I also have several CA Bulldogs and one is fancied-up and marked "Terminator" as mentioned in an earlier posting. The gun has a bobbed hammer, jeweled trigger and hammer and polished cylinder, etc.. It was made by Personal Protection Systems around 1982/83 and who I believe is now out of business. If anybody has any info about the gun, like how many where made, etc., I would appreciate the response.
Any one carry a Charter Arms Bulldog?
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Catshooter
Member
Exactly, sheriff, exactly so! As much as I like the Charter, I would much prefer a Smith.
No one in the world could convince me that Smith is incapable of matching a Bulldog (for size & weight). They just won't. *sigh*
It's a very, very rare corporation that doesn't suffer horribly from the"If it's not invented here then it's not worthy of us" syndrome.
Sad, isn't it? I've read that Charter is and has been for a while running at their full capacity, making and selling 750 revolvers a week. If they can sell 'em, why couldn't Smith? They could, obviously. Oh well.
Cat
sheriffoconee
Member
I quoted myself here, cause I fixed my "thumb latch won't open my cylinder" issue with my CA Bulldog. The thumb latch pushes a screw into the cylinder pin to release the cylinder for opening. The screw was screwed in so far that it would no longer push the pin out. Took the screw out, a dab of blue loctite, and screwed it back in flush with the recoil shield....works perfectly now.
I STILL think Smith could do a better job with the concept....
ColbyBruce
Member
I had a Bulldog back in the 80's. Nice and light, accurate, but their "unbreakable copper beryllium firing pin" wasn't, it turned out. Sure, they fixed it on their dime, but that and the not-so-good fit turned me off and I sold it.
It is an excellent concept and if someone would turn out a better quality product along the same lines it would sell.
It is an excellent concept and if someone would turn out a better quality product along the same lines it would sell.
ColbyBruce
Member
"but their "unbreakable copper beryllium firing pin" wasn't"
Thats the truth, I broke two of those myself. I have owned about seven CA handguns in all over the years. None of them stayed around long.
Thats the truth, I broke two of those myself. I have owned about seven CA handguns in all over the years. None of them stayed around long.
I have owned a couple of the old Bulldogs before and traded them off. The only Charter that I have held on to is my old Bridgeport Undercover. I guess I'll keep it for many more years, it looks so bad that no one else would want it. I would like to find an early Bulldog now. A lot of power in a small and light package.
I'm really surprised that there hasn't been a lot of Charter Arms bashing going on here. That's usually the case when CA is brought up. The ones that I have owned have all been fine, not the prettiest but the price was always better than the pretty guns.
Here is my old Undercover that has been around the block a time or two.
I'm really surprised that there hasn't been a lot of Charter Arms bashing going on here. That's usually the case when CA is brought up. The ones that I have owned have all been fine, not the prettiest but the price was always better than the pretty guns.
Here is my old Undercover that has been around the block a time or two.
Kilibreaux
Member
I have one nestled into the glovebox of my car at this moment, and when needed I drop it into a front pocket...absolutely. That IS the strong suit of the CA .44 Bulldog! Tremendous blasting power in a light, compact revolver that is EASY to carry concealed!
sac-gunslinger
Member
I had one back in the day when I had to own everything I could get my hands on and try carrying (c'mon, admit it, we have all gone through that phase). It always worked, never broke, but I never felt the love for one and finally sold it.
Vulcan Bob
Member
I'm a big fan of the Bulldog, however I never could get used to its DA trigger pull. Bought one of the originals, got rid of it, tried another one about ten years later, got rid of it, and two years ago tried one of the new stainless Pug's, got rid of it. Now this is frustrating as I really like the little beasties if only I could tolerate their DA trigger pulls. I'm afraid my trigger finger is just used to the S&W's for double action work. Now this is not a slam against the Bulldog, it seems to be a personal problem!
I have one and had another. Both are OK for what they are. I love the big bore in a small light package. I shoot it enough to keep good with it. I use fairly mild loads. With big bullets speed isn't needed. I did have the failure to open problem on the current gun but made a tiny shim washer to fix it. With the non shrouded ejector guns like mine you can open by pulling ejector forward. I also have a Taurus 431 which is pretty much a fix sight copy of a 696. Mine is well made and smooth, but heavy. The Bulldog can go in my pants or jacket pocket and not have my pants falling down.
I would love an alloy L frame with a 3" barrel, but I want it in 45ACP with moon clips. That would be so perfect. Small, light, big bullet, quick reloading and lots of ammo choices.
I would love an alloy L frame with a 3" barrel, but I want it in 45ACP with moon clips. That would be so perfect. Small, light, big bullet, quick reloading and lots of ammo choices.
TexasArmed
Member
Well my Charter Arms 44 Bulldog has an external hammer so
I carry it in a Galco Paddle Holster. My hammerless S&W 642-1 38 stainless steel airweight I carry in a pocket holster in my pocket.
I'd love to replace my Bulldog with a comparable S&W, but for now the Charter is really the only option.
BubbaBlades
Member
I replaced my sometimes carried S&W 296 with a .44 C/A Bulldog (bought used with a nice action) because the Bulldog was a better size for me to conceal carry.
Based on my favorable impression of the Bulldog, I bought a C/A .40 PitBull (not that smooth of an action).
I put some .40 snapcaps in the PitBull to try and smooth out the action. After a few minutes, I broke the "flag" off of the transfer bar on the PitBull and discovered that the gun would not fire with a broken transfer bar.
C/A's customer service was great, however, I retired BOTH of my C/As from conceal carry use due to this design feature.
Mark
Based on my favorable impression of the Bulldog, I bought a C/A .40 PitBull (not that smooth of an action).
I put some .40 snapcaps in the PitBull to try and smooth out the action. After a few minutes, I broke the "flag" off of the transfer bar on the PitBull and discovered that the gun would not fire with a broken transfer bar.
C/A's customer service was great, however, I retired BOTH of my C/As from conceal carry use due to this design feature.
Mark
hotrod150
Member
I owned two Charter Arms revolvers back in the mid-1980's, a blue 38 Undercover and a stainless 22 Pathfinder. While they were a good value & OK for "truck gun" use, they just weren't up to S&W standards. What with all the different guns/calibers available now, I think that ship has sailed, but it's a shame S&W didn't get on it back in the day & produce a similar but higher-quality small-frame 5 shot 44 snubby-- they'd have sold a bunch of them.
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shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
To make them "up to S&W standards" would have jacked up the price a lot. One of the things many people have found appealing about the CA guns, especially the Bulldog, is that they're relatively inexpensive revolvers that work.
Everybody I know personally who owned one of the older Bulldogs says essentially the same thing: "Yeah, fit and finish aren't all that great, but they always shoot and they make great big holes."
So I guess the question becomes, when will S&W come back to a .44 Special snubby? I'm not holding my breath.
Nemo288
Member
The closest Smith has come IMHO is the 396/396NG. The are a little larger than the 'Dog.
If you had to use one in anger, which would you rather they confiscate?
I carry the Bulldog. It's accurate enough (especially with a Crimson Trace grip).
Yeah the build quality is one notch above crud (maybe) but I trust it to not blow up in my hand (barely).
I use a Mernickle holster for it.
Open carry, there is no question, the 396 wins.
BTW both the 696 and 396 fit well in the holsters that were made for the 3" 24 and 624.
The 396 won't necessarily fit in a 696 holster because of the high front sight.
===
Nemo
If you had to use one in anger, which would you rather they confiscate?
I carry the Bulldog. It's accurate enough (especially with a Crimson Trace grip).
Yeah the build quality is one notch above crud (maybe) but I trust it to not blow up in my hand (barely).
I use a Mernickle holster for it.
Open carry, there is no question, the 396 wins.
BTW both the 696 and 396 fit well in the holsters that were made for the 3" 24 and 624.
The 396 won't necessarily fit in a 696 holster because of the high front sight.
===
Nemo
M E Morrison
Member
I have a 4" target model that I bought about 1978. It's on my short list for daily carry & it has never failed me. Once for grins & giggles I shot it at an IHMSA silhouette match. I got laughed at a lot, until I knocked over the first ram at 200 meters. That's accurate enough for me. 
I just traded for this pug last weekend. Bought a Barami hip grip at the same time because I love them for everyday carry.
I wear my 442 and the Bulldog at about 5:00 and they tuck well and are very comfortable, especially the J frame Smith.
The pug is now my truck gun, hopefully a coating of Eezox and the stainless steel will keep down corrosion, which is fierce, lying on the carpet behind my truck console. Every other gun I have had there, has rusted to some degree.
I wear my 442 and the Bulldog at about 5:00 and they tuck well and are very comfortable, especially the J frame Smith.
The pug is now my truck gun, hopefully a coating of Eezox and the stainless steel will keep down corrosion, which is fierce, lying on the carpet behind my truck console. Every other gun I have had there, has rusted to some degree.
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sipowicz
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