What?!!! Another Charter Arms in the house?

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Biblethumpncop

Biblethumpncop

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280667F4-FEED-4BA0-BAE4-25D8F3C03C8A.jpeg CF27E61A-78CC-48C0-9B36-03F0BE8842E1.jpeg 8F9C5815-24DE-45BA-8FBE-A8425D1F0EB5.jpeg 710689AC-9E74-4770-89BB-4013EC67DBFE.jpeg 54B86866-C0C2-4423-8BBC-9D8027D81A21.jpeg Totally unintentional, but a stainless 3" Bulldog .44 from Stratford followed me home!

I started my fondness for the Charter Arms guns about a 18 months ago. I found a 3" Stratford.44 Bulldog on Gunbroker and picked it up for about $300. I sent it back to the factory for a tuneup and it was discovered that it was originally a blued gun that someone intentionally removed all of the finish so it looked like brushed stainless. The factory reblued it and swapped out some parts for me at no cost because I'm a retired cop. Great customer service and I decided right there I was a fan.

Since then, I briefly had a Stratford .38 Undercover (which I got cheap and doubled my money a few weeks later. In hindsight, I wish I had kept it). I also had two 3" guns made on Bulldog frames (6 shot with adj sights). Needless to say, I like the platform and have several different grips.

Today, I was checking out a new-to-me gunshop in the town next door when I saw this .44 in the case. It was the gun I had hoped my original.44 was when I had bought it. It even has a stainless steel grip frame, the factory pocket hammer and rubber grips. $325 firm...

I left without it to think about for the afternoon. I went back and bought the svelte ol' girl for the asking price. I did a little digging and saw that the company offered a version called the Law Enforcement Bulldog around 1982 which was stainless, had a pocket hammer and rubber grips. If that is the case, maybe this is one of them. How fitting!

I brought her home and tried a variety of grips. The Herrett Shooting Ace grips look appropriate and loaded, the gun weighs less than 25 oz.

Folks, this gun is cool! The craftsmanship back then was special.

Have a look!
 
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Nice find. I wouldn't mind having their bobbed hammer on my 2" ss Undercover.

When I was younger I thought I'd carry a short K frame but now that I'm in my 70's and never really know what the old rheumatoid arthritis may aggravate, I seem to have gravitated to these much lighter Charter Arms. Both of mine are Stratford models and I like the smoother lines and edges of them. Both have gone back for repairs and came back much better. The 3" Bulldog .44 needed a new barrel in order to shoot straighter which also got a nice polish and rebluing and the other is a ss Undercover 2". I have the newer Classic Bulldog grips on the Undercover and right now the Bulldog is wearing the original Bulldog grips - err, no. I've put the newer CA rubber grips on it.

I think the problem I was having with the Bulldog when I first got it was that I was wrapping my hand too far around the gun which would then put that middle finger knuckle too close to the trigger guard on the frame. Recoil, which isn't bad at all was bad on that knuckle. I've noticed that it doesn't do that anymore now that I'm gripping it properly. The sight also present better this way also. I may have to shoot it with the Pach Compacs again next time out and see if I've fixed the problem I was causing.
 
Nice guns. The Pachmayrs fill the gap behind the trigger guard. I had the same problem with a King Cobra. With 357s the bump was severe.
 
I like the old Charters, too, and have three Undercovers. I bought the first new in 1987, on the day I was handed my badge. The second one, made in 1966 (the same year in which I was born), was my dad's, and became mine when he died in 2010. The third, made around 1985, is a stainless one I found a few years ago in a LGS; I hadn't even known they were offered in stainless that long ago.

Passed over an older Bulldog a few years ago that I really should have bought, priced at $300 if I remember right..
 
Stone-axe purposeful looking.

That is gonna be a great looking pistol when it shows some age and use.

Keep us apprised as to the holster you choose.... I mean, unless it's nylon or kydex.:evil:

Todd.
 
Beautiful guns, thanks for posting pictures. Personally I can't imagine shooting a 3" barrel 44 magnum. I carry a 3" .357 and after shooting a box I have to put on gloves to continue shooting. Wouldn't mine having the 44 magnum though.
 
Love .44 special, but my 3, all 5 shots, are not Charter Arms
I have a steel 2" Taurus, a steel S&W 2.5" and a titanium S&W 3".
Any of them have a lot of stopping power in a compact package.
 
I had a Taurus 441 3" in stainless that was a beautiful gun! Craftsmanship I haven't seen on other Taurus guns. Smooth, crisp trigger. EB29A8F1-1794-4A55-8EBD-5FA67D07A271.jpeg It also was about 36oz. No pocket gun for sure, and still 5 shots in a full size gun. It was the size of my friend's S&W 692. I sold it and bought a Glock 48 with S-15 mags. This Bulldog is much smaller and about a 10 oz lighter with the same capacity.
 
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I nearly picked up a 441 about a year ago. I wanted to do some research on them but when I went back the next day.....of course it was gone.
I would love one for OWB carry.
 
Those older Taurus stainless guns are nice. I have two of them, both from the mid-90s. One is a 85 (.38 Special) and the other is a 941 (.22WMR.) Both have three-inch barrels, pretty much perfect for all-around carry to me. Pretty much all the Taurus revolvers with the round cylinder release button hail from their years better than what came after.
 
Biblethumpncop said:
According to Charter Arms, this gun was made in 1984.
Click to expand...
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Then it's "Big Brother" approved. :)

Those Herrett Ace grips are the bomb. They really improve the handling of the CA. I've had several - last was a Boomer I picked up NIB in '19 for under $300 and sold in '20 for over $400 - but I don't have any now. They seem to come and go - but always leave some extra cash in my pocket when they leave so I'm always open to finding the next one. ;) I'm keeping my eyes open for basic blued Bulldog that needs some care. I have a S&W 36 in .38Spl I had matte blued and fitted with a set of Rosewood finger-groove Hogues a few year back and it's a nice effect - dark rose with matte blue-almost-black - I'd like to do the same to a Bulldog.

Great find. Enjoy!
 
345997A9-DF2A-446D-AB39-C830BFC1441D.jpeg 109C77A8-0053-46A4-B04D-47EE68107B61.jpeg I cobbled together a pocket holster today. The entire pocket is filled due to the 3" barrel length. The Pachmayr grips are just a tad smaller. I will carry both over the weekend to see if there is much difference in how they carry. Hopefully our weather will allow me to sling some lead too!
 
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