Charter Arms Bulldog/44 Special...Thoughts?

[Shrek Of The Arctic]

I’m thinkin’ about a .44 Special. Most particularly, a Charter Arms Bulldog Classic. despite of all of the .44 Special praise, I’ve never been attracted to the caliber in an N frame configuration. With that kinda bulk, I’d just rather shoot a 329,69, etc. I can’t deny an attraction the Model 21 Thunder Ranch types though.

In any case…with the larger guns, I just can’t see not getting a .44 Mag and downloading to my heart’s desire. Now with reference to smaller guns, such as the Charter Arms Bulldog, the S&W 296, and other smaller frame big bores…That gathers my interest pretty darn quickly.

It’s been my learnin’ that everything varies with a bullets performance, except for weight. A consistent heavy bullet is quite comforting to my mind. Even more so in the form of a cylinder full of wadcutters or semi-wadcutters.

I’ve kinda been feeling a tad burned out on S&W lately. Not a lack of love, but just…really expensive and getting a bit valuable to knock around in the truck, canoe, etc. I also have a thing for the older Charter Arms. Just kinda….classic in their own 70’s and 80’s way. They appear to be a real nice size between packability and controllability. Finally…it’s within my budget. I went through great lengths recently to purchase a Model 19-4 and a 617, so…revolver funds could use some recuperation time.

I do debate whether the .44 Special holds any appreciable advantages over my excess pile of .357s, but maybe that’s just another reason to try one so I can find out?

I did note a Charter Arms available in .45 ACP, but it doesn’t take moonclips, I don’t think there’s much in the way of speedloaders for it, and it doesn’t have the neat old school look. It’s not a gun I need, but more of a nifty toy that could be useful.

I’m also curious about the really light bullets…like 150-165 grain. Seems those might be fun to shoot under a light powder charge if you can keep them anywhere near point of aim.

So….44 Special…Charter Arms…Other brands….What are your thoughts? I’m interested.

 

[biku324]

Had a Bulldog in the '70s and quickly traded it. It's a knuckle buster.

 

[raljr1]

Buy one. I wanted one for decades and never got one. Passed on a couple at very reasonable prices. Don't make the same mistake as I did.

 

[serger]

In may I bought a 14420. It's a good gun.
I shoot the HSM 220 grain Cowboy Action
loads thru it. And I loaded a bunch of my
cast 220 grain bullets with 5 grains of
Herco. Runs good.

And this gun has an excellent trigger in
a K frame size. Only down side is it a 5
shot.

 

[diyj98]

Charter Arms quality has varied a great deal over the years depending upon who was in charge of the company. After the S&W 69 came out, I sold my Bulldog. I used the 44 special as a house/woods gun and was willing to trade out the lighter weight of the Charter Arms for the higher quality and strength of the S&W.

 

[Dump1567]

I had bad luck with 2 newer production ones I've owned. One had light primer strikes that I had to replace the hammer spring on. The other didn't seem very accurate. But I really didn't spend time with different bullet weights to further test it out. And I vaguely remember having some seizing-up while firing it issues?

A few months ago I found another used one for a good price but in .45 Colt. I ended-up purchasing it. It's been accurate and reliable with the .45 Colt ammo I've put through it. And it went through several cylinders without issues. It also works with the HKS 5 shot speed loaders for the .44.

Third time's a charm.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I have one of the old original 3" Bulldogs. I like it. It's a great little woods-walking and knock about gun. I load 240 gr cast hps over 700X or AA5. I paid $200 for it many years ago so its long since paid for itself.

 

[Valmet]

I bought one new back in summer 2010 and prob have between 800-1k rounds thru it now and it’s been 100%. Got it for a good deal at the time, though I know they’ve gone up considerably since.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

From the mid 90's to 2017 I had and sometimes carried a Taurus 5 shot 3" 44 Special. K frame size and weight. I really liked it, until I shot it so much, it quit lifting the hammer on DA. Some internal pins had a flat sides worn into them. It was a cheap/simple fix to rotate the pins, but I lost all confidence in it.

I traded it in on a PC 629-20 2 5/8". The 629 weighs almost 3 time what the Taurus did.

I carried Silver Tip Hollow Points as SD ammo, and a 200/205 gr RNFP over about 4.8 grains of WW231 for plinking (my cowboy load).

Ivan

 

[Ματθιας]

My shooting buddy has a Charter 44 Classic. It's a nice piece. The only thing I didn't like about it was the original grips. For me, it just didn't feel right. I imagine the Pachmyrs would be a HUGE improvement!
If I found one like his and cheap, probably buy it

 

[GerSan69]

I currently have a pair of .44 Special Taurus revolvers made in the 1990s, Model 431. 2.5" blued RB, 3" polished stainless SB. As was already said, they are almost exactly K-frame size, so hey fit in K frame holsters, but I don't carry them - they are both in near-new condition so they live in the safe. I have fired both, though, and they are a handful.

 

[DWalt]

Best used .44 Bulldogs are those earlier production guns with Bridgeport and Stratford addresses on barrels. I do not carry or shoot mine often, more of a house gun. I use fairly light reloads with 200 grain flat point lead bullets, about 750 ft/sec. I have yet to fire a single factory .44 Special load. Pachmayr Presentation rubber grips are a necessity to control recoil. There is a weakness in design related to the cylinder release latch which is easily remedied with a drop of Super Glue.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Had mine since the 1970s, I second the use of Pachmayr grips. Skeeter Skelton wrote that his favorite load of a 240 gr SWC over 7.5 grains of Unique was too much for it.

 

[BigMuddy]

I have one, a SS Pug. Good gun for what it’s good for ��. Recoil can be brutal unless light loads are used. I like 200’s with Titegroup. I carry mine some, but mainly got it to ride in the pocket of my life vest when kayaking. I think the Classic really looks good, but since my SS gun is usually soaked when I take it out of the vest pocket I’m happy with the finish I chose.

Dan

 

[zeke]

From the mid 90's to 2017 I had and sometimes carried a Taurus 5 shot 3" 44 Special. K frame size and weight. I really liked it, until I shot it so much, it quit lifting the hammer on DA. Some internal pins had a flat sides worn into them. It was a cheap/simple fix to rotate the pins, but I lost all confidence in it.

I traded it in on a PC 629-20 2 5/8". The 629 weighs almost 3 time what the Taurus did.

I carried Silver Tip Hollow Points as SD ammo, and a 200/205 gr RNFP over about 4.8 grains of WW231 for plinking (my cowboy load).

Ivan

Still have an Taurus 445 UL. Put the older style compact rubbers on it, and have a hybird holster for it. Likely one of the smallest lightest 44 specials ever made, aand reminds me of old British "bulldog". Not a lot of fun to shoot with the 200 gn gdhp's at 870 fps, but didn't get it for range use. Didn't hesitate to dremel the sharp corners off.

 

[Grayfox]

I love the .44 Special and have quite a few guns in this caliber.
Some years ago I stumbled into a LNIB 1985 vintage CA Bulldog and jumped right on it.
To be honest, I don't shoot it that much and never carry it. But what use it has had has proven it to be solid, reliable and accurate. I like it!
As mentioned, CA's QC has been spotty at best for the last 10 years at least. I highly recommend an older gun if you can find one.
And a big +1 on the Pachmayer grips. This gun needs 'em.

 

[mtgianni]

I had an older 3" Bulldog. I'm a caster and only shot cast through it but it did it's best with 240-250 gr bullets. I quickly set aside the wooden grips and went with pacs. I have a large hand with medium length fingers and found it controllable, with a medium time second shot recovery. It wasn't anything like a triple tap from a High Power. I carried it as a shove down a bears throat gun if one came too close but never shot anything but paper. Mine was surprisingly accurate, but tended to print about 2-3" left at 25 yards. For what I wanted the gun to do that was fine.

 

[DWalt]

There was another CA .44 Bulldog thread here not long ago. Probably the best used .44 Bulldog to search out for purchase would be from early Bridgeport production, 1973-74. The SN range will be roughly 200,000-300,000, possibly a little beyond each end. That SN range also includes Undercover .38 Special revolvers In addition to .44 Bulldogs. The Son of Sam Revolver is also a Bridgeport in that SN range.

 

[old tanker]

Here's what I said about my one and only Charter Arms before, and nothing has changed my opinion.

I have had one of the early Bulldogs since 1978. I have been satisfied with mine. Can't say anything about the newer ones. As mentioned earlier, the screws like to loosen and pins like to walk, but routine maintenance and the judicious use of Loc-tite fixes most of that. The Pachmyars are a useful addition for me.

The fit and finish are OK. It will deliver hand size groups at 50 feet shooting factory Remingtons double action. It fits the same holsters as a 3 inch Detective Special.

Shooting it in IDPA matches would likely wear one out in short order. A steady diet of Elmer's .44 loads would quickly stretch things out. But if a defensive carry gun that will deliver five big soft bullets at moderate velocity fits the mission, it will do that!

If Smith made a 5 shot K-frame in .44 Special I would want one. Since they didn't, I bought the Bulldog.

 

[dsf]

I've been in CA for a long time and have seen only 1 CA Bulldog in all that time, all the gun stores I've regularly hit up and this is it -



I bought it same day as a Smith 696 no dash, total $1K. If I had to pick one over the other ..... I'm not going to say.