William - I think this is the perfect chance for your daughter and her husband to become familiar with handguns. As you know, the one thing you DO NOT want is to have your daughter come away from her first session the same way many younger daughters/sisters used to come away from their first session out with Dad and the 12 gauge - sort of like " I will never pick that thing up again, even after my shoulder heals'. You want her to come away from her first session still interested and wanting to go back for more.
The Judge is a interesting concept but not a handgun for a novice. 45 Colt rounds will add snap and the 410s might be punitive. Gun Tests magazine ran a test on these guns and I believe the found the recoil to be right up there - someone not too familiar with handguns is definately going to shy away from that sort of thing - and although I usually find LEOs to be helpful and even somewhat parental in their approach to some folk, a Judge wouldn't be too helpful for a novice to get them interested. I think you can probably check it out on Gun Tests Magazine.com. It is not a matter of managing the recoil, I firmly believe it is a matter of having a novice shooter or a beginning shooter becoming comfortable with handling a handgun, understanding their functioning and becoming comfortable using one. And, ya hafta keep'm interested..
Years ago I taught many gals how to shoot handguns. I never taught them to hit 'man-targets' or to shoot at police targets. Most all our targets were reactionary - cans, balloons, ice cubes hanging from strings, challenging but fun sort of stuff. I always hung the really small targets in front of a large paper target so even if someone didn't hit the smaller target they could see how they shot by the hits on the larger target in the background - that often helped folk who yanked the trigger see the effect.
I have always felt that a gal who can skip cans with a 22 pocket rocket is more comfortable with shooting and more capable of defending herself that someone who misses with a 45. And I believe the Judge is not a great one for grouping the shot pattern from a 410 - the 410 is minimally effective at nominal shotgun distances and the pattern opens significantly from the shorter Judge's barrel. Check it out at Gun Tests, so you can show your daughter some 'independent' findings so you can discuss the issue on a more equitable (as in non-parental) basis.
Definately have her attend a class - it takes the teaching aspect right out of your hands and puts it into the hands of professionals who do this regularly (which means they may have more 'people' skills than most fathers)(have with their children). Fathers should not teach their daughters to drive or shoot - it is much too tense........ and once in the hands of professionals and in the company of others who show a similar interest, beginning shooters are much more likely to be open to suggestion and advice.
Now, once she comes back from her classes and begins to ask Dear Ol Dad about some of the things she has heard, seen or been taught, then you can chime in with your fatherly advice and show her some of your choices - don't go too far or too fast; this is sort of like a first date with a very skittish girl and you may have to deal with the situation 'softly' to get her interested.
Ya know William, 38 Supers are very easy to shoot on the 1911 frame, so are 9mms (early caveat....) but I think the Judge isn't a handgun for a novice although a nice snubnosed or used Police revolver might interest her after she has heard and seen more.
Think 'Fun' shooting first, and defensive thoughts will come along by themselves. JMTCW and hope it helps.
