Big Bore Snobbery

Five rounds of .45 Colt will be satisfactory both in round count and overall bullet weight.
On board here are 1,000 grains of lead.

If you survey everyone who carries a concealed handgun for personal defense and ask what type of gun he or she carries, you’ll probably get answers along these lines:

• “I carry a slim nine — specifically a whatzagidgetsnickerdoodle … .”

• “I carry a compact auto-loading pistol. It’s none of your business what make/model it is and no, you can’t see it.”

• “I carry a small revolver. You know, five to stay alive.”

• “What type of gun do I carry? Depends on the day. Sometimes I carry more than one.”

• “I carry the same full-size duty pistol our local police

officers carry.”

• “I carry a large revolver that shoots a big cartridge — old-school style.”

Whatever your perceptions about the worldviews behind each of these answers, it’s interesting to note the vast selection of handguns available today for self-defense. Handgunners enjoy the ability to choose from a variety of sizes, shapes, actions and calibers — whatever suits their style.

I don’t know how many people carry larger revolvers chambered in .45 Colt, but it’s probably not as great a number as the other types of handguns. Despite the snobbery you sometimes find around big-bore guns, it truly is a legitimate option and one I’ve tried for several weeks with the Charter Arms Bulldog XL in .45 Colt. Its look and feel are seemingly old school, but this gun is a product of today’s modern manufacturing and virtually always a deal on the used market. Carried in the right holster — in this case, a $60 Rob Leahy Silver Dollar Pancake — it conceals well and offers a unique self-defense option worth considering.

The Charter Arms Bulldog XL’s trench rear and fixed front sight are just average.
But with a little practice, you’ll get used to them. In terms of accuracy, this gun is combat effective.

Bulldog XL

The ironic thing about a gun called the “Bulldog XL” is its weight — or lack thereof. Empty, it registers a sliver over 22 oz. on my digital scale. It feels heavier, but objectively it’s not. The 2.5″ barrel and tall, fixed front sight along with stocks providing a place for my pinky finger certainly contribute to an “XL” feel. This also applies to the cylinder, which at its widest is over 1.5″. With this kind of bulk, a five-round revolver may seem no match for other types of defensive handguns.

Then there’s the cartridge it fires. The .45 Colt has been around a long time but isn’t the easiest to find on store shelves. But it’s out there, and available in defensive loads. And you probably won’t blow through it like you will with, say, 9mm rounds. No, these are big rounds with a bit of a wallop. More on that in a minute …

Even being a relatively bigger gun, the Bulldog XL has some endearing traits making it more suitable to concealed carry than you might think. First, as with most revolvers, the shape — especially from the rear trench sight to the hammer to the stocks — means less potential to print than some auto-loading pistols with a slide. Worn in a good holster with a forward cant, the Bulldog XL’s rear sight area and stocks easily hide under covering garments. Second, as with most revolvers, the XL is a very simple device to deploy and use. Draw, aim and squeeze the trigger. Whether you’re up close to your target or far away, whether you’re firing the first round or the last, whether the first trigger squeeze resulted in a round firing or not, it’s almost always that simple: aim and squeeze. Third, the Bulldog XL’s rubber stocks are excellent. A simple diamond pattern along with three finger grooves provide plenty of purchase and a measure of comfort. The stocks don’t hang up on clothing and hide well — they’re just thin enough with a slight swell near the bottom.

The Bulldog XL is big but not too big. With enough space for Mark’s pinky finger,
the rubber stocks offer plenty of purchase and make shooting .45 Colt cartridges more manageable.

Shooting

Shooting the Bulldog XL is a lesson in physics. Generally, large-caliber bullets fired from lighter-weight guns means the recoil gets transferred to the shooter’s hand and forearm. This is true with the Bulldog XL, but the amount of recoil you’ll have to endure depends on what cartridges you’re shooting. Some have more recoil, some less. In any case, as with other handguns, with practice you’ll get used to the recoil. And the Bulldog XL’s stocks help mitigate recoil immensely.

The backside of the Silver Dollar holster is smooth and simple.
Three belt cutouts offer strong-side carry and cross-draw carry.

A Versatile Holster

Rob Leahy’s Silver Dollar pancake holster is a simple design — two pieces of leather stitched together and molded around the gun. Three belt cutouts provide two carry options: traditional strong side or not-so-traditional cross draw. Interestingly, according to Leahy’s website this holster is meant for the “smallest frame revolvers only.” However, this is what he sent for the Bulldog XL and it fits perfectly.

Carrying strong side is great. A good gun belt cinched tight pulls the Bulldog XL in close, and at 4 o’clock sends the stocks straight up over my hip, easily concealed by a T-shirt. Carrying cross draw (at 10 o’clock) is more challenging, as the stocks tend to point out near my lower left ribs. It’s a suitable setup, however, for a couple situations: carrying while driving and carrying with an appropriate covering garment such as a bulky jacket or a larger hoodie. You can slide the Bulldog XL and the Silver Dollar farther back (closer to 9 o’clock) to better hide the stocks, but then it’s more difficult to reach around to grasp and draw.

When you do go to grasp and draw the Bulldog XL, your hand meets with a lot of stock and a very natural upward draw motion as the holster yields its grip on the gun.

Rob Leahy’s Silver Dollar pancake holster is simple and rugged,
and a practical means of carrying the Bulldog XL.

All-Day Carry

Strong-side carry in the Silver Dollar provides a stable and comfortable ride for the Bulldog XL and, with only 26 oz. in weight (loaded with five, 200-gr. .45 Colt cartridges), it’s not a burden to bear for all day packin’. In fact, if you like the idea of carrying a larger revolver that shoots a bigger cartridge — old-school style — the thoroughly modern Charter Arms Bulldog XL in a Rob Leahy Silver Dollar pancake holster is a legit rig for you.

For more info:
www.charterarms.com
Ph: (866) 769-4867

www.simplyrugged.com
Ph: (928) 227-0432