S&W Governor? Gimmick or Good Idea?

[jski]

Just finished watching a Hickok45 video on the S&W Governor. Hickok admits at first he dismissed it as yet another gimmick. But as the video proceeds you can tell he really like this puppy.

And in another of his walk-in-the-woods videos, he's REALLY enjoying the Governor.

Any opinions based on experience?

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I won't go as far as gimmick but it's not for me. It's heavy, huge and not a good shotshell platform IMO.

 

[DownInTheDark]

Only real use I can see is for shooting snakes or chipmunks. Ive seen the 45 long colt chronograph numbers, they fly slow, I wouldn't want to use it for bear defense.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Novelty

 

[bannockburn]

Not something I would waste my time or money on.

 

[cfullgraf]

There's a video out there somewhere where the Taurus folks were shooting skeet with a Judge. It was some cable/satellite gun program 10-15 years ago reviewing the Judge.

They weren't too bad at it considering it was .410, and a short barrel.

I have a .410/45 Colt Bond derringer for snake duty around my farm. A bit more convenient to carry.

 

[CajunBass]

I wouldn't have any use for one, and I think they're ugly, even more so the Taurus models, but they've been making them for a long time now.

Somebody must be buying them. Used ones don't stay on the shelf long at my LGS, S&W or Taurus.

 

[ST1959]

Had one. Didn't care for it, although it is much better made than the Judge.

 

[Fiv3r]

I briefly bought a Judge to scratch that novelty itch.

Honestly, there wasn't anything wrong with it. It just felt like it was made cheaply.

If I were to fall into a dirt cheap Governor and had the extra money to spend, I might buy it.

But practical use? Not really for me.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Just about the dumbest and most useless pistol S&W has ever made. I wouldn't take one if you gave it to me. A couple of years ago we raffled one off at my club. I paid $5 for a couple of tickets, just to benefit the club. If I had won I would have sold it for a profit.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've shot a Taurus Judge compact model. It sucked. The accuracy was sub par with 45 Colt ammo, and the pellet spread was so wide as to be pretty ineffective past 5 yards.

I have shot my buddy's Governor. The results were largely the same, though 45 cal slugs seem a bit more accurate.

I owned a Bond Arms Snake Slayer IV. Same results, but also rather painful to shoot.

All three 45/410 guns are in my opinion, nothing more than belly guns. If an attacker is that close, I have no reason not to believe that a traditional center fired revolver will not do the same job, AND be more effective at range.

It's a gimmick in my opinion. As Driftwood said, if I was given one, or won one, I would sell it or trade it away immediately.

 

[MaxP]

The irony of Smith & Wesson copying Taurus is delicious!

 

[chicharrones]

If I had money to blow, I'd love to add the S&W Governor to my collection. I mean money to blow on the gun and money to blow on the ammo. The shot ammo made for those shotgun revolvers ain't cheap.

For me, the Governor would be mostly for fun. Blasting close range targets with 6 chambers of shot would be fairly entertaining.

 

[chicharrones]

You know, I think I need to see if I can rent a Governor just to get that bug out of me.

Sometimes I'd be much better off just renting a gun than actually buying a gun.

 

[Dog Soldier]

The .410/.45 revolvers may be a passing interest. Gun companies are alert to market demands. The survivalist "Bug Out" items have been popular. The plastic "Shot Caps" loaded with #9 shot is effective on small game and snakes. I often carry 2 rds of shot shells in my old 29-2 during the Antelope season. I make the .44 shot shells from .30-40 brass giving a chamber length round with a trimmed .410 cup wad. This also requires turning the .30-40 rim down. It has worked on Prairie Rattlers and Cotton tails.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I think it's the dumbest idea since instant coffee, but both sell so what do I know.

 

[S&W629]

Seems like a "jack of some trades-master of NONE"

 

[stoky]

If your really f̶i̶x̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ focused on short range (call it < 7 yards) big bore power, they're alright.
The twist isn't good for shot and the free bore is less than optimal for .45s.
They seem to sell well though.

 

[the count]

I got one. You wanna know how I use it? Its loaded with 000 buckshot ammo and lives under my car seat. Nothing to rack, no safety, goes bang every time.

 

[gunnerh]

Not a gun for everyone but I like mine, Great tractor gun not a carry piece.

 

[joneb]

If I had worry about snakes and Australian funnel web spiders, I would want one even more if it were a smooth bore.
Does anyone know the velocity of 000 buck from a short barrel?

 

[Blacksmoke]

The .410/.45 revolvers may be a passing interest. Gun companies are alert to market demands. The survivalist "Bug Out" items have been popular. The plastic "Shot Caps" loaded with #9 shot is effective on small game and snakes. I often carry 2 rds of shot shells in my old 29-2 during the Antelope season. I make the .44 shot shells from .30-40 brass giving a chamber length round with a trimmed .410 cup wad. This also requires turning the .30-40 rim down. It has worked on Prairie Rattlers and Cotton tails.

Do you have an opinion about .38 Special shot shells out of a two inch barrel? I generally leave the Prairie Rattlers alone since they must be the laziest snake in the country but you never know. Last summer there must have been a nest near our main irrigation distribution gates since I met them frequently there in the late Spring. Mostly they were run over by my truck.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I won't go as far as gimmick but it's not for me. It's heavy, huge and not a good shotshell platform IMO.

I'll say it again, it's a bad idea, poorly executed.

You want a .45 revolver? I have two of them. Great guns for carrying afield -- but no need for all that extra cylinder length.

You want a snake load in a .45 -- no problem. You can buy them, or handload them easily.

You want a .410? There are plenty of good .410 shotguns on the market.

 

[Cornhusker77]

If I remember right, the Governor shoots .45acp too.
For that reason alone I'd look at one

 

[SeanSw]

I think that being capable of firing .45 acp makes The Governor the only real choice in the market, but still a confusing one. For some reason whenever a firearm is advertised for trade I get more offers for a Taurus Judge than anything else combined. After watching someone at the range shooting .410 birdshot donut patterns at standing targets and seeing lead bounce off cardboard and plastic targets I lost all interest. Now that ammo companies are making specific loads for this type of gun there may be some niche use, perhaps as an anti carjacking piece, or maybe if you're just really craving buck and ball loads.

One of my close friends is obsessed with these .410 revolvers and refuses to accept the huge variety of ammunition tests pointing out their limitations, preferring to think of them as true hand held shotguns. I admit, I'm tickled that S&W is copying Taurus. It seems to be their most successful and original firearm to ever. Even though I think it's not very useful.