Charter Arms Bulldog 45 Colt

Status
Not open for further replies.
i got, and quickly got rid of, a charter arms 9mm snubbie. very sharp edges and recoil, tore up my index finger. i love shooting 45lc out of a ruger blackhawk and bond arms derringer, but my experince with charter arms was unpleasant. ymmv.
 
Don't know, can't say, but my CA SS 2.5" .44SPL. has a very attractive finish, no sharp edges, and is a pleasure to shoot, perhaps I got lucky, However, quite a few years ago, in the mid 70's, I also bought the CA in .44SPL in the Classic and I still have it, again I must have got lucky. Go figure! Now you got my interested in that .45LC!
 
Dframe said:
I finally got to handle one at a local gunshow. Seemed like a very serviceable gun. I don't think I'll be replacing my .44 special bulldog though.
Click to expand...
Yep, I agree. If I had a .44 spl bulldog its not enough in this size platform to make me buy one unless I was a collector or something BUT since I dont have one maybe its time to get one?
 
The Evangelist Cowboy said:
Yep, I agree. If I had a .44 spl bulldog its not enough in this size platform to make me buy one unless I was a collector or something BUT since I dont have one maybe its time to get one?
Click to expand...

FYI and FWIW: As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I purchased the .41 mag Charter Arms a couple months ago, but I didn't know how much difference in size (if any) there was between the .41 Magnum CA and the .44 Special CA. The .41 is called a "Mag Pug" and the .44 Special is called a "Bulldog", but since I'm not real familiar with the Charter Arms line, and had never handled a .44 Special CA before, I didn't know what this meant.

Well, I finally saw the two guns side by side at a local big gun store last week some time, and sure enough, the .41 Mag Pug is noticeably larger than the .44 Special Bulldog. You notice it mostly in the diameter of the cylinder - the smaller .44 Bulldog cylinder has much thinner walls between cylinder chambers than the .41 Mag Pug. If the cylinder is bigger on the Pug, I'm guessing the frame needs to be bigger as well, but it wasn't as obvious as the cylinder size. As I recall, they had a .45 LC version there, too, and as I recall, it was about the same size as the .41 Mag Pug, but it's called a Bulldog XL (for extra large, I suppose.)

I'd say my Mag Pug is something similar to a K frame S&W in size. I think it weighs less than the standard K frame, however, despite having a steel frame. It looks to me like the .44 Bulldog would have a concealabilty advantage over the Mag Pug. Hope this helps anyone looking at these guns online.
 
Jim NE said:
FYI and FWIW: As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I purchased the .41 mag Charter Arms a couple months ago, but I didn't know how much difference in size (if any) there was between the .41 Magnum CA and the .44 Special CA. The .41 is called a "Mag Pug" and the .44 Special is called a "Bulldog", but since I'm not real familiar with the Charter Arms line, and had never handled a .44 Special CA before, I didn't know what this meant.

Well, I finally saw the two guns side by side at a local big gun store last week some time, and sure enough, the .41 Mag Pug is noticeably larger than the .44 Special Bulldog. You notice it mostly in the diameter of the cylinder - the smaller .44 Bulldog cylinder has much thinner walls between cylinder chambers than the .41 Mag Pug. If the cylinder is bigger on the Pug, I'm guessing the frame needs to be bigger as well, but it wasn't as obvious as the cylinder size. As I recall, they had a .45 LC version there, too, and as I recall, it was about the same size as the .41 Mag Pug, but it's called a Bulldog XL (for extra large, I suppose.)

I'd say my Mag Pug is something similar to a K frame S&W in size. I think it weighs less than the standard K frame, however, despite having a steel frame. It looks to me like the .44 Bulldog would have a concealabilty advantage over the Mag Pug. Hope this helps anyone looking at these guns online.
Click to expand...
That would make sense given that the .41 mag operates at higher pressures and the .45 needs more room in the cylinder, Id get the colt just because Im pretty much standardized on .45 colt.
 
Well, got the Bully Dog today. Feels good in the hand. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet.
The only sharp edge I found is the bottom of the trigger. Little file work will cure that.
 
I have no idea about recent Charter Arms pistols, although a reliable source here says they are pretty good, maybe the best they have made.

I have an old 3" Bulldog in .44 Special and it is superbly accurate. I bought it to use as a "snake gun" using rat shot, but when wringing it out found out it could shoot very very well.

I shot a lot of 215 gr & 240 Gr Magnus SWCs out of it with no leading. I also cast some Lee 208 Gr WCs and they shot great with no leading.

Pretty doesn't make a gun shoot, and ugly (Plain?) doesn't mean it won't.

Great trigger in both SA & DA. And yes, at 22 ounces full loads are a handful, which explains the Pachmayrs. The wooden ones are stored.

Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Spl.
Charter Arms Bulldog Pic 2.JPG
 
The Charter is not a finely crafted revolver like a S&W. It is a last ditch "GET OFF OF ME NOW" emergency extraction tool for very close bad breath range only. It is made to be carried a lot and shot as little as possible. If you want a .44 Spl. snub to take to the range and shoot a lot buy something else But for what it is it works awfully well and you can literally carry it all day and forget it's on your belt. I carried one for 12 years until the S&W 696 came out. Now THAT is a fine revolver although it's MUCH heavier. The Charter is like a cheap lug wrench. But it most definitely gets the job done. You will want to install rubber grips when practicing with it - the wooden grips are just cruel. Trust me on that. Maybe that was intentional. I was not aware that they now offer it in .41 Magnum. That would be about like trying to hold down a pissed off bear with one hand while you try to stick a branding iron on his butt. You won't want to do that again for a very long time.
 
Last edited:
Loaded up some double ball loads using a .7 cc dipper of unique. Fired three rounds at 8 yds. Both rb's(speer .457) printed real close together. One round, the rbs were about 1" apart. I fired them into some dried up phone book material and the rbs flattened out to about .45 cal.
I may test more loads by running the rbs through a .452 sizer first to see if accuracy would be better(my group was about 7").
I have pics if someone wants me email them or text
 
Hello, all...

Figured I would offer my take on the CA Bulldog .45 Colt.
The previous assessments are correct... not very pretty to look at, a bit rough around the edges and not a “tack driver” with my mediocre marksmanship... but it does manage to hit a paper plate size target at 10-20 yards.
That said, I am pleased with my purchase and glad to have it in the family.
I can’t believe how light it is. Figured a steel frame revolver to have a little more heft to it.
Two things I don’t care for are the big trigger guard and the low spur hammer.
With wide palms and stubby fingers, the trigger guard digs into my middle finger making a comfortable grip impossible for me.
The low spur hammer always feels like it wants to slip off the thumb... which it did once, fortunately while not loaded.
I am hoping a different set of grips will give me a more natural grasp of the situation.

Hope this may be of use to anyone considering the purchase.
 
Are the grips that come with the 45 wood or the Charter rubber? My classic 44 bulldog came with the wooden ones and I changed to the CA rubber and it was much more pleasant to shoot.
 
Drail said:
The Charter is not a finely crafted revolver like a S&W. It is a last ditch "GET OFF OF ME NOW" emergency extraction tool for very close bad breath range only. It is made to be carried a lot and shot as little as possible. If you want a .44 Spl. snub to take to the range and shoot a lot buy something else .
Click to expand...

I like being proficient with my daily CCW. My life may depend on it, so I practice.... a lot. I've got a hair under 4000 rounds through my newer Bulldog Pug, will hit 4k next time I'm at the range. Still tight, smooth trigger pull, accurate as hell and has not missed a beat. Not once. Ever. Apparently my Bulldog doesn't know it's not supposed to be shot a lot. I did apply locktite to a few screws that loosened up.

I have several different grips, Pachymar, CS rubber, old school Fat Bulldog wood. But it wears the skinny wooden ones from the CA 38. Checkered not smooth. This allows it to disappear in a IWB holster with just a tee shirt.

I love my 4" 629 and various Rugers. Beautiful, smooth, finely made weapons for sure. But the beat up Bulldog holds a special place in my heart.

For those other CA fans. Enjoy them and shoot the snot out of them.
 
Last edited:
I hope the 45colt version has too much recoil for some folks. That way I will be able to pick up an inexpensive used one before too long.

My friend said that my 44 special Bulldog hurt his wittle fingers. I didn't call him a baby, I just asked him if he was weaned yet. :)
 
Simply Rugged makes a silver dollar pancake holster just for the bulldog xl in 45Colt , probably also the 41 magpug. Sideguard also makes a holster for it. I think an L frame type holster would probably be ok. On my calipers, cylinder diameter is about 1.602"
 
I also looked on Charter Arms website and they don't have it listed anywhere. It's like they never heard of it before!

Bud's Gun Shop has it as the Bulldog XL .45 Colt (CHA 74530), for $369.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Tallball
  • Locked
New to Me Charter Arms Pit Bull 45acp
Replies
9
Views
885
stonebuster
stonebuster
Panzerschwein
  • Locked
Buffalo Bore on Charter Bulldogs
2 3 4
Replies
79
Views
10K
Panzerschwein
Panzerschwein
M
  • Locked
charter arms bulldog question
Replies
15
Views
2K
Monster Zero
M
Landric
  • Locked
Charter Arms Bulldog: My experience so far
Replies
16
Views
2K
BulletshooterNJ
B
C
  • Locked
What is wrong with the Charter Arms Bulldog?
Replies
23
Views
13K
smokeater201
S
Back
Top