S&W vs Charter 44spl
- Thread starter shjoe
- Start date
I am having fun with this digital camera.
Here is a picture of my S&W .44 Magnum on the bottome and my Bulldog laying on a piece of glass over the top.
I tryed to index the two firearms on there trigger faces. Was not sure how to do it and that seem most logical. Fair?
I hope I am not driving you folks bonkers, I'm just having fun and building photo skills.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well this says a bunch.
Comments are welcome, please.
Here is a picture of my S&W .44 Magnum on the bottome and my Bulldog laying on a piece of glass over the top.
I tryed to index the two firearms on there trigger faces. Was not sure how to do it and that seem most logical. Fair?
I hope I am not driving you folks bonkers, I'm just having fun and building photo skills.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well this says a bunch.
Comments are welcome, please.
I am quite pleased with the fit/finish of my 3" barreled 1991 Charter Arms Bulldog. It's stainless steel construction has withstood a good number of moderate loads. This revolver has "saved my bacon" on a number of occasions. I have no complaints about its performance.
Scott
Scott
Reviving earlier thread with the new find at the local gun show. I have had good luck with several CA .44's but this one is different. It is an early 3" barrel ser # 580X and somebody must have put on a Milestone Limited Edition unfluted CA cylinder. I believe only 50 Milestone guns were made so this cylinder is rare. I plan on taking it to the gunsmith to check it out and tighten it up and hope it ends up being a "good one". It is a little weird----but OK. What do you guys think?
Seven For Sure
Member
I'd take the new 396 NG over the CA. The CA are smaller for sure, they will fit in most J-frame holsters. I had a CA but have never had a 396 NG or any other S&W 44special. The CA shot OK but it looked beat from day one, it kicked way too hard for 44special and the trigger sucked. I'd take a 386 NG over either one for two extra rounds and cheaper ammo.
Seven For Sure
Member
Originally posted by starbuck:
Let me try it again!!!
Well, it's ugly and more likely to be there when you need it than in the safe. Good luck with it.
DGNY
Member
I bought my CA used in Jan of '82 or so and began a course of reloading that tested its metal and my mettle.
Around 100 handloads later it was loose, but it was a fun ride while it lasted.
Its favorite load for accuracy was a 255gr SWCGC over plenty of Unique [more than Skeeter's 240GR/Unique prescription]... Penetration in oak was impressive and the same as a 240gr jHP over 22gr 2400 from a 7.5" Ruger SBH. Seemed to kick about the same, too. [NOTE - I DO NOT RECOMMEND THESE LOADS, SO PLS CONSULT YOUR RELOADING MANUALS FOR LOADS.]
Regards,
Dyson
Around 100 handloads later it was loose, but it was a fun ride while it lasted.
Its favorite load for accuracy was a 255gr SWCGC over plenty of Unique [more than Skeeter's 240GR/Unique prescription]... Penetration in oak was impressive and the same as a 240gr jHP over 22gr 2400 from a 7.5" Ruger SBH. Seemed to kick about the same, too. [NOTE - I DO NOT RECOMMEND THESE LOADS, SO PLS CONSULT YOUR RELOADING MANUALS FOR LOADS.]
Regards,
Dyson
Still carry a Bull Dog Pug every so often. Bought it used a few years back for $150 One of the best purchases I ever made. Charter Arms pistols (generally) improved over the years and ownerships. The finish isn't great on my old Stratford blaster, but it's easily concealed and a hoot to blast all five.
whitecoyote
Member
I own a Charter Arms Bulldog. I think they are a great revolver for the money.
I wish S&W would make a .44 Special on a "J" frame.
I wish S&W would make a .44 Special on a "J" frame.
Landric
Member
I really like the idea of the Bulldog. What I don't like is Charter's iffy QC and the less than stellar selection and availability (and price) of .44 Special ammunition. What I'd really like to see is a S&W, or Ruger for that matter, 5-shot the same size as the Bulldog in .45ACP with moon clips (I'd prefer S&W if they leave off that stupid IL-yes, I'm one of those). I have loads of .45ACP ammo around the house, there are a lot of different loads available, and .45ACP is a lot cheaper to shoot than .44 Special. I suppose it would be nice to have an option of .45 Colt also, but for me, the .45ACP would be the choice.
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I bought two brand new Bulldoags in 1975 or so. They were often on sale for under $150. I was reading Skeeter Skelton by then and they were the only .44 Special revolvers you could find.
Smith & Wesson, Colt or Ruger handguns, they re not. They were guns built to a price range and, while a lot of gun for the money, it isn't a lot of money.
I put Pachmayr grips on mine to shoot, which constituted a marked improvement over the checkered wood "target" Charter grips. Eventually, I refinished a pair of wood grips from my wife's .38 Undercover and put them on one of my .44's.
The guns both developed minor problems. The screws holding the grip frame to the main frame would loosen. Loc-Tite fixed that. The screw that holds the cylinder release parts together and that the ejector rod pushes agains at it's rear, is a screw that can unscrew and let the cylinder flop open. Loc-Tite fixed that, too.
The first one I shot a lot key-holed at 25 yards with any handload I tried, and when I asked Charter Arms about it, they replied, "Yeah, some of them do that. Handloads have voided your warranty. Thank you for buying Chaarter Arms."
Influenced too much by Skelton, I began to use a cast 250 gr. SWC over 7.5 grains of Unique. The loads pounded the gun badly. The frame developed a crater around the firing pin hole on the bolt face, into which the primers flowed, tying the gun up. The cylinder began to rub against the forcing cone. The frame stretched. It got to a point where the firing pin barely would reach the primer, and ignition became unreliable. I retired it and sold it to a friend for parts.
I still have the second gun. I haven't subjected it to hot ammo, using handloads that duplicate factory velocities and estimated pressures. It usually has W-W Silvertips in it when I carry it for serious. I bobbed the hammer spur and ramped the front sight blade, removing the blade's 'hook.'
Size-wise, I find it too big to fit in a well-boned J frame holster but it fits perfectly in a Colt Detective Special 3 inch holster.
An acquaintence has one cut to 2 inches with a new front sight blade soldered on and had it hard or industrial chromed. I might do that with mine.
I understand that the stainless Charters hold up better but have no experience with this.
Rossi and Taurus made .44 Special revolvers in a 5 shot size. I have seen them but never owned or shot one. They may be a viable alternative if their construction is any better than the Charters.
The concept of the .44 Bulldog is great. It fills a real need. It's just too bad the execution is flawed.
Smith & Wesson, Colt or Ruger handguns, they re not. They were guns built to a price range and, while a lot of gun for the money, it isn't a lot of money.
I put Pachmayr grips on mine to shoot, which constituted a marked improvement over the checkered wood "target" Charter grips. Eventually, I refinished a pair of wood grips from my wife's .38 Undercover and put them on one of my .44's.
The guns both developed minor problems. The screws holding the grip frame to the main frame would loosen. Loc-Tite fixed that. The screw that holds the cylinder release parts together and that the ejector rod pushes agains at it's rear, is a screw that can unscrew and let the cylinder flop open. Loc-Tite fixed that, too.
The first one I shot a lot key-holed at 25 yards with any handload I tried, and when I asked Charter Arms about it, they replied, "Yeah, some of them do that. Handloads have voided your warranty. Thank you for buying Chaarter Arms."
Influenced too much by Skelton, I began to use a cast 250 gr. SWC over 7.5 grains of Unique. The loads pounded the gun badly. The frame developed a crater around the firing pin hole on the bolt face, into which the primers flowed, tying the gun up. The cylinder began to rub against the forcing cone. The frame stretched. It got to a point where the firing pin barely would reach the primer, and ignition became unreliable. I retired it and sold it to a friend for parts.
I still have the second gun. I haven't subjected it to hot ammo, using handloads that duplicate factory velocities and estimated pressures. It usually has W-W Silvertips in it when I carry it for serious. I bobbed the hammer spur and ramped the front sight blade, removing the blade's 'hook.'
Size-wise, I find it too big to fit in a well-boned J frame holster but it fits perfectly in a Colt Detective Special 3 inch holster.
An acquaintence has one cut to 2 inches with a new front sight blade soldered on and had it hard or industrial chromed. I might do that with mine.
I understand that the stainless Charters hold up better but have no experience with this.
Rossi and Taurus made .44 Special revolvers in a 5 shot size. I have seen them but never owned or shot one. They may be a viable alternative if their construction is any better than the Charters.
The concept of the .44 Bulldog is great. It fills a real need. It's just too bad the execution is flawed.
durco
Member
I have owned both brands. I liked everything about the CA except actually shooting it, which was not all that pleasant. But, like most things in life, it is a trade-off; you get a fairly light, compact .44 caliber pocket revolver in return for the discomfort of the shooting experience. Hopefully, you don't need to shoot it that often anyway.
rburg
Member
We've mentioned the 396 several times in this distant post. Its been around a while.
You have any number of choices to get a 44 snubbie. I'm about to repurchase a 24-3 3" Lew Horton I let go a while back. I personally prefer the 396 for carry purposes, its not huge and its not a brick to carry. The 696 is a fine gun, and its not as good to carry, but a lot better to shoot. All due to weight.
I know a girl (loosely, she's nearly my age) that has her mothers Charter Arms .38, the story is that the lady was a San Francisco cop, and that was her duty gun. I can't imagine them issuing such a thing, so I assume it was a personal purchase. But its the same mechanics as the Bulldog.
One of the things that becomes apparent is the big reason S&W surged to the front in DA revolver production is a simple thing like having better lockworks than the rest of the industry. S&W DA revolvers just work better, smoother and more reliably than anyone elses. We can make as many excuses as we like, and we can even point to the Colt Python as an example of another gun with a nice trigger. But Pythons break down early and require expert fitting.
Almost all S&Ws are shipped with functional actions. With just a modest amount of work or shooting, it only gets better. Since this is a 44 thread, they also seem to shoot where you want them to, or at least if you do your part.
You have any number of choices to get a 44 snubbie. I'm about to repurchase a 24-3 3" Lew Horton I let go a while back. I personally prefer the 396 for carry purposes, its not huge and its not a brick to carry. The 696 is a fine gun, and its not as good to carry, but a lot better to shoot. All due to weight.
I know a girl (loosely, she's nearly my age) that has her mothers Charter Arms .38, the story is that the lady was a San Francisco cop, and that was her duty gun. I can't imagine them issuing such a thing, so I assume it was a personal purchase. But its the same mechanics as the Bulldog.
One of the things that becomes apparent is the big reason S&W surged to the front in DA revolver production is a simple thing like having better lockworks than the rest of the industry. S&W DA revolvers just work better, smoother and more reliably than anyone elses. We can make as many excuses as we like, and we can even point to the Colt Python as an example of another gun with a nice trigger. But Pythons break down early and require expert fitting.
Almost all S&Ws are shipped with functional actions. With just a modest amount of work or shooting, it only gets better. Since this is a 44 thread, they also seem to shoot where you want them to, or at least if you do your part.
44 Shooter
US Veteran
I special-ordered a stainless .44 Buldog with a pocket hammer in the early '80's. It has shot and carried well all these years.
It's bright finish convinced a fellow who stuck his head in my car one night that he has made a mistake. I'll bet he remembers that night too.
Best,
Mike
NRA Life
It's bright finish convinced a fellow who stuck his head in my car one night that he has made a mistake. I'll bet he remembers that night too.
Best,
Mike
NRA Life
Mule88
Member
Ive owned both and while the charter is no S&W, Its weight and carry ability is better than the Smith. Ive owned several 44 charters and never had a problem until just recently with the new 4 inch target version. I was at the range shooting the CCI blazer 200 Gn Hp and after about 25 rounds something blew off the back of the ejecter star making the gun inoperable. Im still waiting to get it back from charter....stay tuned.
I carry "Quasimodo," my S&W 296 in a Galco belt holster on my morning walks in the woods. This 5-shot brute is lite, so I hardly notice it's there. I keep it loaded with Safestops, and pack a box of CCI snake loads in a jacket pocket. The Crimson Trace grips absorb felt recoil adequately. I feel equal to any critter I might stumble across out there up to but excluding a black bear, none of which has been seen in the area for quite a few years. If one, however, awakens from a hibernation of several decades and sees me and Tasha, my faithful shelter pooch, as the equivalent of a Big Mac and medium fries, I understand that this is what we likely will become, altho Bruno or Mrs. Bruno will definitely carry some permanent marks as remembrances of the meal.
Quasi is the only dedicated .44 Special I own, altho I fire Specials in my S&W 4" 29 for practice. I carry the 29 with full-power loads as a backup hunting deer. I prefer the 296 for the morning walks, but would strap on the 29 instead if any bear were reported seen in our neighborhood.
Quasi is the only dedicated .44 Special I own, altho I fire Specials in my S&W 4" 29 for practice. I carry the 29 with full-power loads as a backup hunting deer. I prefer the 296 for the morning walks, but would strap on the 29 instead if any bear were reported seen in our neighborhood.
rburg
Member
In your search, don't leave out the ever so slightly heavier 329. Its a fine 6 shot 44 that will take the ammo you decide to feed it. Only your hand will know.
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