Charter Arms BullDog

[Catshooter]

Their cylinders are also quite strongly designed. The cylinder bolt cuts, which cause the typically thinnest part of a cylinder, are off to the side of each chamber. I wish Smith would have done that too, alas.

OH!! Be still my heart! Could their 45 ACP revolver not be just vaporware? Oh man, I so want one of those, I'll even do the beta-testing for them.

SJPrice,

Smith doesn't make anything anywhere near the size of the Charter. I wish they did! And size matters, as we all know.


Cat

[Blaine]

I wrote Charter and a nice person answered right away that the double action .40 is out now, the 9mm at the end of 2011, and the .45acp after that....so, It's going to be a bit. A .40 would not be a bad way to go....There is a Hornady round, I think, that is 200gr at about 1000fps...that would do nicely.

[Lefty Dude]

Hornady has a line of "Critical Defense" Ammo. check it out on their Web site. Made for short barrels, and max expansion, with a patented bullet design.

I was carrying Winchester Silver Tips in my Charter Pug/44. I now carry the Pug with a dose of Hornady CD's.
The load has a 165 gr.FTX bullet, Muzzel 1150 fps, 50 yards 1020 FPS, 100 yds. 935 FPS.

The Pug/44 is a very nice carry piece indeed.

[Pete44ru]

FWIW, the local funshop, where I bought the .44 Bulldog @ $275, also had a &W .44 Night Guard @ $900.

Desire aside, going on cost comparison - the BullDog wasn't a hard choice, at 1/3 the $$$$$.

Quality comparison aside, there was NO choice - a thousand bucks was contra-indicated by my retirement budget, period.

.

[Catshooter]

Oh yes, I forget about the price difference!

And Smith still won't make anything comparable in size. The 696 was nice, but much heavier than a Charter. The last 696 I saw was three or four years ago and it was $650. *sigh*


Cat

[wavetrain75]

It's a shame that so many respected names are going the way of Schlitz beer.

How does .44 spec compare to .45 acp? I've always been a sucker for .45 wheel guns but thus far have been priced out of them.

[Lefty Dude]

If you buy a Charter, you must remember it will not hold up under constant use. It is a limited duty Firearm. I shoot mine on occasion. If I am at the Range I may send a couple of cylinders full down range at a 7 or 10 yard target. The piece I have is for protection and I treat it as such.
I was told when I bought the piece, 2000 rounds of full loads is the life expectancy of a Bull Dog.

If I wanted a heavy duty piece I would have bought a S & W. Or I would carry my Browning HP 40.
I feel more confortable carrying a Wheel gun as I shoot CAS/SASS and shoot Revolvers much more so than Pistols.

Also the Charter is affordable. If I must surrender my piece because, heaven forbid I use it of a Perp I will never see it again.

My thought is any thing over 40 caliber will get the job done.

When the 45 Charter is available I will own one. I'll carry the 45 and the 44 will park on the nite-stand next to my bed and be a back-up.

[Hagler]

Lefty Dude, et al,

Please have a gander at what Mr. McPherson likes & does not like about Charter Arms Bulldogs:

http://www.levergun.com/articles/44_Special_Bulldog.htm

His family has owned several of them. If you want to know what they can do, then you jes gotta read the article at that link.

Shawn

[Hagler]

...besides, the Bulldog if both famous & infamous:

Rep-detect cop Rick Deckard had one:





So did David Berkowitz:



Shawn

[damienph]

The Ruger 45/45acp convertable does not have a problem without 'clips.....
If Charter Arms are coming out with the .45acp revolver, I shall certainly wait for it. I find the 230gr hardball nearly perfect in every respect.

The Ruger Blackhawk works with out clips because it has an ejector mounted on the side of the barrel to PUSH them out from the front of the cylinder one by one.

A swing out or topbreak revolver requires some sort of extractor to PULL them out from the rear of the cylinder. Typically, the extractor pushes against the rim, or the clip for rimless cartridges.

Blaine, I also like 45ACP revolvers, and have a 1937 Brazilian Contract Smith. I think a swing out cylinder revolver in 45ACP that didn't need clips or Auto Rims would be great.

[Lefty Dude]

I just got off the phone with Charter Arms.

The 40 S&W will be shipped to distributors later this month. Followed by the 9MM on the 38 frame this Summer.
The 45ACP will be on the 44 frame, and will be delivered to distributors later this Year.

[JohndeFresno]

...Please have a gander at what Mr. McPherson likes & does not like about Charter Arms Bulldogs:
http://www.levergun.com/articles/44_Special_Bulldog.htm

Shawn - excellent. A MUST READ. Thanks.

[jhrosier]

...Please have a gander at what Mr. McPherson likes & does not like about Charter Arms Bulldogs:...

Thanks Shawn,

I was just considering 200 gr bullets in the .44 and the info is welcome.

Jack

[Lefty Dude]

...Please have a gander at what Mr. McPherson likes & does not like about Charter Arms Bulldogs:
http://www.levergun.com/articles/44_Special_Bulldog.htm

Shawn - excellent. A MUST READ. Thanks.

Yes, thanks for the link.

I have found that 231 powder gives more muzzle flip than other powders. For the 200 gr. I use Alliant American Select, and for the 240 gr. I use Unique for my 44 Special loads.

Power Pistol is a powder I need to work with.

For practice in my Charter I use my CAS/SASS 44 special loads,. These loads I shoot in my Colt SAA 4 3/4" and they are a very accurate 44 special load.

I also load the same in 44 Colt Starline brass, they are a bit shorter than the 44 special. However, because the case rim is slightly smaller than the special rim they tend to dump out of the Bull-Dog cylinder quicker than a special.

[Jeff H]

I have owned several Bulldogs over the years and each has been accurate well beyond what anyone would expect, will shoot more rounds in its lifetime than most want to believe and will take a stiffer load than many care to admit.

I am not braggin' 'em up though!
They'er cheap junk!

And as long as people keep belieiving that, I will have a source of typically underpriced used revolvers in .38 and .44 Special.

[Catshooter]

That was an interesting link and worth reading, thanks.

I have a single cavity Lyman 429215 mould that I milled the gas check shank off of. It now gives me a 190 grain bullet. I did it just for using in the Bulldog which I didn't get until two years later! I'll have to give it a go.


Cat

[rjohns94]

Blaine, I felt the same so I wound up going with the S&W nightguard in .44 sp. Comes with a 2 1/2 inch barrel, and night sights. I really like it. I changed out the grips with wood fingered and now its just right!!!

[Blaine]

Blaine, I felt the same so I wound up going with the S&W nightguard in .44 sp. Comes with a 2 1/2 inch barrel, and night sights. I really like it. I changed out the grips with wood fingered and now its just right!!!

I'll probably wait for the .45acp.....I'm already vested in .44mag, and I'd rather have the .452 than the .429 Short (actually, I don't load my .44 mags that hot....300s @ about 1100, and 240 plinkers @ about the same.)

[Jeff H]

First, my apologies for replying to such an old thread - sorry .

Second, the reason why I replied to such an old thread:

I have spent more time indoors this past week than usual - taking a break out of the heat, and usually end up in front of the computer while I cool off for a few. Since I have another "new" .44 Special to feed (a like new '78 vintage Target Bulldog), I have been looking at .44 Special and Bulldog stuff. This is what led me back to this thread.

So, the reason for this late post is to just mention that of all the "information" out there on Chartere Arms, THIS is the most rational and informed thread that I found. I am no stranger to the thread, I posted in it myself, but what struck me about most of the other threads is that there are SO many would-be experts out there condeming Charter's revolvers out of hand and proclaiming how little they can be shot before falling apart or blowing up if used with anything beyond a box full of the sedate Remington 246 LRN loads in their lifetime. I literally cannot count how many rounds of .44 Specials I have sent through a handful of these revolvers over the years - some of which were stouter than I care to admit,... from my earlier days, of course.

So, I just wanted to say "thanks" to those on this forum, the forum, and those who own and run it.

Just remember - objective comments, or worse yet, actual praise for the Bulldogs will not help to keep the prices unnaturally low. Take that for what it's worth, but I have made some great deals on Charter revolvers just because prejudices have prevented others from snapping them up first.

[Catshooter]

I agree. Hands down the best Charter thread I've ever read on any forum.


Cat

[w30wcf]

I have had a Charter Arms Bulldog since the late 1970's. I had the 3" barrel replaced with a 4" and added adjustable sights.
I must confess that I have not shot it much in the last 10 years or so having focused on my leverguns instead.

For those of you that have a 44 Bulldog, Mic McPherson has done an extended amount of testing and load development for the Bulldog.
Thank you Mic!
http://www.levergun.com/articles/44_Special_Bulldog.htm

w30wcf

[Hobie]

Thanks for the link John.

[jeepnik]

I just got off the phone with Charter Arms.

The 40 S&W will be shipped to distributors later this month. Followed by the 9MM on the 38 frame this Summer.
The 45ACP will be on the 44 frame, and will be delivered to distributors later this Year.

Now, if they make a "Southpaw" model I'll be the first one in line. I've already got one of the little .38 spl Southpaws. Getting one in .45 acp would be cool.

[Nixterdemus]

I seem to recall Hobie also wanting the 45 acp. Now that the 9mm debuted, last fall followed the 40, how much longer will it be?

I nevah thought I'd see the day.

[rjohns94]

Great info Joe. Thanks

[Catshooter]

Thought I'd revive this ancient thread to say I'd sure like to see the 45 ACP in a Charter out. We're a bit past the last due date.


Cat

[madman4570]

Guys at the club got them. Refined weapon ? No
However all have said they always fire and for value and service cannot be beat.
Extremely fine CCW. A big .44 slug

[Blaine]

Thought I'd revive this ancient thread to say I'd sure like to see the 45 ACP in a Charter out. We're a bit past the last due date.


Cat

Amen,Amen,Amen.....I emailed them last week....no response....Getting tired of waiting, I think I'll go with the 625, even tho I could prolly get two Bulldogs for the price of one new 625....A JM model, I think they call them now

[Bullard4075]

I've had one for years.
What Doc said ++++++

Charter 2000/44 SPL
What has everyone been using for a holster. IWB is my first choice and my Galco IWB is not near as smooth ( the fixed rear sight hangs up on the stitching on withdrawal) as I want. An OWB would work also. A Milt Sparks (like my 1911 holster) would be perfect but I am not crazy about the 6 month wait and $250 price.

[Catshooter]

Blaine,

The 625s are great guns. Very sweet.

Not packable for me. So they're not in the same class as a Charter.

I wish Smith would have made the Charters. What a sweet firearm that'd be. But the Charter's work well and they are strong. I've fired the old Keith 2400 load from mine in days gone by. Somewhat brisk recoil.


Cat

[Pete44ru]

So we should stay away from the ones stamped "Charco" and "Charter2000"?

Cat

There's nothing wrong with one marked "Charter 2000", IMHO.

This is mine, so marked & also made in Y2K - with which I've had zero issues:




.

[AJMD429]

I've had one for years.
What Doc said ++++++

Charter 2000/44 SPL
What has everyone been using for a holster. IWB is my first choice and my Galco IWB is not near as smooth ( the fixed rear sight hangs up on the stitching on withdrawal) as I want. An OWB would work also. A Milt Sparks (like my 1911 holster) would be perfect but I am not crazy about the 6 month wait and $250 price.

Bianchi textured nylon-looking 'Size 1' - don't remember the name, but it is perfect:

[Blaine]

Blaine,

The 625s are great guns. Very sweet.

Not packable for me. So they're not in the same class as a Charter.

I wish Smith would have made the Charters. What a sweet firearm that'd be. But the Charter's work well and they are strong. I've fired the old Keith 2400 load from mine in days gone by. Somewhat brisk recoil.


Cat

I prolly wouldn't pack a 625, or a Charter around town. I have an LCP, and a AirWeight for that....I noticed that Charter has a little, tiny AirWeight-sized piece....it looks good.

[Catshooter]

Pete,

That is great that you've had no issues with yours. If you read the thread though when that pistol was made was not a good time for the company and many suffered problems with their products.

Blaine,

Charter does indeed have some small and lightweight guns.


Cat

[Blaine]

I just got off the phone with Charter Arms.

The 40 S&W will be shipped to distributors later this month. Followed by the 9MM on the 38 frame this Summer.
The 45ACP will be on the 44 frame, and will be delivered to distributors later this Year.

Be still my heart I think it's been about five years since they announced that shooter....I will wait for them.

[86er]

I'm late in replying, sorry. I picked up a well used Charter Arms from 1980. I sent it back to the new Charter Arms. For $49 they put a new hammer, trigger, springs, crane, release latch and throated cylinders. I put 500 rounds of Grizzly Cartridge ammo through it (heavy stuff) and it was accurate, reliable and functioned flawlessly. I'd get one regardless of condition if the price was right and send it in with the $49 like last time. I'm sure it'll come back good as new.

[Panzercat]

I've heard the modern ones can be a bt iffy, but that's specifically pertaining to the .40 and 9mm lines.

[Catshooter]

86er,

Your experience mirrors mine exactly.

I found one at a gun show that was rough and missing some parts. Sent it in to the mother ship and for $49 they replaced a couple of internal small parts and a new cylinder. It shoots great. There customer service is excellent.


Cat