How certain are we that the base gun REALLY IS a Bulldog?

[BigLoop22]

Andy,

I agree with you. I was trying to show that Charter made some barrels that are longer than 3", or 4". A .44 Special, with a longer bull barrel could have been made. Charter made good, inexpensive revolvers, but they did produce some variations, too.

Based upon the Worldcon photos, though, I think that the hero gun has a cut-down, surplus barrel on it.

Shawn

[Noeland]

HEY, that long barreled CA reminds me of the 88 magnum from Johnny Dangerously!!
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I don't have enough blasters!

[BigLoop22]

...well, if we all really want to know if the HERO blaster is a Charter gun, then, maybe, KARL could scare up a Worldcon photograph that shows the serial number of the gun, and call Charter to see when it was manufactured & which model it is:

http://www.charterfirearms.com/contact%20us/contact_Charter_Firearms.html

Customer Service
For sales & marketing questions
Phone : 866-769-4867
Fax: 937-454-0503
Email: sales@charterfirearms.com

I have seen a partial serial number, through the righthand grip, in one of his photographs. Mister Tate, do you have the entire serial number of the gun? Could you call Charter Arms for us? Pretty please?

Thanks,
Shawn

[Hasenbrau]

Before reading this thread I just assumed it was known that the revolver inside the BR Hero gun was a Charter Arms .44 bulldog. But after reading this thread I now have the impression that, while the revolver inside was certainly a Charter Arms model, it very well could have been any number of calibers. Is this a fair assumption?

I find this intriguing because I’m sure there’s a number of people out there who would like to know exactly what model was used in the actual BR prop. Anyone who’s fired a .32, .38, .357, and a .44 certainly knows there’s a big difference between a .32 and a .44.

It would be neat if, like BigLoop suggested, someone could scrounge up that serial number, though it’s probably partially hidden behind the right cylinder cover.

[Delmustator]

Making a custom barrel for any existing handgun is a relatively easy task for any gunsmith. I was on the SC National Guard Rifle Team for a couple years and the guys that shot pistols ALL had their own custom rigs.

One of them had a Ruger .44 that had a custom 6.5" barrel with compensator. It only took the gunsmith a few weeks to make the barrel to his specs.

Anyhoo, the Target Bulldog is one example of a longer barrel of 4". Below is the standard CA Bulldog and the Target Bulldog.





Note: One thing that bothers me is the location of the cylinder release. It's way high on the frame.
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-Del

[phase pistol]

I missed this thread but it's a great idea! I can't believe somebody hasn't contacted Charter Arms already.

So I shot them an email... I'll report back if they reply.

- k

[BigLoop22]

Gentlemen,

A lot of Charter parts are interchangeable, but some are not. Here is a recently-closed auction for Charter parts:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=118297864









You will note that the gun says "Police Undercover", and the caliber is .38 Special, stainless steel construction. Also, note that the cylinder holds SIX rounds. Further note the standard Charter gripframe. That auction included an older, factory-dehorned hammer. I believe that the hammer had groves on its top, to give you some chance of "thumbing" it back.

I have seen variations of the Bulldog calibers, such as: six-shot .38 Special; five-shot .357 Magnum; six-shot .357 Magnum; and five-shot .44 Special. Then, there is the shrouded versus unshrouded barrel, plus the varying lengths: 3", 4", and 6".

There is also a difference in Charter frame sizes that is not apparent to the naked eye. I used to own an Off-Duty Special, roughly the size of a Smith & Wesson J-frame, with a shrouded 2" barrel. It always felt a little awkward in my hand, even with the fat rubber grip. I bought that Police Bulldog that I mentined before, because it felt sooooo much better, even with its slightly smaller wooden grips. My Police Bulldog is roughly the equivalent of a S&W K-frame. I got to to tinkering, and swaped the 6-shot cylinder of the Police Bulldog, for a spare 5-shot cylinder from an Off-Duty Special. Well, I can center the smaller cylinder in the Bulldog's frame, but there is plenty of room around it. The gun cannot operate with the smaller, 5-shot cylinder in it.

...so, knowing this, I am curious about the 5-shot Bulldogs .357 Magnum, versus the 6-shot .38 Special & .357 Magnum guns (since the diameter of the rounds are the same), and how the 5-shot .44 Special cylinder would fit any of these frames.


...questions...

Shawn