JackBull
Hunter
Been waiting for Ruger to make a carry 44 but it doesnt look like this will happen soon. How is the quality of the Charter Arms 44s? Heard the firing pins had an issue a while back. Would you recommend one model over another?.
Charter Arms 44
- Thread starter JackBull
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I have owned a Charter Arms stainless Bulldog in .44 Special for about 20 years. It is my most often carried firearm. Since I live in bear/wolf/lion country, I stick it in my back pocket every time I walk to the barn or go outside to get something out of my truck. I don't want to holster up every time I step outside. I absolutely love the cartridge and the configuration of this gun.
The gun itself is a complete POS. the timing and lockup is sloppy and it was sloppy when it was new. One time I pulled it on a lion that got within 20 yards of me outside my house. When I pulled the trigger in double action it would not even rotate the cylinder. I had to rotate the cylinder by hand to get it to fire. By then the lion was long gone. The gun was just dirty. Now I clean it more often.
Ruger does make one but it's not a snubby and weighs a pound and a half more: https://ruger.com/products/gp100/models.html and S&W made a heavy 6 shot. Neither one is a lightweight back pocket gun so I continue to carry the Charter Arms junk. I do not recommend it. If Ruger or Smith made something comparable and within a few ounces of the same weight I would snap it up at any price.
The gun itself is a complete POS. the timing and lockup is sloppy and it was sloppy when it was new. One time I pulled it on a lion that got within 20 yards of me outside my house. When I pulled the trigger in double action it would not even rotate the cylinder. I had to rotate the cylinder by hand to get it to fire. By then the lion was long gone. The gun was just dirty. Now I clean it more often.
Ruger does make one but it's not a snubby and weighs a pound and a half more: https://ruger.com/products/gp100/models.html and S&W made a heavy 6 shot. Neither one is a lightweight back pocket gun so I continue to carry the Charter Arms junk. I do not recommend it. If Ruger or Smith made something comparable and within a few ounces of the same weight I would snap it up at any price.
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About 40 years ago, I thought about having a CA .44 as a backup and off duty gun. I handled them and the word sloppy is a term I would use. I didn't like trigger pull at all. The cartridge makes a lot of sense but just never caught on. I had hopped S&W would make it on a K frame with 5 shot, round butt, 2-inch barrel.
As with CA I picked one up again several years ago and wanted to buy it but handling and dry firing it I was still disappointed. I passed again.
As with CA I picked one up again several years ago and wanted to buy it but handling and dry firing it I was still disappointed. I passed again.
I remember the Smith and Wesson Model 296 in .44 Special. It looked like a Bodyguard on steroids. That might be an option if you could find one. I had a Charter Arms Undercover .38 before I got a Bodyguard. The Charter Arms was adequate but the Smith was a much better piece.
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I carry a S&W 296 airlite frequently, light, accurate for what it is and S&W performance. I owned a charter arms bulldog once and didn’t like it, so it went away.
This is interesting the perceived differences in Charter Arms quality and performance. I have owned many Charter's over the years, including the .44 Bulldog. I have been pleased with them all. I carried and used the Bulldog for a number of years, very successfully, then sold it to a bow hunting co-worker. Many years later he reports that this remains an excellent little revolver.
DeletedMember275
Hunter
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- Apr 17, 2002
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Don't overlook the fact that Charter Arms is currently on it's third life. From my understanding, the first generation of guns were Good-Poor; the second Poor-Abysmal; and the third generation are supposed to be pretty good guns. If it's been a while since you examined a new Charter Arms revolver, it might be worth a look.
I thought the sequence was more like Good OK, then poor, then poorer, but I'll take another look.
Consider a S&W Model 69. Snubby L frame five shot .44 magnum. Comparatively light weight. You can shoot.44 Special or Mag out of it.
As @arfmel mentioned, the S&W Model 69 gets pretty close:
https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/l-frame-10064
Quite a few years ago I bought a new Charter Arms Pitbull in 9mm just to have, It worked OK fora while but I had ejection and some function problems with it so I sent it back. They sent RMA and I sent it back and they said the better new cylinder would have one less chamber in it. I wasn't thrilled to have only 5 shots but they said it would be better. Well, when I got it back, the cylinders loaded and locked and ejected the cartridges better. After a while though, it started locking the trigger/cylinder up in both DA and SA! I don't trust it. It just sits. I'm thinking of taking it to my gunsmith and see what he can do with it!
The people at Charter Arms were very nice but I had shipping guns back if I can help it! If it would have worked, I planned on buying a Pitbull in 45 ACP just for the heck of it. Not anymore!
The people at Charter Arms were very nice but I had shipping guns back if I can help it! If it would have worked, I planned on buying a Pitbull in 45 ACP just for the heck of it. Not anymore!
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Mine shot ok, DA sucked, SA was ok, didn’t have any reliability issues with it. It just want my gun. My buddy still has the gun and likes it a lot. I bet Charter Arms has sold a billion of the little color schemed 38 spl for the ladies
Over the years I have owned 3 of the 5 shot ..38 Charter snubbies, and 2 Bulldogs in .44 spcl. All except the first Bulldog were excellent. I still have the second Bulldog and I carry it daily. It was a newer one and is rated for "+P", whatever that is. It is light, accurate, and fills the bill for my needs. The other iterations of .44 spcl from S&W, RUGER, Taurus/Rossi, are just too heavy or too expensive or both.
gramps
gramps
I have a Charter Arms bulldog XL in 45 Colt. It has a few hundred rounds through it and shoots fine. This one, and the version in 45ACP are larger frames and cylinders than the 44 Bulldog, and it weighs a few ounces more.
The front sight height is the same as the ACP version, I believe, so 255 gn loads tend to shoot high for me. If I use 225-230gn bullets like the ACP would it is pretty much right on. Makes a handy backpacking snub that you can fit in a coat pocket.
The front sight height is the same as the ACP version, I believe, so 255 gn loads tend to shoot high for me. If I use 225-230gn bullets like the ACP would it is pretty much right on. Makes a handy backpacking snub that you can fit in a coat pocket.
I was thinking the .45 ACP is pretty close to the same as .44 Special but ammo is cheaper and easier to find. I've never owned or used a revolver chambered for auto cartridges with the moon clips, though.
No moon clips in these, it uses the same rim gripping extractor system as the 9mm Pitbull models, but of course, on a larger CYlnder
I have 4 Charters in my pile, three 44's and a 41.
Pug 44
Bulldog 44
Target 44
41 mag
Pug 44
Bulldog 44
Target 44
41 mag
I’m a big proponent of the 44 Special. In addition to the S&W model 69, and the Ruger GP100, I’ve had one of my CA bulldog for about 5 years, then I ran into another one shortly after getting back to Alaska. I’ve had 5 CA Bulldogs over the years both blue and stainless, and had no problems with any of them plus a CA target bulldog that I gave my Bil who does a lot of hiking in Montana without a descent carry gun. He raved about the accuracy of it and has been thoroughly pleased with it.
The trigger is not S&W quality or even the Ruger, but they have all been very functional guns.
I also related the incident with an elk in NM and the deputy would waited with me for a wrecker, and because I had 3 guns in my truck the deputy went to get them, expecting the wrecker at anytime soon, he was very impressed with the Bulldog and decided he needed one as a backup.
The trigger is not S&W quality or even the Ruger, but they have all been very functional guns.
I also related the incident with an elk in NM and the deputy would waited with me for a wrecker, and because I had 3 guns in my truck the deputy went to get them, expecting the wrecker at anytime soon, he was very impressed with the Bulldog and decided he needed one as a backup.
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The Pitbull 9mm and 45 ACP do not use moon clips. The cylinder has gripping devices in each chamber. Pretty neat idea and the updated cylinder works pretty well.
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mrs50sls56
Single-Sixer
Mine is an original Pug; tight and right. Much carried and occasionally shot. It’s been checked out by a reputable gunsmith who was impressed. I keep it clean and have never had an issue. That said, I’ve heard the complaints; could be the quality control has been spotty over the years; it is a less expensive alternative.
Attachments
Trooper Joe
Single-Sixer
I posted this on another forum several years ago.
My new Charter Arms Classic, .44 Special.
First time at the range. Shot this group at 15 yards with PMC 180 grn, JHP (it will be my ammo of choice.)
Interesting enough, I first shot some 240 grn, lead FN, Magtech cowboy action ammo. It recoiled harder, shot about 4" high at 15 yards, and could only get about a 3" group.
I have since found a great S&W 624, .44Special, "L" frame gun. It is a lot heavier but a real classic.
The CA Bulldog is really made well and very accurate.
Trooper Joe
My new Charter Arms Classic, .44 Special.
First time at the range. Shot this group at 15 yards with PMC 180 grn, JHP (it will be my ammo of choice.)
Interesting enough, I first shot some 240 grn, lead FN, Magtech cowboy action ammo. It recoiled harder, shot about 4" high at 15 yards, and could only get about a 3" group.
I have since found a great S&W 624, .44Special, "L" frame gun. It is a lot heavier but a real classic.
The CA Bulldog is really made well and very accurate.
Trooper Joe
I forgot to add that I've also had 3 Taurus 44 specials which are the size of an S&W K frame, and 1 Rossi 44 special, I forget the model number but it's probably Rossi's finest revolver. Did I say I like 44 specials? I've had a few and still have some. Almost forgot the S&W 296. And they are expensive, and getting more expensive. With all the others I couldn’t justify hanging on to that, so it would just sit in the safe.
Hankus
Buckeye
Sorry, but any time I hear Charter Arms Bulldog I flash back to the Son of Sam case from the 70s …
Ruger Accumulator
Single-Sixer
Dang it, ya'll are costing me money! 
I like 44 special, but always thought Charter Arms were junk. Based on this thread, I headed out to the local gunshow yesterday, to see of I could find a new one. I checked online, and saw that I could get one for $450, so that was my price point.
One dealer had one for $459, but there was tax and fees on top, so I was hesitant. Then I ran across a used one at another table for $280! It was made in 2004 according to the paperwork, and is stainless. I looked it over, and it locks up nice and tight, and seems decently made, so I bought it.
I need to shoot it a bit to make sure it's trustworthy, but I think it will make a nice woods companion. I'm curious, what holsters are you folks who carry the 44 pug using? I checked Midway, which is my go to for accessories, but they really didn't show any decent holsters by model. I suspect that a SP101 holster would work, but don't have one to compare.
I like 44 special, but always thought Charter Arms were junk. Based on this thread, I headed out to the local gunshow yesterday, to see of I could find a new one. I checked online, and saw that I could get one for $450, so that was my price point.One dealer had one for $459, but there was tax and fees on top, so I was hesitant. Then I ran across a used one at another table for $280! It was made in 2004 according to the paperwork, and is stainless. I looked it over, and it locks up nice and tight, and seems decently made, so I bought it.
I need to shoot it a bit to make sure it's trustworthy, but I think it will make a nice woods companion. I'm curious, what holsters are you folks who carry the 44 pug using? I checked Midway, which is my go to for accessories, but they really didn't show any decent holsters by model. I suspect that a SP101 holster would work, but don't have one to compare.
Pál_K
Guns. I has it.
Wanting a .44 Special revolver as a carry gun, in 2008 I bought a new Charter Arms DAO revolver. It was ok, but I really disliked the fact it fired in what seemed like the last 0.1mm of trigger travel.
In 2009 I bought the DA version, a new Bulldog Pug. It was satin finished and looked great. Unfortunately, the cylinder got progressively harder to turn after about 40 rounds and by round 55 it was locked up. After cleaning it, it was fine again.
However, at that point I just wanted to be rid of them. I had never experienced that before with any revolver. Sold them both back to the dealer I bought them from for about 15% of what I paid for them.
The DAO had only 75 rounds through it; the DA only 55.
My .44 Special is now a Ruger GP100, bought just last month, and I've already put 65 rounds through it - not bad considering the wet weather now limits my range trips. It's just a fun target gun for me.
For carry, I have a S&W M60 J-frame .357 (3" barrel), which is stainless steel and actually pleasant to shoot 125gr .357 loads in. I also have an LCP 380.
In 2009 I bought the DA version, a new Bulldog Pug. It was satin finished and looked great. Unfortunately, the cylinder got progressively harder to turn after about 40 rounds and by round 55 it was locked up. After cleaning it, it was fine again.
However, at that point I just wanted to be rid of them. I had never experienced that before with any revolver. Sold them both back to the dealer I bought them from for about 15% of what I paid for them.
The DAO had only 75 rounds through it; the DA only 55.
My .44 Special is now a Ruger GP100, bought just last month, and I've already put 65 rounds through it - not bad considering the wet weather now limits my range trips. It's just a fun target gun for me.
For carry, I have a S&W M60 J-frame .357 (3" barrel), which is stainless steel and actually pleasant to shoot 125gr .357 loads in. I also have an LCP 380.
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As short and wide a they are, they don't really ride in holsters that well. I use mine as a back pocket gun and it's perfect for that.
freakindawgen
Blackhawk
Wanted the 45 colt. Bit hard to find
