COLDDILL,
If you think I am wrong, try shooting some ammo of the same weight at different velocities.
The .38 Special 158 grain round nose or semi wadcutter standard pressure from one of the big 3 ammo companies and then some of BUFFALO BORE ammo using the same weight bullet at standard pressure and higher velocity and see if you can tell the difference.
You can try the same thing with BLAZER 200 grain ammo and BUFFALO BORE 200 grain ammo. The difference in velocity will be at least 100 fps and the recoil will be noticeable.
I bet you can notice the difference very easily.
Jim
BUFFALO BORE ammo has a justified reputation for recoil, which is why they advised against using it in such a light gun
I don't think that's the reason why Buffalo Bore originally didn't recommend their .44 special loads (other than the 200 gr. wadcutter) for the Charter Bulldog. In my correspondences with them, quoted in the OP, you can see that the folks at Buffalo Bore were concerned with the strength of the older Bulldogs. They replied to me saying that they feel the newer ones are better built, and that limited use of these loads shouldn't cause issues.
I don't think it has anything to do with them thinking the ammo would recoil more. That's a given, I already know that and I'm sure they do too. IMHO I am willing to accept somewhat more recoil if that means I'm getting a more effective round on target, i.e. a hollow point that will actually expand, which I just don't think will happen with a Blazer 200 gr. Gold Dot from my 2.5" Bulldog. The velocity is just not there in the chrono tests I've uncovered in my research. People are averaging well under the 800 FPS that Speer says their 200 grain .44 special Gold Dot will open up with, when firing said load from the new shorter barreled Charter Bulldogs. They no longer make ones with 3" barrels.
Not only that, but I have yet to find ANY ballistics gelatin tests for either Blazer or Speer 200 grain .44 special Gold Dots from this kind of gun. I've gotten a ton of recommendations for this gun/load combo, but with 0 evidence to back it up showing that the round will actually perform from this platform. Like many things, it appears this load is popular and oft recommended for Charter Bulldogs for one reason only: it's popular. On the internet.
I'm just trying to find a good load that I know will work as advertised, criteria include nothing more than it being of a hollow point design as that's what I feel is the best self defense bullet for my needs of protection against human attackers. No wadcutters, semi-wadcutters, or snake shot for me, I'm looking for the best and most appropriate factory loaded .44 special hollow point that works the best from my 2.5" Bulldog.