Where did the full-size snubbies go?

[beemer]

I've heard good things about the bulldog. But if I'm being completely honest, that crane design has always given me the shivers. It looks VERY thin in the pictures.... Although I can't say I've ever shot one, let alone handled one....

I have had several Charter Arms. The crane does not support the pin, it's just a sort of a swing out hinge. A sliding sleeve on the cylinder pin drops into the frame and supports the front. It actually locks up tight, not a bad system.

[Winger Ed.]

I've heard good things about the bulldog.

They sure won't win many beauty contests, but they work.

[pettypace]

They sure won't win many beauty contests, but they work.

And they're small!

[FergusonTO35]

I've had several Charters and never had a bit of trouble with them. Currently have two Undercovers, one from the 70's and one from the 2010's. Both are excellent and I do carry them for defense. That said, the 856 is just very slightly larger and has an extra round so why not.

[boatswainsmate]

There are still good finds out there. I found this Model 66 no dash in a gun shop just begging for a new home 9 months ago.

[Outpost75]

Meaning no disrespect, but I always thought of the Fitz Special Colt New Service as a "Full-Sized Snubby"...

Sandy Garrett at Nova Gun Works rebuilt a basket case .455 New Service for me to make my "Pocket Blaster." NOT a Fitz "mutilation", but a modern build to duty gun standards by a Colt factory-trained former police armorer, and award winning American Pistolsmith's Guild Smith of note.

3-1/2" Douglas barrel with .451 groove, barrel-cylinder gap.pass 0.005/ hold 0.006. end shake and timing corrected, combat action job, matte blue, produces 0.012" striker indent on copper. Expanded bullet is Speer 250-grain Deep Curl loaded in Starline brass with 4 grains of Bullseye at 620 fps. Expanded to 0.70" and stopped in 4th gallon water jug. Test target with CIL .455 Colt fired off bags at 25 yards. Faint scribble on lower right of target is calculation for 0.022 mill cut needed to adjust elevation zero on new front sight.

[charlie b]

You certainly know how to make someone jealous

[Outpost75]

When you pay twice the cost of the donor gun for the work, you gotta really want it.
But trying the current smaller .45 S&Ws they held no magic for me. This one does.

[Good Cheer]

If you're reloading, for Charter Arms, see if the stainless snubbie .41 Mag suits your musculature.
The difficult part is of course finding one to handle.

[Jtarm]

[mention]Outpost75 [/mention]

If that’s a “Pocket Blaster”, you’ve got some big pockets!

[Jtarm]

When I heard Smith/Lipseys we’re rolling out a new carry revolver at the SHOT show, I had my fingers crossed for something like this blast from the past:

https://www.opticsplanet.com/smith-w...el-frrmpg.html

They’re scarce as hens teeth and cost a mortgage payment or two when you find them.

[Outpost75]

[mention]Outpost75 [/mention]

If that’s a “Pocket Blaster”, you’ve got some big pockets!

Carhart barn coat and Duluth Trading fire hose work pants.

[jdgabbard]

Sandy Garrett at Nova Gun Works rebuilt a basket case .455 New Service for me to make my "Pocket Blaster." NOT a Fitz "mutilation", but a modern build to duty gun standards by a Colt factory-trained former police armorer, and award winning American Pistolsmith's Guild Smith of note.

3-1/2" Douglas barrel with .451 groove, barrel-cylinder gap.pass 0.005/ hold 0.006. end shake and timing corrected, combat action job, matte blue, produces 0.012" striker indent on copper. Expanded bullet is Speer 250-grain Deep Curl loaded in Starline brass with 4 grains of Bullseye at 620 fps. Expanded to 0.70" and stopped in 4th gallon water jug. Test target with CIL .455 Colt fired off bags at 25 yards. Faint scribble on lower right of target is calculation for 0.022 mill cut needed to adjust elevation zero on new front sight.

That is one sexy gun! I am definitely jealous of that one.

Side note, I was looking around today and discovered Taurus has a 2.5" Snubby in 44 Magnum!!! Talk about overkill!!! As for me, I think I've settled on the Rossi RP63 for now. I'll probably try to find a nice S&W 19 at some point. But the Rossi is just about what I'm looking for, although it comes with a 3" barrel. I guess that isn't a terrible thing.

[Bigslug]

It's ironic that I've developed a pretty healthy disdain for short-action rifles, when I spend a lot of time thinking the world needs what I'd call a short-action revolver.

Pretty much all the wheelguns in production these days are designed to fit either a .45 Colt (black powder era) or .357 Magnum (developmental roots leftovers from the black powder era). With modern wound ballistic science driving the notion that 9mm is enough, we don't necessarily need that case capacity or cylinder length.

We theorized on this a lot in the stickied .38 S&W / British Webley / .380/200 thread, and my concept was that a gun built around what would effectively be a +P+ level .38 Short Colt would use the more common .357 family of bullets; could be shot in existing .38 Specials; and - relevant to this thread - would neatly solve the barrel and ejector rod length concerns discussed here.

The same concept applied to a "short window" N-frame Smith for .45 Auto Rim might be a little weird looking, but I bet it would get a following.

[pettypace]

Expanded bullet is Speer 250-grain Deep Curl loaded in Starline brass with 4 grains of Bullseye at 620 fps. Expanded to 0.70" and stopped in 4th gallon water jug.

What!? Only 620 ft/s? How "anemic."

[FergusonTO35]

It's ironic that I've developed a pretty healthy disdain for short-action rifles, when I spend a lot of time thinking the world needs what I'd call a short-action revolver.

Pretty much all the wheelguns in production these days are designed to fit either a .45 Colt (black powder era) or .357 Magnum (developmental roots leftovers from the black powder era). With modern wound ballistic science driving the notion that 9mm is enough, we don't necessarily need that case capacity or cylinder length.

We theorized on this a lot in the stickied .38 S&W / British Webley / .380/200 thread, and my concept was that a gun built around what would effectively be a +P+ level .38 Short Colt would use the more common .357 family of bullets; could be shot in existing .38 Specials; and - relevant to this thread - would neatly solve the barrel and ejector rod length concerns discussed here.

The same concept applied to a "short window" N-frame Smith for .45 Auto Rim might be a little weird looking, but I bet it would get a following.

I totally agree with you, unfortunately the ammo makers know that some dummy is going to load one of these super shorties into grandpa's top break and blow himself to bits. I've often thought that a rimmed .40 S&W would be pretty sweet in a wheelgun and you could adjust the power level to your liking.

[Bigslug]

I totally agree with you, unfortunately the ammo makers know that some dummy is going to load one of these super shorties into grandpa's top break and blow himself to bits. I've often thought that a rimmed .40 S&W would be pretty sweet in a wheelgun and you could adjust the power level to your liking.

That's another reason why I was thinking to base on the .38SC instead of the .38SW - I don't think I've EVER seen a gun specifically chambered specifically for .38 Short Colt in all my travels. Per Wiki, it was concocted for converting the 1851 Navy to metallic cartridge use.
The main use today seems to be for powder puff loads for CAS in guns that are rated for considerably more steam. Of course, a resurrection of the rimmed 9mm Federal would address some of that, it would no longer be .38/.357 compatible.

[Gray Fox]

I'm a big fan of S&W Centennials and thought I had the best of them with a 940-1 in 9mm with moon clips. For some reason, It just doesn't do it for me. The one I often carry is the 640-4 Pro Series with the dovetailed front and rear night sights, and fluted barrel with moon clips. It's in .357, but what I carry is .38 +P-level coated DEWC that I get from Acme Bullets (every time I write or say that I immediately think of Wiley Coyote). I carry it loaded with a moon clip, but carry a reload in a quick strip. Hoever, I'm beginning to work oup loads for two CA .44s, a 3" blued and 2.5" stainless. I got some 200-grain DEWC from Rim Rock Bullets that should do the trick with a load that gets about 700-750 fps from those barrel lengths. GF

[pettypace]

I'm beginning to work up loads for two CA .44s, a 3" blued and 2.5" stainless. I got some 200-grain DEWC from Rim Rock Bullets that should do the trick with a load that gets about 700-750 fps from those barrel lengths. GF

Yes. That should "do the trick."

Here's a screenshot showing predicted data for that load along with the wound mass numbers for other loads for comparison.



Note that the wound mass listed for the FBI load (37 grams) and the 147 grain 9mm (40 grams) represent maximums given ideal bullet expansion -- unlikely from your 640 or 940. On the other hand, the .44 WC requires no bullet expansion for its 37 grams of wound mass and should be pretty much a sure bet so long as the Bulldog goes bang.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Thanks Pettypace.
I appreciate you dropping the data in Virgel.