Taurus Judge: Trail gun or self-defense?

Horn Dog

Horn Dog

Joined
Sep 9, 2005
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I recently traded for a Taurus Judge revolver in .45 Long Colt/.410 shotgun. My intial idea was to use it as a home defense gun. Having owned several .410 shotguns, I knew they held tight patterns and would be devastating at close range while minimizing the overpenetration of a large caliber hand gun. And it would be handier than even my 20 ga Mossberg home defense shotgun. At least that was my thinking at the time.
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The Big hogleg weighs about 2.8 lbs loaded with 2.5" shotshells in #4 birdshot. How does it shoot? I gots to know, so I blasted this Weber fireplace ash catcher at very close range, like about 7 feet out in my back yard.
Judge003.jpg

Judge004.jpg

As you can see, this thing does not hold a tight pattern at all. At 10 to 15 yards, this thing would cover a man sized target with tiny little holes that might not offer enough penetration or damage for a one-shot stop. I guess it would make a heck of a snake gun with smaller shot, but I have some nice little trail guns that can do that with snake shot. I have them from .22LR to .44 Special, and they carry much lighter than the big Taurus. So what is the Taurus Judge made for? Stopping car jackings or just scaring the neighbors?
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been wanting one of those for a while HD.

I can see how the short barreled model might be good for a trail gun.

But keep reporting on this gun. I'd be interested to know any of your impressions.

I'd also like to know how it shoots with the .45's at 25 yards if you get a chance.

I've been sort of put off by the fixed sights. Seems like always adjust the sights on any gun I have.
 
I suppose with the right round, the Judge might be useful for survival in the wilderness of our urban areas. It is just a bit big for a trail gun, I think.
 
Horn Dog said:
I suppose with the right round, the Judge might be useful for survival in the wilderness of our urban areas. It is just a bit big for a trail gun, I think.
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Wonder what a short barreled one weighs? I would never have occasion to need a .45 on the trail but if you had lions and snakes:D
 
hollowdweller said:
Wonder what a short barreled one weighs? I would never have occasion to need a .45 on the trail but if you had lions and snakes:D
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And tigers and bears? I am still not sure if I am going to keep this revolver. I suppose I could keep it under the seat of my jeep to discourage "Jeep Jackings". I'll take it to the range soon. The only 45 LC ammo I could find locally was cowboy action stuff, 250 gr flat nose lead slugs at maybe 760 ft/sec. Pretty wimpy for a 45LC. But heck, if it shoots well at the range, I may just keep it.

I understand that Taurus also sells an ultra light 3" version. That model might be a useful trail gun.
 
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i have heard very good things about the buckshot from a fellow officer who has the shortbarrled version in his prowl car....he uses it as a trail gun and says he can get pretty decent patterns up to 20'
 
Very cool gun. I have looked at them a few times. Keep us posted as you test differant ammo in it HD.:thumbup:
 
j williams said:
Very cool gun. I have looked at them a few times. Keep us posted as you test differant ammo in it HD.:thumbup:
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Will do. I sure wish it shot a tighter pattern, but it apparently was designed for very close range with the shot shells.
 
That one looks better than the really short barreled one but I still doubt you'd get sufficient penetration in the self defense role
 
I have been “playing” with the Judge for over a year now and found it to be a very unique firearm. The ammo used is very key to what distance it is effective.
Pictured below are the 3” barrel version (2.16 lb.) and three different rounds I use. First as the Winchester 2 ½” shot shell, the Sellier & Bellot Spherical bullet shell, and the 45 Colt 250 gr.

taurusjudge0052it8.jpg
 
WhitleyStu said:
I have been “playing” with the Judge for over a year now and found it to be a very unique firearm. The ammo used is very key to what distance it is effective. Using Winchester Super X HS .410 2 ½” ½ oz. #7 ½ shot shells the shooter must be no more than 20 feet from the target to get good coverage from the small amount of shot contained in a .410 shell. Using Sellier & Bellot Spherical bullets (3 shots of 000 buck shot) yields a tighter group and has much more penetration. And to get the most penetration and stopping power is 45 Colt which I have in 250 gr. L-Flat.
In the past year and a half I have read at least ten reviews from gun magazines writers to every day folks and each has a slightly different idea on what the Judge is good for. I purchase a Taurus Judge since the Thunder Five was out of production and had bad reviews in general. Years ago I had the opportunity to handle a Thunder Five and the Judge is far superior in fit and finish to its predecessor. This is my first Taurus and is on par quality wise with a Taurus 9MM I had the chance to shoot.
Pictured below are the 3” barrel version (2.16 lb.) and three different rounds I use. First as the Winchester 2 ½” shot shell, the Sellier & Bellot Spherical bullet shell, and the 45 Colt 250 gr.
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So for home defense, how would you load it? I thought about a mix of shot shells and 45 bullets.
 
My wife asked I keep it loaded with the Winchester shot shells for her to keep in the cabinet drawer near the front door. She wants a handgun that she can use as a "spray and pray" in case someone tried to force their way in at the door. There is also a shotgun and AR15 farther back in the house...:thumbup:
 
I wouldn't want to get hit in-close with that thing, but I wouldn't want to get hit at any range with anything. I'm a puss like that. :D

Instead of spraying and praying a bunch of stuff that won't always stop an old tom gray squirrel, why don't you get your Wifey a S&W Kit Gun, they have the six shot version but I am talking about the 9-rounder. Great trigger pull, no explosion, just popping sounds, no recoil. She would no longer have to pray, she could literally dump that in one or two guy's center of mass then faces if they tried to force their way in...

One of the hallmarks of any type of human combat is, you can't fight very well if you cannot see. But I think that is the only viable way to use something like that loaded with .410 shotgun shells. The only problem with that is, the head moves fast when it realizes a threat, so you have this bowling ball sized target bobbing all around, etc. If someone is stoked on meth or PCP, and a lot of other things, along with adrenaline and endorphins, they might not even feel those pellets, i.e., it might not stop them, even if they bleed out from having their heart perforated...but they will bleed out in the yard or whatever after they kill what pissed them off...

.22 LR has killed a boatload of people...just a thought...with a center of mass shot, I think you have a better chance of putting someone down with something like a Kit Gun in rapid fire instead of this thing, we're talking about a woman and "spray and pray" was not brought into this by me...
 
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the Box of truth did a review of the Judge.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot41.htm

Basically any of the .410 is a poor choice for defense, (aside from snakes) even the slugs.
.45 Colt is the superior choice.
You might have to look online to get any decent .45LC. "Cowboy" loads are junk- for cowboy action shooters to "ping" metal plates with.

If you are overly concerned about overpenetration, which shouldn't be much of a problem with good hollowpoints, you could get some Glaser ammo. http://www.dakotaammo.net/products/glaser/glaser.htm
 
Don Rearic said:
I wouldn't want to get hit in-close with that thing, but I wouldn't want to get hit at any range with anything. I'm a puss like that. :D

Instead of spraying and praying a bunch of stuff that won't always stop an old tom gray squirrel, why don't you get your Wifey a S&W Kit Gun, they have the six shot version but I am talking about the 9-rounder. Great trigger pull, no explosion, just popping sounds, no recoil. She would no longer have to pray, she could literally dump that in one or two guy's center of mass then faces if they tried to force their way in...

One of the hallmarks of any type of human combat is, you can't fight very well if you cannot see. But I think that is the only viable way to use something like that loaded with .410 shotgun shells. The only problem with that is, the head moves fast when it realizes a threat, so you have this bowling ball sized target bobbing all around, etc. If someone is stoked on meth or PCP, and a lot of other things, along with adrenaline and endorphins, they might not even feel those pellets, i.e., it might not stop them, even if they bleed out from having their heart perforated...but they will bleed out in the yard or whatever after they kill what pissed them off...

.22 LR has killed a boatload of people...just a thought...with a center of mass shot, I think you have a better chance of putting someone down with something like a Kit Gun in rapid fire instead of this thing, we're talking about a woman and "spray and pray" was not brought into this by me...
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I guess I should have not used the term "spray and pray" as my wife is a league shooter and very good with .45s and .38/.357s. The Judge is just a unique handgun she likes (who am I to argue!!). Even if a person was at the door and they were hit at that close range several times I feel they would be stopped or slowed enough for her to gain access to the 12 guage.
 
No way anyone will take a .410 to the face and not drop to the ground writhing in pain and blinded, or drop dead. I would trust a .410 more then a .22 for that role any day.
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
the Box of truth did a review of the Judge.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot41.htm

Basically any of the .410 is a poor choice for defense, (aside from snakes) even the slugs.
.45 Colt is the superior choice.
You might have to look online to get any decent .45LC. "Cowboy" loads are junk- for cowboy action shooters to "ping" metal plates with.

If you are overly concerned about overpenetration, which shouldn't be much of a problem with good hollowpoints, you could get some Glaser ammo. http://www.dakotaammo.net/products/glaser/glaser.htm
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Thank you for the review link, Rat. Looks like my dream of a revolver shotgun for home defense was ill conceived. I don't need to waste expensive ammo to duplicate a test already done for me. I don't know why I thought of the Judge as a home defense weapon, but I did. For now, I'll just keep it loaded with those "junk" solid lead cowboy loads. I have some 45LC Corbons on order. Even with no expansion, a 45 still punches a big hole. My Mossberg 20 gauge defense shotgun is still my first choice. Maybe next year will be a "snakey" one and I can blast a rattler or two with it.
 
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