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Charter Arms Bulldog.. 3-4" barrel.
Recommend some decent ammo,please.

I've been looking at 165gr. CorBon stuff.

Input?
you can do worse (but not a lot better), than a LSWC running around 850 fps.

Easy on the gun, easy on you, cheap to load.
I use Speer.

http://www.thegunsource.com/item/1777_CCI_Ammunition_Speer_23980_Gold_Dot_Pist.aspx

Haven't played with the CorBons yet bit I tested some others in water from a 3" Taurus several years ago. The 200 gr Gold Dot Blazer load expanded much better than either the Federal 200 gr LSWCHP or the WW 200 Silvertip so that is what I keep in it now. I expect the Speer load BMT recommended would be identical.

Frankly I'd be happy enough with any of the 3 though.
When searching for factory self-defense loads, regardless of caliber, just do yourself a huge favor and grab a box of Speer GoldDot loads (ShortBarrels, if your tube is abbreviated).

I've tested just about ever weight and caliber they make and never had any do anything other than impress. They are as good as any get, IMHO, and better than most.

For the .44 Special, a flying ashtray of 200 gr. at 800-900 fps is going to be about all anything ever needs to get hit with.
A 260 grain LBT-WFN pushed to about 750 fps.

[Linked Image]
A friend did some extensive testing of .44 Special ammunition several years ago when he wanted to carry his S&W M21 Thunder Ranch Special. He did both tests bare into gallon jugs of water and and with clothing covering. He sent me pictures of the results which were dismal. At velocities .44 Special runs bullets there is no guaranty of expansion and even when they did it was not that much. Even the Speer 200 grain Gold Dot HP only opened a little.

He was very disheartened and ended up buying one of the 629 3" Performance Center guns with the port on the end of the barrel. He then sent pics of several loads including the Speer 200 grain Gold Dot .44 Magnum Short Barrel load that although uses the same deep HP as their .44 Special load, this listed velocity from a 4" gun is 1080 fps vs. the .44 Special load at 860 from a 6.5 barrel. This time the bullet opened EVERY time to the point that occasionally a petal would break off.

Me personally, if I was carrying a short .44 I would look to a wide meplat at a modest velocity I could control...

Bob
Originally Posted by Bristoe
A 260 grain LBT-WFN pushed to about 750 fps.

[Linked Image]


That is about as good as it gets on the 4+ calibers, especially in the short barrels. That big flat nose generates a bunch of hydrostatic shock and drives DEEP.
I carry WW Silvertips in my own Bulldog, but I don't realistically expect them to expand much. For non-defense use, I use a Speer swaged 240 SWC handloaded to about 750 fps (just what I get from the Silvertips).

Recoil is a significant issue with these 18-ounce guns, which means that point of impact changes a LOT with change of bullet weight. Mine hits almost a foot low with bullets of 180-grains, about an inch low with 200s and an inch high with 240s (all at ten yards). That's why I avoid using light bullets.
I really don't think you need that high dollar so called self-defense ammo in a pistol caliber like the .44-Spl OK. Like the 45-acp was made to shoot big bullets slow and they make big holes to boot. They penetrate deep and that is what counts. Any .44 or .41 cal will put a world of hurt on anything it meets! Stay with the 240 or 265 grain bullets, they penetrate deep.

If you wish to find out how well your pistol does with various ammo, just get a bundle of newspaper and soak it overnight. Then shoot your pistol at the bundle from 10ft away. You can use a welding rod or coathanger to check and measure distance traveled of various bullets and recovery is simple too, just fold back the paper and collect your bullets. Now when you practic with the pistol, you can use a pair of gloves to help soak up some recoil.
Like the Speer gold dot myself for factory ammo. I do like the old 250gr Keith bullet at moderate velocity when carrying reloads.
I use Hornady 200 grn. XTP's in my S4W Mod. 696 3" over 8 grns. of Unique. I believe I'm getting around 850 fps from that load and while I have only had one occasion to use it in self defense I can say that it is hell on a feral dog. I don't believe any two legged critter could stand up to a center mass hit from it!
gwi..,

I think you are exactly correct. Even a 240gr lead SWC at around 800fps is going to lay something on the target Mr. Clean can't get off.

O
[img:center][Linked Image][/img]

The LBT pics look like 200 grs.....
mic..,

Only had 2 handguns do damage to me. Got hammer bite on a 1911 and a Charter Bulldog with 240gr loads pinched a blood blister on my shooting hand when I shot off a pistol rest.

A lighter weight bullet will recoil less, but like some one said, point of impact will change. Mine did when I went to 200gr bullets, but recoil was less and the change of impact was no big deal - a little lower as I recall. Sold my bulldog to friend to finance a S&W 696. Don't regret the 696 as it's a hellofagun, but wish I had the Bulldog too as it's a real pocket pistol which the 696 definately ain't.

O
Originally Posted by VAnimrod
When searching for factory self-defense loads, regardless of caliber, just do yourself a huge favor and grab a box of Speer GoldDot loads (ShortBarrels, if your tube is abbreviated).

I've tested just about ever weight and caliber they make and never had any do anything other than impress. They are as good as any get, IMHO, and better than most.

For the .44 Special, a flying ashtray of 200 gr. at 800-900 fps is going to be about all anything ever needs to get hit with.


+1
Buddy just bought one of these.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...&catalogId=10001&productId=67971

Heck of a carry piece.

BMT
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