First, I'd go with a .22LR pistol. When I lost my beloved S&W 63 revolver "kit gun" (which I'd stayed on a waiting list for months to get) to a couple of thieves who worked in my apartment building, I bought two Rossi M511s that turned out to be just as good in their own way. And they were every bit as accurate and even had some benefits. They had ejector shrouds, which my 63 didn't have. They were a bit more accurate, just as tight and they were pretty in their own way. Also, I just plain liked 'em.
If I had to choose between a Taurus revolver or a Charter Arms, I'd take the Taurus any day. I'm not crazy about either one, but the Charter Arms, especially the Bulldog, is a gun I just never liked. Stopping power is on the low side because the velocity is just too low. It might give you a psychological edge with that big, gaping hole in the barrel, but six rounds of .22LR would be better in my view because I've just seen the .22LR stop too many bad guys. I also know a guy who was shot with one while he was working on his home. He woke up in the hospital and they said he'd come "this close" to dying. The two kids who fired the round were (are you ready for this?) just a stone's throw over a mile away when they fired the round. (They never caught them, but they got a witness who saw them firing the gun.) The guy who was shot said he felt like he'd been stung by a monster wasp. He tried to go down the ladder he was on, but passed out before he reached the bottom. My dad grew up in Melber, Ky., during the Depression and said the .22LR was called the "surgeon's nightmare" because the bullets could go in one place and end up in another part of the body, which made it a lethal round. My dad just used his rifle for hunting squirrels and opossums.
My own view is that a .38 Spc. +P has more stopping power than a .44 Spc. And most Taurus revolvers can take +P now, I think. But if you get a Taurus, check out the one you're gonna buy before you plop down your money! Don't wait until you clean it to discover it's got a B/C gap big enough to stick your elbow through, or that it's out of time. Take a couple of .357 bullets (NOT cartridges!) with you and drop one into each chamber. If the throat stops it, great, but if they fall right through to the table, consider another model. And don't push the bullet through if it catches or you'll resize it slightly. Just invert it and let it fall out where you put it in.
Starting with a fresh sheet of paper, I would consider a third option. Even though this is a revolver forum, if I were you, the gun that screams at me for your purposes is the Ruger 22/45, used or new. And the one I love is this:
You can get one used for a very nice price, and the things will last forever. It you get the old Standard Auto type of Mark II/III, they'll a hoot!
If you don't mind a single-action revolver, consider getting an inexpensive .22LR revolver. The second gun I ever bought was an RG Model 66 cowboy revolver that was chrome plated. Shiny chrome. Once I found out where the sweet spot was on the sites, I could plink with it and even hit what I was aiming at. Most are made on alloy frames, which means they're very light weight. That and a few boxes of ammo can really come in handy.
Finally, a nice knock-around gun I love is the Henry AR-7 Survival Rifle. Utterly reliable, the receiver, barrel and three magazines all fit into the stock, and it all floats. You can put it together in 40 seconds if you take your time, and it's accurate enough to take game. It fits in a backpack or you can throw some paracord around it and throw it over your shoulder or just toss it in the trunk. (James Bond even kilt a bad guy and shot down the helicopter he was in, all with one shot.) It used to be made by Charter Arms, but now it's made by a much better company.
Hope you find what you're looking for. But let us know what you end up with. If I had to make a recommendation just get a Ruger SP-101 and treat it as a beater.
