Charter Arms .45 Pitbull: So Far, Bite Matches Its Bark

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Ive been really intrigued by the 45ACP version, and even the LC version a little bit..On a more practical note, one thing that concerns me a bit is the shrimpy little barrel. Already there is alot of controversy regarding short barreled 45ACP autoloaders and expansion, and I'm talking 3.5" barrels let alone tnis pipsqueak! There are plenty of real-world stats to justify the concern. I have a 45ACP Bersa Tnunder ultra compact Pro which has always shot very dirty, leaving the muzzle caked in soot . I assume tnis is because the barrel is too short at 3.6" to accomodate full combustion before the slug leaves he barrel. And yes, the little gun puts out a good sized fireball sometimes..

So I wonder how efficient the Pitbull really is with 45ACP .
Yes, I know you can buy ammo tailored for short-barreled 45's...but I dont see it around very much and dont really like the idea of having to hunt it down or roll my own. To tell the truth Ive beenthinking of selling that Bersa since it bites my hand alot, or maybe trading for a Pitbull to eat upall the 45 ammo I have stocked up. I'm still on the fence about the ballistics though, and wonder if maybe a 3 or 4 inch thirty eight might just be a whole lot more practical.
 
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I came this close ( bout 3/4 inch)
In getting another Charter in 45acp ...
But I went a different direction...
Im a true Charter fanboy....

Me too! People dont realize that certain runs of the Bulldog series under different management over the past 40 or 50 years gave the company a much worse reputation than it deserved. CA isnt quite S&W, we get that....but they have also made some very practical and well designed guns. They may lack fit and finish a little and occasiinally there are QA issues, but with a little luck you can find some excellent little carry pieces from that company. Even their target models are light and trim enough for CC. I have carried my 6" Bulldog many times with closed full-lengh black nylon holster wih just a tshirt and black jeans. Its hardly noticeable at all. I even have 8 speedloaders with 4 belt pouches loaded with an assortment of 38 and 357.
 
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Me too! People dont realize that certain runs of the Bulldog series under different management over the past 40 or 50 years gave the company a much worse reputation than it deserved. CA isnt quite S&W, we get that....but they have also made some very practical and well designed guns. They may lack fit and finish a little and occasiinally there are QA issues, but with a little luck you can find some excellent little carry pieces from that company. Even their target models are light and trim enough for CC. I have carried my 6" Bulldog many times with closed full-lengh black nylon holster wih just a tshirt and black jeans. Its hardly noticeable at all. I even have 8 speedloaders with 4 belt pouches loaded with an assortment of 38 and 357.

I made a quick stop at lunch today at a LGS ....
Needless to say they had a really nice
condition 3 inch barreled older blued Charter 357mag ... nice wooden grips ... 275.00 .. I put it in layaway ...
 
I made a quick stop at lunch today at a LGS ....
Needless to say they had a really nice
condition 3 inch barreled older blued Charter 357mag ... nice wooden grips ... 275.00 .. I put it in layaway ...

Ive had my eye out for a 3" Stratford Bulldog too...that is if I dont find a 3" SP101 first for ridiculously cheap. I dont have a 3" revolver right now, just 4" and 6".

So were they factory grips or custom? I hated the wood factory grips on my 6" Bulldog and went for Pachmayrs almost immediately. I believe it cost $225 or $250 but the final cost crept up to near $300 because it was a Gunbroker sale and FFL fees and all that....

Anyway, congrats on your find and please post a pic when she finally comes home.
 
I've owned at least one Charter for the past 30+ years ... I really don't keep up with round counts ... I have owned my Charter Bulldog 44spl for 13 to 15yrs?
Maybe longer .. I couldn't begin to think of round count ... My Glocks get most of my range time
 
I don't think high round count is his concern. Its a concealed carry that's why he has the 2 inch barrel. Not everyone has a $1,000 to spend for a handgun.
 
I don't think many people will wear out any gun. To be honest, short of a very small fraction of folks posting on these boards, most people who own any particular gun won't need to replace more than a recoil spring. I think, like zombies and bears and TEOTWAWKI, gun longevity is a dragon we choose to chase as if in the grand scheme of things it will actually be an issue. As I stated in my opening volley, I didn't buy the CA as an heirloom. Now I have no doubt that my grandson/daughter may find it tucked away in a chest somewhere after I shuffle off this mortal coil (hopefully not anytime soon. I'm 38.) However, I just don't shoot my guns enough to hurt them. The Pitbull is something I bought to carry a lot and shoot a little. Not because it is fragile with a limited round count. It's because I get to the range about 5 times a year. Burn a couple hundred rounds (if that) and that's it. That's the workout that they get. That's the workout that MOST guns get.

I'm a TV junkie. Not is that I watch a lot. I just like updating my screen size/quality regularly. Now, my TVs are never really all that worn out, and I do NOT buy the latest and greatest multi-thousand dollar set. However, I usually buy a $600-800 TV every 3 or 4 years because I choose to chase THAT dragon. My old one is fine. I usually give my dad my hand-me-downs. He can afford nicer TVs than I can, but he doesn't choose to buy them. I'd rather give my old one to him instead of trying to sell it or toss it away. There is nothing wrong with purchasing affordable hardware and updating it as you see fit. That's kinda how I buy my guns.

As for the expansion of a .38 +P out of a longer barrel or whatnot. Maybe. However, I wanted a gun with a 2.5" barrel that fit on my belt. Steel frame. Lower report than a .357. "Mid-Level TV" priced. I like that the Pitbull in my hands is more accurate than any airweight .38. It has a better trigger. I can shoot it for longer periods of time shooting hot .45 than I can hot .38 for some reason. It's not the be all, end all gun. However, it has proven over several hundred rounds to be reliable, accurate, and shooting a cartridge that is certainly packing more punch than a .32 or some such.

In short, I am happy with my $400 .45. It has scratched the itch enough that I feel no need to hunt down another snub nose .357 or j frame .38 or really any other wheelgun right now. If I were making some sort of trek into the mountains I might pick up a .44 Boomer as I like an excuse to buy new guns. However, I think my next purchase is going to be the CA .32 H&R magnum. It's another oddball, but I have kinda become smitten with the Charter guns. I feel like they are, I dunno, more honest about what they are than many brands.
 
Im a Glock guy ..and a Charter Arms guy ... I have 12 Glocks and 5 Charter Arms revovlers.. (counting the 357 in layaway) they work .. The Bulldog frames are steel and Colt D frame size .. But lighter ... My Charter Boomer 44spl weighs 17oz with older style wooden panel grips ...
 
I've eclipsed 4,000 rounds through my 5 year old 2.5" Bulldog. Other than occasionally hitting some of the screws with blue locktite it has been a carefree daily CCW. I like to practice with my CCW weapons...a lot. Shoot the snot out of them Charter Arms pieces, they're tougher than some folks give them credit for.
 
Don't forget that the cylinder on a revolver adds inches to the barrel length. A 2.5" revolver is as long as a 4" auto barrel. JMHO-YMMV
 
And indeed, that is just your opinion. The gun manufacturers and the ATF, as well as most shooters, agree the barrel length of a revolver starts at the front of the cylinder gap. One might argue that the cylinder's length adds to the barrel length on the Nagant M1895 revolver, as the cylinder slides forward and forms a seal against the end of the barrel, but even on that gun, it is measured from the rear of the barrel.
 
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