![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Taurus Judge
Dec. 16th, 2013 09:43 amA while back, I mentioned that my dad had acquired a Taurus Judge revolver. I mentioned that I thought it was the least-practical gun I had ever fired or handled in my life. Well, comes news from various sources (podcast here - fast forward to 28:15, pictures here and text here) that the gun is ineffective as a self-defense weapon.
To summarize the articles:
1) When loaded with birdshot, the gun has a 30-inch pattern at 15 feet! For non-shooters, that means you will have pellets anywhere from 15 inches of your point of aim.
2) When loaded with buckshot, the shot is forced out of round and has only 5 inches of penetration. It won't go deep enough to actually stop anything.
3) Firing 410 slugs, the slug has modestly better penetration, but just modestly.
4) When firing .45 revolver ammunition, the gun works fine, but because of the shallow rifling, accuracy is very poor out past 5 yards.
In short, if you actually want to defend yourself, get a regular pistol chambered for a pistol round, not a Judge.
To summarize the articles:
1) When loaded with birdshot, the gun has a 30-inch pattern at 15 feet! For non-shooters, that means you will have pellets anywhere from 15 inches of your point of aim.
2) When loaded with buckshot, the shot is forced out of round and has only 5 inches of penetration. It won't go deep enough to actually stop anything.
3) Firing 410 slugs, the slug has modestly better penetration, but just modestly.
4) When firing .45 revolver ammunition, the gun works fine, but because of the shallow rifling, accuracy is very poor out past 5 yards.
In short, if you actually want to defend yourself, get a regular pistol chambered for a pistol round, not a Judge.
