Any other Charter Arms Bulldog fans here?

[John]

I’ve been considering a revolver that makes a bigger hole....

[Borg warner]

13 hours ago, John said:

I’ve been considering a revolver that makes a bigger hole....

The bigger the hole in the hull, the faster the ship will sink. --Elmer Kieth 1899-1984

[fortyofforty]

I like a big hole going in, with expansion adding to the devastation.

[Valmet]

23 hours ago, Borg warner said:

I like full wadcutters.

 

Have you used these in a Bulldog? Underwood makes great ammo but as warm as this load looks I’m wondering if it’s a shade on the warm side for Charter Arms?

[Wayward Son]

55 minutes ago, Valmet said:

Have you used these in a Bulldog? Underwood makes great ammo but as warm as this load looks I’m wondering if it’s a shade on the warm side for Charter Arms?

I'll have to look at the paperwork that came with mine but I think it is +p rated.

[Borg warner]

3 hours ago, Valmet said:

Have you used these in a Bulldog? Underwood makes great ammo but as warm as this load looks I’m wondering if it’s a shade on the warm side for Charter Arms?

No, I haven't, but they're loaded to similar ballistics to the reloads I used to use in my bulldog that I had back in the seventies. back then I loaded a 200 grain lead JHP and later a 200 grain Hornady XTP to produce 900 fps out of the 3 inch barrel. these ballistics are similar to the underwood load which develops 1000 fps from an unspecified barrel length, However, Buffalo Bore makes an identical load also rated at 1000 fps which they tested at 920 fps out of a charter arms Bulldog with a 3 inch barrel,. Additionally Buffalo Bore says this load is OK to use in the Bulldog and are not plus+P.

  I have continued to use this load in my current 44 special which is a Lew Horton model 24 Smith and wesson with a 3 inch barrel and I've also shot the underwood load in that gun and it's similar to my other 200 grain reloads.

The recoil was stout in the bulldog and would not have been tolerable without the Pachmayr grips. The newer bulldogs come with rubber grips

Of the standard commercial loads, the Winchester 200 grain silvertip, the Federal 200 grain lead SWCHP, the Speer Blazer Gold dot and the Hornady custom 180XTP loads probably offer the best combination of power and controllability. The Winchester and federal 200 grain loads drive those bullets at 900 fps and the blazer ammo drives the same weight bullet at 875 fps. The Hornady 180 grain load drives that bullet at 1000 fps.

For a little more power Underwood offers the "Bulldog" load made specifically for the Charter arms Bulldog which drives as 200 grain bonded Gold dot at 975 fps, just slightly less than the full wadcutter load.

(to use this link be sure to click "Specifications" to see velocities)

https://www.midwayusa.com/44-special/br?cid=21819

Edited September 28, 2018 by Borg warner

[fortyofforty]

That's not the "Berkowitz Load" is it?

[G26S239]

3 hours ago, fortyofforty said:

That's not the "Berkowitz Load" is it?

Charter Arms management must have hated that mf.

[Borg warner]

The "Berkowitz Load" was most likely either the Winchester of Remington 246 grain roundnose ammo common at the time,(1976) The 246 grain lead load was considered a "Target" load and only developed 755 fps but it was amazingly accurate most likely because it was a hollowbase design which conformed perfectly to the barrels' rifling, 38 Special 148 grain hollowbase wadcutters are especially accurate for this same reason.  1977 was when Berkowitz  was apprehended and that was the year I bought my first Bulldog which was my first handgun. I initially bought a box of 246 grain roundnoses and that's all that was available at the time and after that I started reloading using a ten dollar Lee loader.

Since 6 people were killed and seven were only wounded, maybe the 246 grain round nose lead bullet was lacking in terms of lethality.  But the first victim who was shot center mass died instantly. Some who were wounded were shot in the legs and arms and one was hit by windshield glass when Berkowitz fired into the car.  Another victim who was killed instantly was shot in the head even after she had held up two textbooks to shield herself from gunfire. Two other victims were also shot in the head and one survived but sustained severe damage. Another survivor was rendered a paraplegic.

Thankfully Berkowitz remains in prison in spite of New York State's repeated efforts to grant him parole because he's such a model prisoner and they consider him rehabilitated. But he has consistantly refused parole and remains where he belongs.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Borg warner

[Wayward Son]

On 9/27/2018 at 9:53 PM, Wayward Son said:

I'll have to look at the paperwork that came with mine but I think it is +p rated.

Found the paperwork for my Bulldog classic and it does say +p rated. 

[fortyofforty]

On 9/28/2018 at 4:58 PM, Borg warner said:

The "Berkowitz Load" was most likely either the Winchester of Remington 246 grain roundnose ammo common at the time,(1976) The 246 grain lead load was considered a "Target" load and only developed 755 fps but it was amazingly accurate most likely because it was a hollowbase design which conformed perfectly to the barrels' rifling, 38 Special 148 grain hollowbase wadcutters are especially accurate for this same reason.  1977 was when Berkowitz  was apprehended and that was the year I bought my first Bulldog which was my first handgun. I initially bought a box of 246 grain roundnoses and that's all that was available at the time and after that I started reloading using a ten dollar Lee loader.

Since 6 people were killed and seven were only wounded, maybe the 246 grain round nose lead bullet was lacking in terms of lethality.  But the first victim who was shot center mass died instantly. Some who were wounded were shot in the legs and arms and one was hit by windshield glass when Berkowitz fired into the car.  Another victim who was killed instantly was shot in the head even after she had held up two textbooks to shield herself from gunfire. Two other victims were also shot in the head and one survived but sustained severe damage. Another survivor was rendered a paraplegic.

Thankfully Berkowitz remains in prison in spite of New York State's repeated efforts to grant him parole because he's such a model prisoner and they consider him rehabilitated. But he has consistantly refused parole and remains where he belongs.

They were certainly lead round nose bullets, in brass cases.  Berkowitz wasn't worried too much about "stopping" people, he wanted to kill innocent, unsuspecting victims.

[Wayward Son]

Looking on Buds and I see Charter is offering a 41 mag snubby.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/mobile/product/415003349/charter_arms_mag_pug_41mag_25_ss_fs_5rd

[Borg warner]

8 hours ago, Wayward Son said:

Looking on Buds and I see Charter is offering a 41 mag snubby.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/mobile/product/415003349/charter_arms_mag_pug_41mag_25_ss_fs_5rd

41 mag in a 22 ounce revolver would not be any fun to shoot.  As much as I like the 41 mag I'd prefer the Charter Arms Bulldog XL in .45 Colt. Even with "Cowboy" loads the 45 packs a lot of punch driving a 250 grain bullet at 750-800 fps. The Speer Gold dot ammo offers similar ballistics but with a controlled expansion projectile and the Speer Blazers use a 200 grain gold dot loaded to 900 fps

The 41 would be OK if you were a reloader and a 210 grain XTP JHP loaded to about 900-1000 fps would be a lot more controllable to shoot. than the Hornady 210 grain XTP at 1545 fps. While these guns are small and light, both the 41 and the 45 are both a little larger and heavier than the 44 Bulldog and when I used to reload for that gun 900-1000 fps was about the limit for a 200 grain projectile,

Charter also introduced a 45 Colt/410 stretched frame revolver they called the "Big Dawg" which looked a lot like the old "Thunder 5" from about 10-15 years ago but it hasn't gone into production.

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

[Wayward Son]

1 hour ago, Borg warner said:

41 mag in a 22 ounce revolver would not be any fun to shoot.  As much as I like the 41 mag I'd prefer the Charter Arms Bulldog XL in .45 Colt. Even with "Cowboy" loads the 45 packs a lot of punch driving a 250 grain bullet at 750-800 fps. The Speer Gold dot ammo offers similar ballistics but with a controlled expansion projectile and the Speer Blazers use a 200 grain gold dot loaded to 900 fps

The 41 would be OK if you were a reloader and a 210 grain XTP JHP loaded to about 900-1000 fps would be a lot more controllable to shoot. than the Hornady 210 grain XTP at 1545 fps. While these guns are small and light, both the 41 and the 45 are both a little larger and heavier than the 44 Bulldog and when I used to reload for that gun 900-1000 fps was about the limit for a 200 grain projectile,

Charter also introduced a 45 Colt/410 stretched frame revolver they called the "Big Dawg" which looked a lot like the old "Thunder 5" from about 10-15 years ago but it hasn't gone into production.

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

I used to have a 41 mag Smith but stupidly sold it. 41 would definitely be a handful in a gun this size.

I didn't know Charter was making a 45 Colt. That's my favorite revolver cartridge but I stick with Rugers in that clambering because I like to hot rod it a bit.?