# Taurus Judge



## Popeye (Mar 27, 2012)

Interested in buying one and not sure if I want the 4" or the 6.5" barrel. Gun would be for home defense and general shootin' stuff. Oh, and as a snake gun when down at the river lot in Texas. Anyone one own one of these guns?


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## fool4fish1226 (Mar 27, 2012)

Popeye said:


> Interested in buying one and not sure if I want the 4" or the 6.5" barrel. Gun would be for home defense and general shootin' stuff. Oh, and as a snake gun when down at the river lot in Texas. Anyone one own one of these guns?




Purchased one for my Dad (Father's Day) about two years ago. Got him the 4" barrel and he loves it, shooting the 4-10 shells are a blast  great little home defense weapon.


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## Jdholmes (Mar 27, 2012)

I think if I planned on using the .410 shells with it I would go for the longer barrel.

I can't see the .410 on a 4 inch barrel being useful beyond a few feet....course an extra 2.5 may not improve that too much but every bit helps.


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## Popeye (Mar 27, 2012)

Jdholmes said:


> I think if I planned on using the .410 shells with it I would go for the longer barrel.
> 
> I can't see the .410 on a 4 inch barrel being useful beyond a few feet....course an extra 2.5 may not improve that too much but every bit helps.



That's my thought process too. Would like to hear from people with real world experience with either or both barrels. Saw one review that said he had a decent pattern @25 feet with the 6.5" barrel and others were saying 10-12 feet was the best for a shorter version (3" I think)


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## fool4fish1226 (Mar 27, 2012)

Popeye said:


> Jdholmes said:
> 
> 
> > I think if I planned on using the .410 shells with it I would go for the longer barrel.
> ...



Remember the Judge is disigned for close range shooting. With the 4" barrell 10-15 feet using reqular 410 shells give you a nice pattern. If you use the 410 shells made for the judge with the little disks in them they cause alot more harm to the paper but are $$$$. Shooting it with the 45 rounds is the same as any short barrel hand gun it only shoots as good as you can.


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## Popeye (Mar 27, 2012)

About the longest straight line shot in my house would be 20 feet. A 6.5" barrel with shot would still make a nice coffee can sized hole in someone at a closer range than that. Also thinking the heavier, longer barreled version would have less kick. And I think the really short ones (less than 3" barrel) are ugly.


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## FishingCop (Mar 27, 2012)

Andy, there are several other posts about the judge dating back to Feb, 2011, if you have not already seen them.....


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## fool4fish1226 (Mar 27, 2012)

Here a quick demo of the judge 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttFslPwNEuc&feature=related


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## Popeye (Mar 28, 2012)

Pulled the trigger so to speak:

Ordered this from First Class Firearms here in Zion. My out the door price which includes tax and after a 10% Military discount actually worked out cheaper than ordering through Gunbroker.com and paying the seller's shipping fee and the local gun shop FFL transfer fee. I should pick it up middle of next week sometime.







https://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=200&category=Revolver&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=41


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## gouran01 (Mar 28, 2012)

nice! let us know how she shoots


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## fool4fish1226 (Mar 28, 2012)

Nice =D> be sure to give us a review


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## Popeye (Mar 28, 2012)

Still second guessing myself about getting the blued one over the matte stainless version. Maybe the next one will be stainless.


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## Frogman Ladue (Mar 28, 2012)

I got a 6.5" in 2.5" in stainless. I strongly recommend *not* buying this gun. The spread on this is massive. At 7yds on an indoor range with #9 bird shot, and a standard 2'x3" target, I'll may be get 12 pellets through my target, and some pellets in the guys' targets to my left and right. At 25yds, I have hit targets two stalls to my left and right. As for shooting the 45lc, this has been the tightest grouping revolver that I own. However, with unadjusted sites, at 7yds I'm shooting 1' high and to the left. Forget trying to put rounds on paper at 25yds. I've tried shooting traps with a variety of loads. I've never hit anything. 

The Judge pacifies to the "coolness" or novelty factor. It's not a good shooter, I wouldn't trust my life on it. It's not a "room broom", it's not a door buster, at best it's a belly gun.

For some reason, I get a lot of prospective buyers all "puffy chested" over my opinions of a gun that I actually own. First rebuttal, "it'll shoot 410 slugs". Yeah, it will....it will shoot a .41cal saboted chunk of metal down a .45cal barrel that will also shoot a true .45 round that has considerably more power. I never understood the logic behind a slug being advantageous in this gun. Second rebuttal, "it'll shoot buck shot". Yeah, it will...three whole pellets with an erratic pattern. Not to mention, the pellets run outta steam as soon as they leave that monstrous 6.5" barrel. Last rebuttal, "Winchester makes the PDX round with the three pucks". Siiiighhhhh, yeah, it will shoot Winchester's "copper Smarties", that as with the other stuff, run outta steam and patter everywhere...and at $30+ a box of 25rds, yer still saving money on Winny 45lc Silvertip HPs that will outperform the PDX. Bottom line...yeah the gun will go bang every time, but you can't hit nuttin with it. Don't buy it! I drank the Judge Kool-Aid, don't do the same.


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## Popeye (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks for your input but as I said, I already bought it.


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## Frogman Ladue (Mar 30, 2012)

Welcome.

...when ya get to shooting, avoid full brass shells like Barnul and Golden Bear. The cyclinder is "stepped" shaped. When shooting tall brass or full brass shells, the shells will expand on the steps, and really make emptying the cyclinder a project. Many 45lc rounds are still loaded with black powder for the coyboy guys. The'll shoot, but man are they dirty. Stick with the clean stuff. 44-40 will shoot outta there too.


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## Kibby (Mar 31, 2012)

If I bought one, the very first thing I would do is change out that doggone-fuggly grip.


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## earl60446 (Mar 31, 2012)

Frogman Ladue said:


> I got a 6.5" in 2.5" in stainless. .....As for shooting the 45lc, this has been the tightest grouping revolver that I own. However, with unadjusted sites, at 7yds I'm shooting 1' high and to the left. Forget trying to put rounds on paper at 25yds. ........
> 
> Bottom line...yeah the gun will go bang every time, but you can't hit nuttin with it. ......



Dont know if you have the 6.5" or 2.5" but I guess it really does not matter. You say it is the tightest grouping 45lc revolver you own then you say you can't hit nuttin with it??????? Then you say it shoots high and left with unadjusted sights, why not adjust the sights? 

I think it does exactly what it is intended to do, shoots 45lc accurately and reliably plus it can shoot 410 shot loads reliably with a nice pattern at short range 3-5 yards. Up close self defense or snake range type of situation. I also think it looks great in the short barrel and that grip functions great when you shoot one.
Tim


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## Popeye (Mar 31, 2012)

had some buyer's remorse about this weapon. After seeing another one I decided I would've preferred the stainless model over the blued one I ordered. Stopped at the gun shop and talked with them and found out I can stop shipment of the first one and have the stainless one shipped instead. No restocking fee for the first one and only have to pay the $50.00 difference, which is to be expected. He said it may add a day to the delivery date. No biggie as far as I'm concerned.


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## FishingCop (Mar 31, 2012)

Popeye said:


> had some buyer's remorse about this weapon. After seeing another one I decided I would've preferred the stainless model over the blued one I ordered. Stopped at the gun shop and talked with them and found out I can stop shipment of the first one and have the stainless one shipped instead. No restocking fee for the first one and only have to pay the $50.00 difference, which is to be expected. He said it may add a day to the delivery date. No biggie as far as I'm concerned.



Good decision, but, I also am not a fan of the Judge... But. I hope it meets your needs and are happy with it.....


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## Jim (Mar 31, 2012)

Good call Popeye! I am a fan of stainless.


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## Frogman Ladue (Mar 31, 2012)

earl60446 said:


> Frogman Ladue said:
> 
> 
> > I got a 6.5" in 2.5" in stainless. .....As for shooting the 45lc, this has been the tightest grouping revolver that I own. However, with unadjusted sites, at 7yds I'm shooting 1' high and to the left. Forget trying to put rounds on paper at 25yds. ........
> ...




The sights are unadjustible....but will cloverleaf really nicely in a place I didn't intend for it to go.

It's nice as a snake charmer. Then again, plenty of derreingers are available in .45/.410 for half the price.

I think Taurus really lost it's way on this gun. When I got the gun, it was when they first came out. At that time, it was a tracker model. (Judge wasn't on the barrel). It's intended use was for a one-gun-does everything. Taurus was marketing the shot for clay use, .45lc for defence, and at the time 44-40 for "long range shooting". :roll: With dismal feedback on marketing claims, Taurus quickly changed the marketing plan and the gun was dubbed the (Judge)....allegidly, judges would carry this one shot kills all WMD in the court room. When the 3" chamber came out, Taurus remarked the gun for "vehicle defence", showing videos of reps shooting birdshot from a driver's seat at targets right outside the window. Today, Taurus has stapled utters on that bull, and is trying to milk it for all its worth with the "Zombie Responder" under the Raging Judge moniker...


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