Bulldog .44, 40 years in the making

[Miami_JBT]

Me as well! Although I have discovered that they come home with greater regularity if the appeal to one of my quirks. I love 70's cop movies like The Gauntlet, most of the Dirty Harry series, The Anderson Tapes, The original Walking Tall, Dog Day Afternoon, and the list goes on...

There is something about a 3" CA Bulldogs that fits right into that genre!

Well, because of this thread I'm on the hunt for a stainless 3" Bulldog.



Also, I love The Gauntlet, Dirty Harry, McQ, Brannigan, etc... as a second gen cop, I grew up watching all those movies as a kid in the station squad room on VHS while Dad was working.

 

[vanfunk]

Oh yes! The view from the opposing side is literally awesome. Even with unassuming LSWC ammo, it looks like it’s loaded with lead bricks.

Miami JBT: Yessir! Get that Bulldog! I think we’re on our way to starting a movement! Adopt a (Bull)dog today!

 

[ontarget]

Mine is also from the late 70s IIRC. It's still NIB. I bought it along with 2 boxes of ammo, about 5 years ago but never got around to shooting it. Shown here with my very early Undercover which was the first Snub I ever bought. It doesn't really show up in the pic but the Bulldog is developing a plum coloring in the bluing.

 

[jeepnik]

Speaking of the Southpaw (my favorite snubbie) I would be first in line if they would make a left handed Bulldog.

 

[Shivahasagun]

It's a neat concept and I like it.

I've had 2 Charter .44's bought new in the last 3 years or so.

Neat. Fun. Don't bet your life on one.

 

[JERRY]

Mine is also from the late 70s IIRC. It's still NIB. I bought it along with 2 boxes of ammo, about 5 years ago but never got around to shooting it. Shown here with my very early Undercover which was the first Snub I ever bought. It doesn't really show up in the pic but the Bulldog is developing a plum coloring in the bluing.
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I remember those days...

 

[GRIZ22]

IIRC, he wrote that he reduced that load to 6.5 grains of Unique in the Bulldog.

I remember that as 6.0 grains of Unique.

 

[TarDevil]

I wish I loaded so I could wish for a. 44!

 

[Dan-O]

Had to get some new eye candy pics of an old partner of mine, my little tricked out bully:

 

[Paul Kersey]

IIRC, he wrote that he reduced that load to 6.5 grains of Unique in the Bulldog.

Dang. I loaded some @ 6.0 gr. Kinda felt like closing yer fist around a firecracker.

 

[vanfunk]

I am thinking about loafing up a few of those rounds and trying them over my Garmin Xero (LOVE that thing!). I took my Dremel (yes I did!) to the extractor star on mine and now the offending burr is gone. Rounds fall in and out now. Rubber grips and a Wolff spring are on the way.

Dan-O, please tell more - did you jewel the trigger yourself or have it done? Did it lighten the pull? Also is that an XS front sight?

 

[Dan-O]

I am thinking about loafing up a few of those rounds and trying them over my Garmin Xero (LOVE that thing!). I took my Dremel (yes I did!) to the extractor star on mine and now the offending burr is gone. Rounds fall in and out now. Rubber grips and a Wolff spring are on the way.

Dan-O, please tell more - did you jewel the trigger yourself or have it done? Did it lighten the pull? Also is that an XS front sight?

Magnaport mini bob of the hammer, trigger and hammer have been jeweled. Also had them mill off the front ramp, and yes, it is an xs big dot sight. Didn’t lighten the pull, more of an aesthetic thing, but the mini bob of the hammer makes it less likely to snag when pocket carrying, or appendix with the clip draw. This puppy was my edc for many moons. Now I mostly carry it when in rattlesnake territory with the first two rounds of snake shot and the remaining three rounds are a mild blend of unique and 200 grain dewc’s. The wolff hammer springs smoothed out a pretty rough and gritty trigger after some serious dry firing and light stoning of internals.

 

[vanfunk]

Update: I added a pair of Pachmayr Compacs to the ‘Dog this morning; much, much better! I haven’t had the greatest luck with new Pachmayrs lately but these are well made. Still small enough for carry but much more shootable. I really like this thing!

 

[Mr. Mosin]

I’ve been on the fence about one of these for years now…

 

[defjon]

I'm looking really hard at a pitbull in 45acp!

Not to derail , but anyone know of any 45 acp wadcutter or cowboy type rounds?

 

[defjon]

..I mean for sale somewhere. I didn't see anything on Buffalo bore, plus at like 22 oz unloaded, I'm trying to get recoil down and still let a big ol 45 acp chunk go thru and thru and rumbling all the way.

 

[Mr. Mosin]

..I mean for sale somewhere. I didn't see anything on Buffalo bore, plus at like 22 oz unloaded, I'm trying to get recoil down and still let a big ol 45 acp chunk go thru and thru and rumbling all the way.

.45 Auto wadcutters would be a hand-loading affair I think.

 

[defjon]

Well darn...be nice to have fir the govna as well.

 

[Mr. Mosin]

Well darn...be nice to have fir the govna as well.

I looked extensively for a buddy with a 1917 Smith; and we concluded it would be a hand-loading affair. Never could find any commercial made

 

[obiwan1]

I just read the post about the burr in the extractor star. Both my 70s vintage 'Dogs had the same burr! After 45+ years that same star machine is turning out the same stars with the same burr! A little file job was all that was needed to fix that.
By the way, my original 3" is great! My four inch target bulldog SUCKS. Rear target sights with no way to hold position. Needed shims on both sides of the shank. Barrel sleeve doesn't secure well. Frame cracked and Charter charged me almost $100 to fix it. Not happy with it although 240gr lead SWC out of 4" barrel makes an impressive impact on water filled paint cans!

 

[Shivahasagun]

I have about 300 .430 bullets and no longer have a .44.

A relative offered to loan me his two newer-production Bulldogs just so I could load and shoot those bullets.

One of these guns had already been back to Charter (light strikes, way off target, and seized up) and the other got a stronger hammer spring to set off primers reliably which made the trigger pull terrible. I'm sure it will snap the transfer bar.

I told them "thanks" but "no thanks" because there is no way those two guns are going to survive 300 rds together without something breaking and I don't want to break his guns.

Every trigger pull on these guns is a dice-roll that it will fire or will break.

 

[Buckeye63]

 

[vanfunk]

This morning’s session. I loaded up some trial rounds of Rim Rock 200 grain DEWCs and 185 grain LSWCHP bullets. Man, those hollow points are huge. The 200 grain wadcutter loads with 6.5 grains of Unique were surprisingly fast, averaging 860 fps. ES was a pretty low 32 fps. Those rounds cut a nice, clean big hole and were pretty controllable; not punishing, but brisk. I think these would make a good carry load. Next, I found the 185 grain hollow points did best with 7.5 grains of Unique. These grouped well at 25 yards too, about 5”. More airspace in the case led to these having the same average velocity as the wadcutters. I have no idea if these are soft enough to open up at that velocity but they sure look mean in the cylinder. Either way, a .44 slug of either variety is formidable in my estimation. Now the hard part, but loads shoot low and 4-5” left at 25 yards. I know it’s not my flinch as I am very used to big bore recoil. The elevation will be an easy fix with some judicious filing but the left-shooting is not. I am going to the LGS today and they have a full-time gunsmith; I’m going to see if he can turn the barrel for me. I shot this 15-round group while holding on the top right of the black circle.

 

[Great Scot]

Love my Bulldog. Resides next to my bed and provides ample comfort! Magna porting and Pachmayr grips make shooting it enjoyable.

 

[Bazoo]

Had to get some new eye candy pics of an old partner of mine, my little tricked out bully:

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Very nice, thank you for sharing. I love the clip, could we get some more info on it. How is it attached? it looks like maybe double stick tape?