The Charter Bulldog 44 revisited just in time for cold weather
- Thread starter eb07
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After I applied I put some clear nail polish on it and almost a year later it's still on there and working good. I am very happy with it. I have done most of my revolvers and a few other small guns with it.
I want to revisit this. How do you like the boomer?
Mainsail
Member
Awesome handgun. Don't understand why you think you can't conceal it in warmer weather.As the weather starts to cool off... the Bulldog comes back out
I can, I just like the lighter and smaller 442.
They are like lays potato chips.... you cant have just one!
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pete950
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Protected One
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Nice Bulldog!
I love the Galco Stow And Go - I have one for both my Detective Special and my Hi-Power. They are still going strong, but if one ever wears out I'll just splurge 30 bucks on another.
YOU CARRY A HI-POWER IN A STOW AND GO???
I have one for my Hi-Power, but it never gets used since I got the Summer Classic.
Watchdog
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This is a good thread, and I'm glad to see it sort of resurrected.
I've been giving some serious thought to returning to revolvers for my concealed carry gun(s), and the new Charter Arms guns in .44 Special are up at the top of my short list now. I've loved the .44 Special ever since I started shooting.
I've narrowed it down to two of the Charter Arms offerings. One is the Boomer 44 in stainless. I prefer the steel frame over the black nitride Boomer with the alloy frame. No hammer and not even a front sight to snag on anything...and the 2-inch barrel is ported.
The other I'm looking at is the Bulldog in stainless. Hammerless, too, but with a 2.5-inch barrel and a front sight. It's in stock at an LGS, but I'd have to order the Boomer.
Either one, I think I'd have to ditch the rubber grips...I believe Charter offers wooden grips for these guns...I might be wrong.
I have plenty of .44 Special ammo on hand.
Only other one that might interest me is their Pitbull in .45acp...no moon clips needed! Might be interesting.
I've been giving some serious thought to returning to revolvers for my concealed carry gun(s), and the new Charter Arms guns in .44 Special are up at the top of my short list now. I've loved the .44 Special ever since I started shooting.
I've narrowed it down to two of the Charter Arms offerings. One is the Boomer 44 in stainless. I prefer the steel frame over the black nitride Boomer with the alloy frame. No hammer and not even a front sight to snag on anything...and the 2-inch barrel is ported.
The other I'm looking at is the Bulldog in stainless. Hammerless, too, but with a 2.5-inch barrel and a front sight. It's in stock at an LGS, but I'd have to order the Boomer.
Either one, I think I'd have to ditch the rubber grips...I believe Charter offers wooden grips for these guns...I might be wrong.
I have plenty of .44 Special ammo on hand.
Only other one that might interest me is their Pitbull in .45acp...no moon clips needed! Might be interesting.
Hi eb07,
Firstly, let me wish you a complete recovery of your hand.
The Charter Arms Bulldog is an excellent self-defense handgun. The .44 Special is an extremely effective cartridge.
If S&W could make a .44 Special on a K Frame, it'd have a certain winner.
I'd be in a heck of a quandary choosing between a Bulldog and a P239 .40 as a self-defense handgun.
Firstly, let me wish you a complete recovery of your hand.
The Charter Arms Bulldog is an excellent self-defense handgun. The .44 Special is an extremely effective cartridge.
If S&W could make a .44 Special on a K Frame, it'd have a certain winner.
I'd be in a heck of a quandary choosing between a Bulldog and a P239 .40 as a self-defense handgun.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
YOU CARRY A HI-POWER IN A STOW AND GO???
I have one for my Hi-Power, but it never gets used since I got the Summer Classic.
Yep. I only carry one way these days - in the waistband, no belt. I'm a minimalist. The IWBs work great for that.
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Thank you. The hand is fully recovered with limited function of my ring finger. It is as good as it is going to get and my wrist and grip are full strength. Just the second joint on the finger is fused and the first joint gets 70% bend.
I will be honest. I LOVE my 442.... . But I find myself carrying the bulldog year round now. It has lower recoil with the 200gr Speer gold dots than the 135gr +P in 38, I am more accurate with it, and it is ALMOST as light.
I try to get a few rounds a month out of it
PLUS as an added bonus, I carry it in the desert as my desert gun and as a backup to my model 29 when I am in the mountains as it is very accurate out to 25 yards.
I am a huge fan of 44 special. I am not interested in Taurus or Ruger offerings. If I find the right 44 special snub I may purchase it and ship it off to Nelson Ford for action work but unless it is a shooter the prices just do not justify the use as the Charter does do a good job. But if Smith did come out with a NO LOCK version that is sub 23 ounces and I would be on it. It is my #1 smith and wesson wish list item. The light, concealable 5-6 shot 44 special sub 2.5" barrel.A man can dream.
My EDC is more simple and traditional these days but that is just me
The charter is not as bad as some say. I suggest a 250 round reliability break in and then carry with confidence
The trigger isn't all that bad. Mine worked out well with use. The only problem, speaking with Nelson is the parts are case hardened cast steel. So you really can't polish them and make the trigger better action job wise without breaking through the case layer and or weakening and cracking the layer.
Simply check your screws after each range session for proper torque and do not shoot anything over 16,000 PSI and it will last you a long time. This Brian Pearcd handloader article really goes over pressures and weights of the 44 and it is a GREAT article and worthy of a download: http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/44_Special_Articles/Brian Pearce on the 44 Special.pdf
I estimate over 1500 rounds through her now. Mostly 200gr hand loads pushing between 900-1000 fps to mimic my defense loads.
The 200gr Speer JHP perform very well between 850-900 FPS in all gel tests out of charters I have seen. They are flat shooting, easy on the recoil and therefore follow up shots, and actually work well against wild hogs ( ask me how I know
) from the 2.5" barrel:44 Spl, Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point, Bare Gel (PC HP Test) - YouTube
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More than 30 years ago I acquired a pair of stainless steel Charter Arms 44 Special revolvers with three-inch barrels. Its ejector rod was unprotected à la older Colt double action revolvers. It was more petite than an S&W Model 10 with comparable barrel, very light, and not too unpleasant to shoot. Charter's 44 was not intended for "duty" use or vigorous handloads. It was a well-conceived concealment revolver, including being a satisfactory pocket gun.
What I remember distinctly was the small size and visual fragility of its cylinder stop and that its cylinder could be opened by pulling ejector rod or manipulating its (S&W style) cylinder latch.
Are currently manufactured Charter Arms 44s of comparably small size, albeit more durably designed?
If I still owned mine, one would always be my EDC revolver - that is, a joy to carry and delightful to shoot for that one cylinderful to save my scalp.
What I remember distinctly was the small size and visual fragility of its cylinder stop and that its cylinder could be opened by pulling ejector rod or manipulating its (S&W style) cylinder latch.
Are currently manufactured Charter Arms 44s of comparably small size, albeit more durably designed?
If I still owned mine, one would always be my EDC revolver - that is, a joy to carry and delightful to shoot for that one cylinderful to save my scalp.
I have not had a single issue with mine after over a thousand rounds.
handlebar
Member
my Boomer will be here next week. I will be putting a Crimson Trace Red laser grip on it-69 year old eyes need some help. When it comes in I will post pics.
I use a Seventies vintage Bianchi 5BHL holster marked "small rev" to carry my Bulldog. As luck would have it, it also fits a 3 inch 3 inch Colt Police Positive Special well. It is too loose for a 3 inch 36-1.
MCorps0311
US Veteran
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