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Author Topic: S & W "Governor"  (Read 841 times)

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Offline reliquary

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S & W "Governor"
« on: August 06, 2011, 08:23:32 AM »
I just browsed through a writeup on the new "Governor".  I have never bought a gun based on a writeup by a professional reviewer;  anyone have any hands-on experience with this new offering?
 
My experience with the combo guns is limited to a Taurus Tracker 4410 (?), 6.5" barrel, that I was never entirely satisfied with, and traded away.  It seemed too much like the old cliche, "a solution for which there was no corresponding problem".
 
OTOH, the idea of a 3-cartridge piece is very attractive, if one can solve the accuracy problems with the .45 rounds. Deja vu, all over again...
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Re: S & W "Governor"
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2011, 03:13:06 PM »
A Governor followed me home from the gun show today.  Probably won't have much of a range report for a few days; several chores to do. 
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Re: S & W "Governor"
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2011, 11:15:13 AM »
My first impression of the gun is that it's a little "clunkier-looking" than the Judge.  That may just be from the short barrel.  Then, the sights are not the best in the world.  Front post with an inset white dot, squarish channel in the frame. I'd like to see some sort of white outline rear (probably will Bubbafy one later) and a fiber-optic front.  Since the front is dovetailed in, that should be an easy switch.
 
SA pull is a little less than 5 pounds.  I fired six rounds each of .45 ACP ball, .45 ACP light 200-gr SWC, .45 LC 250-gr LFN cowboy-equivalent, and 250-gr Keith-style which were billed at about 900fps; all at 20 yards.
 
Results:  Ball...about 4".  200 SWC...about 6".  Cowboy...4".  Keith...6".  Guess I'll have to play around with some different powders and projectiles to see what it likes.  Most reviews that I read show it to be a bit more accurate than that; I have trouble with the sights.
 
There is a slight bit of difference between the moon clips that came with the gun and a couple of the ones that I use in my M1917 .45 ACP.  One of my old ones that works flawlessly in the 1917 wouldn't go into the Gov's cylinder without a good bit of jiggling it around; one wouldn't fit at all...they may be warped from usage.
 
Overall...it's a keeper.  I didn't fire DA, and didn't test any shotshells.
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Offline DaveShooter

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Re: S & W "Governor"
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2011, 03:55:31 AM »
My Gov is a keeper-S&W that is. I carry it everyday on the trail with me. It has shot, and functioned with no issues of any kinds with all types, or kinds of ammo. Much, much better revolver than the Taurus I use to own- etc... :)
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Re: S & W "Governor"
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2011, 04:26:00 PM »
Once I got some new "moon clips", the feeding problem went away. 
 
You're right, much better gun than the Judge.  I had the old Tracker version of the Judge (4410?) and traded it off long ago.
 
I contacted Smith and asked them if they had explored the idea of incorporating the one-cylinder Colt/ACP concept into one of their other revolvers, such as the 25/625/Mountain Gun, and they said, "No."
 
I also asked if they were going to bring out a longer barrel for the Gov; again, "No."
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