Posted on 03/28/2007 6:06:23 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Taurus has introduced a handgun that may just be the ideal trail gun for those of us who live, work, and play among timber rattlers, cottonmouths, copperheads, and diamondbacks. It should also prove just as useful for our Western friends who must contend with the sidewinder and the Western version of the diamondback. I don’t know which I hate more, as all are ornery when cornered, but the cottonmouth is the only snake that I have ever had personally come after me. Most snakes will slither off if they can, except for maybe the copperhead, who just lies there quietly grinning and waiting for your approach. At least the rattlers will sound off and give you a chance to soil yourself just before he sinks those fangs into your flesh. However, in my experience, the cottonmouth is downright mean.
There are those in our society who look with disdain and loathing upon those of us who kill poisonous snakes - mostly they live in nice apartments or suburban subdivisions. If they are really well-heeled they call them "estates". However, those of us who live in the Southern woods (forests, for you snake-loving high society types), for about eight months out of the year, we must keep a careful eye out for poisonous snakes as we walk amongst the chiggers, ticks, and poison oak.
I do not kill non-poisonous snakes such as black snakes and chicken snakes, for they provide a service and do no harm, unless you happen to step on one at night, at which point they might cause you to hurt yourself trying to hop around on one toe without touching the ground, which should probably be an Olympic sport in itself. However, if I find a poisonous snake around my house, I will do all that I can to kill it. I have two young grandchildren that play around here, and a snakebite could easily kill one of them, or even kill their dear old Grandpa, and I just will not risk it. Now, if some short-haired, Volvo-driving, apartment-dwelling, cappuccino-drinking, Nancy Pelosi fan club chick wants to send hateful email, let the games begin. However, I really don’t think that those women read Gunblast, so hopefully, I am safe.
I always carry a handgun, unless I am flying what was once termed the "friendly skies". When out deeper in the woods or down by the creek, I carry one loaded with shot loads if I am wandering around there during the itching season. This new Taurus is chambered for the .410 shotshell, and packs a pretty good payload of shot to reliably dispatch crawling vermin. For the vermin that walk upright on their hind legs, it also chambers and fires the .45 Colt cartridge, making this a very versatile handgun. Taurus calls this five-shot revolver "The Judge", which seems appropriate, even if the name will most likely offend the type of person referenced in the preceding paragraph. It weighs in at just under 36 ounces, and packs rather comfortably holstered on the hip or across the chest in one of Rob Leahy’s Grizzly Tuff holsters, with the latter preferred if any riding or wading is anticipated.
Patterning the .410 shotshells proved that this revolver is, as I expected, a close range proposition, which is just fine. Any farther than twelve feet away, the pattern opens rather quickly. The number 7-½ shot at that range is pretty sparse. I would have liked to have some number 9 shotshells for testing, but none was to be found. Anyway, the 7-½ penetrates better, and at normal "A SNAKE!!!" range, it does just fine. The spread is wide enough to assure a good hit, and the pattern tight enough to assure a quick kill.
I also tried some number 4 shot at closer range, and it is with larger shot such as this that The Judge becomes better suited for solving social disputes of the most unfriendly kind. I see this as an ideal weapon to keep on the car seat to quickly resolve an attempted car-jacking. When a punk jerks the car door open, a face full of number four shot should rapidly dissuade the social misfit from wanting anything to do with your car, and should also render him unable to pass the eye exam for a driver’s license for the rest of his miserable life. If this seems cruel, so be it. If someone sneaks into a parking lot and hot-wires a car, that is one thing, but if he tries to forcibly take an occupied vehicle at a traffic light, he can learn to read Braille in prison as far as I’m concerned.
I tested the penetration of the number four shot loads on some aluminum bottles (no, I did not empty them. I found them that way) and some tough cured country ham hocks. The shot completely penetrated both the lightweight bottles and the tough meat, and would surely do the same on a close range snake or small game for the pot. Anything farther than about twelve feet, and the cylinder needs to be stoked with the .45 Colt loads.
I really had no high expectations of accuracy using the .45 Colt ammo, considering the long cylinder and fixed sights with the fiber optic bead front. I was, however, very pleasantly surprised at the practical accuracy of the weapon, especially at combat ranges. After shooting the gun offhand, I wished that I had ordered an insert for my Ransom Rest to see just how accurate the gun would be without the handicap of the shooter influencing the outcome. At any rate, the Judge is not meant to be a paper-punching target revolver, but rather a practical and versatile fighting weapon. At seven yards, the five shot cylinder would place the bullets right at point of aim, and grouped tightly together. The double action trigger pull was smooth, and measured nine and one-half pounds. The single action pull measured a crisp four and three-quarters pounds, and in either mode, the Judge was a delight to shoot. Recoil was easily controlled, and the Taurus Ribber grips took any bite out of the Judge’s bark. The grip is very comfortable, and the backstrap well-padded. The Judge has the "Taurus Security System" key lock, for those who like to use it. The test gun wears a three inch barrel, but longer barrels are offered. However, I think that the three inch is the better choice for social work. It is just a lot handier. The Judge also can be purchased with either two and one-half or three inch chambers, the test gun being the former. You also have a choice of blued or stainless steel. The test gun was very well finished, with no visible flaws, and functioned perfectly with all ammo tested. The barrel/cylinder gap measured .006 inch. The ejector rod is fully shrouded, and cylinder lockup was tight. The color casehardened hammer and trigger contrast nicely with the deep blue-black finish. The Judge has a nice, business-like appearance.
I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Judge, with both shotshells and solid bullet .45 Colt ammo. It offers a lot of versatility in snake country, and can be carried for urban defense loaded with shotshells, heavy .45 Colt hollowpoints, or a combination of both. A number four shot load followed by four hollowpoints might be just about ideal for social work.
Sorry, Desert Eagle .50AE, if that makes a difference.
The recoil on the Desert Eagles is moderate but the kicker is they require premium (high pressure) ammo to cycle the action. Magnum Research which has excellent customer support provides a list of acceptable ammo. Ammo prices are sky rocketing so I'm glad I stockpiled when I did.
Son told my yesterday that a box of twenty goes for 30 bucks. Won't be shooting bottles with them.
Given any thought to loading your own?
it has a rifled barrel. it's fine.
check out any discount gun rag or gun auction site, you'll find these .45/.410 guns all over the place- usually double barrel pistols.
For about a nanosecond. :-)
How do you like it, so far? (And by the way, sounds like an excellent way to celebrate! ;>)
That or something just like that used to be manufactured right here in E.TN, out in Piney Flats. With.45 ammo it was reasonable because the frame is heavy, but with .410 shotgun rounds the kick was something you wouldn't want to put on a woman's hands/arms.
Only had it out that one time, but I love it! My aim's only a little better than a blind woman's, so for home defense I've relied on a shotgun, but that's a bit hard to tuck under the pillow ;)
It's easy to carry too, and in relatively gun-friendly PA they consider it a handgun and nobody quibbles about that little extra feature.
It does make more noise than I expected, but aside from that I've no complaint.
I think it's also a great conversation starter, but on the other hand, my teenage daughter came to the range with me for the first time, so I'm not totally sure it was the gun that attracted people.
PS: it's also not extremely expensive, around $600 altogether.
I gotta get me one of those
;>)
Well, he did keep it tucked in his waistband, but his junk wasn't what suffered for it. About three months after he bought the gun he was driving down a back trail in the woods and a grouse popped its head up by the side of the road. My uncle grabbed for his pistol, got it caught on his belt, and accidentally pulled the trigger.
Bam! He blasted his fuel tank with a load of birdshot, shooting about a dozen holes in it. Gas spilled all over the place and my uncle was racing at top speed, smoke flowing off of the engine from the gas, back to the cabin before he was stuck pushing his ATV back.
By joint consensus, his brothers decided that he was a dumbass, and after he got his tank replaced the old one became a decoration for the wall of the cabin.
You may call me ma'am, and you're welcome! :)
Oh yeah! I'm interested in this as a personal side arm for backup.
It should fit quite nicely in an ankle holster and if I have to go to this in extermis I want the added capabilities that the .410 provides for unconventional rounds.
Blammo Ammo rules!
Yes, Ma'am, and I apologize! It's obviously not the first time I've been wrong (as you might have guessed ;>)...
Mega-bang self-ping!!
I picked one this Saturday.
I went to our Chantilly gun show. There were 9 at the show. They sold by 6:00 PM the first day of the show. The dealers told me they were hard to get. My friend who is a FFL in PA has a back order for three.
Gonna have to check this one out. I’ve been looking for something like this.
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