lots of brains but no beauty in that job. Heavy thing, too. :(

I do believe I am learning something here- again! I'll have to print this post and save it for when I go to gun shows. [smilie=1:

[Bret4207]

I only know of one Webley 455 locally and it's a MkIII with the 4" barrel. I want the MkVI, but that 3 is as close as I'm likely to come. The hammer has been skeletonized but otherwise it appears original and remains in 455 according to the owner.

Oh the guns I shoulda bought back in the day!

[Tom Herman]

Hi Charlie!

Other than looking for a cut down cylinder, check make sure the cylinder isn't bulged or damaged from shooting .45 ACP in those that are cut down.
Also check for lockup: Remember that when you drop the hammer, the gun should lock up. If it's loose before, don't worry.
If the seller is unsuspecting, you could try to use the loose cylinder to talk them down.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom



I've only seen one or two, but was never really interested. :neutral: One I did see up close was shown to me by a friend that ran an auto repair shop years ago. Someone was wanting to trade it to him for car repairs. This one had been "customized" by adding off center chamber "sleeves" that looked something like cresent moons to reposition smaller rounds of some caliber. Great idea, but looked awful- set screws in the side of the cylinder walls, etc. Lots of brains but no beauty in that job. Heavy thing, too. :(

I do believe I am learning something here- again! I'll have to print this post and save it for when I go to gun shows. [smilie=1:

[Boz330]

I only know of one Webley 455 locally and it's a MkIII with the 4" barrel. I want the MkVI, but that 3 is as close as I'm likely to come. The hammer has been skeletonized but otherwise it appears original and remains in 455 according to the owner.

Oh the guns I shoulda bought back in the day!

Ain't that the truth. My first handgun was a Webley or Enfield in the 38S&W, but I couldn't afford to shoot it so I sold it. Gave $18 for it, don't remember what I sold it for.
The ammo I got in SA was a soft lead, hollow base slug which is probably why it worked in the tight cylinder.

Bob

[buck1]

""check for lockup: Remember that when you drop the hammer, the gun should lock up. If it's loose before, don't worry.""


The first one I had came across was loose as could be . I thought it was junk ,untill I dropped the hammer and found a rock solid lock up! They are a differnt kind of critter .

[Charlie Sometimes]

Very interesting, you have my interest peaked! Gun show at end of month- I will be watching.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I got a reply back from the Ruger factory suggestion box! :shock: Remember I said that I had suggested building a Bulldog style handgun once before, so I did it again during this thread. My suggestion and their reply is posted below-

Comment / question:

I'd like to see you guys make something like the Rossi 720 (44 Spl) or Charter Arms Bulldog (44 Spl) except in 45 Colt, 45 ACP/45 AR, 45 Special, etc. on the SP101 frame. An affordable SS or alloy 45 caliber revolver for concealed carry. Not everybody wants a compact semi-auto.

Thanks for the opportunity to offer my suggestions.
LOVE RUGER firearms- especially the revolvers."

Response:
Thank you for your email. We have no plans at this time but will forward your request to our Marketing Department. Thank you for your interest in Ruger firearms.

Well, who else out there is gonna "suggest?"?

[Tom Herman]

Well, who else out there is gonna "suggest?"?

Hi Charlie!

I wrote and suggested regular production Redhawks in .44 SPL, .45 ACP/Auto Rim, as well as a limited production run in .455 Webley.
Who's next?

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Rocky Raab]

Just to bring this thread back to its original topic...

There have been four separate and unrelated companies making "Charter Arms" guns. The original Charter Arms Bulldog 44 was and still is a high-quality gun. If you own one (as I do) don't ever sell it or you'll likely not find a replacement.

When that company folded, two subsequent companies bought the naming rights. One was Charter 2000 and the other was Charco. Neither of them made guns worth a flying fantod. The now-seriously bad reputation of all Charter Arms guns stems from these two disastrous companies.

There is now a FOURTH Charter Arms company, again making Bulldogs. The new ones are said to be as good as the original great ones. I have not personally handled one, but I would love to do a side-by-side. Judging from a review by John Taffin (who I know and believe implicitly), the new ones are again worthy specimens. I would not hesitate to buy one.


I use my own Bulldog as my primary carry gun. I load it with 750 fps 210-gr WW Silvertips for carry use. It shoots these about an inch low at 15 yards. Lighter bullets or faster bullets hit lower, and 240-gr bullets at 700 fps hit exactly at POA for me. Your sights, hold and shooting style may change that with your gun and loads. Here it is:

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c170/RockyRaab/Bulldog.jpg

[Charlie Sometimes]

Did not see a one of either Bulldog's or Webleys at the gun show this weekend.
Saw a 38 Enfield, I think. Was not interested- price was high!
455 Webley ammo in Hornady cases (reloads, I think) was $38 per box at the cartridge collectors table.

[theperfessor]

Many years ago I owned a .44 Bulldog made by the original company. It was accurate enough for its intended purpose but no target gun in any respect. After about 1000 - 1200 rounds of moderate to fast double action firing it got to the point where it wouldn't lock up when hammer cocked for single action firing - I had to turn the cylinder by hand slightly to get the locking bolt to engage.

The contact surface on the end of the hand had worn and wouldn't quite push the cylinder around far enough. There didn't appear to be enough surface area in contact to prevent wear. Still worked fine for DA use as the cylinder inertia would carry it around enough for safe operation. This can happen to any DA revolver after enough shooting this way.

I sold the gun (with FULL DISCLOSURE) to a fellow who understood the problem and was a good enough amateur gunsmith to rectify the situation. I could easily have had it fixed but my interests had changed so off it went.

Not saying I was unhappy with the gun, I carried it with full confidence for several years. If I didn't have better weapons for the same purpose now (see avatar and my S&W 296) I would buy another one in SS in a heartbeat.