Charter Arms Bulldog

[JWhitmore44]

Got the short Vaquero in 45colt/45acp. Have a Taurus in 38. Would like something with a big bore with the weight and size of the 38. Triggers can be slicked up and I won't be shooting bullseye. IF I wanted another 38 the LCR would be fine. But I don't want a 38, if I bought a small caliber snubby it'd probably be a 327 mag.

 

[BearBio]

I had one of the older .44 Bulldogs...The thing kicked like a mule, loaded with the Winchester 200 grain Silvertip HP.

Mine did also until I put Herretts on it. Now it feels fine. I keep mine loaded in the safe in case I'm ever forced to open my safe, I also have a N-frame 44 spl in the desk. But I carry a 1911.

My Charter has given me no problems in limited use.

 

[SAJohn]

The Bulldog was introduced in 1973. I bought mine new in 1974. The serial killer "Son of Sam" liked them. Recoil with the original wooden grip was painful. Doing a trigger job is very difficult as they are hard to reassemble because of the no side plate design.

John

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Well, frankly at my age I get hit with the nostalgia's and I'd like an older model and a new model. I just like big bullets. I've carried a Smith 38 special for a long time but I'm going to try something else when I run across one.

 

[Buckeye!]

Seems lie I'v e always have had one or two Charer Bulldogs around..light weight at delivers a heavy punch

I was hoping this would be the year that we would have a 3in barreled GP100 in 44 Spl. especially wit h the popularity of the Blackhawk in 44 Spl.

 

[WebleyMan]

I had two Bulldogs in the past, an older stainless 3" 'standard' configuration, and a 4" Target Bulldog. Both guns worked fine with the very limited use I gave them, though I couldn't shoot the 3" very well (probably me and not the gun.) The Target Bulldog had a surprisingly decent trigger and a very good balance, but was just a bit too light to keep steady for paper-punching...I could shoot far better with my 4" M. 15 S & W .38.

I eventually let both go, as they never quite satisfied, though I didn't have any complaints about their quality, the just weren't quite right for me and I became more interested in different guns.

I've been thinking off-and-on about picking up a new one with a bobbed hammer, strictly for a 'beater' CCW, but they aren't as inexpensive as they used to be! I can get a minty used SP101 for the same - or less - around here so I haven't been able to justify the purchase to myself.

I'd say if you find a new one at an acceptable price, and it seems tight, and you can live with the trigger, I'd give it a try. Just don't put anything approaching stout in it, and it will probably work fine. I guess one of the nice thngs about the .44 Special is that even the anemic factory "cowboy" loads are still pushing a big fat 200 - 246 gr. bullet out the end of the barrel, and I sure wouldn't want to be on the receiving end.

 

[BearStopper]

Had one, it was ok shot a little left to my eyes. I sold it but there is one of the originals with a little finish wear locally for 150.00 that I thought about snagging. Problem is they also had a super tight Colt Agent of the shiny older variation for 250.00 that I snagged instead, and two snubbies in one week is silly. I need a Bulldog like a hole in the head but if its still there the next time I am in, I will probably give it a home.

 

[Hashknife Hartley]

Just got out and shot my new one last friday, and with snake loads (#9 shot sandwiched between two gas checks over 5 grs of HP38) it did the job, at least on paper. With lead bullet cowboy loads, 200 gr over 5 grs of Titegroup, it did good at defensive distances of 10 yards or less. Got interested and looked up the invoice for my first one and it was August of 1974, wish I still had it for comparison purposes.
HH

 

[BearBio]

Had one, it was ok shot a little left to my eyes. I sold it but there is one of the originals with a little finish wear locally for 150.00 that I thought about snagging. Problem is they also had a super tight Colt Agent of the shiny older variation for 250.00 that I snagged instead, and two snubbies in one week is silly. I need a Bulldog like a hole in the head but if its still there the next time I am in, I will probably give it a home.

Oh, I don't know. I bought two at the same time. My Bulldog (see pic above) and a S & W Model 19. Both for under $300 each=couldn't let the Smith go at that price!

 

[Papaw]

I have had an old model stainless for about 30 years. No problems with it. Carried it today on a hike. It's so light I can't even tell its there. It is a carry-much, shoot-little gun.

 

[stantheman86]

I almost bought a 5" .38 Police Bulldog 6-shot at a gun show but it just struck me as a gun that wouldn't stand up to a lot of shooting. The Charters have a reputation of being dependable, simple revolvers that do the job, but aren't made as high volume range guns.

If I wanted a moderately priced .38 snub I would just get an LCR, at least it's reasonably priced and I know the quality is there.

I have been burned by "budget" guns like the Armscor .38 revolver I bought that went out of time after 100 rounds.......I like to actually shoot what I carry, and I am not a fan of "carry a lot shoot a little" guns. It's the reason I won't own anything like a S&W Airweight or anything that sacrifices durability for weight. I have no problem carrying my 4" Service Six.

 

[gramps]

I had a Charter 2000 since 2001. I just sold it cause I got almost out of it what I had in it. I was hoping Ruger would see the light. They didn't, so I'll probably buy another one.
gramps

 

[jimbo1096]

Had one back in the 70's and it shot pretty good for a short barrelled carry gun. We hiked and rode alot out in the desert and it was a very good trail gun. Once had a horsefly bother us at a resting place, & that landed on a tree branch about 15 feet away. One somewhat lucky shot and he didn't survive the lead that puched him through the other side. I have wanted one for about 5 years now and one day I'll find the right one. Even have a speed loader in the parts box waiting for a gun to match up with.

 

[ftlupton]

Just a thought, I have had to send 2 Rugers back for service after buying new, so CH should equal that I would think. The last old Pathfinder I had was perfect after many years. Not knockin anything just saying!

 

[5of7]

Whether you like the Bulldog ot not depends on what you expect in a handgun. I had one for a while but I sold it because I thought that it was too light and fragile to stand up to very much +P shooting.

Perhaps that is because I am used to the 624 Smith, the Ruger Flat Top and the 696 that I have.

I also have a Rossi 720 that I keep in the bedside stand and I think it is somewhat more rugged than the Charter, but even that one it is strictly SAAMI pressure loads only.

If one uses the Charter like it was intended to be used, it is probably OK, but it is just not for me...... 8)

 

[FergusonTO35]

I have a 2008 Police Undercover, which is the Bulldog in six shot .38 Special format. I've put 300 or so rounds through it with no problems whatsoever. Mine has an awesome trigger pull in both DA and SA. The front sight was way too tall from the factory, after some careful filing it now shoots dead on with my 158 grain handloads. To me, its the perfect carry size revolver and I think its up to the task of a lifetime of .38 Specials.

Mine wears Pachmayr Compac grips which are way better than the rather bulky grips it came with. I do wish Pachmayr made a Compac Pro grip for it as the regular Compacs are still a bit thick for CCW. Nonetheless I'm very happy with this gun and like it much better than the SP101 it replaced.

 

[Hawgleg44]

I picked a carbon steel verson up two weeks ago NIB for $275. For that kind of money, being a huge .44 Special fan, I couldn't pass it up.

Yes, the trigger feels like there's gravel in it, but I can still hit very well with it. I'm going to send it to Karl Sokol at http://chestnutmountainsports.com/ to have him smooth the action out, chamfer the chambers and bob the hammer. I'm not going to have him to go the extent I have him go on my pre-lock S&W K-frames, but I do want him to smooth it out some.

I'm not interested in the least bit about hot rodding loads for it. It's just not meant for that. If you want a .44 mag, buy one. That's what ruined the S&W 696. People were trying to load up as close to .44mag specs at they could and they had a rash of cracked forcing cones. If you shoot a 696 at standard pressure, it will last a lifetime. But, since people wanted to make the .44 Special do something it's not designed to do, they ruined it for everyone else and S&W doesn't make it anymore.

Don't get discouraged about Ruger and the .44 Special GP100. I think you might see it as a production gun quicker than you think..............

 

[jn 41]

Shot my 1980's vintage BULLDOG on sunday. It has been in the family since new, never a problem with it. Accuracy is more than adequate at self defense distance and it carries easy.

 

[Lee Martin]

I always wanted to volume test a Bulldog. Nothing heavy, just a steady diet of Unique and/or Green Dot loads. While the guns ship a little loose and do loosen over time, I wonder if it's really an issue. Does accuracy fall off a cliff, do they start to spit lead? etc, etc

My dad has had his since 1980 and we've shot the piss out of it. Not sure the exact round count, but it has to be way over 3,000 rounds....and it's still a strong little piece.

 

[cruzerlou]

I had a buled 3" that i bought in 1988 and carried it foe quite some time and with the afore mentioned Blaser 200gr Gold dots was a great defencive gun .Wish I'd never sold it .If I ever find another one at a deceant price it's mine .
Lou