Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 44 Special Defense Bullet

Looking for some advice on a good all around 44 special defense bullet to load. Be running them in a Charter arms bulldog. Will be a carry gun so not worried about traveling through walls to unintended targets. In fact leaning towards something that could punch heavy barriers such as glass or through the truck door if need be. Really expansion of a 44 is not really needed on flesh but want some energy transfer. I know a lot of bullets are hard to find right now but got a fair selection of various types on the shelf. Mostly 44 mag suitable bullets but some light for magnum options.Also have all the usual suspects for powder if you got loads to suggest. Thanks.

200gr. GoldDot

255gr Keith bullet, i got mine at GT bullets, nice big meplat, i wouldn't hesitate to use it for defense, run 4227 in a Freedom Arms 44 Special, you may want to look to Longshot or Power Pistol for a little cleaner burn with less blast and noise.

200 grain Gold Dot or the Winchester 200 grain silver tip ammo.

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For what it's worth...

Out of a 3" Special, at 842 fps, a Hornady 200 XTP over a warm load of W231 went thru 4 gallon jugs of water, penetrated both sides of the 5th but was found in that jug. The 1st jug was @ 10ft. All 6 petals opened nicely to between .502 & .520" & it weighed 199.6 gr.

I've been carrying factory 200gr Silvertips @ 722fps. out of the same pistol. No water jug data on these yet.

Just loaded some experimental shotshells last night made from full length 445 Super Mag brass with #8 shot & shortened .410 wads over 5 gr. of Unique. Should be interesting. Might be good for the 1st cylinder to the face of that rabid raccoon in the woodpile, before the 200s in the other 4 cylinders for center mass. The 44 Mag version is hell on snakes... with a 6" barrel it gives an 8 to 10" spread at 10 ft. & penetrated some roof flashing I used for a target.

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Most Bulldog owners I know consider even just 950 FPS with a 250 “too much of a good thing” in such a light pistol, and look to lighter projectiles.

FWIW-

I originally said 200gr. GoldDot but I didn’t know that going through truck doors was a stipulation. Read right over that part. Hard cast would definitely be a better choice for that.

The thing about the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Spl. is recoil. It can get nasty real quick like. I had a friend who has since passed and was looking fo a defensive load for his Bulldog. We settled on a 185 gr. (I think that's the weight.*) wadcutter from a Lee mold I had laying around. Played with several charges of Unique until we hit the limit of his comfort range. He was 79 years old at the time. I'd have to run a few of those bullets to get the exact weight but I think they'd do a number from what could be done from the Charter .44.
* Can't remember if they were 185 or 200 gr.
Paul B.

Not looking to pound myself. But I can handle recoil when and if needed. I can handle and accurately shoot fullhouse loads in a 4 1/2" Superblackhawk 480 Ruger.

Back whene I carried a CA Bulldog for self defense, I either carried the Buffalo Boar .44 Special wadcutter loads or Factory Speer 200 grain Gold Dot HP loads.

I've never owned a CA Bulldog, but have owned several small/medium frame revolvers in .44 Special, Rossi 720s, a couple of S&W 696s, and a couple of Taurus 431/441s. Since you value penetration potential over expansion potential, a hard cast SWC with a gas check might be a place to start.

When I am afield and choose to carry one of the Rossi 720s or Taurus 441s, I typically carry 3 chambers loaded with 240 grain SWCs and 2 chambers loaded with CCI snake-shot. The 5.0 grains of Universal that I use in those revolver loads are accurate at 10 yards and the light recoil allows me to get back on target more quickly than the 240 grain Remington factory loads that I have shot from those revolvers.

My Rossi 720s and Taurus 441s have larger synthetic grips installed that help to cushion the recoil a little more than the smaller wood or synthetic grips that came on them.

I have both loads myself and really like them. Pretty functional loads. I got lucky and picked up a fair number of the Speer ammo before the shortage and still picking up the Buffalo Bore ammo. In addition to the C/A I also have the Ruger GP100 3" and now a S&W mod 69. Both very functional.

Tag

+1. A 255 might be just the thing in a Freedom Arms, but a CA Bulldog is very light and recoil with 200 grain loads is already quite adequate.

Simmering on what to load up. 200 grain is what I am thinking for top end weight wise. Got assorted standard jacketed in the 200 grain range. Nothing hardcast under 255.Would really like to find some Lehigh Defense 160 grain extreme defense. Solid copper similar to a barnes but not a hollow point. They are expensive. I have tried them in 10mm and 45acp. Insanely accurate and they way over penetrate. Of course no one has them in stock. Like gold dots but wonder if they can punch a truck door.

Not overly paranoid but if I had to use a pistol in self defense it would be in my truck. I work second shift til 12:30 AM. I live in a not so great area. Have to drive through a really really not so great area. Most likely situation I would encounter would be carjacking. If I can't drive out of the situation I am just dumping rounds through the door at waist level. Not going to give someone armed the chance to know I am armed until lead is flying.

Silvertip are junk.in.my experience, don't expand well

Auto glass and auto doors spells hard cast. Otherwise the 200 grain Gold Dot is an outstanding self-defense bullet.

FWIW, it's a fun bullet to drive at 44 magnum velocities out of the right gun. The destruction is bomb-like.

Take a look at

https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product-category/pistol/page/2/?filter_caliber=44-mag

I like the WFN cast bullets from the LBT molds. They just work! Reach out to Bruce if a bullet is of interest to you is not in stock and see when he might be casting up a new batch.

My 4-5/8' Bisley dropped at doe mule deer in her tracks with my 255 gr LBT WFN at 15 yds running 1156 fps. Complete pass through.






I know my bullet is heavier than you want and running faster than you want. Nothing says you can't slow it down and it WILL still penetrate. I think his 240 gr OWC PB would be an awesome carry bullet in the 44 SPL.

Alan