Feelings on Governor
- Thread starter Topher127
- Start date
^^ I have to agree^^
UNLESS..He has expressed interest in one as a house gun..
Me? I think they are clunky, awkward and well...ugly
I was at a new LGS a few weeks ago and the sales guy was trying to push this 100 lb female a GOV stating how versatile it is, how one shot will drop an elephant....
She glanced over at me and I gave her the slight head shake of disapproval and got the "stink eye" from the salesman..
I won't be back there...
UNLESS..He has expressed interest in one as a house gun..
Me? I think they are clunky, awkward and well...ugly
I was at a new LGS a few weeks ago and the sales guy was trying to push this 100 lb female a GOV stating how versatile it is, how one shot will drop an elephant....
She glanced over at me and I gave her the slight head shake of disapproval and got the "stink eye" from the salesman..
I won't be back there...
Dragline45
New member
It's a novelty gun IMO. It doesn't do any one thing well. If you want something to shoot .45 Colt, get a dedicated gun for .45 Colt, as far as .410 shot shells, well if you want to shoot .410 get a shotgun and stick to birds with it, it is not a viable SD round.
I have never owned either the S&W Governor or the Taurus Judge.
I understand the Governor is preferable over the Judge. The Governor will also fire the .45 ACP along with the .45 Colt and .410 (I believe only in 2 & 1/2" ); whereas the Judge will not take the .45 ACP.
With the above said, I also agree with the comments by other posters. They are both large and awkward looking revolvers.
I would recommend either the S&W Model 25 or 625 in .45 Colt. I also understand Ruger makes some nice revolvers in .45 Colt.
If the man's wife really wants him to feel like a King, she should get him an S&W Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. They come in the Models 25 and 625. They are somewhat nicer and slightly lighter than the regular models and only come with 4" barrels (if I recall correctly).
I understand the Governor is preferable over the Judge. The Governor will also fire the .45 ACP along with the .45 Colt and .410 (I believe only in 2 & 1/2" ); whereas the Judge will not take the .45 ACP.
With the above said, I also agree with the comments by other posters. They are both large and awkward looking revolvers.
I would recommend either the S&W Model 25 or 625 in .45 Colt. I also understand Ruger makes some nice revolvers in .45 Colt.
If the man's wife really wants him to feel like a King, she should get him an S&W Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. They come in the Models 25 and 625. They are somewhat nicer and slightly lighter than the regular models and only come with 4" barrels (if I recall correctly).
Yeah...the Taurus Judge and the S&W Governor are...oddities.
Still, while I really agree there are many better options out there the OP did ask about information about the Governor. Maybe they are into oddities. Whatever, they certainly sell well.
So, the S&W Governor will shoot .45 Colt, .45 ACP and 2 1/2 inch .410 shells.
The Taurus Judge won't shoot .45 ACP but some will shoot 3 inch .410 shells and some will shoot .454 Casull as well as .45 Colt and 2 1/2 inch .410 shells.
Internet common consensus seems to be your chances of getting a lemon are greater with Taurus than S&W but you PROBABLY will get an acceptable gun from either one. If I sound like I don't have any actual experience with either one and don't know any more than what I've read about them on the interwebs it because that is very true.
Good luck with whatever you buy.
Still, while I really agree there are many better options out there the OP did ask about information about the Governor. Maybe they are into oddities. Whatever, they certainly sell well.
So, the S&W Governor will shoot .45 Colt, .45 ACP and 2 1/2 inch .410 shells.
The Taurus Judge won't shoot .45 ACP but some will shoot 3 inch .410 shells and some will shoot .454 Casull as well as .45 Colt and 2 1/2 inch .410 shells.
Internet common consensus seems to be your chances of getting a lemon are greater with Taurus than S&W but you PROBABLY will get an acceptable gun from either one. If I sound like I don't have any actual experience with either one and don't know any more than what I've read about them on the interwebs it because that is very true.
Good luck with whatever you buy.
I have to say one thing in their defense.
Realizing how long the chambers are, a crazy little ammo house came up with a 45LC round that has a ridiculously long oversize hollowpoint cavity from hell. And what they ended up with is quite possibly the most terrifying handgun round...well, EVER.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bLonprIWm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bo44nokg88
More commentary here:
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/20...igh-defenses-45-colt-maximum-expansion-round/
This ONE round, assuming you can score some, takes the whole concept of a .410 handgun and turns it into something worth thinking about.
"Ghastly" doesn't even begin.
Realizing how long the chambers are, a crazy little ammo house came up with a 45LC round that has a ridiculously long oversize hollowpoint cavity from hell. And what they ended up with is quite possibly the most terrifying handgun round...well, EVER.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bLonprIWm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bo44nokg88
More commentary here:
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/20...igh-defenses-45-colt-maximum-expansion-round/
This ONE round, assuming you can score some, takes the whole concept of a .410 handgun and turns it into something worth thinking about.
"Ghastly" doesn't even begin.
...is the one about to hit your center of mass before you get off a shot. It doesn't matter what caliber it is. The Judge, the Governor and all the trick .410s and other loadings that are supposed to make it something devastating are all just marketing hype.
For self defense in a revolver I'll take the venerable (103 year track record) and controllable 45 ACP revolver (1917, M25, 625 or the like). They have the added attraction of the fastest revolver reload possible with the use of full moon clips.
I'm a retired LEO and I carried one model or other of Colt 1911 for all but the first 9 months of my career. I now carry a 325 Night Guard. YMMV!
Dave
If someone's dead-set on the platform, the S&W is a much better choice. It has the traditional L-Frame grip as opposed to the chunky Taurus frame. The trigger is much better, and the specimens I've seen lock up better than the Taurus guns.
Bear in mind that if you want to shoot .45 ACP, you have to use the moon clips, which can be an inconvenience for a novice shooter.
Bear in mind that if you want to shoot .45 ACP, you have to use the moon clips, which can be an inconvenience for a novice shooter.
The new Pachmayrs can change the impression of the gun (Taurus).
BTW, to me the only thing that makes sense in these guns is to shoot .410. If relying on the other calibers for justification of ownership, forget it. There are too many better alternatives. One exception is to have shotshell for the first few rounds and something with more specific aim and energy to follow. Just remember that .410 defensive is akin to .44 magnum, including the same powders.
From the OP's original post, I don't hear anyone "dead set on
the platform..." except as possible out-of-the-blue "interest"
expressed by his sister.
As for my opinion, the Governor/Judge concept is overweight,
oversold, over-large, and over-hyped. In short,
I find them ridiculous.
My advice would be to find a nice/used S&W Model-19 (357Mag)
Combat Masterpiece ~$350 (half the price of a Judge)
It is a no-brainer absolute Classic for anyone who handles firearms,
guaranteed to be appreciated wherever he goes w/ it.
the platform..." except as possible out-of-the-blue "interest"
expressed by his sister.
As for my opinion, the Governor/Judge concept is overweight,
oversold, over-large, and over-hyped. In short,
I find them ridiculous.
My advice would be to find a nice/used S&W Model-19 (357Mag)
Combat Masterpiece ~$350 (half the price of a Judge)
It is a no-brainer absolute Classic for anyone who handles firearms,
guaranteed to be appreciated wherever he goes w/ it.
It's fun... kind of a big giant snubnose. Mine is pretty accurate with 45 Colt and 45 Auto. Reloads are lightening-quick with 45 Auto in moon clips.
It does have a purpose, and that purpose is a multi-purpose gun. There are better guns that are more specific, but the Governor is a great compromise. It's much better made than the Taurus, holds one more round, and chambers 45 Auto.
I think that some people don't like it because in their mind they can't put it in one neat category or another. Just the way some people's minds work. The real world has many shades of gray.
It does have a purpose, and that purpose is a multi-purpose gun. There are better guns that are more specific, but the Governor is a great compromise. It's much better made than the Taurus, holds one more round, and chambers 45 Auto.
I think that some people don't like it because in their mind they can't put it in one neat category or another. Just the way some people's minds work. The real world has many shades of gray.
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While I dislike the looks of both, I think you would be better off with the S&W than the Taurus.
I've had a .45 Colt/.410 Contender for years, and have played around a bit with it, although not with the new crop of "defensive" .410 buckshot loads.
Personally, if I were going to use a Governor (or anything like it) for defense, and were NOT going to use .45 Colt ammo, I would pick .410 slugs.
The advantage to buckshot is you get a pattern, but at home defense distances, and with the small number of shot in a .410, this is a very small gain, and weighted against the smaller mass of each shot (round ball) I don't see any advantage for personal defense over a solid slug.
And .410 slugs are not exactly wimp loads compared to many common defense cartridges. Winchester says their 3 inch slug is 1/4oz (call it 110gr) at 1800fps. Now that would be out of a 18" or longer shotgun tube, so, out of a 3 inch handgun, what is expected? 1200fps? More? Anyone chronographed .410 slugs from one of the Governors?
I would think, even at 1000fps, the .410 slug would be reasonably bad medicine, and I think it likely you would get a bit more than that in velocity. That's at least a match for a 9mm.
Perhaps some testing is in order...
There is one good thing to the whole Judge/Governor type, and that is many people are buying them, even if they are mistaken about how good they are for defense, at least they have a gun.
I've had a .45 Colt/.410 Contender for years, and have played around a bit with it, although not with the new crop of "defensive" .410 buckshot loads.
Personally, if I were going to use a Governor (or anything like it) for defense, and were NOT going to use .45 Colt ammo, I would pick .410 slugs.
The advantage to buckshot is you get a pattern, but at home defense distances, and with the small number of shot in a .410, this is a very small gain, and weighted against the smaller mass of each shot (round ball) I don't see any advantage for personal defense over a solid slug.
And .410 slugs are not exactly wimp loads compared to many common defense cartridges. Winchester says their 3 inch slug is 1/4oz (call it 110gr) at 1800fps. Now that would be out of a 18" or longer shotgun tube, so, out of a 3 inch handgun, what is expected? 1200fps? More? Anyone chronographed .410 slugs from one of the Governors?
I would think, even at 1000fps, the .410 slug would be reasonably bad medicine, and I think it likely you would get a bit more than that in velocity. That's at least a match for a 9mm.
Perhaps some testing is in order...
There is one good thing to the whole Judge/Governor type, and that is many people are buying them, even if they are mistaken about how good they are for defense, at least they have a gun.
AMP, if you compare the ballistics of a 1/4-ounce slug (110 grains) at 1200 FPS to a 250-grain bullet at 850 FPS, the 45 Colt wins by a pretty good margin. It's also larger diameter than a slug, which is basically a sabot.
So given a choice of a single projectile I'll go with the 45 Colt or Auto over a single slug in 410.
But for multiple projectiles I'd certainly go with 410 over say, 45 snakeshot.
So given a choice of a single projectile I'll go with the 45 Colt or Auto over a single slug in 410.
But for multiple projectiles I'd certainly go with 410 over say, 45 snakeshot.
Elliottsdad
New member
I'd like to respectfully disagree with this comment. I've known many (MANY) LEOs that weren't "gun" people. I've known a couple that were. All cops being pro shootists? This is a bit of a misnomer.