.44 Special DAO

[justindad]

.44 Special DAO, no hammer spur… does it exist? Maybe nickel plated?

[hporter]

http://https://charterfirearms.com/collections/bulldog/products/74421-bulldog-stainless-dao

They also make this style, which is an enclosed hammer not a spurless:

https://charterfirearms.com/collecti...ty-ss-standard

S&W made this model 296 in 44 special in the past:



There is one on Gunbroker right now.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Spurs can be removed. Stainless is a better choice than nickel.

DG

[rkrcpa]

Spurs can be removed. Stainless is a better choice than nickel.

DG

I agree

[FISH4BUGS]

The problem with the Charter Arms bulldogs is they don't hold up to a lot of shooting.
I'm not taking full house 44 specials - I am talking a few thousand rounds of mild loads.

[rintinglen]

Both Rossi and Taurus made some in the 90's, IIRC they were K-frame sized 3" guns, with spurless hammers. I handled one of the Taurus guns at the time and it seemed to me to be more robust than the Charter Arms guns.

[david s]

Don't pocket carry mine so it hasn't had the minor surgery of rkrcpa's model S&W 696. My holster covers the hammer spur. The 696 revolvers are an L frame as are the S&W 296 that hporter mentioned. The 296 is an L frame model 642 with its enclosed hammer and being alloy is quite a bit lighter than the 696. Either one is pretty nice though.

[CDayle]

Have a Rossi 720 DAO. They'd made two flavors, the DAO and a first model which was SA/DA with adjustable sights. Working up loads for it, most powders I'd like to try are unobtainium,naturally....
Any info on Accurate#5 loads? That I have.....

[HWooldridge]

I have an older blued CA Bulldog. It carries well and is quite accurate - I can hit small targets consistently at 20-25 yds. With that said, I’m not sure Charter’s original intent was to create a revolver for plinking. I’m speculating but suspect they designed it as a self defense tool - nothing more. Practice enough to get proficient then load and carry it - shoot a few times a year to stay sharp then repeat. Buy a heavier gun if you want to shoot thousands of rounds. I also have a Colt SAA in .44 Special but wouldn’t trade the Bulldog for anything - it has its purpose.

I carry mine in a trouser pocket and wrap my hand over the hammer when retrieving it - but would not hesitate to bob the hammer if I thought it was necessary. My other carry gun is a 642 S&W in .38 but I’m slightly less confident in my hitting ability at distance with the smaller gun. The .44 also excels at eliminating rattlesnakes with shot shells - the .38 can do the same but with slightly less authority.

[justindad]

There is a 10mm Ruger GP100 with snag-free sights. Maybe I’ll get one of those converted to .41 Special, then bob the hammer. No moon clips for me. I love my K6S DAO.

[rintinglen]

Have a Rossi 720 DAO. They'd made two flavors, the DAO and a first model which was SA/DA with adjustable sights. Working up loads for it, most powders I'd like to try are unobtainium,naturally....
Any info on Accurate#5 loads? That I have.....

With a 200 grain boolit, start at 8.8 and work up to 9.5 grains. Speer #14 lists that for its 200 grain GDHP. Same source lists 8.4 to 9.3 grains for a 250 grain Keith boolit.

I am one of those who has discontinued using Accurate powders due to inconsistencies in burn rate. But you use what have when you can't find what you want.

I would keep my eye out for Red Dot if I were you. I have had very good results using it in my 44 Special cartridges. 4.5 grains with an NOE 230 grain wadcutter is very accurate and that big, flat meplat starts out where a 9mm HP wants to end up.

[HWooldridge]

With a 200 grain boolit, start at 8.8 and work up to 9.5 grains. Speer #14 lists that for its 200 grain GDHP. Same source lists 8.4 to 9.3 grains for a 250 grain Keith boolit.

I am one of those who has discontinued using Accurate powders due to inconsistencies in burn rate. But you use what have when you can't find what you want.

I would keep my eye out for Red Dot if I were you. I have had very good results using it in my 44 Special cartridges. 4.5 grains with an NOE 230 grain wadcutter is very accurate and that big, flat meplat starts out where a 9mm HP wants to end up.

Agree completely on the Red Dot recommendation - I might also add that W231 does a good job, too...

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have one. The S&W 296, it is an L-frame so not really small, too light. Cartridges require an extremely heavy crimp to keep recoil from pulling bullets and disabling gun. Factory recommends 200 grain or lighter ammunition. I like my Charter Bulldog better.

[Kosh75287]

I've shot 3" .44 Specials made by Charter Arms, Taurus, and Rossi. You DO NOT want the Charter Arms iteration. Obtaining a Taurus or Rossi DA .44 Spl. will be more expensive, but the revolver will actually last. Finding a bobbed hammer or shrouding the unbobbed one may take some doing, but it's worth it. I wouldn't bob the standard hammer. Mercifully, they all use the same pattern of speed-loader.

[winelover]

The problem with the Charter Arms bulldogs is they don't hold up to a lot of shooting.
I'm not taking full house 44 specials - I am talking a few thousand rounds of mild loads.

Current round count in my CA Fit for Duty is 1780 rounds of moderate velocity, mostly cast 240 grain bullets. Still as tight as the day I purchased it new, in July of 2016.



Not worried if I ever shoot it loose. CA will repair or replace under warranty. The lightweight Bulldog fills a niche, no other manufacturer want to...............large bore pocketable handgun, that's a joy to carry, all day long. Now, if only Ruger would chamber a LCR in 44 Special to add to the competition.

BTW, I also own a Lew Horton 24-3..........nice gun but no way I'm going to carry that kind of weight, it all day long.

Winelover

[Jtarm]

There is a 10mm Ruger GP100 with snag-free sights. Maybe I’ll get one of those converted to .41 Special, then bob the hammer. No moon clips for me. I love my K6S DAO.

If Ruger would legitimize the round, or Smith on the L-frame, I’d be all over it.

They blow R&D money on a whole lot dumber ideas:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-350

[W.R.Buchanan]

Mine is a S&W696 No dash, I haven't carried it that much but the gun is a joy to shoot. I have shot it in IDPA shoots a few times and after I found the load it likes best (6.og r of W231/Keith boolit) I was actually hitting what I aimed at.

Randy

[pettypace]

...4.5 grains [of RedDot] with an NOE 230 grain wadcutter is very accurate and that big, flat meplat starts out where a 9mm HP wants to end up.

Hmm... The .44 wadcutter starts out where a 9mm HP wants to end up.

An interesting turn of phrase you have there, rintinglen. But will it stand up to analysis? VIRGEL thinks so...

Here's your .44 wadcutter just starting out:



And here's where a 9mm JHP wants to end up:

[pmer]

Hmm... The .44 wadcutter starts out where a 9mm HP wants to end up.

An interesting turn of phrase you have there, rintinglen. But will it stand up to analysis? VIRGEL thinks so...

Here's your .44 wadcutter just starting out:



And here's where a 9mm JHP wants to end up:

625 fps??? What is Virgel?

[GLL]

Mine is a S&W696 No dash, I haven't carried it that much but the gun is a joy to shoot. I have shot it in IDPA shoots a few times and after I found the load it likes best (6.og r of W231/Keith boolit) I was actually hitting what I aimed at.

Randy

I agree with Mr. Buchanan !