Charter Arms Bulldog

[Funseeker]

How rough is it shooting .44 Special out of that little beast?  Albeit with a MagnaPort job.  I suffer from the typical American predisposition to bigger is better.  I've considered one for as a ccw weapon candidate, but the recoil issue concerns me.  And, as I haven't found anybody who has one, I haven't been able to shoot it myself.  You thought's.

[2HOW]

I owned one and I recommend it. Its not bad, but its all subjective to what you think is "rough"

[Funseeker]

I owned one and I recommend it. Its not bad, but its all subjective to what you think is "rough"

2HOW, I've shot .357's. .40's, 9 mm, .45's and a "lonnng" time a go a .44 Mag.  So a "sort'a kinda like" comparison for me is a good place to start.  One of my main concerns is if my girlfriend has to use the weapon, would firing one round place her posterior firmly on "Terra Firma" thus negating any follow-up shots.......

[Michael Bane]

It thumps you, but with 200-gr self-defense loads like the Winchester SilverTip, I've never found it to be that objectionable (compared to, say, a 300-grain .454 hunting load out of a Ruger Alaskan. If you reload, you can crank out a bunch of .44 Russian level loads and practice with the thing all day long...

Michael B

[Wheelgun Dunn]

I have two Charter Arms Bulldogs in .44 Special and have had no trouble shooting either of them.  Yes, they bounce a little but not at all unmanageable or uncomfortable.  I have shot a scandium frame S&W in .357 and that was best desecribed as painful! The Charter does not come close to this.  I got three of five shots off with the little and very light .357 and had to quit, and I am no stranger to shooting or recoil.  I shoot .45 Colt in CAS as well as some IDPA with a .44 Special.  Stick with some mild loads when plinking and remember you will not even notice factory defensive loads if you are in a situation where you need to use them.  The rubber grips wrap around the backstrap of the gun and absorb a good bit of recoil.  Be aware though Charter now uses a plastic grip frame for their guns.  I found I did not like this when I purchased my second one and ordered a steel one from gunparts.com to replace the plastic.

Hope this helps.  Enjoy!  They are great little guns!

Wheelgun

[Sponsor]

[Funseeker]

I'll check out the grip frame issue.  That concerns me.  But I can assure you, a set of Crimson Trace grips would be on the weapon with in hours of it's purchase (well at least within 10 days here in Calif.).  Insofar as the "thump" is concerned, I'll look at the .44 Russian loads.  (I just didn't want her bringing down a low flying Cessna.)  As long a it's around the =/< .357 level I think it will be tolerable.  And your right, in a critical incident, a 105 Howitzer would seem like a .22 given the adrenalin dump.

[dlistello]

I've been on the prowl for a CCW revolver 3", leaning towards 44 mag/spl format. Model 29(3") on gunbroker for $900. Never shot bulldog but size & reliability seems to be the right set up. I have DPX 200gr @ 900 fps and Corbon 165 gr @ 1050 fps, all in line or better than the vaunted 45 acp. I guess I need to find a bulldog for a trial run. Dave

[tombogan03884]

I've been on the prowl for a CCW revolver 3", leaning towards 44 mag/spl format. Model 29(3") on gunbroker for $900. Never shot bulldog but size & reliability seems to be the right set up. I have DPX 200gr @ 900 fps and Corbon 165 gr @ 1050 fps, all in line or better than the vaunted 45 acp. I guess I need to find a bulldog for a trial run. Dave

If you are looking for a ccw pistol, why go with a Large frame revolver and then a 3 inch barrel, The cylinder and grip are the parts that are hard to conceal.

[2HOW]

2HOW, I've shot .357's. .40's, 9 mm, .45's and a "lonnng" time a go a .44 Mag.  So a "sort'a kinda like" comparison for me is a good place to start.  One of my main concerns is if my girlfriend has to use the weapon, would firing one round place her posterior firmly on "Terra Firma" thus negating any follow-up shots.......

A good friend of mine bought a .44  for his wife and I was there when she shot it, it


 was mild and not as stout as my .44 mag or .357. Its actually a very mild round in a large frame revolver. Its been maligned as a  weak round , but its a stopper

[2HOW]

I'll check out the grip frame issue.  That concerns me.  But I can assure you, a set of Crimson Trace grips would be on the weapon with in hours of it's purchase (well at least within 10 days here in Calif.).  Insofar as the "thump" is concerned, I'll look at the .44 Russian loads.  (I just didn't want her bringing down a low flying Cessna.)  As long a it's around the =/< .357 level I think it will be tolerable.  And your right, in a critical incident, a 105 Howitzer would seem like a .22 given the adrenalin dump.

Every time I see or hear the word crimson trace I cringe, these people sell confidence, confidence that the average pistol owner has to earn. Lasers are the scourge of the gun industry.