I've had some intrest in these recently as a smaller carry revolver. Handled one at the gun store and boy was it rough! Lock up was good but not like a vault. The trigger seemed decent. The ejector was super gritty along with the cylinder release latch. The cylinder snapped back into the frame with some grit also. I read around and some say that they smooth out after a while. Anyone with any experience with this firearm getting smoother over time?
Charter Arms Bulldog... RUFF!
- Thread starter smovlov
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I have 5 Charter Revolvers, all newly manufactured ones, including a 44 Bulldog. They do indeed smooth out with use. The ejector rod smooths quickly. Simply cycling it, maybe 100 times, you will notice it gets much nicer. The Charters are well made revolvers, and everything that counts is well done, but the fact that they are half the cost of a S&W shows in the way they feel. They are accurate, and reliable, and give a shooter a lower cost option.
Panzerschwein
member
I recently bought a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 special, NIB made in February 2015.
It was very similar to how you described, locked up well but gritty and rough. One thing about mine, is that the timing was off on the gun. I shipped it back to Charter Arms and had it back in 2 weeks at 0 charge to me, Charter Arms customer service is some of the best I've ever experienced. A few weeks ago, like an idiot, I decided to take apart the cylinder release on my gun to clean it. BAD IDEA, don't ever do this on a Charter Arms gun. The cylinder release has a bunch of tiny parts and springs that will fly all over the place and be impossible to put back together. I lost a couple parts, so decided to ship the gun back to Charter Arms to see about getting the release fixed.
I paid for shipping from my end. Got the gun back... IN THREE DAYS.
Not only that, the repair and return shipping totaled to $0.00. They replaced all the little parts I lost, paid for the labor, and the return express air shipping. I couldn't believe it. Just know that if you do get a Charter Arms gun, they'll take care of you like no other, no questions asked.
Now, as for the gun, it does smooth out with time and a few cleanings. The only thing that hasn't smoothed out yet it the ejector, it's kind of gritty but this in no way has affected function. It kicks the shells out nicely and snaps back just fine. The trigger has smoother out very nicely, and I now consider it to be superior to my S&W J-frame triggers... smooth, fairly light DA pull with an amazingly light and crisp SA pull. Overall I'd rate the trigger as "very good" for a mass produced DA/SA revolver.
As for shooting, so far I've put 250 rounds of 240 grain FMJ semi wadcutter reloads through the gun, a 50 round box of Blazer Gold Dot 200 grain loads, as well as about 50 rounds of full-power Buffalo Bore and Corbon loads. Yes, I know it says on Buffalo Bore's website to not do this, but I have spoken with the owner of that company and he assured me that it would be okay in a new Bulldog.
Shooting characteristics are very good. The sights are about ideal for a fixed sight defensive revolver, they're wide and easy to see but not imprecise. Recoil is comfortable with the LAX (brand) commercial reloads I was shooting, not bad at all. The Blazer Gold Dots had a bit more recoil but not much. The Buffalo Bore and Corbon loads though, had some impressive pop to them. I have added a pair of Pachmayr compac grips to the gun, and that I'm sure helped dampen the recoil but it's still pretty noticeable. Overall it's doable though with warm loads, and recoil is not painful.
The gun has fired every single round without a hitch. The only load it didn't like was the aluminum cased Blazer Gold Dot 200 grain loads. They stuck in the chambers badly, I attribute this to the aluminum case. All brass ammo including the hot Buffalo Bore and Corbons ejected extremely easily.
All in all, I really like this gun. Just yesterday, I got my leather rig in from Simply Rugged holsters for this Bulldog. Here it is with the gun and some of the Corbon 200 grain DPX loads:
Just a great gun so far, hard to argue with a 19.5 oz .44 revolver. It's got excellent stopping power, is compact, and while not as refined as a S&W it shoots every bit as well. If I were you OP, I wouldn't hesitate to get one.
It was very similar to how you described, locked up well but gritty and rough. One thing about mine, is that the timing was off on the gun. I shipped it back to Charter Arms and had it back in 2 weeks at 0 charge to me, Charter Arms customer service is some of the best I've ever experienced. A few weeks ago, like an idiot, I decided to take apart the cylinder release on my gun to clean it. BAD IDEA, don't ever do this on a Charter Arms gun. The cylinder release has a bunch of tiny parts and springs that will fly all over the place and be impossible to put back together. I lost a couple parts, so decided to ship the gun back to Charter Arms to see about getting the release fixed.
I paid for shipping from my end. Got the gun back... IN THREE DAYS.
Not only that, the repair and return shipping totaled to $0.00. They replaced all the little parts I lost, paid for the labor, and the return express air shipping. I couldn't believe it. Just know that if you do get a Charter Arms gun, they'll take care of you like no other, no questions asked.
Now, as for the gun, it does smooth out with time and a few cleanings. The only thing that hasn't smoothed out yet it the ejector, it's kind of gritty but this in no way has affected function. It kicks the shells out nicely and snaps back just fine. The trigger has smoother out very nicely, and I now consider it to be superior to my S&W J-frame triggers... smooth, fairly light DA pull with an amazingly light and crisp SA pull. Overall I'd rate the trigger as "very good" for a mass produced DA/SA revolver.
As for shooting, so far I've put 250 rounds of 240 grain FMJ semi wadcutter reloads through the gun, a 50 round box of Blazer Gold Dot 200 grain loads, as well as about 50 rounds of full-power Buffalo Bore and Corbon loads. Yes, I know it says on Buffalo Bore's website to not do this, but I have spoken with the owner of that company and he assured me that it would be okay in a new Bulldog.
Shooting characteristics are very good. The sights are about ideal for a fixed sight defensive revolver, they're wide and easy to see but not imprecise. Recoil is comfortable with the LAX (brand) commercial reloads I was shooting, not bad at all. The Blazer Gold Dots had a bit more recoil but not much. The Buffalo Bore and Corbon loads though, had some impressive pop to them. I have added a pair of Pachmayr compac grips to the gun, and that I'm sure helped dampen the recoil but it's still pretty noticeable. Overall it's doable though with warm loads, and recoil is not painful.
The gun has fired every single round without a hitch. The only load it didn't like was the aluminum cased Blazer Gold Dot 200 grain loads. They stuck in the chambers badly, I attribute this to the aluminum case. All brass ammo including the hot Buffalo Bore and Corbons ejected extremely easily.
All in all, I really like this gun. Just yesterday, I got my leather rig in from Simply Rugged holsters for this Bulldog. Here it is with the gun and some of the Corbon 200 grain DPX loads:
Just a great gun so far, hard to argue with a 19.5 oz .44 revolver. It's got excellent stopping power, is compact, and while not as refined as a S&W it shoots every bit as well. If I were you OP, I wouldn't hesitate to get one.
The Alaskan
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- Joined
- Mar 14, 2015
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- 477
My aunt, now in her 60's, has carried one since I was a child. As I recall from my early adulthood, the gun was essentially a POS. Like you said, rough with poor fit and finish and an ugly trigger. It was a cheap gun that, if confiscated for some reason (i.e. had to be used in self defense), they hadn't lost much financially speaking. Personally, I would never own one. IN fact, I would own a Taurus revolver first, and THAT says something. Others will likely disagree with me.
Panzerschwein
member
You will get all kinds of opinions on the Charter Arms guns.
Some say they're garbage, others love them.
I reported my impressions in my last post. They were favorable, and it's a very recent production specimen.
Some say they're garbage, others love them.
I reported my impressions in my last post. They were favorable, and it's a very recent production specimen.
They are the most comfortable snub I have ever carried. You can literally almost forget it's on your belt. I still carry one I bought new in 1987. Still runs perfectly. But they have made a lot of really terrible guns over the years. Everyone I talk to says they stand behind their products 110% today. In the early years that wasn't always true. And like the man said, don't never take the cylinder release apart unless you really want to go all the way. I literally used to get a second person to hold the plunger down while i "arranged" several other parts. If you lose control they all go flying in various directions. Creative but challenging engineering. And people think Ruger's designs are weird. The man that designed the Charter was WAY OUT THERE.
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Starter52
Member
I have a Charter Arms Bulldog .357 that I've owned and shot since 1985. It has never let me down and is accurate enough (with .38's) to hit a lifesize silhouette target at 100 yards five-of-five shots. I have complete confidence in my Charter Arms revolver. A great backpacking gun.
Charter Arms has operated under several different ownerships over the years with widely varying levels of quality. Some of them were pretty rough, but there's no point comparing a gun made decades ago with one made now.
I will say the current level of customer support is outstanding.
I will say the current level of customer support is outstanding.
Saddlebag Preacher
Member
I have the .40 Pitbull. While it seemed a little rough and gritty in places (like opening and closing the cylinder), after a good cleaning with CLP and some lubing with Slip 2000, it has rally smoothed out. Get some snap caps and pull the trigger while watching a half hour show or two. I think you'd be surprised how it will smooth out.
By the way, back in the day (late 1970's, early 80's) when we were issued or bought a new S&W model 10, 19 or snub model 36, we would put toothpaste in the action and set and dry fire for a few days. The grit in the toothpaste was a cheap action smoothing job. And it made the gun minty fresh!
By the way, back in the day (late 1970's, early 80's) when we were issued or bought a new S&W model 10, 19 or snub model 36, we would put toothpaste in the action and set and dry fire for a few days. The grit in the toothpaste was a cheap action smoothing job. And it made the gun minty fresh!
Panzerschwein
member
Like someone else said, Charter Arms has been bought and sold over the years and the quality has gone back and forth, up and down, inside out, and all around town.
The new ones, in my experience, are good. If you do decide to get one, and it has an issue of any kind, Charter Arms will take care of you. I was in your shoes not long ago, but I'm extremely glad I decided to pick one up. They really are a great and unique revolver design, lots of stopping power in a compact package.
The new ones, in my experience, are good. If you do decide to get one, and it has an issue of any kind, Charter Arms will take care of you. I was in your shoes not long ago, but I'm extremely glad I decided to pick one up. They really are a great and unique revolver design, lots of stopping power in a compact package.
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