Bulldog from Charter Arms - Classic Americana

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The Bulldog Traditional is Constitution Arms’ most iconic revolver. Take into account this overview as getting reacquainted with the compact, 5-shot revolver chambered in 44 Particular. It’s a small gun with an enormous character. I’ve run a number of Constitution Arms revolvers through the years and I at all times discover myself coming again to the Bulldog. This newest variant of the Bulldog is the nicest trying and it performs.

Constitution Arms Bulldog Pedigree

The Bulldog has been common because it was launched in 1973 due to its compact measurement and 44 Particular caliber. Again within the Seventies, a 38 Particular revolver was the norm for hid carry and the 44 Particular delivers nearly twice as a lot muzzle power than the 38 Particular.

barrel of charter arms bulldog classic — Constitution Arms has produced the Bulldog revolver since 1974.

There are a couple of distinctive options in regards to the Constitution Arms Bulldog Traditional and, the truth is, all the Bulldog pedigree line. One function is the one-piece body. Smith & Wesson, Taurus, Rossi, and Colt all use a two-piece body that comes with a aspect plate that holds the center of the interior mechanism in place. Constitution Arms Bulldog weapons use the set off guard to carry the internals in place.

The second distinctive function Constitution Arms used was a frame-mounted firing pin. The blow from the hammer hits a switch bar which hits the firing pin to fireside the spherical. The switch bar system makes the Bulldog very secure. Again within the 1970’s and ‘80s different revolver producers used a hammer-mounted firing pin.

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transfer safety bar on charter arms revolver — All Constitution Arms revolvers, just like the Bulldog, use a switch security bar. The hammer hits the switch bar, which hits the firing pin to fireside the spherical.

Origin Of The Bulldog Identify

The title Bulldog originated within the late 1860s. Webley in England is credited with first utilizing the title for his or her British Bull Canine revolver which was a small, compact .44 caliber revolver that includes a 2.5-inch barrel and 5-shot cylinder. It wasn’t a stretch for Constitution Arms to call their compact, 5-shot, 44 Particular revolver the identical.

Options

The Bulldog Traditional appears to be like 1970’s old-school with the tapered 3-inch barrel, uncovered ejector rod, blued end, and checkered laminate wooden grips. The intense blue end was properly executed. The very best bluing I’ve seen on a Constitution Arms revolver. The hammer is case coloured and contrasts properly. The set off and set off guard are a matte black shade. The Bulldog has that retro double-action revolver look to it.

checkered wood grip of bulldog classic from charter arms — The grip on the Bulldog Traditional is compact but fills your hand to unfold recoil in your palm.

In hand, the Constitution Arms Bulldog is as light-weight as similar-sized 38 Particular revolvers besides the cylinder is fatter on the Bulldog to accommodate 5 44 Particular cartridges. Unloaded the Bulldog weighs 20 ounces. The laminated wooden grip form is simply massive sufficient to fill your hand but sufficiently small to hide. The perimeters of the grips are checkered.

Set off

It includes a double-action/single-action set off. The pull weight in double motion was 12 kilos; single motion was 4.8 kilos. The set off face is easy and the motion itself was pretty easy, so the 12-pound DA press felt lighter. In my expertise, some Constitution Arms actions really feel gritty till they’re damaged in. There was a slight quantity of stacking in DA, however the set off might be staged—pulled again in DA mode and held by the set off finger then pulled the remainder of the way in which by to fireside the revolver. Staging the set off in DA could make the ultimate little bit of set off pull really feel like you might be capturing in SA mode.

Cylinder

To open the cylinder, press the serrated cylinder latch ahead or pull ahead on the ejector rod. The crane locks into the body. Ruger used this design element within the LCR. Most different revolvers mate the crane to border.

crane to frame lockup on Charter Arms Bulldog revolver — The crane suits into the body as a substitute of mating collectively like a Smith & Wesson and Colt.

Sight

The ramp entrance sight is inner to the barrel and the rear sight is a groove machined into the highest strap. These are rudimentary sights at greatest and really usable in close-up, defensive conditions. This isn’t a goal pistol by any means.

Barrel

The three-inch lengthy barrel affords a bit extra sight radius and ekes out a bit extra velocity and power in comparison with the everyday 2.5-inch snub nostril revolver. The longer barrel additionally permits for an extended ejector rod to simply kick out spent shells, but remains to be simple to hide.

38 Particular Vs 44 Particular: Which Is Higher?

The 44 Particular caliber makes the Bulldog distinctive amongst small, compact revolvers that are sometimes chambered in 38 Particular or 357 Magnum. So that you would possibly ask your self: Is the 44 Particular particular?

loaded chambers of a charter arms bulldog classic — From the enterprise finish, you’ll be able to see the fats .44 Particular cartridge from left to proper: Hornady 180-grain JHP, SIG V-Crown 200-grain JHP, and Buffalo Bore 200-grain wadcutter.

Wanting on the knowledge 44 Particular Hornady Customized with a 180-grain FTX bullet had a muzzle velocity/power of 790 fps/249 ft-lb. Buffalo Bore’s Anti-Private 44 Particular cartridge loaded with a 200 grain exhausting solid wadcutter bullet generates 979 fps and that interprets to 425 ft-lb of power. Wadcutters are formed like soup cans. They haven’t any level or give. These bullets are sometimes utilized by goal shooters, and at shut vary, like in a defensive scenario, the bullet could be very correct, and flat nostril hits with power and penetrates. It makes holes within the goal like a gap punch.

44 special ammo with revolver — The Constitution Arms Bulldog Traditional most well-liked 200-grain bullets just like the SIG V-Crown and Buffalo Bore; it didn’t have a style for the 180-grain Hornady rounds.

Taking a look at knowledge out of a Rossi RP63 with a 3-inch barrel 38 Particular Speer Gold Dot with a 125-grain GDHP bullet has a muzzle velocity/power was 815 fps/184 ft-lb. Aguila 357 Magnum with a 158-grain semi-jacketed HP produced a muzzle velocity/power of 1115 fps/436 ft-lb.

Operating The Constitution Arms Bulldog In 44 Particular

The Bulldog has sufficient actual property on the grip that felt recoil is unfold into the palm of your hand. It isn’t concentrated so recoil feels lighter, and far softer capturing than a 357 Magnum J-frame or similar-sized revolvers. The exception is the recent Buffalo Bore Anti-Personnel hundreds. You don’t wish to shoot a field of those at one time. The Bulldog Traditional additionally feels surprisingly small and compact in hand. It’s exhausting to imagine it holds 5, fats 44 Particular cartridges.

charter arms bulldog in hand — The Constitution Arms Bulldog Traditional is surprisingly compact for a 5-shot .44 Particular.

Teams at 10 YD

To gather correct knowledge I fired in single-action utilizing a relaxation at 10 yards. 5-shot teams averaged from 1.3 to 2.3 inches, which is nice for a revolver meant to be used at spitting distances. The Bulldog had no style for the Hornady Customized 180-grain rounds, my greatest 5-shot teams measured 2.04 inches. The Bulldog appeared to desire 200-grain hundreds. The very best group with the 200-grain SIG ammo measured 1.1 inches. The Buffalo Bore 200-grain anti-personnel wad cutter was 1.4 inches.

target with charter arms bulldog classic — At 7 yards and firing in double motion the Bulldog was simple to regulate and get hits within the 8-inch circle at velocity; recoil with Buffalo Bore ammo was stout. These completely spherical holes are from the Buffalo Bore wadcutters.

Teams at 7 Yds

At shut vary is absolutely the place the rubber meets the highway with the Bulldog Traditional. I moved the goal to 7 yards and shot a modified Invoice Drill. Greedy the Bulldog excessive on the grip to higher handle muzzle flip firing for velocity, I used to be capable of constantly hold pictures within the 8-inch circle firing DA. My group sizes have been about 2 to three inches on common. I admit the Buffalo Bore took management to fireside quick. Recoil was not nice. It pounded my palm like a Bull-Dawg! In fact, the goal obtained the worst of it. With the Hornady and SIG, recoil was very manageable. Emptied ejected quick however I did get a couple of instances hung up on the grip, however gravity offered an help.

ejecting shells from a charter arms bulldog classic — The left aspect grip panel must be scooped out to permit the shell closest to it to eject. Gravity helps when shortly unloading a revolver.

Learn Extra: Colt Python Overview: 2.5 Inch Snub-Nostril Traditional

Ultimate Ideas

charter arms bulldog classic review — Overview of the Constitution Arms Bulldog Traditional was like getting reacquainted with an previous pal.

If you would like a traditional compact revolver in a novel caliber the Constitution Arms Bulldog can fill that need. Bulldog revolvers are additionally reasonably priced. I’ve carried Bulldogs on and off for years and I’ve by no means felt undergunned. I take into account snub-nose revolvers as a “get away” gun, permitting me to fireside at shut vary and get the hell out of Dodge to security. You both like revolvers otherwise you don’t. All you revolver xenophobes can go away a remark under. I’m going to hide carry this new Bulldog in 44 Particular for some time or at the least till peer strain shames me again to a striker-fire 9mm.

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