Modern Equivalent to British Bulldog Revolver

Mr. Mosin

Mr. Mosin

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What would today’s equivalent of the British Bulldog revolver be ? The original was a snub fixed-cylinder double action. Something designed with eminent reliability and concealability in mind; strictly for defensive purposes.

I’m thinking something along the lines of an LCP (for autoloaders) or a S&W Airweight Centennial (revolver) or equivalents.

What be your thoughts ?
 
The S&W Model 325 for light weight and large bore.

The S&W Model 22-4 if you can handle the weight.

Kevin
 
Taurus put out a number of five hole 44 special snubbies. As factory loaded, the 44 special is about as close to the old bull dog cartridges as you can get. I have a box of 450s from Fiocchi, but that's a pretty obscure cartridge these days.
 
The powerful rounds in a lightweight gun (like an Sc revolver) have a bit of a kick. Of course, a low recoil wadcutter in larger caliber is nothing to sneeze at. SW did make a 610 in 40 and 10 mm with a 3 7/8 inch barrel. Not really a lt. weight gun though.

Must it be a revolver? There are good semi options.
 
Yes, it has to be a revolver. Not knocking small self loaders but the bull dog concept was a compact snub nosed revolver of large caliber and modest velocity. A 38 snubby wouldn't qualify as a bull dog.
 
GEM said:
The powerful rounds in a lightweight gun (like an Sc revolver) have a bit of a kick. Of course, a low recoil wadcutter in larger caliber is nothing to sneeze at. SW did make a 610 in 40 and 10 mm with a 3 7/8 inch barrel. Not really a lt. weight gun though.
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Yep. Some people can shoot a snub revolver rapidly enough in controlled fire for effective defensive shooting, but not very many.
unspellable said:
Yes, it has to be a revolver. Not knocking small self loaders but the bull dog concept was a compact snub nosed revolver of large caliber and modest velocity.
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That is because revolvers are all they had.
unspellable said:
A 38 snubby wouldn't qualify as a bull dog.
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They sure did in the old days.
 
God knows I don't want to start the semi vs. revolver debate but if I wanted a compact big bore - it would be a Glock 39. Six rounds of 45 GAP + 1 in the chamber in a G26 package.

Or would a SW 696 in 44 SPL serve? 5 shots.

How about two Bond derringers in a big bore - one in each vest pocket - like Yancy Derringer!
 
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unspellable said:
Yes, it has to be a revolver. Not knocking small self loaders but the bull dog concept was a compact snub nosed revolver of large caliber and modest velocity. A 38 snubby wouldn't qualify as a bull dog.
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A few British Bulldogs were in .350 Adans
 
Charter Stainless Bulldog 44 or Pit Bull 45. Stainless because lots of the Brits were nickel plated. Or a Rossi 720 stainless (had one, foolishly sold it), Taurus 431 stainless, (have one), meet the basic criteria. I have the Lyman "factory 44 special mould but would never consider the round nose over a semi wadcutter or full wadcutter. I guess a wide flat nose would be most like the Brit slug.
Fun exercise.
 
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From then on, the term has come to mean any short-barrelled double-action revolver with a swing-out ejector rod and a short grip.[2]
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en.wikipedia.org

British Bull Dog revolver - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Nothing I know of, odd design these days. FF to ~ 3:00.

www.youtube.com

Forehand & Wadsworth British Bulldog Revolvers

British Bulldog revolvers- ironically made most often in Belgium or the United States, were extremely popular in the 19th C. While commonly associated with t...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

These had fixed ejectors and faded away around the same time period.

en.wikipedia.org

Colt M1877 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
Taurus 44 special UL. And always likened it to the old Bull dogs. If designing a new bull dog, it would be a fixed cylinder top break in the new .40 rimmed zeke special.
 

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S&W Model 357 Nightguard. Or any of the Nightguard revos for that matter.
Chambered in .41 Mag( could load down to 210 grains at 1000 fps)

1735244911497.jpeg
Not mine, but would love to get one...
Not easy to find.
 
Woodsh3d said:
Ruger should make a jumbo sized LCR in 44 spl and 45 acp/ 45 colt…I’d buy one…
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I've been thinking about this lately about how larger than the J frame there are no ultralight/aluminum frame revolvers. Smith has the Scandium stuff, but that's probably quite different and Taurus had the Titanium line years ago, but again those were focused on snubs. I'm talking about easy to machine Aluminum frames that are equivalent in size to an L or N frame for two reasons: more capacity for smaller calibers and the ability to hold at least 5 rounds of big bore calibers.

As I've said in that past when I've asked for a smaller than J frame revolver built specific for .32 ACP, I understand that the bread and butter for any such thing is going to be the sales of a .22 model and the same would apply for an Aluminum .44 or .45 N frame revolver in they'll have to produce a .22 model that holds 9 or 10 or 11 rounds, but because the price is going to be lower and the weight MUCH lower the sales will be there.
 
The so called "scandium" alloy is actually aluminum with a pinch of scandium, 2 or 3 %. Years ago I checked and scandium went for $700 a pound and it's gone up since. That 2 or 3 % does strengthen the aluminum though.
The Taurus big bore 44 special snubbies were available blued, in stainless, aluminum frame, and all titanium. I also have one with sights and a six inch barrel.
 
Kleanbore said:
That is because revolvers are all they had.
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I would think that a lot of those dirt cheap bulldogs would have been sold alongside colt pocket and vest pocket models as well as a few other early tiny bottom feeders. Possibly toward the end of the era of the bulldog revolver but alongside nonetheless. The majority of autoloaders available would have been too big, and far more expensive to be considered carry guns by anything but the wealthy.

As to the question at hand, I’m looking at this objectively and ignoring the requirement for a big bore. The idea was a powerful enough round in a repeating firearm to stop a man in the smallest and lightest package available. At the turn of the century that required mass because velocity maxed out at around 1000fps because powder technology hadn’t grown much. Today you could argue a 38 to be enough to fit that criteria so a J frame would be the answer except for the price. It has to be cheap as can be which means charter. That fits the bill fairly well in that the charter and bulldog guns are not necessarily “gun guy guns” but they are a functional firearm that’s somewhat easily affordable and powerful enough to quickly deter an assailant of any form not intent on eating you. Even if you bring back the big-bore requirement a charter in .40sw or .44spl would easily qualify. Not sure about anything else that would be worthy of carry, but also cheap enough to be reminiscent of the old bulldogs.
 
The Charter Bulldog in 44 special is probably as close as you're going to get. The 45 ACP might be a bit too spiffy to really fall in the bull dog class. The original bulldog cartridges had a rather short case loaded with black powder so the velocities were rather modest.
 
Those Brit "Bulldogs" (Webleys, etc) were actually quite a beefy revolver, usually chambered for a .45 cal. black powder round. Nowadays, it would be easy to match that. A good .357 round would be as effective. I had a Ruger Stainless Security Six in a 2 3/4 inch barrel which I loved, but didnt have a use for...Even a 4 inch version would have been a great bombproof revolver. Or any of the Smith .357s, in a medium frame. Or a 1911....in a semi.
 
unspellable said:
The so called "scandium" alloy is actually aluminum with a pinch of scandium, 2 or 3 %. Years ago I checked and scandium went for $700 a pound and it's gone up since. That 2 or 3 % does strengthen the aluminum though.
The Taurus big bore 44 special snubbies were available blued, in stainless, aluminum frame, and all titanium. I also have one with sights and a six inch barrel.
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$700 a pound isn't cheap and at even a quarter pound that's over $200 in today money on Scandium alone. Seems Titanium would be a better way to go as even the cutting tool cost wouldn't be that high per gun.

So, why did Taurus drop the Titanium line?
 
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