Posted on 07/09/2012 11:25:11 AM PDT by bill1952
It will work OK but buy some shells and get used to what it will do. Protect your ears...
Don’t. “Crossover” guns don’t cut it. You want a .45? get a .45; you want a .410? get a .410 ... get something that optimizes what it fires, not something that tries to be more or other than what you need. At the distances you intend, “spread” means nothing. Remember, if you need it then your life WILL depend on it: make up your mind about which type of ammo you’ll want at hand, and get something built for it to maximize power, accuracy, capacity & reliability vs. the compromise of size & weight. Either way with the “Judge” you’re sacrificing barrel length (power & accuracy) and weight (vs. capacity) for the option of an anemic shell size.
A twenty gauge auto loader would be better and give more choices in ammo. I have an Akkar 600CY which I cut the barrel down to 18 1/2 inches and put a pistol grip collapsible stock onto that measures 37 inches long (with stock at 13 inches of pull). The semi auto shotty has a reduced recoil from even a pump.
I’m small and my hands are small... no strength in my hands at all.
As a woman, I want something I can handle comfortably
I went with a Stoeger 12 gauge shotgun with a secondary pistol grip. I can shoot from my shoulder or, in a home defense situation, shoot from my hip using the pistol grip. I have already discovered that just the sound of a round being pumped into the chamber is enough to make an intruder haul butt. Heard a suspicious sound in my backyard at night a couple of months ago. I didn’t want to fire blind into the dark, never a good idea, so I turned off my inside lights, opened the back door, and pumped a round into the chamber. Next thing ya know a vaguely human shape is flying over my back wall and sprinting off into the night.
Was worth the cost of the gun, right there.
Gun Tests (http://www.gun-tests.com/), did a comparison of the two in August 2011 and gave the edge to the Judge but preferred the shot pattern of the Governor.
That said, the triggers on both those guns are hard (14 pounds - one does not have time to cock a gun in a fight) and rough, and the guns are heavy.
Personally, I don’t like them and wouldn’t recommend carrying a different gun in the car than you would carry on your person. Stick with one gun, learn how to use it, and always have it with you.
If you are small and sensitive to recoil you could do a lot worse than a Ruger 10/22 rifle and buy several Ruger Brand 25 round magazines.
It is easy to point, no recoil, and a bunch of .22 LRs will ruin anyone’s day. It will also not burst your eardrums indoors tho it will be loud. Some of the others will definitely harm you hearing permanently.
I carried a .357 S & W (6-rounds) in my car for years, but when the flash mobs started, I decided the nature of the threat had changed so I switched to my Ruger 9mm with P+ loads, with an extra 15-round mag.
For most women it's too big and too heavy - but not all.
I would highly recommend a smaller, lighter automatic that is easily handled - with lighter recoil.
Take a look at THIS LINK and the 9mm. It's light, very comfortable for most women, and packs 11 rounds of 9mm.
But before you buy one, make sure you take your wife to a range and let her shoot both .32 and 9mm. She will tell you which one she likes best - then, and only then, buy!
And after you buy - get to the range with her - frequently!
~grin~
If you're going to spend 600 - I think your wife would like this one better. Read about the advantages of Titanium - and I think you might agree, it's certainly worth thinking about.
If you are asking about what firearm to trust your life with on any Internet forum, you are looking in the wrong place.
My only advice about armed self defense is this:
Seek out a professional, reputable firearms trainer and get trained.
This will enlighten you on the merits of the tactics, techniques and procedures on “how to” actually protect yourself. The arm you chose is and must always be based on the situation you expect to encounter. Just like other tools, each firearm type has its own utility and usually some overlap, but not does not cover the spectrum from face-to-face to in-the-home to outside-the-home to suburban to rural scenarios.
Repeat: Get trained in the basics of armed self defense first, then evaluate your situation, needs and limitations before you decide on which tools (plural) you will need to cover the likely scenarios you will encounter. Adjust as needed.
Best;
For an average of $150 more than the Judge (depending on the model), you get not just one more round in the chamber, but you get a much more visible sight at the end of the barrel, the ability to shoot readily available, cheap .45 ACP rounds, and greater precision and better workmanship than the Judge. To me, these “pluses” are worth the extra $$$ and are the reasons for choosing the Governor.
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