Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special

[sigp220.45]

I've never owned one, but I've been interested in them since reading Skeeter's early articles about his.

A local shop has a nice early "Son of Sam" looking specimen - factory wood grips, 3 inch unshrouded barrel, priced at $299 but probably with some wiggle room built in.

Any experience with these early ones? I know there have been issues with the later Charco ones and the Bulldog Pugs, but I've heard the early ones were decent shooters.

 

[canoeguy]

I had one that I bought new in 1984, it was reliable, fairly accurate, and fun to shoot. I had a stainless version, thought myself quite well armed with it.

Used it as my hiking and hunting sidearm for years, traded it away for something, can't even remember what I traded it for, must have been something great, right?

I'd get another from that era....

 

[sipowicz]

I have a late 70's, 1 of 500, David Berkowitz Commemorative...it looks well made but I have never shot it since I want to keep its value up.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I have had mine since 1975. For shooting I find Pachmayr's more comfortable.

 

[Raider]

I have a Charter .44 made in 1976. Its made well enough for carrying and for casual shooting but I don't think it would stand up to the pounding I give my Smith .44s. If you can get it for less than $299, it could be a good deal especially as a carry gun/plinker. The early Charter guns are much higher quality than the current ones.

Charlie

 

[DeathGrip]

I swaped for this one a few months ago.It's a Charter 2000.Shoots well out to 30 or 40 ft.So far no problems.It probably shoots better than me.Great truck gun,But I haven't tried to kill any trucks lately.
The older ones are nice and that price could be a little better unless it's mint.

 

[Muley Gil]

I had one that was issued to me by my PD. It was a decent shooter. I put Goodyears on mine as well.

I had had various .44 Special revolvers for years. I tried the classic Skeeter load- a Keith style 245 gr SWC over 7.5 gr of Unique.

The revolver took the load fine-my hand, not so well. I went back to Silvertips as my carry load.

 

[ladder13]

I have a late 70's, 1 of 500, David Berkowitz Commemorative...it looks well made but I have never shot it since I want to keep its value up.

Was very tough to get a date back then.

 

[Spotteddog]

Have owned one since 72'. (Shhhh? Even carried it!)
My Son now has it as his slip into his pocket anytime gun. I flogged it mercilessly with handloads. Loosened up a couple of pins by doing so. Nothing that Loctite didn't cure. She shot to the sights as far as I could ever determine. When I would hold up my end @ 10 yards she'd hold 1 to 1 1/2" all day long. For the higher grunt handloads the Pachy Presentations were kinder than the open backed wood panels. She was a great little big bore. If one could duplicate the production quality of the period, while upgrading to stainless steel for material I'd buy another in a heart beat! The only fault I ever had was the bluing getting trashed due to next to body carry in summer time. But that's to be expected?

 

[J. Galt]

I have a Charter .44 made in 1976. Its made well enough for carrying and for casual shooting but I don't think it would stand up to the pounding I give my Smith .44s.

+1

I recently picked up 60's vintage Bulldog, they are neat little guns. $299 is a good price if it's in nice shape. I paid a bit more for mine.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

What is it's size say compared to a 696????

 

[therevjay]

What is it's size say compared to a 696????

Larger then a j-frame, smaller then a K-frame.

 

[Evil One]

Early charter bulldog is more comparable to the K than the L frame.


Jim

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

George C. Nonte carefully measured a Charter Arms Bulldog, compared it to an Undercover, he said the latter was a J frame, the Bulldog a K frame.

 

[mtgianni]

I have one from the mid 70's. Mine groups good @ 25 yards though 4" left. I have to locktite the crane screw with 250 gr bullets but no problems otherwise.

 

[sipowicz]

I have one from the mid 70's. Mine groups good @ 25 yards though 4" left. I have to locktite the crane screw with 250 gr bullets but no problems otherwise.

SOS liked 9.5 grains of HS7 with a 240 grain lead SWC bullet, good for a MV of 841 fps.

 

[BUFF]

What is it's size say compared to a 696????

I think they are sized between a K and a J frame. Mine fit quality holsters made for the Colt Detective Special but rattle around in a K frame holster.

I bought 2 of them in 1976. I was already a firm Skeltonite and promptly loaded up some 7.5 gr. Unique/240 gr. bullet ammo. To say it kicked would be an understatement. Pachmayrs were an improvement but not much. New to handgunning, I thought the fivegun HAD to kick really hard to be effective. It took a full pound of Unique but it finally pounded one of the guns into junk; topstrap stretched, barrel/cylinder gap disappeared, a crater formed around the firing pin's opening in the breeh face. Finally got to a point where the firing pin couldn't reach far enough to ignite the primer reliably. I sold it to a friend who wanted it for parts.

I never subjected the second Bulldog to that kind of abuse. I still have it and shoot it occasionally and have had zero problems with it. I bobbed the hammer and filed the front sight blade into a ramp, from the sort of 'fish hook' shape it had. I usually shoot factory-equivalent handloads in it.

The Charter Arms Bulldogs aren't anywhere near the quality of a S&W, but they can be good guns.

I paid $89.50 each out the door for mine. I think they have gone up.

 

[Big Cholla]

My hunting partner and I had an interesting discussion with a Sales Rep of the Charter Arms group at the Shot Show. They are working at top manufacturing capacity and are producing 750 handguns per week. He said that their 'main' wholesale distributors are begging for more units per week, but they are holding firm on that number so as to maintain a high and sustainable level of quality. .......... Big Cholla

 

[Spotteddog]

B/C,
You DO have a sense of humor, don't you!
(I won't go into the antler dance I had with my kids Southpaw 2 years ago?)

 

[Big Cholla]

LOL; Spotteddog: Yes, I did have my tongue firmly planted in my cheek with that one. I thought no one would spot that. ..... Big Cholla