"Judge" owners I need your thoughts..

[javjacob]

I'm also not a fan of gimmick guns. I am surprised at how much the opinion on here has changed over the past 2 years. 2 years ago everyone thought the judge was the greatest self defense gun ever made lol. I always called it a novelty.

Common sense should tell you 45 colt would be better than a 410 slug but that defeats the whole purpose as there are way better guns for shooting 45 colt. People also forget that a 2" barrel loses a ton of velocity over the shotgun barrel which was the first thing that came to mind when I first heard about the judge. I still remember being attacked relentlessly by judge owners 2 years ago on here.

If you like it and that's what you use and think its the best that is your choice. Nobody is stopping you from using one. I don't see why people have to get so mad when somebody thinks their gun isn't the best choice though. I'm not going to lie to you just to make you feel better though.

My FIL has a judge as his primary HD gun and thinks its the best thing ever made. I just told him not to use bird shot and he said he uses 000buck. I guess it better than nothing but I doubt its even as good as a 22 pistol.

In all seriousness a 22LR pistol will out penetrate and be much faster at getting follow up shots. LOL no matter how you look at it the judge is a terrible choice for home/self defense. I think about this stuff though.

 

[RealGun]

I'm also not a fan of gimmick guns. I am surprised at how much the opinion on here has changed over the past 2 years. 2 years ago everyone thought the judge was the greatest self defense gun ever made lol. I always called it a novelty.

I am not seeing that. The subject of the Judge has always been bullied, and those who like the gun just go about their business and let those who haven't tried one bloviate ad infinitum. Meanwhile, many have other guns that aren't for a particular mission or even fit to shoot. What's up with that...why is that okay?

The essential problem is the hyperbole presented re the Judge, claims that real gun people would ridicule. Their buttons get pushed every time the subject comes up, blah, blah, blah...pretty much correct but so tiresome.

The gun is fun to shoot, far more so than many of my other more purposeful guns.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Some woodpeckers develop a nasty habit of pounding holes in wood siding as they look for grubs, which happened to my dad last summer.

When I was a kid there was one that enjoyed making the rounds in my neighborhood at 4:30 am to pound on everyone's metal chimney pipe. Sleep was interrupted numerous days in a row by that dang bird.

A fake owl usually takes care of the issue.

And that's the approach I would take, rather than killing them. Woodpeckers are a beneficial bird -- they eat the bugs and parasites that kill trees and thus support forest health.

 

[.452]

You didn't say what you want it for.

My Judge is the 3" barrel 3" shell version. My example is very well made and is just right for my use for it.

It is heavy, being made of steel. I like steel guns, I perceive them as being stronger than an aluminum gun.

I also own a S&W Governor. It is light weight being made with aluminum. It also takes my other favorite .452 bullet, the .45 ACP with moon clips. The Governor was not well made, several attempts to get S&W to respond to emails lead to time going by and warranty ran out.

There are a lot of really interesting .410 shells out there now, made just for these types of handGuns.

 

[Anmut]

I've shot both and without a doubt the smith is better.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

And that's the approach I would take, rather than killing them. Woodpeckers are a beneficial bird -- they eat the bugs and parasites that kill trees and thus support forest health.

I agree. I'm a professional forester and silviculturist, and dealing with a tree killing insect has been a part of my daily work for the last 12 years. Wood peckers are beneficial critters, and some are threatened as well. A fake hooter is a better solution IMO.

But anyway........ ive never played with the long barrel version. I wonder what kind of velocities they get with 410 shells. I never have seen data on those, only the short barreled guns.

 

[captain awesome]

personally I have always liked the idea, mostly just for a range toy, but I always figured the best version would be a 4-6" barrel with the 3" magnum cylinder. they didn't make one at the time I was looking so I ended up with the BFR with the 7" barrel. I love that gun and it's extremely well made. it also comes with a choke to make a tight pattern, although it does lose the benefit of the more packable versions of the judge....but again I bought it as a range toy. It is an absolute hoot shooting at clays and I want to give it a try one of these days for dove season.

my dad almost lost it when he saw me pointing a big revolver in the air to shoot a clay pigeon. had to calm him down and explain. (was a shotgun only range)

 

[haybaler]

I agree. I'm a professional forester and silviculturist, and dealing with a tree killing insect has been a part of my daily work for the last 12 years. Wood peckers are beneficial critters, and some are threatened as well. A fake hooter is a better solution IMO.

Around here we have more owls than woodpeckers and the woodpeckers don't pay any attention to them. I don't think a fake owl would do any good.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Around here we have more owls than woodpeckers and the woodpeckers don't pay any attention to them. I don't think a fake owl would do any good.

We're pretty far off topic, but I want to share a story with you.

I'll send you a pm later this week.

 

[BeornLS]

Woodpeckers can tear a house siding up back where I'm from in Arkansas, so they can be a BIG pest up there. I could see taking a shot at one with my Judge, but I never have

As far as self defense, the Judge is my wifes bedside gun and I keep it loaded with three rounds of 000 .410 followed by two rounds of Hornady FTX .45 LC. I rest easy knowing she has it there when I'm not home.

I haven't done scientific tests but I've shot old clothes washers, 55 gallon drums and other dump stuff with the 000 .410 and the .45s at self defense distances and am pleased with what I see. I think it would do a good job of holding off the bad guy(s) until she could get to the shotgun.

I do like the idea of her having the three rounds of buckshot first, my thoughts are those first couple of shots might very well be 'spray and pray', she knows how to shoot of course but in a panic situation I'm not sure how she would hold up. At in home distances I like the idea of some shot spread since we have no kids at home anymore.

Just my $.02.

 

[sawdeanz]

Don't have much experience except with my buddy's. I think the trigger is fantastic, a real shocker to be honest and it is a hoot to shoot, however with the cheap .410 on the second outing it would have failure to fires or the cylinder would stop turning. Haven't much a chance to figure out the issue yet partly due to the fact that it's a handgun that can only shoot really expensive ammo. At least the Governor can shoot .45acp but then I would just get a dedicated .45acp revolver.

 

[.452]

Always use .410 shells designed and labeled "FOR HANDGUNS".

Cheap shells that work fine in a real shotgun will often bind up the works in a handgun.

 

[Fatdaddy]

Always use .410 shells designed and labeled "FOR HANDGUNS".

Cheap shells that work fine in a real shotgun will often bind up the works in a handgun.

Come to think of it, the cheap RIO .410 ammo would bind mine up....

 

[Steel Talon]

Always use .410 shells designed and labeled "FOR HANDGUNS".

Cheap shells that work fine in a real shotgun will often bind up the works in a handgun.

Thanks for the tip....

It's interesting my thread. Has encompassed Woodpecker care and management....LOL

 

[Kaeto]

My dad was looking at a Judge to carry in order to be able to shoot snakes as well as if needed to defend himself from trespassers on his farm. (.410 shot for the snakes and .45 LC for Self defense.) But he balked at the price of the gun.

What I did is load up a batch of .38 Special. shotshell for him to use in his .357 magnum Rossi. So now when he's walking the woods on his land he has 2 shot and 4 magnum rounds in his gun on him.

 

[ThomasT]

Your expertise is the 410 but not the Judge. You should try some #4 buck and actually shoot one of the guns before dismissing it. I was guided by 45hickok's YT video, in which he does a great job of showing the effect of a number of different loads. It was never clear to me whether he was shooting #4 bird or #4 buck, but he gave the nod to #4 whatever as the best shooter. My mold is for #4 buck, and I know the #4 bird ammo I bought is too much of a spray-and-pray for my use other than goofing around peppering used targets at the range. I do have a 410 coach gun though and can use more variety of shot in it.

Hi Realgun. I would like to try some of my 3 ball 410 loads out of a judge. The only problem is is that I don't know a single person who owns a judge. I have watched hickok45 and everything he touches is golden. Kinda like on Gunblast where there are no bad guns to be found.I did mention one youtube vid I watched. They stated the judge was effective all the way to 9 foot away.

 

[tomrkba]

The Judge and similar guns are very inefficient 45 Colt revolvers.

 

[.452]

Well I own a 3" Judge, and a S&W Governor plus several "standard" .45 caliber guns of American manufacturer.

I don't see the Judge as junk myself. Certainly the one I own is as well made as many other guns in its price range. Plus it's all steel. Heavier than an aluminum Smith but also less felt recoil because of that weight.

If you don't have a use for it, that's fine. I absolutely have a use for it and also for the lever rifles from Rossi in .45 cal.

Shotgun/handgun barrels are a compromise. It is rifled and has no choke. This leads to very quickly spreading patterns of shot. You can actually see this with your own eyes when shooting, compared to a regular choked .410 shotgun. Of course patterning on paper shows it too.

The rifling is "said" to be light compared to a regular handgun, this might be, I have no way to measure that. The fact is, the revolvers will be as good as any other short barrel or no barrel gun, such as a derringer.

 

[Paddy]

If that's true, and I agree to a point, then what's the point? If it's not to shoot .410 then why lug around a huge cyl, with poor twist for colt loads? This is the realization I came to. Shotguns need to be smooth bore and pistols need to be rifled. Make one shoot from the other and it's a lot less fun and function. If it were a smooth bore it might be pretty cool, but it would be illegal because, well, America.

 

[.452]

If that's true, and I agree to a point, then what's the point? If it's not to shoot .410 then why lug around a huge cyl, with poor twist for colt loads? This is the realization I came to. Shotguns need to be smooth bore and pistols need to be rifled. Make one shoot from the other and it's a lot less fun and function. If it were a smooth bore it might be pretty cool, but it would be illegal because, well, America.

"well, America. "

That is the point. Freedom of choice.

 

[RealGun]

The Judge and similar guns are very inefficient 45 Colt revolvers.

But no one wants to get shot by a 45 Colt round fired inefficiently.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

But no one wants to get shot by a 45 Colt round fired inefficiently.

But that's not the question. The question is, when my life is on the line, am I willing to accept an inefficient weapon?

 

[RealGun]

But that's not the question. The question is, when my life is on the line, am I willing to accept an inefficient weapon?

That's your question, not mine. I was responding to "The Judge and similar guns are very inefficient 45 Colt revolvers." That's a generality which doesn't cite what the gun would be used for. I wouldn't use the term "inefficient" to jump to the gun being ineffective.

 

[mavracer]

I wouldn't use the term "inefficient" to jump to the gun being ineffective.

You are the only one to make that jump, the jump that can be made is inefficient to less effective. I don't see less effective as a positive.

 

[RealGun]

You are the only one to make that jump, the jump that can be made is inefficient to less effective. I don't see less effective as a positive.

Seriously?...your quibble would then support that "less effective" is still good enough (not ineffective). And be careful with the accusatory "you".