Charter Arms will release a .45 ACP version of the Pit Bull revolver early next year. The gun is the third caliber offering in the Pitbull line, with the 9mm and .40 S&W already on the market.
Let’s take a look at what we expect the Pitbull to be…
What’s the Deal with “Rimless”
The Pitbull revolvers are designed to chamber “rimless” cartridges typically used in semi-automatic pistols. Cartridges designed for revolvers typically have a rim that extends beyond the width of the case. This rim is what interfaces with the extractor star to allow for an easy removal of fired cases.
When a revolver is chambered for a rimless cartridge, the manufacturer typically designs the gun to use half- or full-moon clips. These clips are thin pieces of metal that hold the cartridges and allow them to eject from the revolver as a group.
Since the clips hold multiple cartridges, they are sometimes used by competitors as they act as natural speed loaders. Similarly, some people prefer them for self-defense purposes.
A few companies have used other means to properly shoot and extract rimless cartridges from revolvers. Charter Arms is one such company.
The Pitbull uses a special mechanical system to engage the cartridges under the recessed rims. This allows a shooter to insert and extract the rounds in a manner nearly identical to regular rimmed cartridges.
(Frame) Size Matters
When I spoke with company president Nick Ecker in 2012, he said the 9mm Pitbull revolver is built on the company’s .357 Magnum frame. The .40 S&W version of the gun is built on the same frame the company uses for the iconic .44 Special Bulldog. I expect the .45 ACP version of the Pitbull will also be built on the Bulldog frame.
General Specs
The revolvers will have a stainless finish and have black rubber grips.
A fixed ramp with serrations will serve as the front sight. The rear will be a wide notch. Since the sights are very rugged, there is little chance they could be damaged enough to throw off the point of impact.
The cylinder will hold five .45 ACP rounds, and the unloaded weight of this gun will be 21 ounces. The MSRP will be just under $498.
According to Ecker, prototypes of the guns are up and running. He said the company plans on starting production of the new guns in January.
Prior Experience
I previously reviewed the .40 S&W version of the Pitbull, but had some problems with the extraction. I did not find that the gun was reliable enough for self-defense at that time. However, more than 2.5 years have passed since that time, and I would expect that any bugs have been worked out of the system.
Based on my interactions with Charter Arms, I have found them to be a quality company that is genuinely interested in providing good customer service. I suspect that any lessons learned with the early guns have been incorporated into the new .45 ACP Pitbull.
13 replies on “Charter Arms Pitbull in .45 ACP”
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“I expect the .45 ACP version of the Pitbull will also be built on the Bulldog frame.”
It’s fairly obvious you didn’t talk to Charter for this article. The reason for the delay in introducing the .45 ACP Pitbull is they have been tooling up for a new, larger, frame for it. There wasn’t going to be enough thickness in the Bulldog frame’s forcing cone when expanding the bore size from .429 (.44 Spl) to .451.
Actually, quite the contrary. I’ve talked with, and met with, the folks from Charter Arms on several occasions.
When I exchanged emails with the company president prior to publishing this article, he made no mention of the information you share above. My expectations were based on the last information that he told me in person. If he changed the design, he made no mention of it prior to me publishing this article.
If the information you state is true, I am not surprised by it.
Thanks for the review, I talked with Charter Arms and then stated this would be available by March 2015. On the down side they stated they did not recommend +P ammo not because the gun would not handle it but because of the 2.x” barrel is too short to effectively burn the powder. I am hoping that they will consider a 3″ preferably or 4″ variant.
A longer barrel would make this gun even more appealing to a lot of people. I’ve always thought that a 3″ revolver made a good carry gun.
I am a big fan of the 3″ barrel for CC. Charter Arms seems to be resistant to offer a 3″ as when it was requested on the Bulldog they went to a 4″ instead. Maybe if we get enough of us asking we might see it happen. Thanks
I owned a Bulldog with a factory 3″ barrel in all SS. Best shooting .44 I ever carried. Shot as well as a S&W 29 in 4″.
I got off the phone with Charter Arms about 1 hour ago and was told the .45 ACP version will not be available until the end of the summer! :o(
(they are waiting for the next shipment of barrels to arrive)
Thanks for the update!
After this long of a wait I hope they have worked out all the bugs,don’t want the 9mm,40s&w extraction problems on release.
[…] the Pitbull. The Pitbull is a series of revolvers that are chambered for the 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. While my experience with the guns have been mixed, some people like them a lot. My main issue with […]