Charter Arms .44 Bulldog

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I had one up until a few months ago. Sold for another revolver I wanted, but was carrying PMC 180 gr JHP. Was always able to find it at Cabela's for a pretty good price.
 
I've occasionally carried one in an ankle holster. The .44 Bulldog fits my J frame holster and isn't much heavier than a Model 60. Glaser blue is my load for this gun.
 
Blazer 200 Gold Dot. Carry it in an Alien Gear iwb Cloke tuck 2 for the Ruger SP 101.
 
My wife has one, even has pink grips, sits in the safe most of the time. I have low power loads for her, 240 grain target hollow points at 600fps.

It is a good gun built in 85, and still solid, she just has other options for both CC, and OC.
 
I used to carry mine sometimes but haven't for a while. I loaded it with Winchester 200 grain Silvertips.
 
Back when I was into backpacking up in Maine and the Adirondacks, I used to carry one loaded with a 240 SWC handloaded to about 900 fps. Not a fun load to shoot at all, but made for a very nice power to weight ratio gun incase something big and furry wanted to play.

Shot the above load sparingly, but put a lot of 200 grain SWC behind red dot powder at about 700 fps as a practice load. Enough kick to let you know you were firing a big bore, but pleasant enough to enjoy. One of the few guns I have sold out of many that I wish I had kept.

These days, my mostly shorter day hikes with camera gear are covered with a lightweight 1911 loaded with stiff hard cast SWC's loads.

I always thought the Charter was a little flimsy compared to a Smith or Colt, but that gun proved me wrong - It held up fine through quite a few rounds. If I remember right, it was a Stratford, CT gun.

If you like the CA, take a look at the .22 Pathfinder. Owned one also. Not as accurate as a model 18 or decent target semi, but not very expensive, light weight, reliable, and plinking accurate. Sold mine, and replaced it with a Ruger Bearcat to carry as a woods bumming gun when bear and moose protection was not a concern.

Larry
 
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My late good friend of many years tried one way back when and carried the old factory load of 246 grain bullet going about 750 fps in it. He eventually went back to his shortened Model 24 with reason given as easier to handle, less recoil and just plain a nicer gun. He used the same loads for the Model 24 also. He never got into the magnums, and did not like 9mm in those days either. He has had several cases where he had to use force and stated without hesitation that the old 44 Spl load was a ferocious manstopper.
 
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I have a Charter Bulldog. Reliable handgun. For personal defense I suggest you might consider the 200 grain hard cast full wadcutter load from Buffalo Bore. It's named the "manstopper" after the British cartridge design of the late 19th century.

Rich
 
CA Bulldog

Bought one back in the 70's when they were first introduced....first 44 spl I owned. Skeeter Skelton wrote an article about the little revolver when they made their debut. I have carried and shot mine with factory 246 RN loads, Federal 200 gr SWCHP's and my hand loads of 200 and 240 grain wadcutters & semi wadcutters driven by Unique powder. Been shooting/ carrying the little brute almost 40 years, it' been a reliable companion all that time, and the fact that I still have it speaks for itself.
 
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My Bulldog was purchased in the late 70's and was carried for about 30 years until I replaced it with a 396. the old bulldog does nite stand duty and makes the range ever so often now. Great gun and has served me well. I usually keep the Hornady 200 grains in both these guns, but do shoot a lot of my reloads in both guns.
 
I used to and IIRC it was a 200 gr "lawman" load. Hornaday or Federal?
 
I carry a Charter arms 44 backpacker, 2.5" bbl "combat" wood grips, magna porta. loaded with 7.0g unique behind a 240g LSWC. I like it.

Charlie
 
So far it seems just about everyone has a different preferred load depending on what works for their needs.
 
I carry mine in a JT IWB holster made for the SP101
It's loaded with Hornady 180gr XTP - 1000 fps / 400 ft-lbs ME.
The large, open-ended, sharp-edged, hollow points will either expand or cut a hole like a cookie cutter.
Sounds like something that should work to me....
 
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I carry a Charter arms 44 backpacker, 2.5" bbl "combat" wood grips, magna porta. loaded with 7.0g unique behind a 240g LSWC. I like it.

Charlie

Small world. When I first moved out of the city I played around with an identical albeit not ported bulldog. Loaded it just about the same as you. 6.8gr Unique under a 225gr LRNFP. Funny I loaded for a 45acp M25 the same charge under a slightly shorter fatter LRNFP. My son took a shine to 'em, so...
 
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