I've got a little experience with the Charter Bulldog. I've never used one for carry, but I've fired a couple over the years and just bought another one. I haven't had a chance to shoot this one yet, but see no reason to think it's any different than the older ones. All of mine have been the 3" classic models.
The recoil really isn't awful, at least not with the moderate loads I've always used, but IMHO, you might as well go ahead and buy a set of rubber grips from Charter right from the get go. The wooden grips hurt my hand just cycling the action. I've never had the nerve to shoot with them. I just know they'd beat my knuckle to a pulp. The rubber ones are a little bigger, and protect my middle finger much better. Being bigger they allow a better hand purchase on it. I can actually get a three finger grip, vs two on the wood ones.
My latest one I got new, and it was STIFF as could be I think, at first. I've cycled the action several hundred times times and it seems to have either smoothed out, or my thumb and finger have gotten stronger. Another piece of advice. The hammer checkering is sharp. It will work on your thumb like a wood rasp. A small piece of duct tape protected my thumb during all that hand cycling.
Kinda sounds like I'm down on the gun. Not at all. I might start to carry it myself if I ever get a chance to get to the range and shoot it a bit.
I don't have a picture with the new Charter grips.
I've also owned one of the Taurus, Rossi, and Smith and Wesson 69's over the years. Nice guns all, but heavier than the Charter.