horsemen61
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what are your thoughts on the smith and Wesson governor
smith and wesson governor
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FIVETWOSEVEN
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If you do a search on the Judge, you'll get opinions, most of them apply to the Governor.
bikemutt
Member
I bought one recently, very pleased with it so far. Well made, more accurate than I thought it would be, not punishing to shoot despite it's bantam weight.
That said, a .410 shotgun will shoot shotshells better, a 1911 will shoot .45ACP better, and an old six shooter will shoot .45LC better. But within it's range, the Gov will shoot them all good enough.
That said, a .410 shotgun will shoot shotshells better, a 1911 will shoot .45ACP better, and an old six shooter will shoot .45LC better. But within it's range, the Gov will shoot them all good enough.
Stainz
Member
See the thread running now on shooting .45 Colt from a 2" barrel. Actually, he means the 2.75" barrel of the Governor.
To recap my observations from the past threads... mine is a keeper, if for no other reason than it will load and fire .45 ACPs, a la the 325NG. It weighs a whopping 1.8 oz more but has the same construction and sights as the 325NG - yet cost is over $300 less. Yeah, it'll also chamber .45 GAP; .45 Colt; .45 Schofield; and 2.5" .410 shotgun shells alike - whatever was on sale. Mine has a home here. Okay, it is, like all but a couple of .38's, locked away empty as I type this. Seriously, for typical EDC CCW, a 642 is hard to beat. Simply stated - .38's are all I really need. Still, the utility of zombie protection with the Governor, as real a threat as large bruins are to most of us, can't be ignored. I don't need a Governor... like so many other firearm purchases, I just wanted one! And... it makes me smile! YMMV. Worms are best with 'Bold & Spicey A1 Sauce'.
Stainz
To recap my observations from the past threads... mine is a keeper, if for no other reason than it will load and fire .45 ACPs, a la the 325NG. It weighs a whopping 1.8 oz more but has the same construction and sights as the 325NG - yet cost is over $300 less. Yeah, it'll also chamber .45 GAP; .45 Colt; .45 Schofield; and 2.5" .410 shotgun shells alike - whatever was on sale. Mine has a home here. Okay, it is, like all but a couple of .38's, locked away empty as I type this. Seriously, for typical EDC CCW, a 642 is hard to beat. Simply stated - .38's are all I really need. Still, the utility of zombie protection with the Governor, as real a threat as large bruins are to most of us, can't be ignored. I don't need a Governor... like so many other firearm purchases, I just wanted one! And... it makes me smile! YMMV. Worms are best with 'Bold & Spicey A1 Sauce'.
Stainz
Lawdawg45
Member
S&W copying Taurus........it's usually the other way around!
LD
LD
FIVETWOSEVEN
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Their revolvers are based heavily off of S&W revolvers.
MCgunner
Member
I like Taurus and Smith and Wesson revolvers, but I just don't have a "thing" for the Judge/Governor. I don't see the point, the use, the need. Might be the answer to thin walled apartment defense, the only ting i've been able to reason for 'em. Mostly inexperienced handgunners buy 'em. Might be a reason for that correlation beyond pure happenstance.
BTW, both Taurus and Smith and Wesson are copying the Thunder Five, so lets stop THAT pi**ing match before it gets started, eh?
BTW, both Taurus and Smith and Wesson are copying the Thunder Five, so lets stop THAT pi**ing match before it gets started, eh?
I would really like to see some data on velocity loss with .45 colt and .45acp in the 2" barrel versions. It would also be interesting to see velocities and shot patterns for the shot shells out of the 2 inchers. I bet both would be fairly laughable to knowledgable gun folk.
Stainz
Member
Wow. MCgunner hit the nail on the head... "Mostly inexperienced handgunners buy 'em.". Yep, I just fell off the pickle wagon and decided to get me a new fangled revolver. Good grief! I'll bet you've never touched a Governor. For that matter, I'll bet you've never touched a Thunder Five - else, you'd never mention it in the same sentence as even a Judge. The Thunder Five looks like a high school machine shop production gone awry - even the Taurus Judge looks more like a firearm than it. Of course, the first of the type I recall is the SA Magnum Research BFR in .45 Colt/.410 - now, there is a horse of a revolver.
There are differences in the Thunder Five, Taurus Judge, and S&W Governor. Obviously, build quality and warranty. Not so obvious, the first two are predominantly steel five shooters of .45 Colt and .410's, while the S&W is an Al/Sc framed SS barrel/cylinder six-shooter - which will also chamber and discharge moonclipped .45 ACP/GAP. Not a very close copy, is it? Of course, handle one - then a Judge (Never mind the T-5... they are hard to find.). Such an experience may change your mind. Again - they aren't for everybody. And, I don't buy for others - I buy for myself. I don't need anyone's approval of my purchases - not even that of a self-proclaimed revolver pundit. You don't even have to like them - it's enough that I do.
Stainz
PS Remove the worms from the can before you microwave them...
There are differences in the Thunder Five, Taurus Judge, and S&W Governor. Obviously, build quality and warranty. Not so obvious, the first two are predominantly steel five shooters of .45 Colt and .410's, while the S&W is an Al/Sc framed SS barrel/cylinder six-shooter - which will also chamber and discharge moonclipped .45 ACP/GAP. Not a very close copy, is it? Of course, handle one - then a Judge (Never mind the T-5... they are hard to find.). Such an experience may change your mind. Again - they aren't for everybody. And, I don't buy for others - I buy for myself. I don't need anyone's approval of my purchases - not even that of a self-proclaimed revolver pundit. You don't even have to like them - it's enough that I do.
Stainz
PS Remove the worms from the can before you microwave them...
bikemutt
Member
I believe S&W recommends NOT shooting .45GAP, have you tried that round Stainz?
Somewhere along the line I heard about .45 auto-rim but never seen one, that I imagine should work.
Somewhere along the line I heard about .45 auto-rim but never seen one, that I imagine should work.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
Daing. I hate it when everybody at the barbecue but the meat is smarter than me.
Seriously: I believe I'm going to wait until someone comes out with a twelve-bore revolver. If a gun's going to be ugly, it might as well be monumentally ugly.
Actually, now that I stop to think about it rationally, maybe I'll write to the good folks at Chiappa. They seem to know a thing or two about ugly.
Stainz
Member
There is a vestige of the original OAL of the cylinder left as an outer ring on the Governor, as in a .454 Casull/.45 Colt Ruger SRH or S&W 25/625 .45 Colt modified for .45 ACP's. The moonclipped .45 ACPs and GAPs will not be affected by the ring, but it will catch the rim of anything rimmed, a la the .45 Colt, .410, and, yes, the .45 Auto Rim. The cylinder won't close with the .45 ARs loaded - their rim is so thick - to make up for the moonclip thickness - that it prevents cylinder closure. I have verified this!
As to the .45 GAP - it is literally a shortened .45 ACP case - and should fit and fire fine, as the pressures are similar, too. If you'll recall, they were made so that Glock could make a single stack .45-ish semi-auto with a smaller grip. I don't have any - or plans to get any - so, no, I haven't tried them.
Stainz
As to the .45 GAP - it is literally a shortened .45 ACP case - and should fit and fire fine, as the pressures are similar, too. If you'll recall, they were made so that Glock could make a single stack .45-ish semi-auto with a smaller grip. I don't have any - or plans to get any - so, no, I haven't tried them.
Stainz
ljnowell
Member
Why do taurus fans get upset so quickly and easily?
Hondo 60
Member
If I were going to buy one, I'd certainly look at S&W before Taurus.
I've held a few Taurii? and their quality has left me feeling doubtful.
I think bikemutt said it best.
But if you're looking for a close quarter SD/HD gun, this might be a good option.
I've held a few Taurii? and their quality has left me feeling doubtful.
I think bikemutt said it best.
But if you're looking for a close quarter SD/HD gun, this might be a good option.
MCgunner
Member
I just kinda get sick and tired of people telling me I have crappy Taurus guns when they outshoot my Smiths.
I've owned a M19 and a 1917 and still own a M10. And, the Smiths snobs, even though I still own one and have owned others, tend to piss me off with their holier than thou attitudes. Plenty of 'em out there, though. Kinda neat to piss one off back. How's it feel, Stainz? I loved it when I was the loan Taurus revolver at a recent club revolver shoot and had the high score (fastest time, actually), though. I had all the Smith crowd complimenting my M66. It shoots several loads into 1" at 25 yards, about as good as I can do with iron sights off bags at 25 yards. It has a damned fine DA and SA trigger, too. The shoot was a pepper popper shoot, timed, not an accuracy thing, but I usually do pretty well on that sort of course of fire so long as it doesn't involve a reload. I suck at reloads.
They copied the CONCEPT. No, the details of the guns are a might different.. I have a TC Contender with a .45/.410 barrel. THAT was probably the first .45/.410 concept gun. It is the very gun that went to the SCOTUS and won the right for all the others to exist. Mines the old octagon barrel, too, with the external removable choke and compensator. Removing the choke for .45 turns it into a 7" barrel from 10". I like that. The new ones, the choke screws in internally. The choke makes it more fun, if equally useless. You can actually hit birds on the wing at 20 yards with it, or clays. It's kiinda cool, but useless for anything serious. I thought I was buying it to maybe be a decent hunting barrel, but .45 Colt accuracy is okay for 50 yards, my Ruger Blackhawk is twice as accurate. And, the .410 doesn't have a lot of range despite the choke which also stops the rotation of the shot string. I've thought of trading it on another barrel, but I have kept it around. It is fun to knock around with on my place.
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Guillermo
member
Smith and Wesson used to produce some incredible revolvers.
Those days are long gone.
As the governor I have never held one...but the concept is silly.
That said...we all need toys.
MCgunner
Member
reload. I also handload .45ACP, though, but I've been thinkin' about a .45ACP conversion for my Pietta 1858 Remington as an ACP firing gun. I have a 4 5/8" stainless blackhawk for .45 Colt along with my TC Contender barrel. Be kinda neat to shoot .45ACP without having to chase brass.
Don't need no stinkin' moon clips, either, with that Pietta.
ugaarguy
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Stainz, the extractor groove is different on .45 GAP than .45 ACP. The internal case dimensions had to be changed to allow the bullet to seat to correct depth. The GAP also uses a small pistol primer, as opposed to the large pistol primer used in most .45 ACP. I suspect there's an issue with the GAP extractor groove not interfacing correctly when combined with the moon clips & cylinder face of the Governor. That's pure speculation, but it's my educated guess as to why S&W doesn't recommend using GAP ammo in the Governor.
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