British Bulldog 44

[moosedog]

I picked this up the other day. I have always found these interesting but never owned one. Mechanically sound, good bore with rifling intact in 44 Bulldog caliber which was renickeled at some point. It says British Bulldog
on top strap but does anyone know who the maker of this gun would have been? I know there were many copies made both British, Belgium and some American.
This particular one appears to be the same type used to assassinate President Garfield in 1881, which was Belgium made. It does have a Crown over R? on the frame.
The original round was in my ammo collection. The only thing I have British as a photo prop is a British Rum Ration Jug. It was that or a tea bag.

 

[SquarePizza]

That is a beautiful piece of history, and I love the stubby little round too. =)

Someday I hope that I can stumble on a nice one of these.

 

[Drm50]

I use to have one of those and took a box of 44mg brass that
had been loaded many times, cut them off to length. Then loaded
them with a 185gr cast bullet and a light load. I think it was
Unique, the load came out of Cartridges of the World, by Barnes.
Had some fun with it shooting 44balls too. Fun ended when one
bounced back and hit me in the shin. I'm thinking mine was
marked .442.

 

[shouldazagged]

A great many similar revolvers marked "British Bulldog" were made in Belgium and possibly Spain, as I recall. Need to check my copy of A.B. Zhuk's brilliant Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Handguns, a terrific reference work..

 

[Absalom]

I think the "crown over R" indicates that this gun is indeed of Belgian manufacture. The fancy style of the grip decoration might help narrow it down further.

 

[moosedog]

Thanks, that's what I figured.
I see where a gentleman came out with a new book about these titled "The British Bulldog Revolver; The Forgotten Gun that Really Won the West" by George Layman.

 

[Valmet]

I think wal-mart has 100-round Value Packs of ammo on sale for that thing!

Cool old revolver!

 

[DWalt]

A great many similar revolvers marked "British Bulldog" were made in Belgium and possibly Spain, as I recall. Need to check my copy of A.B. Zhuk's brilliant Illustrated Encyclopedia Handguns, a terrific reference work..

I thought I was the only one to have a copy of Zhuk. It's mainly line drawings of about every handgun ever made. I'd guess that 90%+ of the "British Bulldog" revolvers made came from Belgium. One theory is that Custer may have had one at the Little Big Horn. I have a handful of antique ".44 Webley" headstamped cartridges, I think UMC, but I am not sure about that. They will chamber in a .44 Mag, but I don't believe I will attempt shooting them.

"I think wal-mart has 100-round Value Packs of ammo on sale for that thing!"
It hasn't been commercially loaded for a very long time, since before WWII. Donnelley's cartridge conversion manual says cases can be made by shortening .44 Mag or .44 Special cases to 0.57" and turning the rim diameter to 0.503". Rim thickness may also need reducing to 0.048" depending on the gun. A .440" diameter bullet is specified. This is one which might work well by using a .44 round ball as a bullet.

 

[shouldazagged]

I thought I was the only one to have a copy of Zhuk. It's mainly line drawings of about every handgun ever made. I'd guess that 90%+ of the "British Bulldog" revolvers made came from Belgium. One theory is that Custer may have had one at the Little Big Horn. I have a handful of antique ".44 Webley" headstamped cartridges, I think UMC, but I am not sure about that. They will chamber in a .44 Mag, but I don't believe I will attempt shooting them.

Zhuk's line drawings, all of whioch he did, are incredible for their accuracy. Even his rendering of ornate engaving is amazing.

The book is pricey (I got mne at a greatly reduced price at a book fair where I was working) and only covers handguns up to 1990; but as a historical reference it's terrific.

 

[JohnRippert]

I bet you could watch that slug all the way to the target. Gotta love big slow moving bullets.


Back in the '90s I used to take potshots at the turtles in the stock tanks on the ranch with my stainless Officers ACP. I had the habit of focusing on my target and when the sun was right I could see the copper glint as it approached the water. Always blew my mind.

 

[Drm50]

I thought I was the only one to have a copy of Zhuk. It's mainly line drawings of about every handgun ever made. I'd guess that 90%+ of the "British Bulldog" revolvers made came from Belgium. One theory is that Custer may have had one at the Little Big Horn. I have a handful of antique ".44 Webley" headstamped cartridges, I think UMC, but I am not sure about that. They will chamber in a .44 Mag, but I don't believe I will attempt shooting them.

"I think wal-mart has 100-round Value Packs of ammo on sale for that thing!"
It hasn't been commercially loaded for a very long time, since before WWII. Donnelley's cartridge conversion manual says cases can be made by shortening .44 Mag or .44 Special cases to 0.57" and turning the rim diameter to 0.503". Rim thickness may also need reducing to 0.048" depending on the gun. A .440" diameter bullet is specified. This is one which might work well by using a .44 round ball as a bullet.

The one I had shot RBs very well, I'm talking like 8' pointing it.
I did not have to reduce the rim dia. of Rem 44 mg brass. I didn't
have power trimmer so I made little jig and cut them close with
Dremil and finished them in case trimmer.

 

[DWalt]

I have also trimmed many cases shorter by making up a simple jig and using a Dremel tool with an abrasive cutoff disc. But not to make .44 Webley cases from .44 Mag.

 

[Tom K]

American Double Action with a 4" barrel.

American Double Action, American Bulldog and British Bulldog, all in .44 Bulldog.

 

[lebomm]

In my teens, I was given a "British Bulldog" revolver along with several original rounds in a cartridge collection. Didn't keep it long enough to find out where it was made, but it had straight-bored chambers which I discovered, to my horror, would accept .44 Bulldog, Russian, Special, or Magnum cartridges, fully within the cylinder ! YIKES !

Larry

 

[Absalom]

..., but it had straight-bored chambers which I discovered, to my horror, would accept .44 Bulldog, Russian, Special, or Magnum cartridges, fully within the cylinder ! YIKES !
...

The old US Army DA Colts in .38 Colt are the same way. The chambers are bored through and will accept .38 Special, and allow the cylinder to be closed unless the bullet is very pointy. You can even chamber a .357 Magnum with a deep-seated flat-nosed bullet .... and fire it ... but probably only once

Fortunately for the careless or ignorant, commercial .357 loads apparently are generally too long. I've only been able to close the cylinder of mine on handloaded wadcutters (No, I didn't try to shoot it!).

 

[ShivasIrons]

Paging Dr. Watson!

 

[zeke]

Was always fascinated by these, never had the opportunity to purchase one. However am following the concept of compact, short barrel, large bore and moderately loaded round for cc.

 

[BCO Holsters]

AHA! My Great Uncle, Lefty Lewis, world famous holster maker and founder of Bell Charter Oak Holsters, gifted me with 2 British Bulldogs. No, not puppies, although they would be nice too, Uncle if you are reading this. I call them WINSTON and CHAMBERLAIN, you figure out the political connotations.

I stumbled on this thread (I am new here) when the GREAT ONE, suggested I ask for help to find parts that were absent. I have done that in the Wanted section of this forum, no results and I'm not surprised.

In any event, I read this thread and thought if three or four of my mates came together in a basement or garage workshop we'd likely come up with a prototype "British Bulldog". I don't understand why such a simple design should cost as much as some suggest in this thread? Admittedly, it is low tech in design and material. However, it worked and was (get ready for this) CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP to make. Every fool with a few farthings could afford one, across Europe, the states and points across the globe. If your a traveler, you have seen them everywhere.

In their day, they were competing with Sears & Roebuck advertised top breaks (see Sears & Roebuck Catalogs c. 1900) and other distributors. But, who really made them? Where they made in Britain, Belgium, America, South America? How about the Khyber Pass? Been there lately have you?

So, this being my first post, I suggest a good startup company produce these very worthwhile designs, as they were meant to be. Not improved, no do dads. No stainless steel, no CNC, laser or other hi tech, just good gun making from plain steel and yes, some cast components. A .32 S&W Long chambered piece would be perfect. The .44 not practical I imagine for several reasons, but I'd love to see one, if somebody had the guts to make it. I would say North American Arms Company would be a good choice but, their standards for competitive gun making is perhaps far too state of the art for such a retro project. They produce outstanding product and likely not set up for something so retro. Maybe there is someone out there, perhaps reading this, who will be inspired. God Bless You All:
Elmo Jackson

 

[Texas Star]

I think the best gun along those lines was the Webley RIC Model of 1883, chambered for the service .455 round. I think it'd take the warmer MK I/.455 Colt load.

The guy who wrote the Sherlock Holmes books and the Prof. Challenger novels, like, The Lost World, had an abysmal knowledge of guns. I use my imagination as to what Holmes and Watson would have carried, if real.

My choice is that RIC 1883 model.

Doyle did say that Watson used his old service revolver, being a retired Army doctor. That'd probably be an Adams or Tranter .450. I think he'd buy something smaller as he accompanied Holmes in his investigations.

Being a surgeon, he'd know the limits of the .450 and probably wanted a heavier load.

I doubt that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle knew what it takes to stop a vicious dog. I wouldn't go after The Hound of the Baskervilles with less than a Colt .45 SAA, probably with 7.5 inch barrel, and I'd want a rifle, too.

You joked about using a tea bag as a photo prop. You can use the box, if it's a good British brand, like Twinings or Taylor's of Harrogate. Both firms hold Royal Warrants to supply tea, one to Buckingham Palace, the other fpr Charles, Prince of Wales. I'm about to drink a cup of Taylor's Ceylon, and have a box of 50 bags of their Assam tea due next week. Their Darjeeling is also a superior example of that tea.
Taylor's Darjeeling blend is stronger, more complex, than what Twining's does with tea from that growing area.

What sort of a bag did you have in mind? I'm only half joking. Are you seriously into British brands?

 

[6string]

Pre-war specs 44 Bulldog

I have some pre-war specs for the 44 Bulldog. That is, Pre-WWI specs!
U.S. manufacturers specified a 170 gr lead bullet loaded with 15 gr of FFg black powder. Bullet diameters can be encountered between .426" to .436", with a hollow base being common.

Like the 44 Webley, muzzle velocity was generally well under 600 fps.

Jim