I'm going to master that Charter Pitbull if its the last thing I do

[typetwelve]

...I'm serious.

You know the song "Like a Virgin"? Yeah...that might as well be my soundtrack when I'm shooting that 9mm Pitbull of mine. I've been shooting for decades and while I'm no pro, I know how to handle a pistol, including revolvers.

For the life of me, shooting that revolver in double action produces some of the most abysmal accuracy results I've ever managed from a pistol...and I mean BAD. I finally game up and choked up to a whopping 10' from a target just so I could see where in the heck I was shooting. We're talking up to 8" low or 6" right or left, depending on how lousy I am that day...from 10 feet!

Every time I take it out, by the time I"m 50 or so rounds in I'll begin to tighten up. I slow WAY down, tighten my grip and pull that trigger slow and deliberate. I'll begin to manage a 2" group, sometimes tighter (again though, this is 10' we're talking about here...not even 7-10yds). This is only after 50 or so rounds though...50 rounds of shooting all over the place like a drunken fool. Sometimes I swap to another revolver just to make sure I'm not impaired and sure enough, I'll shoot it just fine. The probem them become fatigue, that uber tight grip and super deliberate trigger pull gets to me after a while to where I begin to get sloppy again...

I am bound and determined to learn to shoot that thing if it is the last thing I ever do, so help me.

 

[Old_Cop]

that sounds like my experience with calculus.

 

[VictorLouis]

So, when you cock it and rest it for accuracy, it does reward you?

 

[bigggbbruce]

I look at my snubs differently. While walking in the woods, I'll pick a discarded beer can or a pine cone, draw and fire. If I hit within inches, I'm satisfied because if it was a human sized target it would be a hit. Bullseye guns they are not.

 

[typetwelve]

So, when you cock it and rest it for accuracy, it does reward you?

I haven't shot it from a rest, but single action is just fine (give or take).

I look at my snubs differently. While walking in the woods, I'll pick a discarded beer can or a pine cone, draw and fire. If I hit within inches, I'm satisfied because if it was a human sized target it would be a hit. Bullseye guns they are not.

You're right, this thing is an inexpensive snub nose...I get it. I just want to master the silly thing for some reason.

 

[one eye joe]

...I'm serious.

You know the song "Like a Virgin"? Yeah...that might as well be my soundtrack when I'm shooting that 9mm Pitbull of mine. I've been shooting for decades and while I'm no pro, I know how to handle a pistol, including revolvers.

For the life of me, shooting that revolver in double action produces some of the most abysmal accuracy results I've ever managed from a pistol...and I mean BAD. I finally game up and choked up to a whopping 10' from a target just so I could see where in the heck I was shooting. We're talking up to 8" low or 6" right or left, depending on how lousy I am that day...from 10 feet!

Every time I take it out, by the time I"m 50 or so rounds in I'll begin to tighten up. I slow WAY down, tighten my grip and pull that trigger slow and deliberate. I'll begin to manage a 2" group, sometimes tighter (again though, this is 10' we're talking about here...not even 7-10yds). This is only after 50 or so rounds though...50 rounds of shooting all over the place like a drunken fool. Sometimes I swap to another revolver just to make sure I'm not impaired and sure enough, I'll shoot it just fine. The probem them become fatigue, that uber tight grip and super deliberate trigger pull gets to me after a while to where I begin to get sloppy again...

I am bound and determined to learn to shoot that thing if it is the last thing I ever do, so help me.

I WOULD VENTURE A GUESS THAT THE TRIGGER OF THE PITBULL IS SIGNIFICANTLY HEAVIER THAN THOSE OF THE REVOLVERS THAT YOU SHOOT WELL....

IMHO-- THAT, COUPLED WITH THE SHORT BARREL, IS PROBABLY THE REASON WHY YOU ARE ALL OVER THE PAPER, EVEN AT SHORT RANGE. I WOULD SUGGEST SOME ACTION WORK, AND PERHAPS A SPRING SWAP, BY A COMPETENT GUNSMITH TO ALLEVIATE YOUR PROBLEM......

I HAVE NEVER READ A REVIEW THAT EXTOLLED THE VIRTUES OF THE CHARTER ARMS BULLDOG'S TRIGGERS.......

 

[bigggbbruce]

You're right, this thing is an inexpensive snub nose...I get it. I just want to master the silly thing for some reason.

At the range, there are target stands (2" angle iron ) at 100 yards. I shoot my Mdl 60 2 1/8" at the vertical support. I can ding the steel at least one time in 5 shots. So windage is good. Elevation good, give or take a few inches..

add: Standing, unsupported

 

[typetwelve]

I WOULD VENTURE A GUESS THAT THE TRIGGER OF THE PITBULL IS SIGNIFICANTLY HEAVIER THAN THOSE OF THE REVOLVERS THAT YOU SHOOT WELL....

IMHO-- THAT, COUPLED WITH THE SHORT BARREL, IS PROBABLY THE REASON WHY YOU ARE ALL OVER THE PAPER, EVEN AT SHORT RANGE. I WOULD SUGGEST SOME ACTION WORK, AND PERHAPS A SPRING SWAP, BY A COMPETENT GUNSMITH TO ALLEVIATE YOUR PROBLEM......

I HAVE NEVER READ A REVIEW THAT EXTOLLED THE VIRTUES OF THE CHARTER ARMS BULLDOG'S TRIGGERS.......

My Bulldog is a bit better with DA, but not by a ton. SA on both is ok.

I was mostly posting this one as a joke because I'm not used to a firearm making me look like such a noob...

 

[msauter]

I’m now wrestling with the sights on my Bulldog ... first trip out, shooting 7” low at 40 feet ... so I did the calculation:

7 (inches low) X 4.25 (sight radius in inches)
———————————————————————
480 (range to target in inches)

Comes out to .061 inches of correction required (just less than 1/16”) so I took a big ol’ file to the front sight ... we’ll see how it shoots on the next trip out. I am determined to master this one too ...

 

[washerman]

I have a Mag Pug which is same gun basically as yours. I place the front sight right on top of the target and don't use the top of the sight at all.. works out well for me...I really like the charter arms triggers. Have 3 of them!

 

[hardluk1]

Pachmayr Compac soft rubber grip will make the snubby easier to control but there is a stop point when shooting that nasty little snub nose . Charter arms shows a soft rubber grip but not sure if its made by pachmayr or not .

Wolff Springs use to make reduced pressure hammer springs that worked in the smaller frames but only see the 44 listed now . Looks like they moved there product or stock to NUMRICH Gun Parts - The red spring will lower the pull weight on the trigger by a couple pounds .

Mainspring, Light (Red), New Reproduction | Gun Parts Corp.

My oldest daughter carried a 38sp undercover lite for a few years before moving to a old kahr cw9 I had . The products above helped but its still a nasty little snubby at 12.5oz .

 

[TheHobbyist]

...I'm serious.

You know the song "Like a Virgin"? Yeah...that might as well be my soundtrack when I'm shooting that 9mm Pitbull of mine. I've been shooting for decades and while I'm no pro, I know how to handle a pistol, including revolvers.

For the life of me, shooting that revolver in double action produces some of the most abysmal accuracy results I've ever managed from a pistol...and I mean BAD. I finally game up and choked up to a whopping 10' from a target just so I could see where in the heck I was shooting. We're talking up to 8" low or 6" right or left, depending on how lousy I am that day...from 10 feet!

Every time I take it out, by the time I"m 50 or so rounds in I'll begin to tighten up. I slow WAY down, tighten my grip and pull that trigger slow and deliberate. I'll begin to manage a 2" group, sometimes tighter (again though, this is 10' we're talking about here...not even 7-10yds). This is only after 50 or so rounds though...50 rounds of shooting all over the place like a drunken fool. Sometimes I swap to another revolver just to make sure I'm not impaired and sure enough, I'll shoot it just fine. The probem them become fatigue, that uber tight grip and super deliberate trigger pull gets to me after a while to where I begin to get sloppy again...

I am bound and determined to learn to shoot that thing if it is the last thing I ever do, so help me.

Food for thought my forum friend. Each gun, especially between brands/manufacturer, will have variances in categories like trigger pull, SA/DA, grip axis, et cetera. If you are used to shooting S&W religiously, then you may find Colt's grip axis and trigger pull not favorable--and vice versa.

There is an old--read ancient--saying that 'repetition is the mother of all knowledge'. Without getting into the semantics, shooting more of this gun exclusively will return better results. Sounds simple, and in some respects it is.

As collectors, we sometimes get spoiled because we jump through using many different types of firearms at the range. With handguns if you are looking for 'top performance' however any of us defines that, not withstanding; then, my recommendation would be to put at least 1,000 rounds through it. Get comfortable with it.

It is an attainable goal. It just costs money and time.

 

[one eye joe]

My Bulldog is a bit better with DA, but not by a ton. SA on both is ok.

I was mostly posting this one as a joke because I'm not used to a firearm making me look like such a noob...

LMAO---I HEAR YOU.....

MY 2 1/2" M686 NO DASH, FITTED WITH A 7 ROUND CYLINDER AT S&W, AND GIVEN A "DELUXE TUNED ACTION" BY DENNIS REICHARD--MASSAD AYOOB'S GUNSMITH OF CHOICE--AT THE SAND BURR GUN RANCH, HAS A SMOOTH LIGHT TRIGGER PULL, THAT IS RELIABLE WITH ANY/ALL FACTORY AMMO, AND IS VERY ACCURATE IN SA OR DA, ON BULLSEYE TARGETS OUT TO 50' OR 25 YARDS......

FAMED S&W SPONSORED PISTOLERO, JERRY MICULEK, HAS A FEW AMAZING VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE, FEATURING HIM SHOOTING SNUBBY REVOLVERS, AT EXTREMELY LONG DISTANCES. WATCH HIM IF YOU WISH TO BE HUMBLED........

BELOW ARE PICS OF MY M686.......

 

[OLDSTER]

I wouldn't want to shoot my Bull Dog enough to "master" it; I'd need to wear a wrist cast! However, I must say that I shoot my Charter Undercover just as good as I do my S&W 36 or Ruger SP101. For the money ? WOW

 

[murphydog]

I see a major role here for dry fire practice, and a lot of it...

 

[typetwelve]

I see a major role here for dry fire practice, and a lot of it...

Yeah...I plan to do more than this. I bought my Bulldog back in Jan of this year and would dry fire it at least 25 times a day, it finally loosened up and is smoother than the Pitbull. I'll do the same with it when I have the time (selling a house at the moment).

 

[rwsmith]

I know how it feels.......

I've gotten into rifles way too much and realized that my handgun skills had become abyssmal. I didn't even have confidence to use a handgun for close up defense. I found out that something I was doing was getting worn out shooting big heavy rifles then I'd turn to handgun. When I did handgun first, I improved enough to at least to use it for SD, but not much better. I've got work to do.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Since you shoot other guns good,I suspect an improper gunfit here.Before you start shooting the gun,do you feel anything unconfortable about the grip?the position your hand takes on the grip?the angle?
Consider the position of your hand on the grip;take a shot;did the position of your hand shift from before you took that first shot?If so,the grips don't fit your hand.If not,ask seriously yourself if you feel any disconfort while shooting the gun.Be honest with yourself.Being unconfortable doesn't mean you're a sissy;only that something doesn't fit right.
I've got a .38 that gouges into my hand with soft loads while I take pleasure at shooting full .357,.41 and .44 Mag full loads(BTW I gotta have that .38's grips changed!).
Trigger reach(too short or too long)will cause you to exert a pressure on the trigger that is not at the same place from shot to shot.A 2# gun with a 4# trigger will create a 2# pull on one side or another when that trigger breaks if the 2# extra doesn't go straight back.
Consider these points and please let us know if we're on the track to happyness!

 

[fortyshooter]

Well I have had some luck with shooting my .44 Special Bull Dog and found that putting some paint on the front sight helped a lot with getting the rounds on target. I later added a green filament to the front sight.
Here was my review on it
YouTube

 

[NevadaBob]

I have a 9mm CA Pitbull as well and love it. I feel they are well made and can find no fault. I shoot primarily in SA mode. Has a short fast clean break that way.
When I first bought it in 2017, I had a few newby questions and whipped off an email to the company. Within an hour, the company president called me to discuss my questions. Can't get better customer service than that!