I wanted a Bulldog - I just couldn't find anyone who had one - or had owned one - with a fond remembrance. I remembered the Ti .44's that graced American Rifleman ('98?) - and wanted a Taurus all-Ti 445 or a S&W 296. I found the latter at $359 locally on closeout nine years ago - less than half the last MSRP. They also had a new 696, also canned, but for their 'regular' price of $439. Just days later - at the range - my carry and NIB AMT DAO Backups in .45 ACP both jammed - I cleaned them both and traded them on the 296 & 696 on the way home. I got $400 for the pair - and another $10 off the S&W's because I bought both. I was happy. Sadly, the 296 had to be carried in an OWB pancake holster - until I got Mr. Mika to make me a pocket holster for it:
That combo is a pocket carry in 3/4 of my pants' front pockets (A 642 gets 100% carry.). The original boot grips are back - and those GA Arms 200gr Gold Dots, like the CCI Blazer Al-cased variant I carried for years (No more - one split in my 696!), make right at 800 fps from the 2.5" barrel. That's enough to fully open in gelatin - quite impressive! That's been 95+% of it's diet of 2.5k + rounds thus far. When I am in the woods, the first round is a 240gr LSWC. The recoil in the 19+ oz humpback with the OEM boots is 'significant'. Of course, a simple grip change improves that quite a bit - just try to get the X-frame grip in your pocket:
Absurd? Talk about universal fit, those grips fit K, L, N, X, & Z frames! Of course, the Charter Arms designed HKS speedloaders, #CA44, fit the 296/696 quite well. I don't think the hammer on the Bulldog will fare well in my pocket - did they ever make it with an enclosed hammer?
I still find myself looking at the Charter Arms revolvers at my enabler's lair. Thanks to this thread, I may just look more closely... it would be an ideal car gun. Good to read positive results with the little beast!
Stainz
