Taurus "The Judge" or??

[chh]

Taurus International Manufacturing Inc - Taurus Judge 3" Video

I know a lot of you have probably seen the commercial, but I thought the video was pretty neat. My local gun dealer has a couple of Judges in and a couple more coming. I am really thinking about getting one for a carry gun(in vehicle). The .410 in 000 buck really shoots (in my Contender anyway), not to mention the power of the .45 long colt.
I also have found a good buy on a very slightly used(8 rounds) Glock 30 in 45 ACP. I really like shooting my 1911 style pistol, but have never really been a Glock fan and have never owned one. This little gun does really, for some reason, interest me quite a bit.
Anybody out there shot the Judge or the Glock 30 and have any feedback in them.

[bigtiller]

I have the judge stainless steel 3 inch and I like everything about it. But I would not like to use it as a carry. I think it is too heavy, bulky and it has only 5 rounds.

[chh]

I traded for a Judge monday. It will definetely be a "in vehicle carry" or I may just keep it stashed in the house. It sure does a number on snakes though so it will probably go pond fishing with me some.
I may still get the Glock if he doesn't sell to somebody else soon. It is not very compact either though so I have not settled on it.

[bigtiller]

I found when using bird-shot that 9 works the best. It holds a tighter pattern and is effective to about 20 feet with a tight pattern about the size of a basketball. Larger size shot spreads out to about 3 feet at that distance. I don't think it could drop a rabbit at 25 feet with size 6 shot without a lot of luck. 000 buck is tennis ball size at 10 feet and basketball size at 20. So it isn't the best choice for home defence but it is about the best "belly" or close-up gun their is.

[Dargo]

I have one of the 'hard to get' 3" stainless Magnum Taurus Judge pistols. I've fired exactly 5 shots with it and I'm going to list it on GunBroker either later today or tomorrow. Even with the 3" magnum .410 loads, I see this pistol as being nearly useless as a self defense weapon. It took "0" or heavier loads to penetrate a heavy winter coat. Even being a so called "magnum" load, smaller sized pellets did not penetrate the old winter coat I used as a test target over a 1/4" piece of plywood. Only the 3" slug penetrated the coat and the 1/4" piece of plywood.

This pistol would likely be useful if you were shooting snakes at nearly point blank range but you could pretty well forget taking any other game with it unless you're into stalking finches or something similar. I see the "standard" sized Judge as particularly useless based on seeing what little damage the 3" magnum did. After buying this pistol and shooting it, I have to say that it falls into the 'good idea' but just doesn't get the job done category.

[bigtiller]

Originally Posted by Dargo

I have one of the 'hard to get' 3" stainless Magnum Taurus Judge pistols. I've fired exactly 5 shots with it and I'm going to list it on GunBroker either later today or tomorrow. Even with the 3" magnum .410 loads, I see this pistol as being nearly useless as a self defense weapon. It took "0" or heavier loads to penetrate a heavy winter coat. Even being a so called "magnum" load, smaller sized pellets did not penetrate the old winter coat I used as a test target over a 1/4" piece of plywood. Only the 3" slug penetrated the coat and the 1/4" piece of plywood.

This pistol would likely be useful if you were shooting snakes at nearly point blank range but you could pretty well forget taking any other game with it unless you're into stalking finches or something similar. I see the "standard" sized Judge as particularly useless based on seeing what little damage the 3" magnum did. After buying this pistol and shooting it, I have to say that it falls into the 'good idea' but just doesn't get the job done category.

Try some 250 to 260 gram 45 colts it, that will make a hole in your jacket. But forget about hollow points, the gun does not like them. I keep mine loaded with two 000 bucks and three 45 colts.

[Dargo]

That's pretty well why I'm selling it. I have plenty of .45 Long Colt and .45 ACP pistols. I just had the wrong impression based on Taurus advertising of what kind of power a .410 shotgun shell has. I can explode a watermelon with a $2 slingshot and a small rock. It is true that a small woman can handle the 3" Magnum Judge. Even the 3" so called "Magnum" slug in .410 had a rather mild recoil. The double 00 .410 shells had less recoil than shooting a sub compact Glock 30; which isn't bad at all to shoot.

I suppose it boils down the Judge being a special purpose pistol. The advertising of the knock down power of a .410 shot shell is very misleading. Even in the 3" magnum loads of .410, I'd venture to say that anything smaller than 00 buck would almost never deliver a lethal shot to a human. A snake or scorpion on the ground by your feet, yes. I hope I never have to fire any weapon at a person in my life. But if I do, I don't want to ever shoot with something that 'may' only wound them at best. The .45 Long Colt would deliver a lethal shot, but you don't need a 3" magnum Taurus Judge to shoot that round. I just need to figure what to do with the other 95 rounds (I bought 100 rounds) of .410 that I bought. I suppose in a regular shotgun a .410 would be a good shotgun for my 9 year old son to learn to shoot a smooth bore with.

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Cabela's has a marlin 1895 2.5" chamber .410 lever gun for $500 - but that won't do you any good for your 85 3" shells.

[joatmon]

You are correct about the power of .410 shot in a handgun. The powder needs confinement and pressure to burn properly and produce more pressure to provide velocity and energy to the pellets. Think of it like trying to make a pea-shooter out of 1/2 inch pipe. You just cannot get enough pressure built up to do anything.
The down-side is no penetration. The up-side is no kick.
If you need snake medicine, they used to have shot shells for your ACP. If you need crook medicine and don't want solids, there are always Glaser safety slugs.


I'm poor, 'cause I can't stop playing with guns.

MRS

[GeneD14]

CCI stil makes 45 ACP snake shot. I use it quite often. It's about a dollar a shot. So it hurts me almost as must as the snake.