Bought a new Taurus Judge today. One shot and ...

[PcolaDawg]

I blew the barrel right off the gun.

I'm new to handguns, and recently purchased a Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry II (love it), and a S&W Model 642 J Frame (love it).

Then I saw a Taurus Judge and fired one a few times at a gun range last week. Have to say I was taken with it. I like the fact that it's a pistol that shoots 000 Buckshot. Seemed like the perfect bedside, home invasion weapon.

So I pick it up today, along with some .410 (2 and a half inch) #6 birdshot, because they didn't have any .410 buckshot in 2 and a half inch shells.

Anyway, I immediately took it to my home-made pistol range in the backyard, loaded it with the birdshot and the gun blew apart with the very first shot.

FREAKED ME OUT!!!!!!!! I just put it right back in the box and drove back to the gun store. They freaked out too (not as much as I did, though ), and made a claim with Taurus.

So - has this happened to anybody before???? Being new to handguns, I am more than a little curious about this. Never in a million years would I expect a handgun to blow it's barrel, let alone on the very first shot.

Now I'm out a gun for awhile. But at least my hands and face are intact.

 

[skeptiq]

Glad you are safe!!! Let us know how it goes with Taurus!

 

[eng23ine]

WOW

Any pictures by chance?

FWIW, I've shot everything from #8 shot to 260grn hardcast slugs out of my Judge without any issues.

 

[rcmodel]

I think you must have got one of those post-election guns.

They self-distruct if you attempt to shoot them!

BTW: Pictures would be swell!

rcmodel

 

[Thermactor]

Proudly handcrafted by artisans in Brazil like other Taurus firearms?

 

[PcolaDawg]

Actually, I feel like an idiot, but I didn't take any pictures. And I know better. :banghead:

The barrel broke right at the base right where it attaches to the frame, and shot forward about 7 yards straight at the target I was shooting at. I didn't even know it had happened, I saw something bouncing along the grass and thought I had shot low and kicked up some wood or something. So I went forward to check it out - and imagine my surprise when I saw that it was the barrel to my gun. Dang.

I'm not a metallurgist, but it looked like metal fatigue/failure. Didn't take much. One shot.

But I've heard good things about the gun, so I'll give it another shot (pun intended).

 

[krs]

That's how it's supposed to work. It's a Taurus.

 

[Old Fuff]

Ah.......

Since this was a new gun, did you check the bore for obstructions before you shot it... ?

 

[pps]

Friends don't let friends buy Taurus.

 

[PcolaDawg]

Since this was a new gun, did you check the bore for obstructions before you shot it... ?

Yeah, I check down the barrel everytime I load a revolver. It was clear.

 

[Old Fuff]

Friends don't let friends buy Taurus.

Don't say that... Mine will go and sit in the corner and cry their eyes out.

Not to start a fuss or anything, but I have heard of some Smith & Wesson’s that did the same thing, and I believe I heard mention of a Ruger....

 

[Prepster]

I don't approve of Taurus, but I believe that this is probably a fluke. I'm sure that they'll make it right...eventually.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Ive heard only good things about the Judge until now. I guess failures just happen no matter whos in charge.

 

[Hud]

As Fuff said, it happens to Rugers too. First shot out of a used Redhawk.
Not mine,this pic lifted from another post.

 

[krs]

I was just taking the opportunity to kid about Taurus; in truth I don't consider them to be bad, just made with a few corners cut in their designs. I've been inside a Taurus M85 revolver and seen how they eliminate the recoil slide of the parent S&W design, for example.

This is probably a bad run of barrels - something like that, and the OP got unlucky enough to discover it in dramatic fashion.

 

[DukeNukem]

There's a post from a few days ago at thefiringline.com talking about that happening. It's in the revolvers section under "Judge Mishap" or something like that.

Found the post:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320326

 

[jjohnson]

Which brand ammo?

Hey, before we collectively wet in Taurus' Wheaties, maybe we should ask about the ammo. I'm not very fond of Taurus, having wrestled with a couple of them that I was guilty by negligence (bought them of my own free will)

Thing is, though, even with a company that's fielded some products with sort of off-and-on quality and certainly a confused marketing vision, we'd still not expect them to self destruct in such a spectacular fashion.

Was there a stamping on the barrel that said something like "Warning: do not attempt to load with REAL ammo?"

 

[Old Fuff]

I was just taking the opportunity to kid about Taurus; ....

Well I wasn't being entirely serious...

If they are going to be able to compete, Taurus has to be able to make a functional equivalent of the big companies products, but sell them for less, as most folks would go to the more famous outfit if they were spending the same amount of money. On a personal basis, I’ve had pretty good luck, and the revolvers have all worked fine. I suppose that I can always have a turn of circumstances though…

I will say that with one exception, I’ve stuck to the carbon steel/unported models, and avoided the titanium ones altogether. Sometimes it pays not to ask for problems.

 

[mnrivrat]

Taurus is late with that problem - I first heard it happening with S&W , then Ruger, and now with a Taurus .

Love those crush fit barrel fittings !

Can't bash Taurus for it any more than the other two companies - I have three Taurus revolvers and have had no problems . One in carbon steel blued, one stainless, and one Total titanium . I have come to think that regular carbon steel guns are stronger and smoother though. (IMO) .

 

[C-grunt]

I have seen a Bradley do that once. The gunner didnt lock the barrel when he put it in the turret. First shot there was a huge fireball and the barrel flew about 30-40 feet in front of the Bradley. Those barrels arent light either.

 

[JR47]

Oh darn, are we going to have a Bushmaster 25mm bashing thread now?

 

[mgkdrgn]

like the fact that it's a pistol that shoots 000 Buckshot.

When you get around to shooting the buckshot when you get your Judge back, stick to the Winchester 3 pellet loads. They chamber in/out just fine. I have 45 rounds of Seller & Belloit (sp?) here that will likely work find in a 410 shotgun, but won't chamber in the Judge worth a damn.

My loading is 1 leadoff round of #4 shot, followed by 4 rounds of 000 buck. The #4 shot will just about penetrate (some pellets will actually penetrate) a 1" pine board, the 000 buck will penetrate 2 back to back 2X8's with all 3 pellets.

 

[BlkHawk73]

I'm continually amazed at how many reports we read about Taurus models having issues and that ppl continue to buy them so much. It always pays to do homework BEFORE making the purchase.
Maybe ppl buy becasue they've had a taurus previously and liked it or maybe it's simply impulse buying. Either way, homework, homework, homework...

 

[NavyLCDR]

The barrel broke right at the base right where it attaches to the frame, and shot forward about 7 yards straight at the target I was shooting at.

That's how it's supposed to work. It's a Taurus.

I must respectfully disagree, escpecially since I own a Taurus Judge. NOTHING from a Judge will go STRAIGHT at the target you are shooting at.

 

[Seafarer12]

I still wonder why people buy judges. Sure they shoot 410's and 45 colts but they do neither very well. They are more of a gimmick than anything imo. If I want something to shoot snakes I will just load my 357 with snake shot. If someone were to give me one and I couldnt sell it I would have to make it illegal as all hell and bore the rifling out of the barrel and install a choke so it would at least shoot 410's ok.