Drinking Governor Kool-Aid!

[Loosedhorse]

Well, after sitting on the .410 revolver sidelines for a while (perhaps mostly because no such revolvers were available in MA until very recently), I have drunk the Kool-Aid. More like swimming in it.

I've heard that it is clunky. Thirty oz, 8 1/2 inches overall--smaller and lighter than a 4-inch .38 K-frame. I've hear it is a joke as a SD gun. With 24 000-buck pellets @ 800fps in a cylinder, or with quickly reloadable .45 ACP 230 gr JHPs. I've heard it would be stupid as a camping gun, despite #7 1/2 shot loads for snake, and 255 gr/900fps .45C for larger animals.

Not bad. Not perfect perhaps, but not bad.

Temptations: it should be possible to fire .460 Rowland and .45 Colt +P rounds from this gun. I'm sure Smith would say no.

Problems: I don't understand why they didn't put in their usual "blast shield" above the cylinder gap, as they do for their other scandium alloy frames. And the bantam rubber grip is ridiculous: the backstrap should be covered with rubber to help with .410 recoil. (The ones with a CT laser grip DO have a covered backstrap.)

I don't see this as a preferable CCW gun--but for me all revolvers bigger than J-frames are handicapped as CCWs. As a HD gun, it suffers from comparison with a long gun (as all handguns do). But as a hiking gun, its versatility and compactness/light weight is appealing--a handgun version of the Wild West Guns Co-Pilot.

Of course, it is ugly. But for someone used to drinking Glock Kool-Aid, ugliness is possibly a sign of...

Perfection?

 

[Stainz]

I talked myself into mine -last June - by convincing myself I needed a 325 Night Guard. What do you know, da Gov'nah is just a bit longer, 1.8 oz heavier, and over three hundred smackers less!! Same fixed rear sight, tritium front Night Sight, Al/Sc/SS construction - will even take N-frame grips (I like the Hogue made-for-S&W .500 Magnum grips - they pad that backstrap, reducing felt recoil.). Yeah, if you get old - and confused - you can probably find something to properly put in it's chambers, too... .45 ACP, .45 Schofield, .45 Colt, or 2.5" .410's. Of course, it is fun, too!

Stainz

PS I've never liked kool-aid - or 'bug juice, as we called it onboard ship.

 

[skidder]

Most of the backlash came from the Taurus model. I think the Governor model would be interesting.
You know the rules, it didn't really happen until we get some pics.

 

[bikemutt]

I thought the same thing about the open backstrap and the bantam grip size but field firing has proven otherwise for me. The gun balances well, stay balanced and is not punishing to shoot with any round chambered.

Perhaps the reason for no blast shield is the rounds inclined to flash are a ways back in the cylinder bore making for lower exhaust gas temperatures, just a theory of course, I've not installed a pyrometer on mine, yet.

 

[Walkalong]

a 325 Night Guard. What do you know, da Gov'nah is just a bit longer, 1.8 oz heavier, and over three hundred smackers less!! Same fixed rear sight, tritium front Night Sight, Al/Sc/SS construction -

Interesting. I thought it was bigger. I guess I have the Judge on my brain.

 

[Hondo 60]

I've read a couple of reviews on the Governor.

The one that sticks with me said something like...

It shoot's .410 Ok, but there are better dedicated .410 guns.
It shoot's 45acp Ok, but there are better dedicated 45acp guns.
It shoot's 45Colt Ok, but there are better dedicated 45Colt guns.

So I guess if you REALLY want a gun that does all three, the Governor is what you want. But ...

 

[Waywatcher]

I'm interested to see Ruger's version; they'll have to be next into the crowd.

I think it would make a dandy plinker/camping gun.

 

[suemarkp]

What is the better "dedicated 410" repeating handgun?

 

[Loosedhorse]

I think the reference is to a .410 long gun: tube-fed pumps and semi-autos, or detachable-magazine-fed semi-auto.

 

[RinkRat]

Hard to tell from the OP's post if you bought one already or you are trolling for opinions before you do???

IMHO and YMWV

in the woods:
#1 = .410 vs a medium-sized animal or a bear = no ... not unless you have wings and can fly away after you piss it off after shooting it

#2 = 45acp vs a medium-sized animal or a bear = no < refer to #1 .410 post above >

#3 = 45colt vs a large-sized animal or a bear = yes but the round you would need to use would most likely kaaahh-booom it ???

on the street:
it would be OK to use in any of the above rounds on a two-legged predator in a SD stand-off on the streets in fact; you may only have to show it to them, because, the size alone would make them think to themselves < self ... that thing don't look good for my health >

but in the woods on a four-legged furry footed burrower, I wouldn't try it as a .410 on anything bigger then a rabid-raccoon or maybe a wolf with a < It seems I read they will shoot .410-slugs ??? > slug.

now a .410 pepper round would be good to use in snake-country!

If you bought it very good for you and enjoy your new gun, but if not as others have typed ... there my be a better choice depending on what you want it for.

 

[Loosedhorse]

45colt vs a large-sized animal or a bear = yes but the round you would need to use would most likely kaaahh-booom it ???

Why? You feel that a .45C 255gr @900fps is just not going to cut it? I'm not talking about brown bear, and not about hunting.

There is the option, I suppose, of trying more powerful .45C loads; I don't know why that would be any worse than trying one in a Model 25. (Not that I really want to try it in a Model 25, either.)

 

[Skribs]

RinkRat, it's hard to tell whether you actually read the OP's post. He's saying buckshot or ACP for SD, birdshot for snakes, and LC for bigger creatures. He said nothing about using .410 or ACP for bears.

 

[JFrame]

My wife got me the Guv'nor for Christmas (along with stocking stuffers of two boxes of Sellier & Bellot and one box of Hornady premium .45 ACP ammo -- does she ROCK or what??? ).

Anyway, I must say that I am quite heartened that people who actually own or have shot the Guv'nor seem to like them...


.

 

[george29]

I always viewed The Judge as a gimmick. I do like the idea of the Circuit Judge but wish they made one in 357 with an 8 round cylinder. Take a lookie at Jeff Q's video on the carbine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FUmOaaZW1E&feature=related

 

[Loosedhorse]

I handled a stainless CJ, george. I liked the novelty--how many revolving rifles does one see?--but it didn't "grab" me, for whatever reason.

The Governor makes me smile. Could be a stupid smile.

 

[rcmodel]

Perhaps the reason for no blast shield is

They are not chambered for any high pressure Magnum caliber.
And are not rated for .460 Rowland, or Ruger Only.45 Colt +P rounds.

S&W N-Frames are all pressure limited in .45 cal by the diameter of the cylinder.
The wall thickness of the chambers is getting pretty thin at the bolt cut notches in .45 cal.

rc

 

[Loosedhorse]

Interesting then that Clark Custom Guns has been converting .45 ACP S&W 25s/625s to .460 Rowland...

.460 Rowland has a pressure ceiling (like .45 WM) of 40k cup; by comparison, .45C+P is "only" 27.5k psi

 

[stolivar]

wow

People that rode horses thought cars were a gimmick.

They all thought the airplane cool, but what use was it.

People that shoot re curves think that compound bows was a waste of time.

The military thought that the machine gun was a waste of time.....

Do I need to say more.


steve:banghead:

 

[Skribs]

Did people actually think that? Or are you just making them up to make a point?

I'm pro-.410-revolver, but these seem like they're just made up.

 

[JHenry]

well if our Govt wasnt so critical of SBS and AOW or DD, The taurus 28 guage raging judge magnum would be a very adequate self defense firearm. The 410 imho is fine but the rifling theyre forced to put it in it is to meet legislation, not improve performance.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Last week I think I finally figured out the 'Judge/Governor' thing.

Saw a father buy his college age daughter a Judge.

Ok, she isn't gonna pack it but use it as a car/house gun.

Now a car/house gun does not need to be small. And the 'Judge/Governor' does not cost as much as a N frame S&W. So... she gets a gun that can fire several pellets at once (.410) and use .45 LC (or even .45 ACP in the Governor version. I bet she uses .410 to.

Anyway that is what it's about. CCW piece? Well maybe a purse but that is about it as it does not CCW like a Glock, S&W .38, or even a slab sided 1911!

Deaf

 

[george29]

Did people actually think that?

About cars? Yes! I'm not knocking the idea of a 5 shot 410 in a revolver, I just think that the platform is so huge that it defeats the purpose of a handgun in the first place which is why The CJ makes more sense to me. I could be wrong and meant to ruffle no feathers.