C. A .44 spl Bulldog/Ammo Suggestions?

H

Hobbes

New member
A few weeks ago I posted a question about the Charter Arms 2000 Bulldog Pug. I digested the good advice and spoke to some others and finally picked up a N.I.B Bulldog w/3" barrel (80s production?) in an internet auction for $250 (link to picture of actual gun below). I prefer it to the latest version and am quite pleased with it. What factory ammo do you all recommend for carry purposes? Win. 200 grain Silvertips looks like the best choice; however, I'm not real up on what's available. How about some help? Take care.


http://www.forthehunt.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=970158
 
The Silvertip is an excellent choice, but don't ignore Federal 200g, CCI 200g, Hornady XTP-HP, or Georgia Arms 200g GD.

(I think R-P has a 170g HP, but I can't remember if it's now or ago....).
 
I know that 240gr PMC's jarred my Bulldog to junk relatively quickly and 240gr Atlanta Arms rattled my little Rossi M720 badly. (Note: felt recoil wasn't much worse, but cylinder binding & etc. showed up mysteriously with the heavy bullet loads and disappeared when I went back to the lighter bullets. I'm no wheelgun expert, but this caused me to steer away from the 240gr loads)

In these smaller and lighter-built .44 Special guns, I think 200gr Silvertips or Federal 200gr LSWC-HP is the hot ticket.
 
I like the Silvertips in my 4" 629, but in my 3" Rossi I prefer a lighter bullet; the Hornady 180gr. XTP-JHP or the PMC 180gr. JHP.
 
personally, i like the confidence instilling looks of the cci blazer 200 grain 'flying ashtray' round. it just plain looks mean to me, so that's what i'de carry.
 
For .44Spl

I'd have to agree with Bullfrog on this one...

I don't own a .44 lightweight snub (yet! ;) ), but I have had some experience with using the .44Spl CCI/Blazer 200gr load in a full size Ruger Super Blackhawk. That big (huge is more like it) hollow point cavity (cavern! ;) ) instills me with the confidence that any BadGuy hit with one is gonna be in a world of hurt.

My second choice would be 200gr Gold Dots.
 
The first box of ammo that I put through my Taurus 445 (before it broke...twice...) was the CCI Blazer 200 grain
Gold Dots..I got to looking for my Cap'n Crunch..thought I had a cereal bowl in a 44 spec. case...

Ended up with Win. 200 gr. Silvertips, most accurate out of my snub ( before it broke...twice...)


Mike M.
 
In my 696's, I get good results from the W-W Silvertip, the CCI Blazer 200-gr. "Gold Dot" and Georgia Arm's 200-gr. "Gold Dot"...all are accurate and have mild to moderate recoil. An old friend has gone thru two or three Charter .44's in the twenty-plus years I've known him...he loads a hard-cast 240-gr. SWCHP over a SCARY amount of Unique for his "defense" loads...and "slightly less" Unique in his "practice" loads. He claims that with his practice regimen a "Bulldog" will last 1,200-1,600 rounds-give or take-before it needs major 'smithing--or to be traded in! He's a retired Forestry prof from UGA, very scholarly and logical, and he thinks that the "Bulldog" represents the best balance of power and portability in a totally reliable self-defense handgun...who am I to argue???....mikey357
 
The CCI-Blazer 200 GDHP is the best factory load IMHO from the big ammo companies. It is what I keep loaded in my nightstand gun. I would like to see a +P version of the 200GDHP thought say at 950 to 1000 FPS.
 
Very helpful information, thanks. I hadn't considered the 200 grain gold dots;I will give them a try. I did notice that Cor-bon has a 165 grain +p load in .44 spl. Since I got the Bulldog with slow, heavy and large in mind, I would tend to shy away from those. Am I making a mistake? Also, I was wondering if anyone has chrono'd any of these factory loads? Thanks again. You all take care.
 
I recently purchased a Charter Arms .44 Bulldog Pug and I shoot PMC 180 gr. JHP in it. I've heard good and bad things about this particular gun, and, I am rather curious as to what other owners of this gun think of it as far as durability, quality, and accuracy. I've been pleased with it so far, although the relative light weight of the gun doesn't contribute much in the way of recoil reduction...LOL.
 
Chrono Numbers:

From an actual Bulldog Pug (some from published tests, some from friends who don't hold a grudge from that time I blew one of his skyscreens to kingdom come):

Federal 200gr LSWC-HP: 797fps/282fpe
PMC 180gr JHP: 840fps/282fpe
Winchester 200gr Silvertip: 750fps/250fpe
Winchester 246gr LRN: 646fps/228fpe

Not from a Bulldog (from a 3" *&*), but ballistics should be similar due to identical barrel lengths:

Cor-Bon 165gr JHP: 1133fps/470fpe


Bulldog44: I experienced a very short lifespan for my Bulldog Pug. Possibly I got a lemon, but a good bit of it may have been extended range sessions with PMC 240gr SWC. I have a Rossi M720 right now (similar but heavier) that is a sweet shooter with 200gr Silvertips and Federal LSWC-HP, but which misbehaves with 240gr Atlanta Arms. I'd say that for reliability purposes, the heavy-bullet loads may have too punishing a recoil impulse for these little guns.
 
Personal favs

Blazer 200gr GDHP
Hornady 180gr xtp
winchester 200gr silvertip hp
all three are good choices,Try them all,
carry the one that performs the best in your pistol.
 
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