Revolver · Obsolete
.44 Bull Dog
Short, stubby pocket revolver cartridge for the Webley Bull Dog revolver — a widely copied design popular across Europe and America as a civilian pocket sidearm in the late 19th century..
- Caliber
- 0.445″ · 11.303 mm
- Introduced
- 1878
- Case
- Rimmed
- Primary use
- Self Defense
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1878
- Type
- Revolver
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Inventor
- Various / British commercial
- Manufacturer
- Webley
- Standard
- Obsolete
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Antique
- Case capacity
- 15 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:20
- Primer
- Large Pistol
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 18,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 25 yd
- Max range
- 50 yd
- Recoil
- 2.5–4 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 11.30 | 0.445 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 11.35 | 0.447 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 11.53 | 0.454 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.39 | 0.488 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 13.36 | 0.526 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 23.22 | 0.914 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .44 Bull Dog is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 2 active loads across 2 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiocchi | Lead RN | 145 | Lead RN | 600 | 116 | — |
| Graf & Sons | Lead RN Reproduction | 145 | Lead RN | 600 | 116 | — |
| CBC | Classic | 145 | LRN | 750 | 181 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 145 | LRN | 750 | 181 | — |
| Bertram | Antique | 145 | Lead RN | 748 | 180 | — |
| Hirtenberger | Classic | 145 | LRN | 745 | 179 | — |
| Eley | Commercial | 200 | LRN | 700 | 218 | — |
| Graf | Standard | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| Fiocchi | Classic | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| Kynoch | Soft Nose | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| PPU | LRN | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | LRN | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 650 | 188 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 200 | Lead Round Nose | 630 | 176 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Connected reference
History
Developed for the Webley Bull Dog revolver, introduced in 1878. The compact five-shot revolver and its stubby cartridge became enormously popular as pocket arms for civilians, police, and travelers throughout the 1880s–1900s. Bull Dog revolvers were copied by Belgian, Spanish, American, and German manufacturers. The cartridge's short case delivered modest ballistics but in a package small enough for genuine pocket carry. Charles Guiteau used a Bull Dog revolver to assassinate President James Garfield in 1881.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .44 Bull Dog use?
- .44 Bull Dog typically uses a 1:20 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .44 Bull Dog?
- .44 Bull Dog uses a 0.445″ (11.303 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .44 Bull Dog still in production?
- .44 Bull Dog is discontinued; typical availability is antique.
- What is .44 Bull Dog used for?
- .44 Bull Dog is primarily used for self defense.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 2 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
Lindcott Armory