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Thinking about telling the wife to get me a judge for christmas but not sure about them. I mean are they just a novelty like something I will get and never pull out of the safe or a gun you can take to the range and have some fun with. I already have a 20 and S-12 if needed for home defense so do i really need a pistol that can shoot 410? Any one shoot one of these I would like to hear your impression of them

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From what I gather, the ballistics of most 410 rounds out of that short barrel leave something to be desired. I do not have small pests to shoot so I would have no use for a gun that shoots 410 at less than ideal velocity. Seems like an okay range toy if that's your thing, but I would personally choose something else. If you get one, get the longest barrel you can. There are some kind of neat .410/45LC revolver rifles offered by Rossi as well. they also have a 28 gauge but I'm not sure about ammo price/availability.

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On Nov 12, I tried my new 3" Judge @ 16yds into my 30 gal. burning barrel. I was able to keep most of the 2-3/4" Federal Personal Defense buckshot on the barrel shooting double action! Not bad for a little scattergun! The average steel drum is 18ga carbon steel. I was expecting deep dents and some bounce back, but they screamed right THROUGH BOTH SIDES of the barrel, tearing nice, round holes. Spread was 15 pellets in ~27" at the widest point. 5 pellets unaccounted for. 1 hole is a definite double strike, and 1 more MIGHT be a double hit. 75-80% hit rate at 48 feet is pretty good on a roughly torso-sized target.

 

Minute of bad guy and gobs of penetration. Recoil was a bit snappy, but not uncomfortable. I was shooting an inch or two to the left at that distance, so the sights are pretty good. It's not a target pistol. I'd feel comfortable shooting groundhogs off the back porch with it. The groundhogs? Not so much.

 

Who would have though that a shotgun with a barrel that short would still have that much power? Recoil was about like shooting 45 ACP factory loads out of my 1911.

 

This is definitely NASTY.

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75-80% hit rate at 48 feet is pretty good on a roughly torso-sized target.

 

See, this scares the crap out of me... YOU are responsible for EVERY pellet that leaves that barrel, and you have 20% or so pellets unaccounted for?

 

Personally, I've always felt these things were just a "gimmick" gun. Too big, too inaccurate, ineffective with shotshells (check out BoxoTruth). I'd save my money and get something that works like it should in all aspects, not just "comes close" in everything. Again, just my opinion, but I really do NOT like these things, and I DO like Taurus pistols. I have a 24/7 long slide in .45 ACP which is GREAT! :)

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I love my Judge. Like already stated, it makes an excellent pack/trail gun. Despite what some say, it's very accurate with .45 colt ammo. I usually carry it with the first two chamber loaded with .45 colt, the next three with Winchester 3"mag five pellet 000 Buckshot. This is a 7 yard double tap with the Winchester 000 Buck....

 

P1020266.jpg

 

Here is 10 yard shooting for accuracy with .45 colt ammo.....

 

P1040203.jpg

 

Here's the TripleK I carry it in on the trails...

 

P1040416.jpg

 

And with this IWB Quest, I can carry it very concealed without tucking in a shirt or with a jacket...

 

P1040415.jpg

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How about the governor? I think both should be looked at, and having 6 shots in a smaller package is something to consider.

 

Most of the deficiencies of .410 ammo have been addressed since the judge came out with better ammo.

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trying to decide between the 2 imch or 3 inch barrel

 

The 3" barreled 3"cylinder model (like mine) is 1/2" longer than a .38 spl S&W model 10, with a 4" bull barrel. It's not a very large gun. The "Public Defender" model with the 2" barrel will only take 2 3/4" shotshells (NO 3" magnum) and .45 Colt ammo.

Edited by Yeoldetool
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Hello

 

Aside from all the practicality arguments, my 3" chambered Judge is one of the most fun guns to take to the range. Especially with gun virgins, when they realize they can safely and comfortably shoot #8 shot 3" shells from "that monster" and pretty much pepper the target at 15 yards they love it.

Puts more smiles on more faces than anything I own except maybe S-17, S-12's.

 

YMMV,

 

-guido

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  • 4 years later...

Happy (early) Birthday 2 ME!  From my wife. (Thank you, Old Hippie Witch!)

 

Just brought home a polly "public Defender" 2 1/2"cyl and 2" barrel.

 

Got a box of  Federal .410 000 buck 4 pellet "Personal Defense".

Got a box of  Estate  .410  1/2 oz. #9 Competition target load.

Got a box of  HSM   .45 200 gr. round nose flat point Cowboy Action cartridges.

 

I see a GOOD TIME coming in the very near future !!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just have to add----all shot shells are2 1/2" I am OLD but not STUPID! 

You know that if I did not add that.....................

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am impressed with the Judge. Fugly piece of plastic and steel, but it shoots well. Nice trigger in both single and double action.

.45lc shoots low at anything over 30', but that is expected with a 2" barrel, and the shot pattern is MOS (moment of snake!), #9 Estate spreads about 6"-7" at 5', about what I wanted.

Maybe tomorrow my neighbor and I will go down to his range and compare this and his new Bisley!

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Yep. It's well made. Limited purpose, but no one can call it badly built who has handled one.

 

Taurus hate to my mind feels like this scene: 

They are just a few decades behind on their info.

Where remington = 1970s chrysler, and mitsubishi = taurus. 

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I just ran 14.5gr H110 and 4 000 buck through my Judge. (3" load) Patterns well, similar to factory. Noise level similar to factory Federal. Recoil not bad, easy extraction. Doesn't beat up the cases. Hodgdon Manual.

....and MUCH cheaper than factory for practice use.

 

 

eta: No, I don't have a chrono. I have groundhogs and other feral critters. I'll measure on one of them when I get the chance. Something tells me they'll think it's fast enough. My burning barrel does. Clean through both sides.

Edited by patriot
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