OP
OP
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
That sure says something about the popularity of the little rascals!
CA Bulldog Club
- Thread starter Legionnaire
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aarondhgraham
Member
I actually bought this .44 on a whim,,,
It was sitting there all lonely looking at The Evil Pawn Shop.
It is exactly like the one (assuming my memory isn't too fuzzy),,,
Like the one I carried when I was stationed on Mindanao Island in the late 70's.
That Bulldog got me out of one very exciting social situation rather handily.
Anyways, I asked The Evil Pawn Shop Guy what my out the door price would be,,,
He punched the buttons on his calculator and said, "Three Benjamins."
Sold! said I.
Meet The Andrews Sisters.
I picked up the .22 and .38 much later on.
I don't shoot Laverne very much,,,
Maybe 50 rounds in the 4-5 years I've had her,,,
But when she fires it's like wielding the Hammer of Thor.
Aarond
.
It was sitting there all lonely looking at The Evil Pawn Shop.
It is exactly like the one (assuming my memory isn't too fuzzy),,,
Like the one I carried when I was stationed on Mindanao Island in the late 70's.
That Bulldog got me out of one very exciting social situation rather handily.
Anyways, I asked The Evil Pawn Shop Guy what my out the door price would be,,,
He punched the buttons on his calculator and said, "Three Benjamins."
Sold! said I.
Meet The Andrews Sisters.
I picked up the .22 and .38 much later on.
I don't shoot Laverne very much,,,
Maybe 50 rounds in the 4-5 years I've had her,,,
But when she fires it's like wielding the Hammer of Thor.
Aarond
.
Thomas Traddles
Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2014
- Messages
- 145
Aarond, how do you like the .38?
loose noose
Member
In '73 I paid right at $160.00 talk about the cost of inflation, especially in firearms.
aarondhgraham
Member
Hello Thomas:
About the .38,,,
It's a solid shooter.
What I mean is it is a well made gun that goes bang every time I pull the trigger.
I have a S&W Model 36 to compare it against,,,
The S&W is a nicer gun as far as fit and finish goes,,,
And the S&W has a slightly nicer trigger in double action.
But to tell the truth I think that's just because the S&W has been fired a lot,,,
The CA has only had a few hundred rounds through it all told.
If the CA was the only gun I owned,,,
I would not feel under protected.
The .22 Pathfinder is a very nice little shooter,,,
It can't compare with my older S&W Model 63,,,
But in my opinion it's the equal to the new S&W 63's I've fired.
My only complaint about the .22 is the front sight,,,
It's stainless steel with no color and tends to disappear.
Someday I'll take 30 seconds and paint it orange,,,
That should solve that problem.
Aarond
.
.
About the .38,,,
It's a solid shooter.
What I mean is it is a well made gun that goes bang every time I pull the trigger.
I have a S&W Model 36 to compare it against,,,
The S&W is a nicer gun as far as fit and finish goes,,,
And the S&W has a slightly nicer trigger in double action.
But to tell the truth I think that's just because the S&W has been fired a lot,,,
The CA has only had a few hundred rounds through it all told.
If the CA was the only gun I owned,,,
I would not feel under protected.
The .22 Pathfinder is a very nice little shooter,,,
It can't compare with my older S&W Model 63,,,
But in my opinion it's the equal to the new S&W 63's I've fired.
My only complaint about the .22 is the front sight,,,
It's stainless steel with no color and tends to disappear.
Someday I'll take 30 seconds and paint it orange,,,
That should solve that problem.
Aarond
.
.
Cocked & Locked
Member
My CA Undercover .38 spcl. is great...never a problem. I put a factory DAO hammer in it...not just spurless
Early Pathfinder is great also.
Early Pathfinder is great also.
rodinal220
Member
I have several Charter Bulldogs from different eras.All have been reliable.The people running Skeeter Skelton 44spl loads back in the 70/80s beat the crap out of these lightweight revolvers. I wish some good factory full wad cutter loads 180-200gr about 800fps were available for the CA Bulldog.I hand load my own but do not carry reloads for self defense.
GBExpat
Member
Just thinking about shooting one of those in a Bulldog makes me wince.
Crowman
Member
Tim Sundles over at Buffalo Bore makes a 200 grain hard cast wadcutter load called a "Manstopper" (Sku: 14E/20). This load was made for the Charter Bulldog and launches the 200 grain wadcutter at 920 fps as fired from a Charter Arms Bulldog, 3 inch barrel. Buffalo Bore uses actual revolvers and not test barrels to clock their loads. They have access to proprietary powders.
See their web site:
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=282
These cartridges are expensive, but worth it, in my opinion. I use the wadcutters in my Classic 3" Bulldog. They are accurate and manage recoil.
See their web site:
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=282
These cartridges are expensive, but worth it, in my opinion. I use the wadcutters in my Classic 3" Bulldog. They are accurate and manage recoil.
Wish no more.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=282
Best of all they are specifically designed to be compatible with Bulldogs.
OP
OP
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
That BB ammo looks good ... but $2.02 per round? 
Edit: These look to be the bullets that Buffalo Bore is using. Anybody here loaded any? Once I work through my current stock of boolits, I'll probably order some of these and see if I can get them going at 900 fps. I've read all the stuff about not carrying reloads, and if I can get close to the performance of the BB rounds for target and field use, I might buy a box or two of theirs strictly for carry.
https://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-44-200-gr-dewc-fb-per-500-anti-personel-.html?category_id=11
Edit: These look to be the bullets that Buffalo Bore is using. Anybody here loaded any? Once I work through my current stock of boolits, I'll probably order some of these and see if I can get them going at 900 fps. I've read all the stuff about not carrying reloads, and if I can get close to the performance of the BB rounds for target and field use, I might buy a box or two of theirs strictly for carry.
https://rimrockbullets.com/xcart/-44-200-gr-dewc-fb-per-500-anti-personel-.html?category_id=11
Last edited:
rodinal220
Member
Well aware of the BB loads. 1000fps is too fast.You want more like standard 45acp ball ballistics.
Crowman
Member
Dear rodinal220,
FYI:
Two years ago I emailed Dee Ecker at Charter Arms inquiring about safe loads for the Bulldog that won't stress the little bugger. The result is Buffalo Bore 200 grain wadcutter "Manstoppers" are perfectly fine. They clock 920 fps out of a 3" bulldog barrel. It is the only Buffalo Bore load appropriate for the Bulldog, so this wadcutter should be good to go based on published data.
Dee told me that Charter Arms uses the 180 grain JHP clocking 1,000 fps as their standard test load, and the 165 Critical Defense clocks 900 FPS. Dee also suggested Winchester Silvertips as a defence load. 200 grain Silvertips clock 900 fps. She reminded me that they offer a lifetime warranty on all of their products, and there is no chance of wearing it out with standard pressure loads. Their only caveat is NO +P loads!
Not sure why 1000 fps is too fast? At least one standard pressure commercial 44 Special load does that. The above list of standard pressure 44 Special loads meet SAAMI standards. The classic 45 ACP load is a 230 grain FMJ at 850 fps with a SAAMI pressure of min 19,000 psi to max of 21,000 psi whereas the 44 Special is limited to 15,500 psi (107 MPa). Judging from that, 45 ACP pressure levels are too hot for the cartridge, and by extension, the Bulldog. Food for thought...
FYI:
Two years ago I emailed Dee Ecker at Charter Arms inquiring about safe loads for the Bulldog that won't stress the little bugger. The result is Buffalo Bore 200 grain wadcutter "Manstoppers" are perfectly fine. They clock 920 fps out of a 3" bulldog barrel. It is the only Buffalo Bore load appropriate for the Bulldog, so this wadcutter should be good to go based on published data.
Dee told me that Charter Arms uses the 180 grain JHP clocking 1,000 fps as their standard test load, and the 165 Critical Defense clocks 900 FPS. Dee also suggested Winchester Silvertips as a defence load. 200 grain Silvertips clock 900 fps. She reminded me that they offer a lifetime warranty on all of their products, and there is no chance of wearing it out with standard pressure loads. Their only caveat is NO +P loads!
Not sure why 1000 fps is too fast? At least one standard pressure commercial 44 Special load does that. The above list of standard pressure 44 Special loads meet SAAMI standards. The classic 45 ACP load is a 230 grain FMJ at 850 fps with a SAAMI pressure of min 19,000 psi to max of 21,000 psi whereas the 44 Special is limited to 15,500 psi (107 MPa). Judging from that, 45 ACP pressure levels are too hot for the cartridge, and by extension, the Bulldog. Food for thought...
rodinal220
Member
They "may" use those loads for testing but how long do the revolvers last???Did they give you a round count?? The BB load wont blow up your CA, but they will beat the crap out of them if a steady diet is used.This is why these guns got the reputation of falling apart or loose screws all the time.Remember these things are the roughly size of a D frame Colt and weight 20/21oz.
If you want to shoot Charter Bulldogs a lot I would run ammo more in the 800-850(Tops)fps range and your gun will last a lot longer.Also ammo in my suggested envelope is easier to control and stay on target for most people.
Again I wish someone would make a reputable factory full wad cutter load specifically suited for the CA Bulldog series.IMHO the BB load is too hot for these guns for long term training use.
If you want to shoot Charter Bulldogs a lot I would run ammo more in the 800-850(Tops)fps range and your gun will last a lot longer.Also ammo in my suggested envelope is easier to control and stay on target for most people.
Again I wish someone would make a reputable factory full wad cutter load specifically suited for the CA Bulldog series.IMHO the BB load is too hot for these guns for long term training use.
GBExpat
Member
Don't forget that the lightly-built gun is not the only thing out of which such heavy loads will beat the crap.
That BB ammo looks good ... but $2.02 per round?
.... I've read all the stuff about not carrying reloads, and if I can get close to the performance of the BB rounds for target and field use, I might buy a box or two of theirs strictly for carry.
That's exactly my thinking. I don't shoot the Charter much for plinking, and if I did I certainly wouldn't load it with BB ammo! Apart from a few rounds for final sighting in, any time I touch off one of those expensive hard kickers it's for a serious purpose, in which case neither the recoil nor the cost will matter.
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
Poohgyrr
Member
loose noose
Member
Took my CA Bulldog out to the range yesterday and shot some pretty stout 240grn semi wad cutters. AT 10 yards it was extremely accurate, but man the recoil started me flinching after about 15 rounds, not pleasant at all. I did shoot some 200 grain jacketed semi-wad cutters thru it and those were a real pleasure to shoot. Note I also bought some 165 grain Hornady Critical defense rounds and only fired 5 rounds thru it. Found those rounds to have very light felt recoil and very accurate to boot. Note I finally got a new CA Bulldog ordered in SS for $380.00 OTD, just had to shop around.
weblance
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2011
- Messages
- 912
I bought mine a couple years ago. I started reloading just because ammo was hard to find, and expensive. Its a lot of fun to shoot, and my buddies like blasting away with it during our "plinkfests". It shoots best with the Pachmayr, but it also wears the Charter Boot grip, and a vintage set of Charter wood grips, depending on my mood.
Crowman
Member
I usually shoot 210-240 grain lead RN Cowboy loads for general plinking with my Bulldog. These CAS competition loads are pleasant to shoot and are cheaper to buy or reload. I keep a Lewis Lead Remover handy to remove any build-ups. Got one each in 38/357, 44 and 45. Great products.
If you are having recoil management issues, might need to change grips to something that fits the hand better. Mine are Pachmyar Gripper Grips...they work for me, fit my hand and I have no problem concealing them. The factory wood grips hurt my hand and did not fit me. Just a suggestion.
I carry 200 grain BB "Manstopper" wadcutters for personnel defence, with reloads in quick strips...(easier to load in pairs that way) and 165 grain Critical Defence loads or 180 grain Silvertips in speed loaders...(pointy nosed bullets drop in easier). I shoot enough of the premium (expensive) stuff to stay proficient with them, but plink with the cheap Cowboy stuff. All these are "Category One" loads.
Handloader Magazine #236 ran a great article on reloading the 44 Special cartridge. According to the article, the 44 Special can be thought of as three distinct cartridges with load data divided into three catagories, much like the 45 Colt. The relative strength and design of the firearm determined which category was appropriate.
Category One is capped at 15,500 psi or less, Catagory Two at 22,000 psi or less and Catagory Three at 25,000 psi or less.
SAAMI specs cap the 44 Special at 15,500 psi. This means that loads hotter than SAAMI specs (read that as +P) are too heavy for Charter Bulldogs. The other two categories are heavy loads meant for SAA, N-Frames, Colt New Service, Freedom Arms, Ruger, et.al. These latter two category loads are what beat the crap out of and loostened the screws in those old Charter Bulldogs back in the day.
Pressure kills. Ammunition loaded to 15,500 psi shouldn't damage a Bulldog.
If you are having recoil management issues, might need to change grips to something that fits the hand better. Mine are Pachmyar Gripper Grips...they work for me, fit my hand and I have no problem concealing them. The factory wood grips hurt my hand and did not fit me. Just a suggestion.
I carry 200 grain BB "Manstopper" wadcutters for personnel defence, with reloads in quick strips...(easier to load in pairs that way) and 165 grain Critical Defence loads or 180 grain Silvertips in speed loaders...(pointy nosed bullets drop in easier). I shoot enough of the premium (expensive) stuff to stay proficient with them, but plink with the cheap Cowboy stuff. All these are "Category One" loads.
Handloader Magazine #236 ran a great article on reloading the 44 Special cartridge. According to the article, the 44 Special can be thought of as three distinct cartridges with load data divided into three catagories, much like the 45 Colt. The relative strength and design of the firearm determined which category was appropriate.
Category One is capped at 15,500 psi or less, Catagory Two at 22,000 psi or less and Catagory Three at 25,000 psi or less.
SAAMI specs cap the 44 Special at 15,500 psi. This means that loads hotter than SAAMI specs (read that as +P) are too heavy for Charter Bulldogs. The other two categories are heavy loads meant for SAA, N-Frames, Colt New Service, Freedom Arms, Ruger, et.al. These latter two category loads are what beat the crap out of and loostened the screws in those old Charter Bulldogs back in the day.
Pressure kills. Ammunition loaded to 15,500 psi shouldn't damage a Bulldog.
35 Whelen
Member
Since switched to a 215 gr. SWC.
35W
Panzerschwein
member
Hey Charter club! Hickok45 has an awesome new vid for the "classic bulldog" Charter Arms has recently reintroduced:
That's a real good choice for plinking. When I felt like casting I would shoot the Lee 208 gr WC, but when I didn't, it was a 215 Gr SWC for most stuff with some 240s mixed in.
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