Charter Arms Bulldog

Lonemoose · September 11, 2017, 07:07 PM

I've been thinking about a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special with the black nitride finish. This would be my first Charter Arms. Anyone out there have any experience with Charter Arms, how about the new black nitride finish?
Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Vulcannut · September 11, 2017, 08:03 PM

I have a Mag Pug and really like it. No issues. I am a little bias towards Charter Arms as I have visited the factory.

I posted this a couple of months back. It sums it up.

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...40#post6474940

I would also recommend you give them a call as you may end up getting the owner or someone just as knowledgeable to answer any questions you have.

weblance · September 11, 2017, 10:34 PM

I have a 44 Bulldog. Its a fun little boomer. IF I were going to buy one now, I would get the Pitbull in 45 ACP. Its going to give the same performance, BUT 45 ammo is everywhere. 44 Special ammo is hard to find, and expensive. Consider the Pitbull in 45 ACP.

cptjack · September 12, 2017, 04:43 AM

guess it got a bad rap as being "son of sam " gum

rclark · September 12, 2017, 01:37 PM

I like my .44 Special Bulldog for what I use it for.... That's CC/house gun. Therefore it doesn't get used much. I roll my own, so something to shoot in it is never a problem. If you are looking to shoot thousands of rounds through it per year, this isn't the revolver for you in my opinion. For the occasional,... yep, it shoots where I aim it session then you'll be fine. Anyway, that is how I treat it.

No experience with the black Nitrate. Mine is just dull gray.

Model12Win · September 12, 2017, 02:53 PM

They're cool and historic guns. They even make a Classic version, looks just like the SoS gun.

I found mine to be both a little too big and a little too small. It is simply not as concealable as a 5-shot .38 special. Some say it is, but it's just too wide to serve in the role IMHO. Also the design is inherently weak and not meant for expensive shooting, and anything over standard factory power levels should be avoided to reduce premature wear.

Still it is impressive at just 20 ounces that they were able to make a 5-shot .44 special. It does very, very well as a belt gun for using snake shot or when camping on the trail. One of the best snake guns around. I just don't think it's ideal for CCW purposes.

JERRYS. · September 16, 2017, 04:28 PM

Taurus was able to make one the same size but it had a better cylinder lock up. unfortunately they charged over $400 for them so they fell out of favor and got discontinued.

Cheapshooter · September 16, 2017, 06:10 PM

Very happy with my Charter Bulldog DAO revolver. I was quite surprised with the kind of accuracy I get from it. Especially being double action only with the bobbed hammer.
I found that it fits perfectly in a Theis IWB hybrid holster for concealed carry use.

BubbaBlades · September 16, 2017, 08:54 PM

I have Charter Arms Pitbulls in 9mm, .40 and .45. I also have a Bulldog Pug in .44 Special. All of these guns have been trouble free except for the 9mm.

The 9mm had a defective hammer block. I contacted Charter Arms and they sent me a replacement hammer block. Their customer service has been first rate for me.

I have had no other problems with any of my Charter Arms guns.

Nanuk · September 16, 2017, 09:18 PM

I have one of the newer DAO Stainless bulldogs. I was hitting clay pigeons @ 50 yards with it. I use it as a yard work/BUG.

tallball · September 17, 2017, 09:00 AM

I like mine a lot. It's the shrouded hammer version. I've had it a few years. I don't shoot it a whole lot, since I have heavier-duty 44's for long practice sessions. But it has never malfunctioned and I trust it. It's a little large for CC in warm weather, imho, but it's my coat pocket carry gun for winter. I am very comfortable with 44 special for SD.

tony pasley · September 17, 2017, 03:37 PM

I have had mine since 1976 and it is a good reliable gun.

ifithitu · September 19, 2017, 01:56 PM

Speaking from personal experience I love shooting my CA Bulldog .44 Special 2.5" revolver.I have had it for almost a year now.

joneb · September 29, 2017, 02:40 PM

I had the SS 2.5" Bulldog that I bought new. It was out of time, and bore was very rough. The accuracy was very bad.
I sent it back to CA, they returned it and said it was with in their standards.
The LGS gave me refund towards another gun

If you reload I think the 44 spl is a great cartridge, I have a S&W 696 that is a joy to shoot.

ifithitu · September 29, 2017, 08:17 PM

I have the CA Bulldog .44 Special 2.5" but not in the new black nitride finish. I find it to be a nice revolver to carry,well it is my edc these days.

458winshooter · October 1, 2017, 03:19 AM

Just looked in the drawer by the bed.November 16,2006 is when I got mine still have it still love it enuff said.

handlebar · October 7, 2017, 08:38 PM

mine is a fun range gun but recoil can be quite stout. it fits in a J-frame holster so carrying it is pretty easy.

SHOOT1SAM · October 8, 2017, 10:22 AM

I had one and loved it...but instead of firing 1000 rounds for everything to smooth & lighten up, I decided to have some work done to ease the trigger pull - BIG mistake. The revolver that had fired every factory & handload, now would misfire on about every 2nd or 3rd shot. Back to the shop that did the work, to no avail. They sent it back to the factory...it was restored to factory specs, but was still unreliable. I lost all confidence in it and ended up trading it to a guy for laptop for my daughter to use in school.

I’m sure mine was a fluke, because as stated, the factory restored everything, but it just was never the same. I am very tempted to purchase another one, but if I do, I will leave it the heck alone!

Sam

dogngun · October 9, 2017, 06:06 PM

I have one for several years. Carry it in winter.The newer CA's - since the old owner bought it back - are VERY accurate and a better design...they shame my Smiths.
I like CCI Blazer jhp's for carry...great bullet, not as much recoil as heavier weight bullets...and 100% reliable.

Buckeye! · October 24, 2017, 05:38 PM

Great carry gun ..compact light .. & 44 Spl ....I really like mine

bamaranger · October 25, 2017, 08:40 PM

I had an early one, made by the original company, bought it used,don't know how much it had been shot. I shot the 3" Bulldog a good bit, and was surprised by it's accuracy. With young eyes, and those blocky, visible fixed sights, I could easily stay on a pieplate, 2 hands, unsupported, at 25 yds. Off bags, seems like I recall the little gun would stay at about 3" at the same distance. I loved it. Too much as it was. I got a bit enthusiastic with my reloads, and was shooting 250 gr Keith slugs. After about 2 yrs, , the little gun went out of time. I probably had 1000 yds through it.

I had an early .38 Undercover too, shot it a fair amount with std .38 ammo, mostly 158 gr LSWC's, it went out of time too, in about the same time frame.

All that said, I think the early guns were not bad. My use was likely a bit heavy.....ie, the guns are at their best when shot moderately, with mild ammo. Used in that manner, I suspect the older guns would have held up much better. Can't say about the other mfg's and the newer guns.

dave7798801 · October 26, 2017, 04:54 PM

I still have my Charter Arms .38 Undercover from the 70's. Decent little gun, I haven't shot it in a long while but I'll still stick it in my pocket if I'm just going outside for a bit and don't want mess with putting on a holster. It is pretty lightweight, I know they don't recommend using +P ammo.

SonOfScubaDiver · October 26, 2017, 06:04 PM

Maybe the one I looked at wasn't a good example, but I wasn't all that impressed with the Pitbull I checked out the other day. The trigger and hammer seemed real gritty, in both single and double action. The ejector also felt gritty, and what was even worse is that the ejector would turn just a little bit so that it wouldn't seat itself properly without me having to push the rod a couple of times. And the lock up didn't seem all that tight to me. Again, it may just be a bad example, but I don't think I'd buy one after handling this one.

September 11, 2017, 07:07 PM	#1
Lonemoose Junior Member Join Date: September 2, 2017 Location: Western Montana Posts: 1	Charter Arms Bulldog I've been thinking about a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special with the black nitride finish. This would be my first Charter Arms. Anyone out there have any experience with Charter Arms, how about the new black nitride finish? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks. __________________ "Some people wonder all their lives, if they have made a difference. Marines don't have that problem". Ronald Reagan

September 12, 2017, 01:37 PM	#5
rclark Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2009 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 2,622	I like my .44 Special Bulldog for what I use it for.... That's CC/house gun. Therefore it doesn't get used much. I roll my own, so something to shoot in it is never a problem. If you are looking to shoot thousands of rounds through it per year, this isn't the revolver for you in my opinion. For the occasional,... yep, it shoots where I aim it session then you'll be fine. Anyway, that is how I treat it. No experience with the black Nitrate. Mine is just dull gray. __________________ A clinger and deplorable, MAGA, and life NRA member. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Single Action .45 Colt (Sometimes colloquially referred to by its alias as the .45 'Long' Colt or .45LC). Don't leave home without it. That said, the .44Spec is right up their too... but the .45 Colt is still the king.

September 16, 2017, 06:10 PM	#8
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	Very happy with my Charter Bulldog DAO revolver. I was quite surprised with the kind of accuracy I get from it. Especially being double action only with the bobbed hammer. I found that it fits perfectly in a Theis IWB hybrid holster for concealed carry use. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

September 16, 2017, 09:18 PM	#10
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	I have one of the newer DAO Stainless bulldogs. I was hitting clay pigeons @ 50 yards with it. I use it as a yard work/BUG. __________________ Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon.

September 17, 2017, 03:37 PM	#12
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	I have had mine since 1976 and it is a good reliable gun. __________________ Every day Congress is in session we lose a little bit more of our Liberty.

September 11, 2017, 08:03 PM	#2
Vulcannut Member Join Date: March 31, 2017 Location: Some H$ll whole in Connecticut Posts: 58	I have a Mag Pug and really like it. No issues. I am a little bias towards Charter Arms as I have visited the factory. I posted this a couple of months back. It sums it up. https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...40#post6474940 I would also recommend you give them a call as you may end up getting the owner or someone just as knowledgeable to answer any questions you have.

September 11, 2017, 10:34 PM	#3
weblance Senior Member Join Date: October 3, 2012 Posts: 1,229	I have a 44 Bulldog. Its a fun little boomer. IF I were going to buy one now, I would get the Pitbull in 45 ACP. Its going to give the same performance, BUT 45 ammo is everywhere. 44 Special ammo is hard to find, and expensive. Consider the Pitbull in 45 ACP.

September 12, 2017, 04:43 AM	#4
cptjack Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2014 Posts: 314	guess it got a bad rap as being "son of sam " gum

September 12, 2017, 02:53 PM	#6
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	They're cool and historic guns. They even make a Classic version, looks just like the SoS gun. I found mine to be both a little too big and a little too small. It is simply not as concealable as a 5-shot .38 special. Some say it is, but it's just too wide to serve in the role IMHO. Also the design is inherently weak and not meant for expensive shooting, and anything over standard factory power levels should be avoided to reduce premature wear. Still it is impressive at just 20 ounces that they were able to make a 5-shot .44 special. It does very, very well as a belt gun for using snake shot or when camping on the trail. One of the best snake guns around. I just don't think it's ideal for CCW purposes.

September 16, 2017, 04:28 PM	#7
JERRYS. Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,968	Taurus was able to make one the same size but it had a better cylinder lock up. unfortunately they charged over $400 for them so they fell out of favor and got discontinued.

September 16, 2017, 08:54 PM	#9
BubbaBlades Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2013 Location: South Florida Posts: 121	I have Charter Arms Pitbulls in 9mm, .40 and .45. I also have a Bulldog Pug in .44 Special. All of these guns have been trouble free except for the 9mm. The 9mm had a defective hammer block. I contacted Charter Arms and they sent me a replacement hammer block. Their customer service has been first rate for me. I have had no other problems with any of my Charter Arms guns.

September 17, 2017, 09:00 AM	#11
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	I like mine a lot. It's the shrouded hammer version. I've had it a few years. I don't shoot it a whole lot, since I have heavier-duty 44's for long practice sessions. But it has never malfunctioned and I trust it. It's a little large for CC in warm weather, imho, but it's my coat pocket carry gun for winter. I am very comfortable with 44 special for SD.

September 19, 2017, 01:56 PM	#13
ifithitu Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2016 Location: Derby City KY. Posts: 243	Speaking from personal experience I love shooting my CA Bulldog .44 Special 2.5" revolver.I have had it for almost a year now. __________________ USMC Vietnam Veteran,0311 Grunt. 6/68 to 7/69 Semper Fi

September 29, 2017, 02:40 PM	#14
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	I had the SS 2.5" Bulldog that I bought new. It was out of time, and bore was very rough. The accuracy was very bad. I sent it back to CA, they returned it and said it was with in their standards. The LGS gave me refund towards another gun If you reload I think the 44 spl is a great cartridge, I have a S&W 696 that is a joy to shoot.

September 29, 2017, 08:17 PM	#15
ifithitu Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2016 Location: Derby City KY. Posts: 243	I have the CA Bulldog .44 Special 2.5" but not in the new black nitride finish. I find it to be a nice revolver to carry,well it is my edc these days. __________________ USMC Vietnam Veteran,0311 Grunt. 6/68 to 7/69 Semper Fi

October 1, 2017, 03:19 AM	#16
458winshooter Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Transplanted to Ridgeland,SC Posts: 606	44 Dawg Just looked in the drawer by the bed.November 16,2006 is when I got mine still have it still love it enuff said.

October 7, 2017, 08:38 PM	#17
handlebar Member Join Date: May 22, 2006 Location: South Florida Posts: 76	mine is a fun range gun but recoil can be quite stout. it fits in a J-frame holster so carrying it is pretty easy.

October 8, 2017, 10:22 AM	#18
SHOOT1SAM Junior Member Join Date: October 5, 2017 Posts: 1	I had one and loved it...but instead of firing 1000 rounds for everything to smooth & lighten up, I decided to have some work done to ease the trigger pull - BIG mistake. The revolver that had fired every factory & handload, now would misfire on about every 2nd or 3rd shot. Back to the shop that did the work, to no avail. They sent it back to the factory...it was restored to factory specs, but was still unreliable. I lost all confidence in it and ended up trading it to a guy for laptop for my daughter to use in school. I’m sure mine was a fluke, because as stated, the factory restored everything, but it just was never the same. I am very tempted to purchase another one, but if I do, I will leave it the heck alone! Sam

October 9, 2017, 06:06 PM	#19
dogngun Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2002 Location: South east PA Posts: 570	I have one for several years. Carry it in winter.The newer CA's - since the old owner bought it back - are VERY accurate and a better design...they shame my Smiths. I like CCI Blazer jhp's for carry...great bullet, not as much recoil as heavier weight bullets...and 100% reliable. __________________ I am another gun-carrying liberal veteran.

October 24, 2017, 05:38 PM	#20
Buckeye! Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2008 Posts: 849	Great carry gun ..compact light .. & 44 Spl ....I really like mine Last edited by Buckeye!; October 24, 2017 at 05:59 PM.

October 25, 2017, 08:40 PM	#21
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	early versions I had an early one, made by the original company, bought it used,don't know how much it had been shot. I shot the 3" Bulldog a good bit, and was surprised by it's accuracy. With young eyes, and those blocky, visible fixed sights, I could easily stay on a pieplate, 2 hands, unsupported, at 25 yds. Off bags, seems like I recall the little gun would stay at about 3" at the same distance. I loved it. Too much as it was. I got a bit enthusiastic with my reloads, and was shooting 250 gr Keith slugs. After about 2 yrs, , the little gun went out of time. I probably had 1000 yds through it. I had an early .38 Undercover too, shot it a fair amount with std .38 ammo, mostly 158 gr LSWC's, it went out of time too, in about the same time frame. All that said, I think the early guns were not bad. My use was likely a bit heavy.....ie, the guns are at their best when shot moderately, with mild ammo. Used in that manner, I suspect the older guns would have held up much better. Can't say about the other mfg's and the newer guns.

October 26, 2017, 04:54 PM	#22
dave7798801 Member Join Date: February 9, 2016 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 30	I still have my Charter Arms .38 Undercover from the 70's. Decent little gun, I haven't shot it in a long while but I'll still stick it in my pocket if I'm just going outside for a bit and don't want mess with putting on a holster. It is pretty lightweight, I know they don't recommend using +P ammo.

October 26, 2017, 06:04 PM	#23
SonOfScubaDiver Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2017 Posts: 391	Maybe the one I looked at wasn't a good example, but I wasn't all that impressed with the Pitbull I checked out the other day. The trigger and hammer seemed real gritty, in both single and double action. The ejector also felt gritty, and what was even worse is that the ejector would turn just a little bit so that it wouldn't seat itself properly without me having to push the rod a couple of times. And the lock up didn't seem all that tight to me. Again, it may just be a bad example, but I don't think I'd buy one after handling this one.