CA Bulldog Club

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Spug said:
I thought the bore looked a little bit like there might be some tool chatter in the rifling, so I tried to take a picture of that: View attachment 238496
Click to expand...

My Dog's barrel has chatter marks just like yours. I was concerned, until I shot it. Accurate as hell and no leading of any concern with my cast loads. After well over 3000 rounds thru it, I'll call it good. That said, if it's causing you issues, certainly give CA a call.

Take care
 
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Spug said:
Thanks to all for the replies!

Farm23: I'd be interested in hearing more about what weight of bullet you settle on. I really like the Classic with 3" barrel and blued finish and probably would have gotten that if it had been available, but my 2.5" stainless is growing on me. I may have to give those large wood grips a try at some point.

Crowman: Do you think that I should go with the harder 18 Brinell bullets would be better even with coated bullets such as MBC offers? I thought that softer bullets would obturate better given the softer .44 Special loads I am using. Missouri Bullet Co. lists their 18 Br. bullets as "for magnum loads", which these definitely aren't. Their softer bullets are 12 Brinell hardness. I'd like to get some 200 grain wadcutters but haven't seen them in coated and right now I'm anxious to avoid leading as much as possible. I do cast some in other calibers and have thought about getting a mold for the .44, but I want to settle on a bullet weight and profile that I'll be happy with
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There is an old thread here at THR that covers your questions on bullet hardness quite well. I'll see if I can find it.
 
Crowman said:
There is an old thread here at THR that covers your questions on bullet hardness quite well. I'll see if I can find it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Crowman.

I've got some 200 and 240-grain copper plated RNFP coming from x-treme which should get here next week, as well as a some 200 grain coated missouri bullets, so I can hopefully load a few up and see how they work sometime soon. I found a couple threads I'll be reading from 2004 ( https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/isnt-the-44-special-for-defense-just-awesome.561639/ ) and 2010 ( https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/44-special-pet-loads.679964/ ).

I also have some Titegroup that I got a couple years ago and have not yet used as I am pretty new to reloading and have been a little shy of the potential for double charging, which seems like much less likely with the two other powders. Definitely interested in farm23's experience.

Loose noose, thanks for your advice on the rough bore as well as your load info above with the Matt's 250-gr. I still have very few rounds through and haven't shot it since getting it back from CA so I am going to do as Duster340 suggests and just shoot it a bit more. The barrel's nice and clean now and perhaps shooting a few hundred copper plated rounds will smooth it out a bit.
 
I don't have a Bulldog but recently spoke with a Charter Arms tech. Here's what I learned:

Their 38 special revolvers should not be used with +p or +p+.
The trigger, trigger latch and transfer bar are MIM and the hammer is investment casted
They use outside suppliers for screws, pins and springs.
 
Incidentally Spug, I use a hard lube with my cast bullets, they seem to smoke less and I've yet to get any leading. Note I use a hard lube even when using a gas check, and always with any type of cast bullet. The only soft lube I use is SPG which is designed as a black powder lube. With the hard lube you do need a heater attached to your lube sizer. I got mine at Midway quite a few years ago and it is still working fine.
 
Thanks Loose. No lube sizer yet, alas. I've been pan lubing for larger bullets and tumbling with Alox for smaller ones (no .44 Special yet). Both methods leave a lot to be desired. Pan lubing isn't bad for big .45-70 slugs or anything I'm shooting small volumes of, but it's messy and so is tumble lubing. Maybe that's why I've got so many cast but un-lubed bullets waiting for when I can get around to it!

I should probably get a lube sizer but coming to terms with the outlay is hard, especially as I don't have a source of lead locally. Lead wheel weights are history around my area and getting Lyman #2 from Rotometals can get expensive quick. The Lyman heated sizer/lubricator is around 200 bucks plus having to buy the tubes of lube. The capital commitment somewhat damps my enthusiasm for casting, although I do enjoy the process, and value being able to make my own if I have to and will probably have to get a mold at least.
 
The hard lube is very inexpensive, and will last for quite a few bullets, 5-10,000 or more, depending on the diameter etc. I believe Lyman is now making a lube that is less messy and hold to the bullets quite well and doesn't even need a heater I believe it is called, "Super Moly". I haven't tried using it yet but it is a thought, I've got a tube form Lyman when I sent in one of my lubricators for repair last winter, in fact they upgraded my much older one and supplied me with a new one for just under $100.00. Excellent customer service I might add.
 
Man I feel stupid now after reading all these posts. Back in the late 80s I bought a Bully Dog, bobbed the hammer and carried it in an ankle holster when I worked as a reserve law dog. Sold it to finance another pistol. Wish I never got rid of mine. Stupid is as stupid does.
 
gasmandave said:
Man I feel stupid now after reading all these posts. Back in the late 80s I bought a Bully Dog, bobbed the hammer and carried it in an ankle holster when I worked as a reserve law dog. Sold it to finance another pistol. Wish I never got rid of mine. Stupid is as stupid does.
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Don't feel too bad. I think we all have deals we wish we'd never done, both buying and selling.

Maybe you'll find a good deal on a classic Bulldog. Keep looking.
 
Thanks. I picked the gun up at the LGS, no box and fired very little if at all. The grips had been in the same shop for at least 15 years with no takers, like they'd been waiting all that time for the gun to show up.
 
Charter Arms .44 Special 2.5" before and after grips change!
 

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VA27

Wow never saw a nickel plated Charter Arms revolver before! Really like the looks of yours, especially with those stag grips! Thanks for sharing!
 
Things have been pretty quiet in the clubhouse, though I've seen a few related threads lately. Any new members to welcome? Price of admission is a picture!

I've been doing more rifle shooting lately, but my Bulldog is going with me next range trip.
 
Mine has been temporarily confiscated by one of my sons for cc duty. I only let family walk my dog though. It is a little finicky and requires close attention.

Once i get it back, i want to try some wadcutters i made from inserting a gas check into a lee mold
 
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