Taurus Judge for home defense

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veamon

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I purchased a Judge about a month ago along with my .357. Any thoughts on using it as home defense instead of a shotgun? My main reasoning is that my wife carries a .38, and is not the most comfortable around guns (I grew up on a farm and it was no big deal to carry something at all times), and I'm thinking its easiest for her to know how to operate one type of firearm for now, instead of learning how to load one, work the pump, etc etc.
 
Has she fired a .410 from the Judge yet? I thought it was uncomfortable and my wife set it down after the first shot. A shotgun is simple to operate, just as easy as the judge. IMO, you'll need a far better reason to trade a tried and true long gun for a gimmick of dubious effectiveness for defense.
 
Judge; .410 shotshell defense loads....

The Judge line really sprung up over the last 4/5 years to set a new area in the self defense handgun market.
I'm more apt to buy a NIB S&W Governor revolver than a Judge, but FWIW, there are a few decent home protection .410 loads out there from Winchester(PDX1) & Hornady Critical Duty.
You may want to add a Crimsontrace lasergrip too for use in low light & marksmanship training.
CT offers a free DVD too; www.crimsontrace.com .

For ammunition see; Natchezss.com Brownells.com Grafs.com MidwayUSA.com SGammo.com .
 
It depends what you load into it. The idea that putting 410 ammo into a revolver somehow transfroms it into a "shotgun in a holster" is a myth. When fired from a rifled revolver, the shot patterns spread too quickly and don't penetrate well. Read this:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot53.htm

Of course you could always load it with 45 Colt ammo, which would be a far better choice for HD. This begs the question: Why not just get a 45 Colt revolver then?
 
Why not just get a Mossberg .410 and train her on the controls? Safety and slide release are the only two mechanical needs for a shotgun and even then the release is generally only used for unloading. Two or three range sessions and hands on at home should get her used to the mechanical workings and get the muscle memory for shouldering and safety manipulation. Get some snap caps/dummy shells and dry fire, dry fire, dry fire, and dry fire some more. Practice with handling in the home will probably make her more comfortable with the firearm before hitting the range. Once she is comfortable with controls and sight picture she can practice on the trap range with it. Proficiency there will translate to confidence later when she needs it.
 
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Why not just get a Mossberg .410 and train her on the controls?
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Because a long gun is unwieldy in close in door environments. They take two hands to operate. Seldom are you going to find both hands free.

In home defense chances are you're going to have something in the other hand, flash light, cell phone while on the line with the police,.....something.

I learned that in LE, we did tons of building searches, sometimes in pairs but most often alone. I can't remember the time I had both hands free.

In self defense classes I give my lady students an option. They get to try a variety of firearms. Including shotguns, rifles of all sorts, pistols big and small and the Judge.

Shotgun shells in the judge aren't that bad, I haven't found many women who have difficulties with them but most find them too big.

My wife got a for horse back riding in snake country. Works perfect for that but she carries a S&W 637 for SD.

You say your wife has a snub nose, and you have a Judge. Let the wife shoot both and let her decide.

Women are much happier with something that works for them then they are something we tell them will work.

If your wife isn't comfortable around guns then she needs shoot them more.

First thing I tell my students is that I want the gun as comfortable in their hands as a cell phone is in the hands of a teenage daughter.

I get a lot of ladies who never handed a revolver or pistol before. I start them out with a couple hours of nothing but 3-3-3 drills, meaning they draw and shoot three rounds in three seconds at three yards. I do this before I start on defense scenarios. Most are much more comfortable after the first night, seldom does it take them more then two nights.

Don't have classes lasting over two or three hours. Its better to have several short classes then one long extended class.

But for heaven sake, let the lady choose her gun, what I like and what my wife likes is as different as night and day. Your job is to make sure she gets over the "uncomfortable" feeling. Get her training if possible, it not get her to the range to practice. And make sure she keeps it up,

Rule of Thumb: A small gun one can shoot beats the heck out of a big gun they can't.
 
I think the Judge would be an excellent home defense choice.
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Please say why. Be sure to specify in detail how it would be superior to a conventional 45 caliber revolver.

I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of one.
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Is this your very best argument? I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of any gun, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good choice for the task.
 
no one ever tests a j frame for a 40 yard accuracy test, but when the judge gets tested, its at 40-50 yards. and gets poor results with buck shot
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I thought the topic was Home Defense. How many people have a home where there is room to take a 40 yard shot. That's a big friggin house.

I just ckecked. The longest spot I can see to shoot in my house is 25 feet.

In my self defense classes I have people come up with rough drawings and measurements of their homes to help them figure a home defense plan. Never see offering 40 yards, most 21-25 feet. The house may be longer but its broken up by rooms, doors and walls.

Now take a 1/2 piece of plywood, hang a target on it, and shoot it with #4 shot at 21 feet, (or the longest distance you get from your homes measurement) and see what the #4 shot (not buck shot) and see what it does to the plywood. You'll be surprised.

Later today I'll go out and replace my target backboard and get a picture of a shot mentioned above.

Another test, While setting in your car, set the same target frame outside your window (roll down the window first), Have the target so close that if it was a person it would be close enough open the door, use a silhouette target and face shoot it, see if you don't think it would discourage a car jacking.

I'm not recommending the judge, I'm saying try it before you discount it. I like giving a person as many guns as possible, let them decide for them selves. What works for one doesn't work for everyone. It that was the case there would only be one handgun out there and we wouldn't be here talking about it.
 
I have shot the Taurus Judge and at 10 feet it is an excellent defensive tool. Plenty accurate too.

Whereas you cannot find any 9mm ammo (not since January) and 45 ACP (since February) and every other caliber (and also loading supplies) cannot be found anywhere, the local grocery store here still has PDX1 for sale on the shelf.

A loaded handgun (and which you can actually buy ammo for) is a good thing.
 
Go big or go home!....

I say...
Get a Serbu Super Shorty 12ga.... www.Serbufirearms.com .
That little blaster would be fun & have more power than a Judge .410.
:D

Clyde
ps; I've never heard too many complaints with the .45LC either.
 
There's no need to quibble about how the Judge would do at 50 yards, which I agree is a bit far for HD.

The Box O'Truth test tried various shot loads at SEVEN yards (21 feet) which is a much more reasonable HD distance. It STILL spewed shot all over, being unable to keep all the shot on the paper.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot53_4.htm

I don't want any part of a gun that's guaranteed to miss at 7 yards. Remember you are responsible for every single pellet.
 
Tom Given's - a respected trainer - wrote a good piece on the Judge for SWAT. He wasn't positive. I respect his opinion more than someone saying it is a fine defensive weapon because of some square range or watermelon blasting.
 
The Judge will shoot .410 shells for crawly snakes, .45 Colt for the 2 legged kind so it would be OK for home defense if that's what you have. I'd rather have a good .357 or .45 for home defense WITHOUT the Taurus name on it.
 
S&W Gov; Thomas Jefferson...

If I had a "spread" or a large parcel of land(woods, streams, etc), I might have a Smith & Wesson Gov revolver on me to ward off any snakes or critters that may be around.
As a "anti-personel" load, Id pack some .45LC for protection.
To quote; Thomas Jefferson; may a gun accompany you on your walks. :D

Clyde
 
Getting a Judge is definitely on my list. But I would never ask my wife to shoot it. Shooting a short barrelled shotgun, even in .410, is not as easy as it looks on TV.

Your wife's .38 is plenty decent as a defense gun. Remember that a .38 hit anywhere is better than a .410 or .45 miss.

If you want to get her a shotgun, definitely consider the Mossberg .410 - in youth if she's small framed. My wife has one and likes shooting it just fine.

My wife carries a .380.
 
OP I'm sure your Judge will work out well for HD. I liked the concept but felt a S&W Governor was better built and added the .45acp as an option. In my state you can't have a loaded shotgun in a motor vehicle but a loaded handgun is legal with LTCF. I can't see a car-jacker doing anything but quitting after receiving a load of buck in the face. Same for home defense usage. YMMV. tom. :cool:
 
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