How do you like your Judge? Give me ALL the details-spare nothing, please!
(thinking about buying one; biggest concern is the recoil)
Dad has the Judge, lives in NV, I'm in CA and can't own one.
The Judge is either loved or poo-poo'd. Some say it isn't lethal enough for self defense. I found #6 shot to give the best pattern, but also found it's effective range for a good pattern to be 18 - 20 feet. This thing is a great snake/trail gun, but don't forget that it war marketed as a anti-carjacking devise or fairly close quarters such has inside your home.
I think that it would be just about as painful as waliking into a buzz saw. I can't imagine any advancing after one shot of that.
#6 at about 10 feet 4-5 inches and spreads out to about 9-11 inches at 20 feet. You can load shotshells and 45 Colts in any order you want.
I have seen a video that indicated that shot from the judge does not penetrate deep enough to be lethal unless fired at very close range. I have not had any personal experience with one, however.
I bought the judge clearly for one purpose ... a bedside weapon and a car seat friend. We live in a circa 1850’s 18 room house and there are more corners, coves and short hallways than carter has pills. Even a 28” inch barel pump shotgun would be hard to maneuver. I am a heavy sleeper as well ... lets just say it would take me at least 5 minutes to even look down the barrel of my 1911. (it is always nearby as well) Want to carjack me? Do you value your face? Close in, nothing is better.
I have the original judge, 2 1/2 inch chamber. But I have only seen one like mine .. there are no flutes on the cylinder ... it is a solid machined stainless stock. It may be a couple ozs. heavier than the original judege before it.
It is perfectly balanced in my view. Taurus did magic with the molded almost soft rubber grip. It absorbs a lot of the shock. No, this is not going to be anything long range wise ... but even out 10 yards with #3 shot the first load is going to knock the avg. person down to his knees and draw to his attention that he screwed up. Hey 2 loads of pellets, followed by 3 more rounds of 45 colt .. yeah I feel pretty secure. Pattern is tight at that range, not more than 12”
What really surprise me was the accuracy when loaded up with 45’s. Again .. it is what it is but at 10 yards I can keep 5 rounds in 3” (Not rapid fire) Try to rapid fire this gun and at least for me, I will be not all over the target but all over down range.
A great trail gun .. did I say I hate snakes ... but it does get heavy. Certainly not a CCW piece. Trigger pull is heavy to me, but you get used to it.
What you don’t get used to is how often you look down at the box of ammo and realize it is empty ... ammo goes fast. It’s just fun to shoot and shoot a lot with. I do shoot primarily shotgun mode for fun. When loaded by the bed though,I have two #3’s, the first #3 under hammer and then 3 45’s to finsish with. If that isn’t enough .. my time is meant to over anyway
The only real complaint I have is since I switched to Federal 3 shot rounds, they are tight in the cylinder and it takes a bit of force to eject spent casings. Didn’t have that with federal #5. Supposedly Federal designed the #3 for the tauraus.
Magnum? I think that might be more than what I would want to control and I am a big boy .. 6’5” and 340 pounds of .. choice black angus diet.