Colt Target

[smokemjoe]

What can yous tell me about a Colt Target Bulldog, 38 Spl. Does it have adjustable rear sight, barrel lenght, when did they stop making them, any pics. and like new ,whats they worth, I have a chance to buy one but have not seen it yet, Thanks- Joe

[HeavyMetal]

I am unaware of Colt using the "Bulldog" name on any of the revolvers they made, So I am as interested as the next guy to see what turns up on this thread.

[MtGun44]

I'm with heavymetal. The Bulldog name was widely used by third rate "$2 pistols" in
the late 1800s in the US and thru the early 1900s in Britain. I smell a fake.

The Charter Bulldog is the only quality pistol I know of that uses that term.

[HeavyMetal]

Now if it's a Charter Target Bulldog you may be getting a deal!

These were made in the late 70's and had a six shot cylinder, the same 4 inch barrel shroud as the 44 Target Bulldog adjustable sights and a decent trigger.

Heck you might have even stumbled onto a six inch bull barreled version! They also offered that in the 70's as well in both 38 and a 5 shot 357.

Nither were big sellers, heck I didn't pay for my 44 Target Bulldog it was a prize from a match I won in 79"!

Missed out on a bull barreled 357 and don't see them at the gun shows, so buy it if the price is right!

[Mk42gunner]

Now if it's a Charter Target Bulldog you may be getting a deal!

These were made in the late 70's and had a six shot cylinder, the same 4 inch barrel shroud as the 44 Target Bulldog adjustable sights and a decent trigger.

Heck you might have even stumbled onto a six inch bull barreled version! They also offered that in the 70's as well in both 38 and a 5 shot 357.

Nither were big sellers, heck I didn't pay for my 44 Target Bulldog it was a prize from a match I won in 79"!

Missed out on a bull barreled 357 and don't see them at the gun shows, so buy it if the price is right!

I thought all the Charter Arms .44 Specials were five shot???

Robert

[HeavyMetal]

The 44's and 357 were 5 shooters only the 38 Special, and the 22's, were 6 shot guns.

[smokemjoe]

Okey , mistake it a S&W Target, it was in a Charter arm bull dog box by mistake, So what can yous tell me about it now, Like new, Thanks- JOe

[Dframe]

The charter arms of the 70's were solidly built inexpensive revolvers. They were designed to be light, small, and inexpensive. Though dependable they were never of the quality of S&W or Colt arms of the period. There has been some renewed interest in them of late. All of the guns I've fired were good shooters.

[spqrzilla]

Okey , mistake it a S&W Target, it was in a Charter arm bull dog box by mistake, So what can yous tell me about it now, Like new, Thanks- JOe

How about more information on its markings, and a photo. Because at the moment, it is unlikely that you are telling us enough, especially with the earlier confusion.

[HeavyMetal]

Yea!

Sounds like a S&W 38 special in a old Charter arms box for storage.

Smith made a bazillion revolvers in 38 special, just in the last century, so I think you need to post a picture or at least a model number.

[smokemjoe]

After I see the gun and maybe buy it I will post a pic. Thanks- JOe

[9.3X62AL]

Smoke-Em-Joe.......

Be careful on this deal. Something sounds a little "off" here.

[Harry O]

You guys who have shot a Charter Arms Bulldog, I have some questions about the"old" model Bulldog (2-1/2" or 3" skinny barrel, ejector rod is not enclosed, blued steel, thick wood grips). Specifically, how does it recoil compared to a full power .357 magnum in a standard frame handgun (say an L-frame S&W or 41-frame Colt)?

The pawn shop nearby has a Bulldog that has about a 95% finish and appears to lock up tight on all five chambers. It is reasonably priced (not a once in a lifetime deal, but reasonable for pawn shops). I am wondering about the recoil because I can shoot the standard frame .357 Magnums with full power loads just as tight as I can shoot my K-38 with Federal Target Wadcutters. With more recoil than that, my first shot or two are on the center of the target, but the groups starts opening up from there.

I realize that this is not a target gun, but I still like to hit what I am shooting at. I would probably change the current wood grips to Pachmayr compact rubber grips.

[mooman76]

It's funny that Carter would use the term target bulldog. Kind of a oxymoron. The whole point of being a bulldog was that it was a snubnose and happened to be in 44 special.

[454PB]

The original Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 special was quite manageable with factory load equivalent loads, but was absolutely nasty with heavy handloads.

Mine was easier to handle than a snubbie .357 with the light loads, but actually broke through the wood grips with 250 gr. boolits at 900 fps. Of course the gun was never designed for the kind of abuse I subjected it to.

[HeavyMetal]

The Original 44 Bulldog did not wear the "Target" designation. It was a 3inch fixed sight gun and did very well with factory loads but once you started bumping the power level it go to be a handful and fast!

The Target Bulldog came along about 5 or 6 years after the original and had a 4 inch barrel and "Target" sights. The front sight was part of a "shroud" that went over the barrel and covered the ejector giving it a S&W kinda look.

First thing I did with mine was put a set of Pachmeyers on it, a real life saver!

I did put some heavy loads through it and then realized that was a waste of time and settled on the 429348 180 grain full wadcutter loaded on top of 452AA.

This netted me a load that hit the target like a gaint paper punch, you could actual see "confetti" when I hit the target. When you went down range it loked like someone dumped a hole punch on the ground!

This load pulled an honest 950 FPS and I realized it was all I would ever need in the little gun and thats been my load for the last 30 years in it!

These days I have a 250 grain full wadcutter from a group buy run a year or so ago and this gun loves that boolit! So much so that I sold the 429348 to a site member a while back.

If you got the shot at a 44 bulldog in any configuration buy it if it's a reasonable price you won't be sorry.

[mooman76]

I have a Rossi in a like Bulldog configuration. It has a 2 1/2 barrel and shoot very well for a snubbie, and thanks for the mould HM. It puts out some nice bullets and I picked up another L WC latter on. I don't rememeber the gr weight you sent me but the one I got latter was a different gr. giving me a selection of two. I just love WC bullets for some reason, don't know why.

[Bret4207]

I've shot some heavy loads in my BD 44. The stories of hands being mangled, shoulders dislocated, wrists broken are bull. It gets your attention and you aren't going to double tap, but it's not like firing one of those scandium 10 oz 357's either.

[MT Gianni]

3" Bulldog at my house. It wears Pachmeyers and hold a good 25 yard group with 250 gr boolits @ 800 fps. Recoil is manageable but i would not start a pre-teen out with it either.

[HeavyMetal]

Mooman glad your liking that mold she was a sweetheart to cast with!

[MtGun44]

Ever chrono that 452AA load in cold weather? I used to chrono a LOT of ammo for IPSC
and that powder actually generated a lot higher pressures in cold weather, and conversely
the velocities went down in hot weather. Weird stuff, at least in .45 ACP.

Bill

[HeavyMetal]

452 was a "sensative" powder to say the least! Still have about 7 or 8 pounds dedicated to 45 auto target loads.

I did find it hated magnum pistol primers, and that barametric changes affected it as well. Loads I made, that shot excellently here in LA didn't shoot very well in the Carson Reno area.

But load 452 at the local range there in Minden and performance was back instantly! Go figure!

This was the most likely reason for 452 being replaced by SuperTarget.

As for chrono'ing in cold weather? As I've gotten older shooting, hunting, BS'ing,and yard work in cold weather just doesn't excite me as much as it did when I was younger so no I never did check any of the 452 loads in anything but shooting weather.