Posted on 07/09/2012 11:25:11 AM PDT by bill1952
Hello.
I was in a new local gun shop and I noticed the Taurus Judge on display; a weapon that I had been interested in.
It seems like a good choice for VEHICLE DEFENSE, only it wasn't a Judge, it was a Smith and Wesson Governor.
This revolver holds 6 rounds, not the five that the Judge holds and its chambers can handle three distinct rounds, the .45 Long Colt, .45 ACP, and the .410 gauge 2.5-inch shotshells.
I don't really know the difference between the ACP & 45 long colt, but the ability to fire multiple types of ammo is a plus to me, especially if the SHTF. It fires either single or double action.
Its a nice, clean looking weapon, and not too big for my wife to handle.
A bit pricey at $600+ but what say the experts here?
Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, why pay 1.5 times the price of the Judge for one more chamber? You’ll never wear out the Judge; ain’t eggzakelly a target shooter.
It is not my cup of tea but still I can see a real use for it as a quick firing self defense gun.
You could also load it with number 8 shot to carry for snakes etc. Actually it would not be bad to have the first shot or two as .410 then .45 Colt with the rest.
A friend of mine let me fire his S&W Governor, I’m not a good shot with a pistol, but was glad to see I was within 1 -2 broadsides of a barn. Which barn is up for dispute.
Recoil seemed reasonable and it’s comfortable to hold. In terms of self defense, I think anyone staring at the business end of this thing would probably want to reconsider their life choices. Or consider the choice of having a life.
Basically, the difference is case length and rim diameter. Ballistically, they aren't too dissimilar. To fire .45 ACP in a revolver, though, you generally need half or full moon clips so the cartridges don't move around or fall out of the cylinder.
I happen to have one. It’s the only revolver I know you can load 2 .410s, 2 45LCs, AND 2 45 ACPs in the same loading. Actually, you can load the non-45ACPs in any order or number you want. It comes with a 2 round moon clip for the 45 ACPs (you could likely load all 45 ACPs) with a 6 round moon clip, but I haven’t tried it)
Steel barrel, hardened scandium frame and a nice feel to it. Shoots well, but isn’t a target shooter, but who needs precise with a set of PDX1 .410s with a set of three P loads and several shots?
I didn’t buy a Judge because of the aluminum of some parts, and because I once, once owned a PT111 Millenium 9mm that routinely dropped the magazine out of the weapon when the first shot was fired. It is precisely that reason why I own NO Taurus weapons except for a Ranch Hand 45 LC made by Braztech.
You also need the moon clips to extract the casings easily from the cylinder.
I own a Judge. I use it around my property, usually loaded with #4 .410 shot. I like it and enjoy shooting it but I’d have a tough time recommending it over other handguns for self-defense, even “in vehicle”.
Small .410 spreads like you wouldn’t believe out of a little barrel. And big .410 (say, buck) is like three pellets. For two legged varmints I’d rather have .45 ammo than .410.
I guess the concept is that she’d be shooting at someone sticking their head into the vehicle. I am not sure I see the advantage of the shot over a solid bullet, practically speaking. Especially when for less money you could have an automatic loaded with, say, 10 or 15 MORE solid bullets you can fire really rapidly.
Other misc. comments:
** 6 shots is nice, although a 6-cartridge cylinder can’t help but increase the size and weight of what is already a pretty large and heavy handgun
** The ability to shoot .45ACP is an advantage, as .45LC is a little harder to get and a little pricier than the ACP ammo
** $600 is a lot of dough. I forget what I paid for the Taurus; I think about $500 because I got the stainless version knowing sooner or later it would get left somewhere damp
Just my 2c, and FRegards
Why? It’s a gimmicky little gun. No need for the .410 when you can shoot .45 ACP, and without the .410 chambers, the gun becomes much more manageable. And .45 LC is harder to find.
There are other revolvers chambered in .45 ACP if you want that caliber, and if you’re just looking for pure manstopping power, .357 is certainly on par with .45 ACP.
You’re lucky! Over here in the People’s Republic of Kalifornia, the Taurus Judge is illegal as is every firearm. Yes, I was being sarcastic on the latter since they are trying to ban ARs again here.
Also IMHO the best car gun is a carbine. The second best is a 12-guage shotgun. I'd only select a pistol if there was absolutely nowhere to store a long gun.
OK, let’s start with the .45’s.
The .45 ACP is a round designed to be used in semi-automatic pistols, particularly the 1911 Colt, which was the US military sidearm from WWI until the 1980’s. This is a very credible self-defense round, used daily by many, many people who carry semi-auto pistols for self defense. Because it is a semi-auto round, it won’t typically headspace properly in a revolver without some sort of “clip” holding the rim of the case flush or proud of the back of the cylinder.
As a rule, I’m skeptical of using semi-auto ammo in self-defense revolvers for reasons I won’t explain here just now, suffice to say that there’s many, many revolver cartridges which were designed for revolvers which perform quite well in a self-defense weapon. There’s no need to resort to such logistical issues as cobbling a pistol round into a revolver. Moon clips are cheap enough, it’s the logistical issue of needing them at all where I simply cannot accept them in a self-defense gun.
The .45 Colt, sometimes incorrectly called the “.45 Long Colt” is a revolver cartridge that was first used in the famous Colt Single Action Army revolvers - you’ve seen these revolvers in many, many westerns on TV and the big screen. The SAA was a “single action” revolver and needed the hammer manually cocked for each shot. I don’t think many people carry single action revolvers for self-defense, and I would not recommend such a weapon. But the .45 Colt round? It has enjoyed a resurgence as a “cowboy action shooting” cartridge in revolvers and lever-action rifles. It is every bit as powerful in standard loadings as a .45 ACP, and modern weapons can use the same bullets launched out of either a .45 ACP or .45 Colt case. In some revolvers (particularly newer, single-action revolvers), the .45 Colt can be loaded to be as powerful as a .44 Magnum - or more. I wouldn’t do that in this revolver, tho.
The ability to shoot .410 shotgun loads is where I find these weapons and I part. The attraction is that you get more versatility in your choice of ammo, but the downside is that now, the cylinder of the revolver must be made longer (much longer) and the overall gun heavier. The upside is that in 00 or 000 buckshot, you’re getting four (00) or three (000) pellets of buckshot vs. your one bullet out of a .45 cartridge.
There are now several ammo manufactures making “defense” loads for the .410 shotgun, specifically with these small revolvers in mind. At short distances, they’re quite probably devastating, putting three or four good-sized projectiles within the critical center-of-chest area at 7 yards and under.
The only thing I can tell you is to find a range where you can rent one and shoot it.
I would pick the Judge over the Governor because I understand the Governor will not accept 3 inch .410 shells whereas many of the later models of the Judge will. If you are using .410 buckshot for self defence, 3 inch shells are probably a necessity for stopping power. My opinion.
Win-win, either way.
If you’re convicted by the judge, the governor might give you a pardon.
>> There are now several ammo manufactures making “defense” loads for the .410 shotgun, specifically with these small revolvers in mind.
I’ve seen that — it’s got like seven #4 shot, five solid disks, three big pellets, and a partridge in a pear tree.
There’s probably a little kitchen sink off a charm bracelet in there too.
It might indeed be effective. I guess I’ll never know because it’s PRICEY as all get-out and I’m too cheap to spring for it for an experiment.
I was considering the Taurus because I want it in the house only.
I will never be a marksman so I thought I could defend myself with it in the house.
Will that work?
It would work for house defense tho you still have to point it at the target not just the general direction.
Buy the most gun one can hit with reliably, make the best deal possible, practice practice practice.
Saw Michael Bane (MidwayUSA) hit ballistic gel with some of the specialized .410 rounds out of the governor/judge type pistol. Results were pretty good, and there is definitely some flexibility there.
A .410 pump or auto with slugs or a carbine in .45 acp, and a governor/judge gets close to that nice pistol/carbine combo!
You'd be better off getting an actual shotgun then. There are several home defense models available.
Yarddog’s response to your question is right on. Having said that, if you are set on using a firearm that shoots shot shells, I would recommend a long gun, not a revolver and preferrably pump action. They are much easier to aim. 12quage or 20guage is preferable for self defense, but .410 is adequate if using the triple ought “000” buckshot as I mentioned.
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