big bore snubby

[Rock44]

I have a lite J frame .38 for my front pocket and a kimber compact for my IWB carry but I am interested in a big bore snubby and was thinking about the bulldog .44,does anyone have experience with these?would they be a front pocket gun?I think they would make a fine car gun.all opinions welcomed.thanks

[Michael Bane]

You know, you'll get mixed opinions on the Bulldog...to be sure, it's not an S&W or a Ruger, but it also doesn't cost like and S&W or a Ruger...it's also the only big bore game in town. I've been very pleased with mine, and I've shot the crap out it, including with those heavy bullet loads you're not supposed to use in a Bulldog (heavy bullet loads can have a tendency to "pull" the bullet out of the case of the other rounds in the cylinder under recoil, giving you a world class jam up). I've probably got 600 rounds through mine and it has worked fine. Check out my friend Jeff Quinn's review of his Charter Bulldog over on GunBlast (http://www.gunblast.com/Bulldog_Pug.htm).

Michael B

[Rock44]

thanks for that mike,I have many fine S&W and rugers but like you said it's the only big bore in the game right now.I guess it would'nt be a front pocket type do to size and weight?

[Mike1951]

In the used market, there are still some Taurus 445 .44 Spec out there and even fewer Taurus 450 .45 Colt.

I think my 445 is almost ideal. The 450 would be ideal.

But my interest is only in the blued steel (445) or stainless steel (450) models.

The lightweight versions of each would not be as pleasant to shoot.

I have fired the same stout loads thru my buddy's Bulldog and my 445 and the Taurus is MUCH more pleasant to shoot.

Mike

[Scott Moore]

I agree with Michael, you’ll get many comments on the Bulldog, and like its forefathers the English Bulldog revolver, this pistol has it’s lovers and haters but I have always found the muzzle blast to be a little to much. And of course with the recoil can cause set-back on the cartridges (what Michael refers to as pull on the bullets) is a legitimate complaint. As a former warranty center for many of the manufacturers, I’ve seen this occur. This is when the recoil slams the loaded rounds with such force that the cartridges are set back and the bullets are lodged forward thus protruding into gap between the cylinder and the forcing cone (the beginning of the barrel).
If you have a chance to pick up an S&W Model 625 3” barrel (.45ACP), it makes a great pocket-rocket. Or one of the snubby N-frames produced by the Boston distributor Lew Horton during the 80’s. Of course if you’re lucky maybe you’ll run across an old Fitzgerald Colt DA.45.
Dude357

[Sponsor]

[Rock44]

been looking at them as well.thanks

[flyandscuba]

Isn't bullet pull and set back two different things?  My understanding is that set back typically occurs in autoloaders where the bullet is pushed back into the case (i.e. set back) -- decreasing the overall length of the cartridge --  that creates higher than normal -- or desirable -- pressures, sometimes resulting in catestrophic failure otherwise referred to as Ka-boom...

Bullet pull occurs in revolvers -- usually light in weight -- while firing powerful (though sometimes mild) cartridges/calibers.  The bullet (usually lead with weak crimps) begins to move forward -- increasing the overall length of the cartridge -- until it extends beyond the cylinder causing the revolver to bind and fail.

That said,  I've not had any difficulty with bullet pull while using 200 gr. or less bullets in my stainless Bulldog.  Years ago, when all Icould find was a box of the old 246 gr round nose lead .44 ammo -- I remember it fired thorugh the pistol without difficulty.  But that was the only box of "heavy" bullet ammo ever used in the gun.

[Rock44]

I think what dude357 is saying is that the whole cartridge sets back upon firing causing the bullet to move forward in the case.if I were to get a bulldog it would be carried alot and shot very little using factory 200's like corbon DPX.I have my other shooting guns that I put alot of rounds through.

[norfdet]

I recently found myself in the same delima as rock44 in wanting a 44 snubby. I was lucky enought to find a 1980's stainless CA Bulldog that came out of an estate sale and from all indications was fired little if at all. It was worked over by a company of the time called Personal Protection Systems (maybe someone here is familiar with them as they are now out of business). I was made hammerless and DAO as well as placing The Terminator on the side of the barrel and Trapper Gun on the frame. It is a sweet shooter and most can say what they want about CA revolvers but you don't see many older models for sale on the internet or gun forums. I am extremely pleased, now if I could just find affordable 44 special ammo.

[canon6]

I got my fist Charter Arms 44 in 1976,and have had one around  most of the last 21 years.I just picked up a 2007 model Charter 44 in stainless and find it to be a very fine revolver   Doug