Rivals to Taurus Judge revolver?

[garfangle]

I've noticed that a lot of the negative reaction surrounding the Taurus Judge/Public Defender has to due with the suspect quality of the manufacture of the gun itself, not necessarily whether it is a gimmick/novelty gun. While there is plenty of the latter criticism that is not what my post is about.

I've read postings here and on other forums/blogs that Taurus is not one of the best makers of guns and therefore a purchaser of a Judge/PD may regret buying one. However, the shotshell/slug combo revolver concept seems to garnered Taurus a good deal of publicity and healthy sales. Moreover, some ammo makers like Federal and Winchester are coming out with shells/bullets that are specifically designed for a Judge-style gun.

What I haven't figured out is why some of the other gun makers like S&W, Ruger, etc. have not come out with their own design. I'm sure it can't be a patent issue, right? Why leave a lucrative market (the reluctant SD) to Taurus by itself?

 

[HGM22]

Maybe they don't want to be known as a company that would put out a "gimmick gun" designed for self defense. Might cheapen their reputation a bit. Really just a wild guess.

 

[Sam1911]

If I had to guess, I'd say something close to what HGM22 said, but maybe a bit more.

Taurus is down-market enough, "fringe" enough to go for big gambles and rely entirely on novelty and hype to float a product in the market. They really aren't marketing to "operators," LEOs, militarizes, competitors, so much as the average guy who wants to plink and carry on a budget. Sometimes what that "average guy" likes is more sizzle than steak -- something that SOUNDS real hardcore, regardless of less-than-hardcore utility. Taurus really doesn't have a "reputation" to lose in the market by making something that's more bang than buck.

So they gambled, and it payed off. A certain portion of the gun market has looked at their advertising -- made the "well it's a sawed-off-shotgun-revolver-thingy ... that's GOTTA be good!" connection they were marketing it as (with those Shoot-N-See target ads with the cloud of shot on one and six .45 slugs through the other), and rushed out to buy one. There turned out to be plenty of shootin' type folks who were bored enough with conventional guns to go buy something weird and new -- not caring a whole lot what it might really be good FOR.

I think the average-joe-plinker popularity really surprised everyone, even Taurus. Remember, the Thunder 5 had been on the market for years and nobody needed one of those.

So, it was a sort of hard to justify product that had already been tried and failed, but just might win on "cool points," if the marketing blitz was strong enough. The big manufacturers weren't going to take a gamble on tooling up to build something so outside of their practical, traditional, niches. But Taurus could. Taurus did -- and it worked very well for them.

Maybe now S&W and Ruger are looking at the idea again and trying to get around the patent issues -- now that they know there is some market for it. But I kind of doubt it. There's still enough backlash against the idea among the "serious" end of the shooting community that they probably would not want to sprain their marketing departments trying to convince the world that such a thing is needed.

 

[bluetopper]

There are a couple of other manufacturors making the .410, 45LC set up, but for the life of me I can't recall them now.
Bond Arms and........?

 

[Gun Nerd]

Yep my FIL has a .45/.410 derringer. Bond arms, as I remember. Interesting as a novelty, again, but not very practical. It takes two hands and a foot to cock the thing.

 

[BlkHawk73]

Gimmicks can sell even when quality doesn't. Look at how marketing something as "tactical" makes something a more desirable product. Now make something as a gimmick and make it affordable (you get what you pay for in a LOT of cases) and it's going to get attention. I'm sure most that get caught by the gimmick of the Judge don't take the time to practice/train with it, especially once they realize the cost of the ammunition it takes. (sad but it's all too common) Couple all that together and other companies probably just don't see the R&D, the needed tooling and having production time used towards such a model when their current models are selling so well. Leave the gimmicks and pretty colors to Taurus and let the big boys do their own thing.