Has anyone had any dealings with the Judge? It's the one that shoots 45's and 410 shells. I heard about it a while back and came across it earlier on the web. Seems like a 410 pistol would be the ultimate. May not be too concealable though.
Taurus Judge
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I have a friend that bought one a couple months ago. I've yet to shoot it but the other guys that have didn't really care much for it. Apparently the shot spreads a lot at a very short distance. I don't think any of them shot the .45's but I bet it's a handful. As far as concealed carry I wouldn't even try.
I have one and think it is best considered a novelty gun. 2.5" shells with 000 buck only contain 3 pellets, .36 cal, 68 gr. With shotgun ballistics you have nowhere near the velocity of a handgun bullet, so real stopping power is minimal. For SD, I think #4 shot to the face would be the best application. The short barrelled version is as concealable as any full size revolver, but the 6" version is quite a load to haul around.
Car or bedside gun (2 shot shells, 3 45s) or hand to someone who doesn't know how to shoot and say "point, pull, and pray."
If you look at the ads for it, the patterns they are showing are at 6'. At 5 yards a birdshot load will spread wider than a torso - lots of little stings, not much deterrent.
Car or bedside gun (2 shot shells, 3 45s) or hand to someone who doesn't know how to shoot and say "point, pull, and pray."
If you look at the ads for it, the patterns they are showing are at 6'. At 5 yards a birdshot load will spread wider than a torso - lots of little stings, not much deterrent.
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I wouldn't say take it off of your list, but it will truly benefit the owner to truly know its limitations.
here is a link that will help you to inform yourself on some of the details.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot41.htm
summary taken from the box of truth staff of which the link connects to
Quote
"Lessons learned:
1. Jack bought this pistol for snakes and it looks like a fine tool for that job.
2. Birdshot, in any gauge, is for little birds.
3. Buckshot out of a .410 does not penetrate enough to be an effective personal defense load.
4. The rifled slug was also a disappointment and did not have enough weight or power or penetration to be effective as a defense load.
5. The .45 Long Colt loads had plenty of penetration and would be the preferred defense load for this pistol.
6. It's fun to bust clays with this pistol.
And, as usual, it's always fun to shoot stuff. "
end quote
hope it helps. i do enjoy the website the box of truth, but the ads have become really annoying--imho. i do encourage you to view the website and sift through the detail and visuals to better inform a better supported decision.
best regards,
x
here is a link that will help you to inform yourself on some of the details.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot41.htm
summary taken from the box of truth staff of which the link connects to
Quote
"Lessons learned:
1. Jack bought this pistol for snakes and it looks like a fine tool for that job.
2. Birdshot, in any gauge, is for little birds.
3. Buckshot out of a .410 does not penetrate enough to be an effective personal defense load.
4. The rifled slug was also a disappointment and did not have enough weight or power or penetration to be effective as a defense load.
5. The .45 Long Colt loads had plenty of penetration and would be the preferred defense load for this pistol.
6. It's fun to bust clays with this pistol.
And, as usual, it's always fun to shoot stuff. "
end quote
hope it helps. i do enjoy the website the box of truth, but the ads have become really annoying--imho. i do encourage you to view the website and sift through the detail and visuals to better inform a better supported decision.
best regards,
x
When I was at the NRA conventionin Louisville in Feb. laying right on the taurus table was there new taurus judge in stainless with 3" chamber not the 2.5" chamber, which I do consider a novelty at best. They said it would be out this year, so far I have not seen it but the 3" opens up alot of doors for good 410. I have a box already of lellior and bellot (spl??) 410 3" in double O buck now that 3" baby has 5 O buck pellets in it and I do feel that would make one hell of a home defense gun for sure and a cylinder full of them should give you about 30 O bucks flying around inside a home area and not penetrating walls and going down the street and hitting a kid playing marbles. As far as the 45 long colt, that to is a novelty. I passed on the judge 2.5" due to just no ammo variations and power either but the 3 judge IMO is definitely worth looking at. Not a small handgun eitherargyle said:
I know of one that was used in a personal defense recently in our area.
A 4 wheeler thief shot at a lady, but just just then a man with a judge happened to be driving by and stopped to see what was going on. Those two exchanged gunfire and the thief was hit.....he was not killed however he later killed himself rather than face the charges he was about to receive.
In this case the thief was unable to execute good shots while he was being pelted with buckshot. He lost that battle....End of Story
A 4 wheeler thief shot at a lady, but just just then a man with a judge happened to be driving by and stopped to see what was going on. Those two exchanged gunfire and the thief was hit.....he was not killed however he later killed himself rather than face the charges he was about to receive.
In this case the thief was unable to execute good shots while he was being pelted with buckshot. He lost that battle....End of Story
I have the long barreled version in 2.5", and the .45 LC is no novelty. Despite the longer cylinder to accomodate the .410 shotshells, it is very accurate - < 6" groups at 50 yards are no problem at all. Throw another 1/2" before the bullet hits the forcing cone and some of that accuracy goes away and it really does become little more than a legal sawed-off shotgun. At that point most of the advantage from the longer barrel goes away. I ran across a guy on another forum who lives in an RV and it is pretty much the perfect gun for him - your point above about no concerns of overpenetration is right on target. I would still load it with at least two .45s in case the first 15 little balls didn't convince the BG to cease and desist. It has the same 5 shot limitation as most snubbies, so every shot better count.jocko said:
I have some very rough land with a fair number of poisonous snakes and at least 4 packs of coyotes plus a few feral dogs. Around dusk I have been stalked a couple of times by one of the packs. It's nice to have something that I know will dispatch the occasional copperhead or overly ambitious scavenger.
For size comparison, here it is next to my S&W 642.
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83 Posts
My father bought a Judge this summer. Although I have not shot it myself, he was less impressed with the .410 aspect than he was the .45. He likes it. I have a self defense load for my .38/.357 that I load with three projectiles of 66 grain, SWC. It punches a three inches triangle at 10 yards. I no longer use it for defense, as I have some questions about the use of it and any court dates later.... "Yes your Honor, I intended to put 18 holes in him and his friend..."
It's still a Taurus!
It's still a Taurus!
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6 Posts
Found this thread and thought it unfair to the The Judge. I have a 2.5 chamber 3" barrel. I got it to carry in the woods for protection. PA doesn't have many fierce predators, but in northern PA where I hunt, hike, and play we do have rattlesnakes and black bear. This gun doesn't excel at any one thing but does many well enough. The pattern from #4 shot at snake distance is perfect, open at 1 yard and decent to 3 yards. I load JHP 45 colts following and alternating the shot load. The 45s are as accurate as any protection gun I have ever shot, and isn't that what a gun with a 3" barrel is? I can keep them all in a foot at ten yards freehand. This gun then resides bedside loaded with 4 OOO and one JHP45. I could have let anything from my collection from 22 to 454 casull have that tender position but the judge takes it.
and now the new taurus judge in 3" chamber will be one awsome ccw gun, To me ideal for home protection or in a vehicle. I have a box of lellior and bellott 3" 00buck (5 pellets of double 00 buck). Now all i need is to find this new taurus, they say the rifling in the judge is very skimpy so 45 long colt accuracy is fair at best but the gun was basically designed to shoot the 410 ammo. Just alot more 3" ammo variations on the market to. But so far the only company that sells 00 buck in 3" is S & B. I got mine from natchess sports..leather5to1 said:
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6 Posts
Yah I'm now tempted to make another purchase for the 3" chamber. Don't sell the 45 accuracy short though, its more than adequate for protection.
Natchez has some 45 long colt.
Check this link.
http://www.natchezss.com/Ammo.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=MG45D&prodTitle=Magtech%2045%20Colt%20250%20gr%20LFN%2050%2Fbox
Check this link.
http://www.natchezss.com/Ammo.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=MG45D&prodTitle=Magtech%2045%20Colt%20250%20gr%20LFN%2050%2Fbox
I have bought from natchess 2 boxes of 410 3" 00 buck, only lellior and belliot makes the 3" in 00 buck. I don't have the 3" judge, was going to buy one but never came across one, if anyone wants to buy this ammo pm me. don't really care one way or the other if I sel lit , as it took me 3 months to ever get it.skywagon said:
I do think the 3" taurus judge would be an awesome home gun for sure. I was never sold on the 2.5" model but the 3" bends my crank somewhat..
Nice gun, not sure I would even care about the 45 long colt as the rifling in the judge is very very thin but enough of it is there to pass geing a sawed off shotgun but he 45 willnot be a real shooter in the judge, IMO... There has to be alot of freebore play between the 45 long colt and the 3" 410...not sure I would like that either.
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