New Bulldog 44 SPCL

[FOTIS]

So another impulse buy. I just had to have the "Son of Sam special". Should be here is a couple of days. What would you carry for defense? This one has a 2.5" bbl 5 shot.

 

[truck driver]

With that short barrel and light weight, I would go with a 180gr-200gr lead semi wad cutter being a close-range belly gun to hold recoil down and still have the terminal effect desired from a large hole and full penetration.
Yeah I'm a SWC fan in handguns and they just flat-out work. No need for expensive JHPs or other jacketed type bullets.

 

[JD338]

Nice one Fotis.
I'd carry a 240 gr hard cast at 1000 fps.
10.0 grs Unique should get you there.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

The " Skeeter 44 spcl load" is 7.5 gr unique and that is a wristbreaker in the bulldog.

Thinking about Critical defense load for CCW . Working on the plinking load.

 

[FOTIS]

Nice one Fotis.
I'd carry a 240 gr hard cast at 1000 fps.
10.0 grs Unique should get you there.

JD338

Jim I do not this that is possible since the max pressure is 15500 psi for the 44 spcl. There are 3 tiers of pressure with the 44 spcl not unlike the 3 tiers of the 45-70.
Some argue that the Charter arms bulldog falls in #1 (so it won't get rattled loose) and others say it can take tier 2 psi (22000). Tier 3 loads are Elmer Keith loads. I.E. 250 gr Keith with 17.5 gr of Alliant 2400 OUCH! But that is for Ruger Blackhawk.

 

[truck driver]

For light loads Hodgon Tite group is your friend. A starting load of 4.0grs under a 185gr LRNFP produces 819fps in an 8" barrel and 6,600cups. 4.5grs under a 200gr LRNFP produces 846fps in an 8" barrel and 8,600cups.
This powder responds well with lower then published powder charges in pistol cases.
Since you are using a revolver you could probably start with 3.5grs with either bullet and have a powder puff load.
3.5grs under a 185 lswchp in a .45apc works a 1911 action with a 6oz red dot on the slide and a 12lb recoil spring and cut the X out of a 25yd target. MV is right around 700fps out of a 5" barrel.

 

[JD338]

Fotis
Sorry I misread and was thinking 44 Mag.
Son of Sam used a 44 Mag as I recall

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Fotis
Sorry I misread and was thinking 44 Mag.
Son of Sam used a 44 Mag as I recall

JD338

Nope Charter arms bulldog 3" blued version. I remember the day they caught him! I was 11 years old. Nobody walked around NYC by themselves back then. We were terrified.

"On August 10, 1977 NYC police surrounded Berkowitz when he left his apartment, holding a .44 Bulldog in a paper bag. When Berkowitz was arrested, he allegedly told police “Well, you got me. "

 

[clearwater]

A friend carried one of those 44 special bulldogs in the back pocket of his stagged jeans when helicopter logging in Alaska. It was the smallest, lightest, out of the way thing that had a chance dissuading a bear. Hard cast bullets.

 

[Vince]

Hard to go wrong with a .44 Special of any kind.

Vince

 

[FOTIS]

Big bore snubby.... Beats a 38 special and I have 6 of them.

 

[JD338]

Nope Charter arms bulldog 3" blued version. I remember the day they caught him! I was 11 years old. Nobody walked around NYC by themselves back then. We were terrified.

"On August 10, 1977 NYC police surrounded Berkowitz when he left his apartment, holding a .44 Bulldog in a paper bag. When Berkowitz was arrested, he allegedly told police “Well, you got me. "

I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Well I picked up the bulldog . I was surprised by the quality. Single and double action trigger pulls are good and smooth. Due to the winds I did not go to the range to shoot it. (Imagine that! wind in Cheyenne!) I did get some Hornady critical defense 165 gr.
I also reloaded 200 gr cast with 4 gr of Bullseye for plinking and then 7.5 gr Unique with 200 gr powdered hard cast and 200 gr XTP's. Interested to see what velocities I get from a 2.5" tube.

 

[reflex264]

I have a bunch of Charter 44 Bulldogs including one exactly like the son of Sam used. I don't load the Charter Arms guns hot. My go to load for them is a 240 grain BBSWC over 6.8 grains Universal Clays. It is accurate and tolerable. I have one Target Bulldog that has shot thousands of that load and is still solid and tight.

 

[FOTIS]

Well I shot it for the first time. The 165 flex tip at 750 fps (critical defense) from Hornady shot about a foot low if not more at about 17 yards. I also tried some 200 grain cast of 200 grain xtps with 7.5 grains of unique that load was okay and I still a little bit low. That said at 800 ft per second it tore my trigger finger apart. I think I might need a 240 load to get the exact point of aim right. The 200 xtp at about 800 ft per second was pretty good at 7 yd all in a 3-in DOT. Same with the 200 grain cast.

I just found a set of crimson Trace laser sights grips with a phenomenal price, so point of impact is no longer an issue. All I have to do is decide on a safe defense load. I do like my four grains of bullseye with 200 grain cast at about 560 ft per second for practice load that is a blast.

 

[JD338]

I bet if you change to bigger grips, you will have more to hang onto. Hopefully those Bayou Bullets I sent you shoot a little better.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Both those and the 250 Matt's (that I sent you) did fine with 7 gr of Power pistol. 705 FPS and dead on. Either way I have the crimson trace laser grips on it now.

 

[JD338]

Excellent!
I'm going to jug on of those 250 gr Matt's pretty quick. I think it's going to be a good one buddy.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Let me know.....

 

[Charlie-NY]

I shot a S&W model 29 with heavy hunting loads fairly often. While the recoil was noticeable, I got used to it. A friend of mine had a Charter Arms Bulldog and asked if I wanted to try it. Never one to turn down an offer to shoot a new firearm, I said "sure". One cylinder full of his ammo and I was DONE! That lightweight pistol was the most brutal thing I ever fired. I have no idea what ammo he had bought for it but I would not shoot it again. I appreciate my full-house 44mags a bit more now.