The Big Bore Bulldog--The Great Missing Revolver
- Thread starter Cosmoline
- Start date
- Status
The_Antibubba
Member
Just saw one!
There's a knockoff of this Webley at my local shop. It would need some parts to be shootable, if it was safe even then. Some small proof marks on the cylinder, and BRITISH BULLDOG stamped on the top. It loads like a SA, with a loading gate on the right side.
$75, cash and carry.
There's a knockoff of this Webley at my local shop. It would need some parts to be shootable, if it was safe even then. Some small proof marks on the cylinder, and BRITISH BULLDOG stamped on the top. It loads like a SA, with a loading gate on the right side.
$75, cash and carry.
fisherman66
Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2005
- Messages
- 379
50 Shooter
I got the Son of Sam allusion.
I got the Son of Sam allusion.
The_Shootist
Member
How Reliable Is Taurus?
I'm one of those shallow people that also buys a gun - not only for CCW (which ALL my new purchases must confirm to) but for looks
. I bought a Glock 19 to see what all the fuss was about and the fact that (to me) it was the LEAST ugly Glock 
. Never regretted the purchase.
Having said that - Taurus really is the only brand right now I'd consider buying as a big bore snubbly. They just seem a bit more sleek than the grotesquely gray titanium alloy S&W 325's with their large sights (or the bulky looking 696's). Charter 2000 looks nice as well, but I've heard indifferent comments about the durability of the newer Bulldogs (and some terrible things about the older ones).
Very few CCW guns in my collection are carried alot - shot alittle. If I carry it - it gets shot alot and makes frequent range trips (except for maybe my P-32). Which means in a month (depending on what I'm carrying) my SP 101/G19/1911/Mak will get maybe 250 rds thru it - more if I'm carrying it exclusively at the time.
So would a Taurus big bore snubby hold up to extended shooting? I really - REALLY wish Ruger brought out a 2 1/2 - 3" bbl .44 spl/.45 colt snubby. I guess they have with the "Alaskan" but I suspect it was designed with fewer 2 legged self defense situations in mind and more with a serious social encounter with a 1000 lb furry assailant
I'm one of those shallow people that also buys a gun - not only for CCW (which ALL my new purchases must confirm to) but for looks
. I bought a Glock 19 to see what all the fuss was about and the fact that (to me) it was the LEAST ugly Glock . Never regretted the purchase.Having said that - Taurus really is the only brand right now I'd consider buying as a big bore snubbly. They just seem a bit more sleek than the grotesquely gray titanium alloy S&W 325's with their large sights (or the bulky looking 696's). Charter 2000 looks nice as well, but I've heard indifferent comments about the durability of the newer Bulldogs (and some terrible things about the older ones).
Very few CCW guns in my collection are carried alot - shot alittle. If I carry it - it gets shot alot and makes frequent range trips (except for maybe my P-32). Which means in a month (depending on what I'm carrying) my SP 101/G19/1911/Mak will get maybe 250 rds thru it - more if I'm carrying it exclusively at the time.
So would a Taurus big bore snubby hold up to extended shooting? I really - REALLY wish Ruger brought out a 2 1/2 - 3" bbl .44 spl/.45 colt snubby. I guess they have with the "Alaskan" but I suspect it was designed with fewer 2 legged self defense situations in mind and more with a serious social encounter with a 1000 lb furry assailant
Stainz
Member
My CCW is a 21+ oz loaded S&W 296; a 2.5", 5-shot, fixed sight, Al-frame & Ti-cylinder, and hammerless L-frame. I swapped my 696's backstrap-enclosing rounded Uncle Mike's Combats in place of the admittedly smaller boots, and use Georgia Arm's 200gr Gold Dot JHP's in .44 Special now in place of the Blazer variants I did use. They were MSRP $789 years ago, but hit the closeout market several years ago for $349 or so - and still command that price. Look a used one over carefully - the cast-in-place cylinder stop is easily chiseled off by the hard-edged Ti cylinder with a few 'Hollywood'-style empties ejection, resulting in the cylinder falling into your hand. It is also ammo-restrictive. Mine shoots coincident POI/POA at 12yd with the Blazers and equivalents.
BTW, the local 'Academy Sports/Outdoors' chains, based out of Waco, TX, I think, carried the Charter Arms 2000 .44 Spcl Bull Dog a few years back - still stocks the Blazer 200gr Gold Dots at $12.86/50, a bargain.
Stainz
BTW, the local 'Academy Sports/Outdoors' chains, based out of Waco, TX, I think, carried the Charter Arms 2000 .44 Spcl Bull Dog a few years back - still stocks the Blazer 200gr Gold Dots at $12.86/50, a bargain.
Stainz
unspellable
Member
Taurus snubby
I had a titanium Taurus snubby in 44 Special. It had a chamber alignment problem, I never tried firing it. Sent it on its way.
I rather liked it though, wish it hadn't had the alignment problem.
I had a titanium Taurus snubby in 44 Special. It had a chamber alignment problem, I never tried firing it. Sent it on its way.
I rather liked it though, wish it hadn't had the alignment problem.
nickthecanuck
Member
My dream piece is a S&W 696 in .45 ACP.
Is there enough room in an L-frame for 5 of .45?
Is there enough room in an L-frame for 5 of .45?
Vern Humphrey
Member
I like a big bore for CCW -- which is why I carry an M1911.
rockstar.esq
Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2004
- Messages
- 1,475
I posted a range report on my 445 Taurus. I agree with this somewhat quiet majority that big bore snubbies are the way to go. I have only turned up one Galco holster that works with the bobbed hammer. I chose the .44 special since it uses the same dies to reload as my beloved .44 magnum so making some practice ammunition is no great stretch. The chrono'd .44 special cowboy loads averaged to 745 fps which is respectable given a 200 grain bullet and a 2" ported barrel. I'm right there with some of you in that I wish Taurus could stop porting everything. I would even settle for simply larger ports that don't coat your front sight in crap after the first shot. A couple of you mentioned that the cylinder wasn't properly aligned. I had a couple of problems with my 446B and sent it in to Taurus. They completed the work free of charge and returned it to me within two months. The cylinder gap is a scant .004" I checked with my own feeler gauge! Frankly speaking, the triggers on all of my Tauri are often equal to or superior to the S&W guns that are so commonly aclaimed.
One bone to pick in general. Why is it that all the lighter weight S&W and Taurus revolvers (Scandium, Titantium, unobtainium) have absolutely gritty, nasty triggers? I fail to see why a lighter gun should suffer such an abomination of a trigger yet I find that it is to be expected.
One bone to pick in general. Why is it that all the lighter weight S&W and Taurus revolvers (Scandium, Titantium, unobtainium) have absolutely gritty, nasty triggers? I fail to see why a lighter gun should suffer such an abomination of a trigger yet I find that it is to be expected.
BluesBear
member
What's not to like.
I've only fired about 800 rounds through my all steel Taurus 445.
Thankfully I found one of the few unported ones.
I've have zero problems with it and it still locks up tight.
The sights are good, it shoots right where I point it.
The grips fit my hand well and recoil is mild.
Smooth trigger pull.
It's my #1 summer carry gun.
I've only fired about 800 rounds through my all steel Taurus 445.
Thankfully I found one of the few unported ones.
I've have zero problems with it and it still locks up tight.
The sights are good, it shoots right where I point it.
The grips fit my hand well and recoil is mild.
Smooth trigger pull.
It's my #1 summer carry gun.
Stainz
Member
Fortunately, I haven't seen a new Taurus .44 Special that wasn't ported, so I never bought one. I have seen two different Ti versions. Both had gritty and multi-stage-feeling triggers. One wouldn't shoot without spitting, a probable alignment problem. The owner kept it for CC. The second would heat up and drag to the point of becoming useless before a box of Blazers went through it. Cooling off, it would fire the last few rounds. The one Charter 2000 .44 Special I 'dry-fired' was no worse than the Taurus, trigger-feel-wise. I feel certain that they could be improved, the roughness probably due to burrs, etc. The Taurus's porting everything is a deal-killer for me, the poor availability of the Charter 2000 limits it's chance of becoming a part of my collection. Besides, I have a 296 and a 696 S&W...
Still, we need an affordable - and functional - .44 Special snubby.
Stainz
Still, we need an affordable - and functional - .44 Special snubby.
Stainz
I have a "British Bull Dog" made by Webley and Son, Birmingham. Although it is marked .450 Webley & Scott No. 2, it will chamber and fire .455 Webley ammo. However; I ordered the issue of Man at Arms, which devotes several pages of info on the British Builldog, and found that mine is not nitro proofed and, as such, is not safe with smokeless powder. I have fired a few ,455 Webley thru it (three or four) and it isn't a pleasant experience. So in the FWIW department, if you locate one make sure it is nitro proofed.
CARRY'IN
member
Had a .44 bulldog in the late 80's early 90's. Never should have sold it. Does not kick as bad as you would think. Ammo was pricey though. A 45. ACP snubnose would be nice I guess. But I just like snubbies in general and dont have to have a freakin cannon. .38 works OK for me. As for some of the guns being discussed- I will not spend a fortune on a gun. Just cant bring myself to do it.
unspellable
Member
Tauruii at gun show
Went to a gun show Saturday. There I saw three Turuii snubbies. One was a 38, off topic here so we'll skip that.
One was a titanium 45 Colt. Improper cylinder gap so the face of the cylinder was dragging on the end of the barrel. passed on that.
One was a titanium 41 mag. Alignment was a trifle off, probably not by enough to worry about in a pocket gun. I was tempted, but really wanted a 44 Special.
It does seem that Taurus' QA is a bit spotty.
Went to a gun show Saturday. There I saw three Turuii snubbies. One was a 38, off topic here so we'll skip that.
One was a titanium 45 Colt. Improper cylinder gap so the face of the cylinder was dragging on the end of the barrel. passed on that.
One was a titanium 41 mag. Alignment was a trifle off, probably not by enough to worry about in a pocket gun. I was tempted, but really wanted a 44 Special.
It does seem that Taurus' QA is a bit spotty.
unspellable
Member
Tauruii at gun show
Went to a gun show Saturday. There I saw three Turuii snubbies. One was a 38, off topic here so we'll skip that.
One was a titanium 45 Colt. Improper cylinder gap so the face of the cylinder was dragging on the end of the barrel. passed on that.
One was a titanium 41 mag. Alignment was a trifle off, probably not by enough to worry about in a pocket gun. I was tempted, but really wanted a 44 Special.
It does seem that Taurus' QA is a bit spotty.
Went to a gun show Saturday. There I saw three Turuii snubbies. One was a 38, off topic here so we'll skip that.
One was a titanium 45 Colt. Improper cylinder gap so the face of the cylinder was dragging on the end of the barrel. passed on that.
One was a titanium 41 mag. Alignment was a trifle off, probably not by enough to worry about in a pocket gun. I was tempted, but really wanted a 44 Special.
It does seem that Taurus' QA is a bit spotty.
gunfan
Member
There's not a darned thing wrong with the CA Bulldog!
If you look carefully, you'll notice that the alloy compostion of the Charter Arms Bulldog was its 'raison d'etre.' It was a light, relatively strong, 5-shot revolver, designed for close-quarter personal defense. They are best when fired with 200-grain Silvertip Hollowpoint ammunition.
That said, I own a wonderful stainless steel version of this revolver. While not an appropriate choice for shooting "Elmer Keith Memorial loads," It is, however, sutable for shooting rather stout, (200-grain GDHP bullets loaded to 1000 fps from a 6 1/2" barrel) loads. These should not be fired as a 'steady diet' from this handgun, but should be used when 'the chips are down.'
Do not blame the handgun, nor the handgun's manufacturer for the lack of proper ammunition selection.
Scott
If you look carefully, you'll notice that the alloy compostion of the Charter Arms Bulldog was its 'raison d'etre.' It was a light, relatively strong, 5-shot revolver, designed for close-quarter personal defense. They are best when fired with 200-grain Silvertip Hollowpoint ammunition.
That said, I own a wonderful stainless steel version of this revolver. While not an appropriate choice for shooting "Elmer Keith Memorial loads," It is, however, sutable for shooting rather stout, (200-grain GDHP bullets loaded to 1000 fps from a 6 1/2" barrel) loads. These should not be fired as a 'steady diet' from this handgun, but should be used when 'the chips are down.'
Do not blame the handgun, nor the handgun's manufacturer for the lack of proper ammunition selection.
Scott
Those old British guns just look so... British.
If you are going unsheath such artillery as a .455 you might as well wear a pith helmet and pack a Howdah old chum... never know when the odd Bengali will decide he's had enough of your folly and decide to take up lodging on the back of your personal Bar-bar eh what? That would indeed be a bit of a sticky wicket. A .577 cordite cartridge from one of our Damascus bores would indeed be a friend to one in need.
Of course the good Dr. Watson carried a .45 Webly... a RIC model if I recall with a short barrel. Dispatched the Hound of The Baskervilles... dreadful beast, mastiff I should wager... despicable beasts, bit of a drooling problem don't you know... a bit like our American cousins... uncouth.
A few decades after Holmes hung up his deerstalker, a well heeled officer in the colonies thought nothing of taking a perfectly good Colt revolver, lopping the barrel down to two inches, grinding off the front of the trigger guard and bobbing the hammer. A few examples of the "Fitz" special (named after the Mick suspiciously) remain in circulation and are favored these days by unsavory types hanging around the occult section of the local library.
Ah the heady days of Empire. Harumph.
---------------------------------------
This Fitz belonged to Charles Lindberg, and while it's a .38 you get the idea.
According to Col. Rex Applegate: "The grandest defense gun I have ever had was a Colt .45 New Service with the barrel cut down to two inches. The hammer had been dehorned ... the trigger guard was cut entirely away in the front ... the grip was shortened ... it was a whiz for the purpose intended."
He carried TWO.
Oh but why oh why... According to Fitzgerald "Perhaps some would like to ask why I cut up a good revolver and here is the answer: The trigger guard is cut away to allow more finger room and for use when gloves are worn. The hammer spur is cut away to allow drawing from the pocket or from under the coat without catching or snagging in the cloth and eliminates the use of thumb over hammer when drawing. The butt is rounded to allow the revolver to easily slide into firing position in the hand. The top of the cut-away hammer may be lightly checked to assist in cocking for a long-range shot."
If you are going unsheath such artillery as a .455 you might as well wear a pith helmet and pack a Howdah old chum... never know when the odd Bengali will decide he's had enough of your folly and decide to take up lodging on the back of your personal Bar-bar eh what? That would indeed be a bit of a sticky wicket. A .577 cordite cartridge from one of our Damascus bores would indeed be a friend to one in need.
Of course the good Dr. Watson carried a .45 Webly... a RIC model if I recall with a short barrel. Dispatched the Hound of The Baskervilles... dreadful beast, mastiff I should wager... despicable beasts, bit of a drooling problem don't you know... a bit like our American cousins... uncouth.
A few decades after Holmes hung up his deerstalker, a well heeled officer in the colonies thought nothing of taking a perfectly good Colt revolver, lopping the barrel down to two inches, grinding off the front of the trigger guard and bobbing the hammer. A few examples of the "Fitz" special (named after the Mick suspiciously) remain in circulation and are favored these days by unsavory types hanging around the occult section of the local library.
Ah the heady days of Empire. Harumph.
---------------------------------------
This Fitz belonged to Charles Lindberg, and while it's a .38 you get the idea.
According to Col. Rex Applegate: "The grandest defense gun I have ever had was a Colt .45 New Service with the barrel cut down to two inches. The hammer had been dehorned ... the trigger guard was cut entirely away in the front ... the grip was shortened ... it was a whiz for the purpose intended."
He carried TWO.
Oh but why oh why... According to Fitzgerald "Perhaps some would like to ask why I cut up a good revolver and here is the answer: The trigger guard is cut away to allow more finger room and for use when gloves are worn. The hammer spur is cut away to allow drawing from the pocket or from under the coat without catching or snagging in the cloth and eliminates the use of thumb over hammer when drawing. The butt is rounded to allow the revolver to easily slide into firing position in the hand. The top of the cut-away hammer may be lightly checked to assist in cocking for a long-range shot."
Attachments
Last edited:
commies just approved ruger alaskan for sale /kali...
so asap we will obtain one as a carry gun ...
AVOID THE TAURI AT ALL COSTS ,THEY ARE CRAP!!!!
friend had the 44sp , the barrel impacted closer to the point of aim then the bullets did , yeah the barrel came out and went flying downrange ...
i only advise tauri to people i want removed from the genepool...
so asap we will obtain one as a carry gun ...
AVOID THE TAURI AT ALL COSTS ,THEY ARE CRAP!!!!
friend had the 44sp , the barrel impacted closer to the point of aim then the bullets did , yeah the barrel came out and went flying downrange ...
i only advise tauri to people i want removed from the genepool...
BluesBear
member
No they're not. But your opinion is.
All the Tausus' in my household have proven themselves to be 100% reliable and extremely accurate during thousands of rounds fired.
BluesBear +1
Never had a problem with a Taurus and about half the cost of a Smith. Hell, I've had to send my last two $1000+ guns back to Smith for repairs straight from the factory. I've never had to do that with any of my Tauri.
Never had a problem with a Taurus and about half the cost of a Smith. Hell, I've had to send my last two $1000+ guns back to Smith for repairs straight from the factory. I've never had to do that with any of my Tauri.
Bart Noir
Member
Jondar, is it possible that that pic is a bit distorted? It looks like the grip is longer and the overall length shorter, than I remember from the one I almost bought. I mean, the true Webleys were not THAT ugly.
Bart Noir
Bart Noir
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Poll
