Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt
- Category
- Revolver
- Barrel
- 64 mm
- Weight, empty
- 624 g
- Introduced
- 2021
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL is a compact double-action revolver chambered in .45 Colt. Built on a slightly enlarged version of the Bulldog frame to accept the wider .451-inch bullet, the five-shot, 2.5-inch snubnose keeps the brand's signature sideplate-free construction while offering big-bore power in a concealable package.
Charter Arms was founded in 1964 by Douglas McLenahan, a former Colt and Ruger designer. The original Bulldog debuted in 1973 in .44 Special and became a favorite pocket big-bore. The Bulldog XL extends that lineage into the century-old .45 Colt cartridge for shooters wanting maximum bore diameter in a carry-size wheelgun.
The XL uses a larger frame than the classic .44 Special Bulldog to accommodate the .45 Colt cartridge. Grips are clearanced to prevent case-head fouling during ejection.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Charter Arms
- Category
- Revolver
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2021
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 64 mm
- Overall length
- 187 mm
- Weight, empty
- 624 g
- Weight, loaded
- 737 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Revolving
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Double action
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Revolving cylinder
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Stainless steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Stock
- Rubber
- Finish
- Stainless
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 240 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 470 J
- Effective range
- 25 m
- Maximum range
- 100 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Large frame
Fixed sights
Three dot sights
Clearanced grips
No sideplate construction- Concealed carry
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 624 g | 1.07 kg | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 187 mm | 267 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 64 mm | 127 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Magazine capacityAmong 75 .45 Colt revolvers | 5 | 6 | Among the smallest capacities |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt
How much does the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt weigh?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt weighs 624 g (1.38 lb) empty and 737 g (1.62 lb) loaded. It is the 1st lightest of 75 .45 Colt revolvers in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt is chambered in .45 Colt.
How many rounds does the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt hold?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt holds 5 rounds, fed from a revolving cylinder.
How long is the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt is 187 mm (7.36 in) long overall, with a 64 mm (2.52 in) barrel.
Who makes the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt is made by Charter Arms (United States). It was designed by Charter Arms.
When was the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt introduced?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt was introduced in 2021.
How does the Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt operate?
The Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt uses a revolving action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/charter-arms-bulldog-xl-45-colt' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "charter-arms-bulldog-xl-45-colt", "name": "Charter Arms Bulldog XL .45 Colt", "manufacturer": { "id": "charter-arms", "name": "Charter Arms", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1964, "website": "https://www.charterfirearms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "2dfd2e3b54e1df99acc9affe74afe6086c8b91888f71513c02a1ef67124ab102" }, "category": { "id": "revolver", "name": "Revolver", "description": "Handguns with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2021, "barrel_length_mm": 64, "weight_empty_g": 624, "action_type": "revolving"}