The Judge Handgun... Good Self Defense Handgun or Not??

[Mike in Virginia]

 I would not want one for self defense.  Think about a full size .410 shotgun.  No matter what you stuff in the chamber, it's still a .410, and even worse, it's a handgun with much less oomph than a regular shotgun. 
Another point:  If you want such a huge gun for self defense, wouldn't you be better off with something that didn't limit you to 5 yards?  I mean to buy something that huge for super close range borders on silly. 
If you are stuck on the .45Colt and realize the shotshell is all but useless, look at all the .45Colt guns out there that are much better than the Judge. 
A novelty for sure and for certain. 
But they sell.  Smith caught on to that fact. 

[FPH]

I would not want one for self defense.  Think about a full size .410 shotgun.  No matter what you stuff in the chamber, it's still a .410, and even worse, it's a handgun with much less oomph than a regular shotgun. 
Another point:  If you want such a huge gun for self defense, wouldn't you be better off with something that didn't limit you to 5 yards?  I mean to buy something that huge for super close range borders on silly. 
If you are stuck on the .45Colt and realize the shotshell is all but useless, look at all the .45Colt guns out there that are much better than the Judge. 
A novelty for sure and for certain. 
But they sell.  Smith caught on to that fact. 

.45 shot shell works great on snakes.........230gr. flying ashtray for PD use.

[Brett]

HMMMM, most everyone here seems pretty polarized, love or hate.  I don't have one but have sold several.  Some buy em for snake guns and they work well for that.  Most folks can't keep the presence of mind to shoot accurately at a snake that has scared them with a 357, 44 mag or 45 colt.  Others have bought them for home defense, short across the room distances.  Also no worry about the pellets going through the wall into a kids room or the neighbors house.  I think it has a place in the self defence arena, not for everyone but what is?  The size fits in a handgun vault by the bed, my shotguns do not.  That is a concern for me now with my 7 year old and his friends in the house.  Don't know if I will get one, I think my double actions revolvers with my Speer plastic caps filled with shot will do the job for me.  DP

Makes one wonder how well they would do if confronted by an armed, 2 legged assailant.   

I try not to knock someone else's choice in self defense arms. If it meets their needs and they are good with it more power to 'em.  I will say however that I don't believe it would be a good choice for me. 

[evidrine]

I would not want one for self defense.  Think about a full size .410 shotgun.  No matter what you stuff in the chamber, it's still a .410, and even worse, it's a handgun with much less oomph than a regular shotgun. 
Another point:  If you want such a huge gun for self defense, wouldn't you be better off with something that didn't limit you to 5 yards?  I mean to buy something that huge for super close range borders on silly. 
If you are stuck on the .45Colt and realize the shotshell is all but useless, look at all the .45Colt guns out there that are much better than the Judge. 
A novelty for sure and for certain. 
But they sell.  Smith caught on to that fact.

Because everyone knows that slinging buck shot from a handgun is limiting yourself to only 5yrds...

[FPH]

The Judge has proven useless to me and my friends.  I will stick with a pistol .45 or .40, and my wife is comfortable with her 9mm.  CCI shot shells work great for us for pests.  Mags full of Hydra Shoks for 2 legged pests.

[PAHUnter04]

Everybody has there play. About two months ago an armed  BG was attempting an in  house robbery. When confronted with the home owner he turned and fired, and missed. The ONE shot, returned fire from the minuscule little Judge, with the Federal 00 Buckshot at 7 yards did not. Torso hit with multiple wound channels, DRT. BG didn't make it to the hospital. Yes I know the home owner, and the cops and detectives on the scene. The invader was a hard core cracker. RIP
 
Everybody is entitled to their opinion. But get over calling it a fad. Fads die out, they run  their course. Companies like S&W don't go tooling up and make new handguns just because they are a fad.
 
Again if it's not for you fine. It is time to put this post to bed.
 
Good Night Irene....
 
PAH

[Brett]

Wow 215... ah, 216 post to this thread!  Who'ld a thought the Judge would warrant this much attention.

[reliquary]

I totally agree...time to end this.  I've had one, it wasn't really good at what I wanted,  and I got rid of it.  For my purposes, a .45 Colt SA with handloads was perfectly okay and not as loud and not as hard on my old hands.
 
 But now I have a Governor solely for the fact that I can shoot both .45ACP and Colt from the cylinder...may never shoot a .410 in it but have a few shells around anyway. 
 
I wouldn't use it for SD unless it was the last one available, but if someone else chooses to, then it's perfect for them.  So let's drop this and go back to something more interesting.   

[Redhawk1]

Everybody has there play. About two months ago an armed  BG was attempting an in  house robbery. When confronted with the home owner he turned and fired, and missed. The ONE shot, returned fire from the minuscule little Judge, with the Federal 00 Buckshot at 7 yards did not. Torso hit with multiple wound channels, DRT. BG didn't make it to the hospital. Yes I know the home owner, and the cops and detectives on the scene. The invader was a hard core cracker. RIP
 
Everybody is entitled to their opinion. But get over calling it a fad. Fads die out, they run  their course. Companies like S&W don't go tooling up and make new handguns just because they are a fad.
 
Again if it's not for you fine. It is time to put this post to bed.
 
Good Night Irene....
 
PAH

Great post PAHUnter04

[Brett]

Put the whips away boys.  I believe this horse is dead. 

[SHOOTALL]

Looks like it grew legs 

[evidrine]

It may not fit all needs or preferences, but it does serve its purpose. Just because it may not serve any of your purpases does not make it silly. I may not own one, but the old man does. I have shot it many times and I know what it can and cant do. The .410 buck shot will prove itself deadly accross any room of a home. To me, there is nothing better than 5 rounds of buck shot readily available for being startled awake and fireing off shots towards a dark corner or doorway of your bedroom. I dont care who you are,  you are not going to wake up from a deep sleep and roll out of bed like Rambo (gun in hand) and send a single shot into the dark at center mass of your intruder (who is already fully awake and has eyes adjusted to the dark) before he knows what hit him. Would a shotgun be better? Of course it would, but not everyone (those of us with families) can have a loaded shotgun sitting around. The Judge may be a tad bulky, but it can still be locked away and pretty much any bedside drawer or handgun safe. Would it make a good carry gun? Lets face it, there are better choices. Would it make a good truck gun? Of course it would if you are shooting at close range (at someone through your window for example). Anyone who will hang around for a gun fight accross a parking lot instead of getting the heck out of there is an idiot. Once again, do I have one? No. Would I call it, or anyone who owns one, silly? No. Im not that arrogant, or ignorant for that matter.

[SHOOTALL]

It may not fit all needs or preferences, but it does serve its purpose. making money for the maker  Just because it may not serve any of your purpases does not make it silly yes it does IMHO . I may not own one, but the old man does. I have shot it many times and I know what it can and cant do. The .410 buck shot will prove itself deadly accross any room of a home. To me, there is nothing better than 5 rounds of buck shot readily available for being startled awake and fireing off shots towards a dark corner or doorway of your bedroom.For me nothing beats 8 rounds of 12 ga 00 buck with 8+ pellets in each round its like shooting your old mans gun twice with one trigger pull I dont care who you are, fair enough I don't either you are not going to wake up from a deep sleep and roll out of bed like Rambo (gun in hand) and send a single shot into the dark at center mass of your intruder (who is already fully awake and has eyes adjusted to the dark) before he knows what hit him.agreeded you won't but if you blaze away in the dark you might kill a family member better to light up the target with a high intensity flash light and blind the bad guy or family member Would a shotgun be better? Of course it would, but not everyone (those of us with families) can have a loaded shotgun sitting around.here we differ , you can train a child not to mess with a gun . You can store a shotgun safely if you try. also kids shoot them selves more than other . It is harder to shoot ones self with a long gun again IMHO The Judge may be a tad bulkydown right silly compared to normal revolvers , but it can still be locked away and pretty much any bedside drawer or handgun safe. Would it make a good carry gun? no Lets face it, there are better choices.yep Would it make a good truck gun? I doubt it would stop a truck , and as a carry gun in a truck no it lacks range and in close a glock in 45 would beat it hands down Of course it would if you are shooting at close range (at someone through your window for example.I think I would rather shoot one HEAVY pointed bullet than several round soft ones at an auto window Anyone who will hang around for a gun fight accross a parking lot instead of getting the heck out of there is an idiotunless of course he is behind cover and would have to expose themself to fire to leave . Once again, do I have one? No. Would I call it, or anyone who owns one, silly? No. Im not that arrogant, or ignorant for that matter.I don't have one , don't want one , have been around them and I think they are silly . They are a marketing gemick that has worked well. They are silly because as a shotgun they offer little and in fact are the smallest of shotguns with exception to the 9mm shotguns of Eourpe. As a 45 Colt they have more freebore than one would accept in a normal gun. They have a cyl that would be easy to grab and tie up the gun. As for carry they weigh to much and are to long in the cyl area. Ignorant can work both ways as far as seeing the usefulness of a gun or its not so usefulness. 
as for arrogant , why is it arrogrant to express ones opinion ? because it disagrees with others ? Arrogant is shooting in the dark with out IDing your target as it is irresponsible .

[Spirithawk]

I've known a few people who own a Judge. Some liked it better than others. Personaly I don't care for one but if you do then by all means I'm certainly not going to tell you you shouldn't. If it fits your needs then go for it. I chose my carry for  ( in no particular order) 1) ease of concealment 2) weight, light enough to be comfortable to carry 3) accuracy within reasonable ranges 4) reliability 5) caliber, being a known lethal caliber. My choice fits those needs well. If your's does too then in my opinion, no matter the make nor model, ya did good.

[SHOOTALL]

I agree one's choice is just that but listing pro's and con's is good so new buyers can make an informed decision. I just finished an article on the new S&W Govonor and it went into detail on ammo. The short is the Federal copper plated load with 4 ,000 buck shot worked best and it was a 10 yard deal at best. The Winchester disc load with extra small shot was not so good as the small shot didn't stay on target which means it could hit non threat targets and the disc spread out fast. The loss of velocity with both 45 Colt and 45 ACP loads was a concern also. One thing the article mentioned and it is the first time I have seen it brought up is that these type guns are not for people who buy a gun and put it away just to have it in an emg. Each load shoots different and the use of say 45 colt will leave a ring that will require cleanning out before .410 shells will work with out sticking . It is a gun that the shooter needs to pratice and matain the problem is many think it is a gun you point and take out an attacket like you see in the movies leading to false security. The gun is a short range weapon , if you are only going to have one gun why limit yourself ?

[johnnyb]

I bought a Taurus 38 snubby for the wife and after sending it back to Taurus 5 times to fix a cylinder lock up problem, I traded it along with all of the letters to and from Taurus. took a friends new Judge and was able to turn the cylinder both left and right. Not a well made gun .

[Squib]

I had one of the "first", blued and longer barrel, very dense pattern RIGHT OUT OF THE MUZZLE and probably very fatal RIGHT OUT OF THE MUZZLE.  The shot pattern strung in recoil or just really didn't open up concentric either past about 10yds BUT it was a car gun for getting caught in a drivethrough or atm so I was okay with that.  with buckshot it put a nice tight triangle about 1'' wide at 15yds, 3'' at 25yds though.  I didn't handload back then so I couldn't work up accurate loads for it with 45 colt, with factory ammo it wasn't worth using past 15yds, not good past 5-10 maybe.  They have centerfire for power (can't take hot ammo though, so not MUCH power), shot for versatility/novelty/limited penetration.  I like them but wanted more accuracy, and power, got a blackhawk. 

Got the blackhawk fitted with hogue grips to stop the hand bruising, busted lots of watermelons and canteloupes with buffalo bore nastiness, decided it was too expensive and painful to continue doing so when I could use a 12ga to do the same but cheaper and less painful, sold the blackhawk.

Got a taurus .357 for tearing stuff up, cheaper to shoot, BETTER ACCURACY, etcetera. 
Got tired of the taurus, not the most accurate, bore was ugly, trigger wasn't great- all serviceable but not "quality".

Got a Governor, shoots much better due to better grip and trigger, tighter cylinder, better bore, looks good, better carrying, more recoil though.  Shoots a pattern not as dense but uniform and consistent to 15yds, almost a perfect circle with birdshot.  Shoots good with buckshot to 15yds, not clean but enough to stay on a chest.  PDX1 discs and pellets; pellets in a doughnut and erratic (12'' at 12yds), discs centered up in a 4'' group at 12yds, tears stuff to shreads.  .45 acp actually shoots 6'' at 25yds seated (with handloads), though I am rarely able to get that standing.  .45 colt was no more accurate surprisingly, and with plus p loads is still weak.  the chamber is a bit loose for 45 lc (acp is supported well by the moons) and the barrel is slightly overbore (run a borebrush through and see if it doesn't almost fall through) so no gain in power (if a round is "hot" it'll just crack the unsupported brass, once the bullet leaves the case it'll lose that pressure quick enough to negate the extra power from lc vs acp).  I never did try to shoot factory .410 slugs and I don't handload .410 either so no info on that one.  you'll notice the sights are set up for quick and personal shooting.  try speed drills up close on boards, handthrown clays and such, you'll like it.  it does all that well.  as for the accuracy bump (other than being a higher quality gun) I've read that the shorter barrels spin the shot cup less and it's not enough momentum to ruin the pattern.... I'm not a physicist so whatever, sounds good?

Got a gp-100, did a trigger job, shoots good, good to go.... on accuracy and power, not quite as fun though! 

that's my take, slick up a gp-100 and get a bunch of moons loaded up plus speed strips of 410 for a governor.  if you need weight and stainless steel for toughness/corrosion resistance though, you HAVE to go taurus unless you have $1200 or so for freedom arms/ T/C / magnum research

[Swampman]

I bought a Taurus 38 snubby for the wife and after sending it back to Taurus 5 times to fix a cylinder lock up problem, I traded it along with all of the letters to and from Taurus. took a friends new Judge and was able to turn the cylinder both left and right. Not a well made gun .

Typical Taurus quality......