Is this finally the new Charter Arms Classic 44?

T

Theophilus

New member
I've been hearing rumors for a long time that Charter Arms is going to come out with a re-issue of the 3" Classic Bulldog... has it finally happened? The "gun source" has this in stock for $408 - http://www.thegunsource.com/item/509898_Charter_Arms_Handguns_Pistols_CTR_CLASSIC_BULLDOG_44.aspx
If this is the long awaited release, I wonder why Charter's own website does not even have it yet? :confused:
Anyway I would like to know how it compares with the original from the 70's and 80's. Has anyone handled one of these yet?
 
Hmmmm?

theo, wish I could help, but dunno.

I do know that I had an early Bulldog, 3" fixed sights, and it shot precisely to point of aim at 25 yds w/ my reloads and I loved that little blaster. Problem was that my loads were way to stiff for it and I shot the revolver out of time in short order.

I would consider another, if Charters quality is up to snuff. But....over $400 for a Charter, man that seems steep.
 
That sure looks like it. Charter doesn't seem to keep their website up to date, so you probably won't see it there for a while.

And $400 for a compact .44 ain't bad at all. Looks like a bit more effort is going into this one compared to their standard Bulldogs.
 
Looks like the one I had in the early 80’s. Traded it in on the one in the photo.
My only negative comment is on the grips, those wood grips just suck. To wide and very little support along the web of the hand.
They are great little guns but I haven’t handed a new one for some years so I can’t comment. I do know that the recent guns are getting back to the quality they had back in the 80’s. I hope this one is also. This is good news for the bulldog fans.
Bamaranger has a very good comment on the gun. If you do get one stay away from the mega blasters or very heavy bullets. I use Winchester silver tips at 200 GR. They expand well and don’t batter the gun.
Mine has over 500 rounds, several boxes of silvertips and the remainder 240 GR with light reloads. It’s still tight and functions well.
 
Last edited:
If I had some extra cash around I'd be a buyer..just got a G20 today though..and I'm officially broke.


20b.jpg


i do like my Bulldog 44
 
Had been hearing about these for a while... about a year ago I picked up a 70's-era model for $240 b/c I couldn't wait and b/c... well, b/c it was cheaper. I like my old one a lot. Just wondered about this new production line, if it's got the same build quality etc etc. If I'm not mistaken the old gun was designed to be a "tight lockup" in terms of the cylinder play while the newer ones are designed to have some play in them... so maybe they will have a little more resistance to getting shot out of time. In't that how it works?
 
I owned a couple of the 3" Bulldogs back in the 80's, 1 stainless & 1 blued.

Never could get either of them to stay running smoothly for very long, even though I was shooting factory ammo in them. I really wanted to like and keep the stainless one, returning it to the factory for repair 3 times (kept locking up, in both dry-fire and live-fire conditions).

Each time it came back with a letter explaining they'd repaired it ... but the problem remained. The last time I took it from the shipping box, started to dry-fire it ... and didn't make it all the way around the empty cylinder before it locked up. I traded it in at the gunstore who'd done the shipping for me each time. They knew the problems, but said they had a bored gunsmith who wouldn't mind a project gun

Have they significantly changed the design and improved their customer support from how things were back in the 80's?

Personally, the only CA revolver I ever felt was a decent enough investment for the money was their Undercover .38 ... if someone couldn't afford a S&W Model 36.

I do like seeing an American firearms company do well, just like I want to see an American car company do well ... but there are examples of each who will not see my money. Not when there are other products available which I feel give better value when it comes to my money.
 
I had to send in my Bulldog for repair. It's only a few years old, but I picked it up in a pawn shop and it looks like it may have had a rough life before I got hold of it. After a while the cylinder started binding up after about 10 shots at the range. Sent it in and two weeks later I got it back, working as it should. They adjusted the cylinder gap, and reassembled the latch release that I fudged up a bit (don't take that thing off!).

It's been fine ever since. I carry and trust it completely.
 
You can hotrod a box or two in these guns but it will fail in short order. Silvertip, Fed LHP, and Cowboy loads are the ususal fodder I use. 240-245gr SWC over 6.5gr Unique are my standard handloads in this five shot. That's a grain less of powder than I use in my Smith sixshooters.

bulldog2010.jpg
 
It would be great if they come out with a "Back Packer" Model ..I think they where a batch of Charter Bull Dogs that where customized by Magna -port..
The barrels where bobbed to under 2inches,,ported ,hard chromed finish and no sights ..and had pachmayr grips.....these bring a pretty penny today...
 
It would be great if they come out with a "Back Packer" Model ..I think they where a batch of Charter Bull Dogs that where customized by Magna -port..
The barrels where bobbed to under 2inches,,ported ,hard chromed finish and no sights ..and had pachmayr grips.....
Click to expand...

You're going to have to explain the appeal of no sights to me. (Please spare me the bear jokes.:)) I don't see magnaporting doing a lot on a low pressure round like 44 SPL. I also don't see how such a model has much to do with backpacking. I do have a 4" Target Bulldog that is great as a trail gun and a 2" stainless Bulldog Pug that as far as I can see would do whatever the "Backpacker" would do, only you could hit something more that 10 feet away with it.
 
The "BackPacker" was a niche marketing product at a time when the small J frame snubbies in .38S or smaller were the only game in town for CCW in the mid to late 1970s. Long before Clinton encouraged the full caliber pocket autos. I handled one but it was too rich for my wallet at the time. It makes a good pocket piece about like a Chief's Special with larger grips and a little thick in the middle. I guess no sight = no snag. Ports to reduce muzzle rise from the old 246gr RNL which was the only factory load available. As I recall, all pics I've seen and the one I handled had the stock CA Bulldog wood grips, not pachmayrs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top