Any other Charter Arms Bulldog fans here?

[Valmet]

Any other Charter Arms Bulldog fans here? 

I’m a Glock guy thru and thru and regularly ccw one of my Glock 19s bit I love a .44 Bulldog. I have two of them and while I don’t run “warm” handloads thru them, for the $ they’re fantastic little revolvers. 

[ccm2361]

I like Charter Arms guns. My wife used to have a bulldog in .44 Special.

[G26S239]

I looked at one a few years ago and considered getting it but the got an HK P2000 instead.. A friend bought one some years back and since he retired it is his road gun for when he takes a ride or long trip on his Harley. He is happy with it. 

[Quickling]

I've never owned one, but I am looking forward to the day when a nice one wanders into my path.

[fortyofforty]

What do you run through it for self-defense?

[Valmet]

I rarely carry the Bulldog as I nearly always opt for a Glock 19, but on the occasion that I do I like Winchester Silvertip 200-gr JHP. It’s a good load but not always easy to find. 

[Borg warner]

My first revolver was a Charter Arms Bulldog. I loaded my own ammo for it using a ten dollar Lee loader that you had to hit the dies with a leather or plastic mallet. I soon got an RCBS scale and stated loading  the ammo to higher velocities and using 180 and 200 grain Jhp's.  I bought a second 44 Bulldog, a 4 inch "Target" model with adjustable sights.

Eventually I got an RCBS Rock chucker press and a powder measure so I could load more ammo and I also got a kinetic bullet puller and then I used to buy Winchester 200 grain silvertips and pull the bullets and discard the powder and replace it with a stiffer charge of Unique and then re-seat and re-crimp the bullets. I shot those Bulldogs a lot and carried the 3 incher a lot but traded it to my brother for a bobbed hammer 2 1/2 inch fixed sight Ruger speed six which was a little bigger an heavier but held one more round.

The original Bulldogs with the wooden grips were too painful to shoot with may reloads so I got a set of pachmayr grips for it right away. My brother still has that gun and the bluing is pretty faded but he recently found a like-new 3 inch tapered barrel Bulldog with the original wooden grips and it's pleasant to shoot with standard 44 special loads.

[Valmet]

Borg- I like the looks of the Target model Bulldog. I contacted them as I’d like to see one in the black finish. They said they’d discuss at one of their marketing meetings. My fingers are crossed as I’m not a big stainless guy. 

[EricB]

Yes. 

200gr Speer gold dots 

[windowasher]

I carried a Bulldog for years until I bought the LCP, and now the 42

[G26S239]

1 hour ago, EricB said:

Yes. 

200gr Speer gold dots 

My mother has a circa 1983 five shot 38 w/3" barrel.

[The Biggsly]

I have never had one, but I have looked at them. If I could find a good deal on one, I would take it.

[Borg warner]

9 hours ago, Valmet said:

Borg- I like the looks of the Target model Bulldog. I contacted them as I’d like to see one in the black finish. They said they’d discuss at one of their marketing meetings. My fingers are crossed as I’m not a big stainless guy. 

The original Target bulldogs had a black finish, (blued with anodized aluminum barrel shroud and grip frame) Charter did not even make stainless guns until 1981 and then only the "Undercover" in 38 special. I almost bought one that year when they first came out. The original company was located in Stratford, Connecticut and that company went bankrupt in the 1990's and the company was reformed in 2000 under the name Charter 2000 but Charter 2000 went bankrupt in 2005, and in September 2005, MKS Supply entered into an agreement with Charter Arms where MKS Supply would handle the sales, marketing and distribution for Charter Arms.. In October 2010 MKS discontinued the sales and marketing of Charter Arms. Charter now has taken over the sales and Charter Arms has come up with a number of new innovations.

Charter arms has always been an innovative company. In 1989 they teamed up with the Federal cartridge company to create a new revolver cartridge, the 9mm Federal and chambered it in a revolver called the "Pit Bull" It seemed like a good idea and would have actually have been even a better idea if the gun had also had been able to use regular 9mm with moon clips similar to the 45 ACP and the 45 Auto Rim cartridges. But the problem with the 9mm federal was that the dimensions weer so close to the old 38 S&W that it would have been a huge liability for Federal if anyone ever tried to fire a 9mm Federal in an old 38 S&W revolver so Federal discontinued production of the cartridge right aboyut the time Charter arms was getting ready to file bankruptcy.

In 2008 Charter came out with the "Patriot" model that was chambered in 327 Federal. IUt was discontinued in 2011. But in 2011 they came out with a new series of "Pit Bull" revolves that were chambered for rimless cartridges, 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. these guns do not need moon clips to extract the cartridges. and have been successful. And at SHOT Show 2018 Charter introduced the .41 Remington Magnum Mag Pug and the .45 Colt Bulldog XL.

I've only had one problem with a Charter arms revolver and that was with the ejector rod assembly on a 6 in "Pathfinder" in 22 magnum. and my brother had a similar problem with the 3" tapered barrel gun that I sold him. boith these guns were the older Stratford, Connecticut models and I don't know if the newer guns have this problem. My brother's wife has carried a 38 Undercover since the late seventies and has never had a problem with it an she shoots it on a regular basis. For a while Charter Arms sold the Undercover as the "Undercoverette" meant to generate more sales with female buyers and not that long ago they came out with a line of  different colored frames  including the "Chic Lady" revolvers with pink frames. Interesting ly, they still make the "Undercoverette" but it is chambered in a 6 shot 32 H&R magnum instead of a 5 shot 38 special.

I think if I were to get another Bulldog, as much as I love the 44 special, it would be a hard choice between the 44 Special Bulldog and the new 45 Colt "Bulldog XL".

https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2018/8/29/range-review-charter-arms-bulldog-xl-in-45-colt/

Edited September 24, 2018 by Borg warner

[Boogieman]

Back in the mid 80's I picked up a NIB early 70's example.  A few years later a friend talked me out of it.  A trade for a Mosrite Ventures model.  He still has the Bulldog and I still have the Mosey.

[Borg warner]

29 minutes ago, Boogieman said:

Back in the mid 80's I picked up a NIB early 70's example.  A few years later a friend talked me out of it.  A trade for a Mosrite Ventures model.  He still has the Bulldog and I still have the Mosey.

What kind of gun is a Mosrite Ventures model? Oh, wait it's an electric guitar. A friend of mine who I went to high school with was a cousin of Davie Allen who played a Mosrite on "Apache 65" which was a hit when we were in high school. I graduated in 1966.   "Apache"  was a long time favorite of mine ever since I first heard the original version played by Hank Marvin and The Shadows.  The Shadows version was actually much better. Jeff Beck does a version of the tune that is what you'd expect from him.

 

[holyjohnson]

had one many years ago and loved it.

compact enough to pack,accurate for a 2.5" barrel and manageable recoil for that size.

the only reason i quit carrying it was i just couldn't find a comfortable holster for it.

it was a great truck gun though.

[Wayward Son]

On 9/23/2018 at 8:37 AM, Valmet said:

Any other Charter Arms Bulldog fans here? 

I’m a Glock guy thru and thru and regularly ccw one of my Glock 19s bit I love a .44 Bulldog. I have two of them and while I don’t run “warm” handloads thru them, for the $ they’re fantastic little revolvers. 

I bought a Bulldog Pug several years ago and last year I bought a Bulldog classic. I wasn't even looking for a gun at the time but I saw it in the case and had to take it home. 

i also have an old Charter Undercover .38

[Borg warner]

1 hour ago, Wayward Son said:

I bought a Bulldog Pug several years ago and last year I bought a Bulldog classic. I wasn't even looking for a gun at the time but I saw it in the case and had to take it home. 

i also have an old Charter Undercover .38

Wow! I didn't know they made a Bulldog Classic. I've always liked the original with the tapered barrel and the un shrouded ejector rod. my brother recently acquired an old original that was like NIB condition but without the box. Later models uses shorter barrels but I liked the original 3 inch barrel and I like the exposed ejector rod because one problem I've had with charters is when teh ejector rod starts to come loose the only way you can open the cylinder is to pull on the ejector rod.

I don't know if Charter ever fixed the problem with the ejector rod coming loose but it's never happened on a Charter arms undercover that my sister in law has that she's had for many years but it did happen on my original Bulldog and a 6 inch "Pathfinder" I had in 22 magnum.

Here's picture of the new "Classic" (top) compared to the original. Note the difference in the grips. 

[Wayward Son]

18 minutes ago, Borg warner said:

Wow! I didn't know they made a Bulldog Classic. I've always liked the original with the tapered barrel and the un shrouded ejector rod. my brother recently acquired an old original that was like NIB condition but without the box. Later models uses shorter barrels but I liked the original 3 inch barrel and I like the exposed ejector rod because one problem I've had with charters is when teh ejector rod starts to come loose the only way you can open the cylinder is to pull on the ejector rod.

I don't know if Charter ever fixed the problem with the ejector rod coming loose but it's never happened on a Charter arms undercover that my sister in law has that she's had for many years but it did happen on my original Bulldog and a 6 inch "Pathfinder" I had in 22 magnum.

Here's picture of the new "Classic" (top) compared to the original. Note the difference in the grips. 

The classic is a fair representation of the Original Bulldog but the grips do differ a bit. The new ones are quite a bit narrower at the bottom which is not a good thing when shooting 44's in this light of package. The good news is the Original grips are widely available on the internet. 

My lgs had several nice pairs..had.

when I bought this gun I was looking for a Christmas present for my son. When I handled this gun I knew it was going home with me. Fit, finish and function are excellent on this pistol and it locks up like a drum. The trigger is pretty decent too.

Charter has had some qc issues through the years but their new stuff they seem to be getting right.

[fortyofforty]

Always surprised that .44 SPL never caught on for self-defense compared with .38 SPL.  Might be the platform size.  But the .44 SPL ought to be a highly effective caliber, especially if it fails to expand.  I wouldn't use those round nose pills, though.  Hollowpoint for me.

[Wayward Son]

18 minutes ago, fortyofforty said:

Always surprised that .44 SPL never caught on for self-defense compared with .38 SPL.  Might be the platform size.  But the .44 SPL ought to be a highly effective caliber, especially if it fails to expand.  I wouldn't use those round nose pills, though.  Hollowpoint for me.

I like semi wadcutters.

[Valmet]

48 minutes ago, Wayward Son said:

I like semi wadcutters.

Absolutely. You talk about punching a hole! I know several folks whom I consider reasonably knowledgeable individuals when it comes to firearms that prefer wadcutters when they ccw a wheel-gun. 

[Borg warner]

1 hour ago, Wayward Son said:

I like semi wadcutters.

I like full wadcutters.

 

[Wayward Son]

23 minutes ago, Borg warner said:

I like full wadcutters.

 

Those work too. 

I had some hollow base wadcutters that I loaded up backwards. Penetration wasn't that impressive  but they did expand exceptionally well.

[Borg warner]

Hickok 45 is a Bulldog fan.