.44 Bulldog

[Sanderhawk]

I may have a chance at getting one of these for a good price. If anyone here owns one what do you think about it. The reviews I have been reading makes it sound like a pretty good gun.

[Peter.Steele]

Check with Dave Berkowitz. He used to have one, could probably give you a pretty good run down on the pros and cons.

[TMB 1]

I may have a chance at getting one of these for a good price. If anyone here owns one what do you think about it. The reviews I have been reading makes it sound like a pretty good gun.

The reviews you've been reading are right. The Bulldog is a very good little revolver it's accurate and reliable. I've had mine for about 27+ years never had a problem with it.

[Hamourkiller]

They are a good revolver, but they have a lot of power for light weight.
Keep your loads at a moderate level or recoil will pull the bullets from the cases and lock it up.
240 gr HPT Keith style bullets cast from very soft lead moving 750 to 850 fps will provide excellent performance and not be objectionable in recoil. Push the bullet 900 to 1000 fps and the gun is hard to control and you can pull the bullets from the cases as previously noted.

Avoid the classic RN 44 special design

Another good ammo choice is a classic Wad cutter design moving around 750 fps, at belly rubbing distance the full wad cutter makes a clean hole in the target and promotes bleed out without objectionable recoil.

This is not a light weight 38 special you are shooting, but a big bore revolver so let your bullet do its work at moderate velocity, do not hot rod it.

Hank

[Zedrek]

I love mine. It's cheap and reliable.

[Sanderhawk]

Cool thanks for all the info.

[3006mv]

get the tiger stripe one!

[anthem]

I don't own one. But a friend of mine did waaaay back in the day. The Charter Arms 44 revolver. IMO, the thing was not fun to shoot. At least for me. But since you are looking fr opinions, that is mine.

[BigPimping]

Wish I had one. That would rock. They are cool.

[rambutan316]

I handled one at my LGS about a year ago. The cylinder wouldn't rotate in DA mode. IMO, I would save up for a Smith or a Ruger.

[bsg]

it was a hot seller back in the 1980s and i considered purchasing one back then. instead, i stayed with S&W as my revolver of choice for most applications. i owned several examples of the S&W Model 624 in various barrel lengths.

not a range gun by any means, the .44 Special Bulldog delivers big power in a lightweight package. that was it's selling point in days past and remains as it's primary selling point; it was and is a niche handgun. Hamourkiller's advise is sound (post #4); do not hot-rod.

[451040]

Check with Dave Berkowitz. He used to have one, could probably give you a pretty good run down on the pros and cons.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Okay, realize that "Bulldog" is a style of handgun. And it doesn't always refer to the Charter Arms version that everybody assumes it does nowadays. Also realize that the Charter Arms company has gone through several incarnations in the last 30-40 year. The current company doesn't make the same revolvers as the older versions. They are close, but any generalizations on how these guns perform needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

All that being said, I have one of the 1980s versions, and the thing is a hoot. It is not meant to be a tack driver. Nor is it meant to be a hand cannon that you can play Elmer Keith with and hotrod up to .44 Magnum levels. What they are meant to do, as the others have noted, is to pack a lot of punch into a low-cost, reliable revolver. And they do. I have mine set up with a full-sized rubber pistol grip, and it's recoil is stiff, but not punishing With home-made, cast lead hollowpoints, it gives me something that I can use for anything from backpacking to defending the home from marauding vikings. Even at the lower pressures and velocities of a .44 Special. It makes big holes, and puts them generally where I want them. I have found that it is important to keep mine lubed, or it will start hanging up once every few cylinders. As long as I keep it greases or oiled, it works just fine.

-Mb

[JohnCCW]

Bulldog means a revolver by Charter Arms to me...

Word Mark BULLDOG
Goods and Services IC 013. US 009. G & S: HANDGUNS AND PARTS THEREOF. FIRST USE: 19680715. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19680715
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 72409771
Filing Date December 9, 1971
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0951666
Registration Date January 30, 1973
Owner (REGISTRANT) CHARTER ARMS CORPORATION CONNECTICUT 26 BEAVER STREET ANSONIA CONNECTICUT 06401
(LAST LISTED OWNER) CHARCO 2000, INC. CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT CONNECTICUT 18 Brewster Lane Shelton CONNECTICUT 06484

Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Gerald C. Pia, Jr.
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR). SECTION 8(10-YR) 20130306.
Renewal 2ND RENEWAL 20130306
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

[repomanNWP]

I had a Charter Arms 44 Special Bulldog revolver for many years, it was a lot of fun to shoot, very reliable, accuracy was pretty much what you could expect from a snubby. I eventually got bored with it, and it sat in the safe for too long, so I sold it to a Calguns member. I don't recall for how much.