Risk to frame of replacing a 1982 Bulldog .44 Barrel

G

Grizzly2

New member
I have a very clean and still tight 1982 Stratford Charter Arms 3" Bulldog that I bought used. From a rest, in single action and with light target load or factory loads, it shoots futher to the left with each 5 yards you add. I'ts been consistently 3/4" left at 5 yards, 1 1/2" left at 10 yards, 2 1/4" left at 15yards and 3 1/2" left at 20 yards.

I've paid my $49.99 and Charter Arms is willing to change out the barrel. They have the proper holding fixture. Does anyone have any personal knowledge of, if these .44 Bulldog frames tend to have cracks from use that will open up under the strain of a barrel removal. There is obviously some risk since I've been asked to send them a waiver. I'm willing and will take some risk so long as I don't hear it is a great risk. So far I'm hearing that if the gun has been shot alot and hard, there may be cracks. This one appears about as tight as a new one I looked at in a lgs.

I'd like to go for it because it carries so well and I enjoy shooting it. I just am not comfortable with maybe having it shoot left.
 
The revolvers that are risky to re-barrel are aluminum framed models.
Most manufactures will not attempt a barrel change due to the stress causing the aluminium to crack through the underside of the barrel threaded area.

Most steel framed guns are usually okay as long as the correct barrel vise and frame wrench is used.
Charter will have the correct tooling.
Steel frames don't tend to crack unless something was wrong when it was originally made, they very, very seldom crack just from being fired.

I would think that they can change the barrel safely, but just as a "CYA" they ask for the waver.

One thing to consider.... If the revolver is shooting to the left, closely examine the barrel to insure the barrel is screwed in until the front sight is at a true 12:00 O'clock top-dead-center.
If the barrel was not properly installed at the factory and the sight is not perfectly aligned, the gun will shoot off the the left.
If the barrel was turned in too far, the front sight will be off to the left and it will shoot to the right.

Remember, the front sight is the opposite of the rear. If the sight is to the right the gun shoots to the left.
Off to the left and it shoots to the right.

It's not unusual for revolver makers to have problems getting the barrels perfectly installed and for them to shoot to one side.
If this is the case, you don't need a new barrel, you need to have the barrel properly adjusted.
This can be as complicated as removing the barrel and resetting it, or just tightening it a slight turn.
 
I have a lot of faith in charter arms. Incredible personal experience. Far beyond anything they should have done.

David
 
the older guns had a polished blue finish, well mine did. the new guns are a matt black finish. I'd like to see your gun after they replace the barrel.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm encouraged. I'm also pleased with their customer service and desire to help - especially on one so old and from an earlier company.

The tech has been very helpful and has found another 3" barrel from that era (something changed from then to now - they are not interchangeable.) and will polish and re blue the replacement barrel. They've even gave me a pair of their rubber grips and a pair of their newer wood grips from the classic that have a small section that needs touched up.

The blue matches very nicely now. The frame barely has any of that purple hue many did.

Since you all on the Firing line have been the most helpful, when I get it back, I'll post before and after targets and photos.

This is the add I responded to on GB. I reload, so all that brass I could save, along with a box of Silvertips and Underwood 200gr WCs to carry was more than I could resist. The holster and shell holder are by Mernickle. I gave $405 on line and the seller has refunded me $40. for my expenses so far and threw in some early ads he'd purchased from the early 80's. I bet that doesn't happen too often. It was very nice of him to offer to share in the cost of getting it looked at.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=109609&stc=1&d=1556862114
https://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=109610&stc=1&d=1556862318
 

Attachments

  • Target 3.jpg
    Target 3.jpg
    241.2 KB · Views: 104
  • pix722414493.jpg
    pix722414493.jpg
    128.5 KB · Views: 73
It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out. I would like to see a company take the interest to properly rebarrel a fixed sight revolver and get it to shoot center. A whole lot of the fixed sight guns out there won't shoot to center...regardless of distance involved.
 
Well, at least the barrel stayed with the frame in David R's photo. I think I may have read your story once before here.

That's an all too common photo we see of all kinds of makes and models.

An overload is what first comes to mind. Maybe a hot Special round meant for a .44 mag or an overload went into the lightweight Bulldog. I've already checked my cylinder a few times to be certain it won't chamber a magnum round. I've heard more than once of that being possible with a Bulldog.

I'm beyond the age of dragging anymore deer from the woods and have sold off the last .44 Magnum I had.

I'll give it a go and hope this other barrel they have is a good one.
 
Grizzly2 said:
Well, at least the barrel stayed with the frame in David R's photo. I think I may have read your story once before here.

That's an all too common photo we see of all kinds of makes and models.

An overload is what first comes to mind. Maybe a hot Special round meant for a .44 mag or an overload went into the lightweight Bulldog. I've already checked my cylinder a few times to be certain it won't chamber a magnum round. I've heard more than once of that being possible with a Bulldog.

I'm beyond the age of dragging anymore deer from the woods and have sold off the last .44 Magnum I had.

I'll give it a go and hope this other barrel they have is a good one.
Click to expand...
**********************************************************
An overload is what first comes to mind. Maybe a hot Special round
**********************************************************

You got it!

I told charter exactaly what I did. Shooting some one else's reloads. (in this case my dads) The culprit was loaded for a Smith and Wesson model 624 custom shop.

Charter replaced the gun including shipping. It blew the first day I shot it. Round #75. I was on camera, so it was recorded.

David
 
My boss at the shop I worked in long ago loaded some hot 265's I think they were(long ago is very long ago. Just before 1982 though. Don't know what the load was.). They cracked the factory grips. Didn't bother the frame.
I'd suspect the sights were damaged before thinking the barrel is bent. However, if the frame is cracked, Charter will tell you. If that's the case another barrel won't fix it.
The picture in post #9 isn't a blown frame. That's a blown cylinder. Changing the barrel won't fix that either. snicker.
 
I'll ask the question again-and it's a serious question.
Why not just bend the barrel that is on the gun?
It's a lot easier and less expensive than changing the barrel.
 
The ticket for shotguns

I know of old school shotgun guys that bend barrels.

All you really need is a tree with a fork in it, oh and a shotgun that does NOT have a rib on the barrel.
 
I bent the barrel on a Winchester 20 gauge. It was shooting right, so I stuck the barrel in the rafters of the covered shooting point. Bent it until it shot were I put the bead. It has a rib and if I look down the rib, I can see the curve. :)

David

Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk
 
First, it is at Charter Arms for Warranty work. Being an older gun, from an earlier Company, they have never been obligated to work on them. But, for a $49.95 fee they will. They have done a number of things to it already and have also tried filing the sights.

I'm not really sure that bending a thicker 3" revolver barrel is a recommended repair, but I'm not a Gun Smith. I've heard of it with thin walled shotgun barrels, but never with revolvers.

It was already at Charter Arms for other repairs. I'd asked them to move poi to the right and they have already tried filing the front sight twice, with little effect. A new barrel seems to be the obvious repair. It doesn't appear to be screwed in too far or not enough and it also does not seem to veer off to the left, as another snub I owned did.

I'm very thankful that for only $49.95 they offer to work on Charter Arms firearms that were made by another company long ago. So far they have been very friendly and helpful and willing to go out of their way to make a customer happy.
 
I have that same style Mernickle holster for a Taurus 431 (44 Spl, 3" barrel, 5 shot).

It's well made, and works for its' intended purpose. I think you will like it, especially for the price.
 
Grizzly2 wrote:

I have a very clean and still tight 1982 Stratford Charter Arms 3" Bulldog that I bought used. From a rest, in single action and with light target load or factory loads, it shoots futher to the left with each 5 yards you add. I'ts been consistently 3/4" left at 5 yards, 1 1/2" left at 10 yards, 2 1/4" left at 15yards and 3 1/2" left at 20 yards.
Click to expand...

If gun groups well,
Shame its fixed sights when all you really need in a windage adjustment.
 
OldNick said:
I have that same style Mernickle holster for a Taurus 431 (44 Spl, 3" barrel, 5 shot).

It's well made, and works for its' intended purpose. I think you will like it, especially for the price.
Click to expand...
Funny thing is that when I first saw that photo in the add, I thought the holster was like some of the pancake holsters that could be worn either crossdraw or strong side and that caused me to bid one more time and win.

At first I was disappointed when I realized that Mernickle holster was strong side only with the choice of straight up or a forward cant. Now I have come to really like that holster and enjoy how it carries and presents the revolver. I see that they make a cross draw if I ever decide I really want one. That may even be a better way to go than an either or design.
 
RaySendero said:
If gun groups well,
Shame its fixed sights when all you really need in a windage adjustment.
Click to expand...
I know. But I'd guess that the sight would have to be adjusted all the way out to make the correction needed. I can't really remember how far you could move the poi with, say a J frame with adj sights, or even a Charter Arms model with adjustable sights.

During this whole process, I seriously considered just getting a S&W 3" .357 J frame with adj sights. This is the third try at a snub revolver and all of them have had issues with the fixed sights.

I'm hoping this repair lets it shoot straight, because I really like the little .44 Special 3".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top