Taurus' The Judge

[tobor]

Huh...looks like they finally got that 3" chambered one out. That's kinda surprising.

Do you think the 3" chamber filled with 00 buckshot would have more stopping power?

[synergy]

But as a few have said here, if I want to shoot 45 Colt, there are better choices, right?

My original "thinking" (rationale) behind getting the Judge (besides fun!) was that I might not want to kill someone necessarily. If I get some drunk kid coming at me in my home, I might not be able to discern whether he is armed. I figured I could fire one round of birdshot, (or even the buckshot) at his legs. With the spread, I'd be sure to hit something, even in the dark. Even if he wasn't armed, I believe I'd escape any legal wrath, as he had broken into my home, at night. I don't think I necessary want to kill a mere burglar, no matter how stupid a burglar he is. If he didn't stop, I could have the other 4 holes loaded with e 45's.

Comments?

Bad idea.

Your using a handgun....which is lethal force. Either you're justified to use lethal force, or not. Shooting to maime or wound is an aweful idea. It doesn't work on the street, and it definitly doesn't work in the courtroom.

Keep in mind, there are arteries in the arms and legs, too....

.45LC isn't any show stopper against 2 legged creatures...nor is any other caliber you can fire from a handgun. Selecting 1 that has only 5 shots at a time is bit of a handicap.

[tobor]

Opps, accidentally deleted.

[synergy]

Your quoted point at the end of your posts elaborates some more on what I mentioned.

Shoot at the biggest target (COM), and shoot until the threat has been stopped. No-one here said "shot em till he's dead!" but rather shoot until the threat goes away. It my be that producing your gun is enough motivation for the perp to comply....but what if he doesn't? Can you're birdshot and weak-ass buckshot reliably stop a determined attacker? I'd argue against it. I don't want to pack a lethal weapon that isn't lethal against a 250lb MMA fighter on PCP...I want a gun that stops ANY threat I may face when I put the bullets in the right spot.

If you shoot, it's using deadly force, as your life was in imminent danger. In such a situation, you're justified to kill...should that be the outcome. Making the decision to shoot at a human being isn't one to be taken lightly. If my life is in danger cause some dirtbag is going to kill me...he gets what he gets, I don't have a problem with that. If you want a non-lethal option, get one. Chemical sprays, tazers, batons....nothing wrong with buying/ training/ carrying any or all of those options.

If you want to have less-lethal options, carry something other than a firearm as well....your gun needs to be able to stop the worst case threat, IMO.

On a personal note, this "spraying buckshot at people" stuff gets on my nerves. You have a responsibility for each and every projectile that you fire. People who "miss" in my general direction will be inviting return fire from a secondary target (me).

[tobor]

Your quoted point at the end of your posts elaborates some more on what I mentioned.

Shoot at the biggest target (COM), and shoot until the threat has been stopped. No-one here said "shot em till he's dead!" but rather shoot until the threat goes away. It my be that producing your gun is enough motivation for the perp to comply....but what if he doesn't? Can you're birdshot and weak-ass buckshot reliably stop a determined attacker? I'd argue against it. I don't want to pack a lethal weapon that isn't lethal against a 250lb MMA fighter on PCP...I want a gun that stops ANY threat I may face when I put the bullets in the right spot.

If you shoot, it's using deadly force, as your life was in imminent danger. In such a situation, you're justified to kill...should that be the outcome. Making the decision to shoot at a human being isn't one to be taken lightly. If my life is in danger cause some dirtbag is going to kill me...he gets what he gets, I don't have a problem with that. If you want a non-lethal option, get one. Chemical sprays, tazers, batons....nothing wrong with buying/ training/ carrying any or all of those options.

If you want to have less-lethal options, carry something other than a firearm as well....your gun needs to be able to stop the worst case threat, IMO.

On a personal note, this "spraying buckshot at people" stuff gets on my nerves. You have a responsibility for each and every projectile that you fire. People who "miss" in my general direction will be inviting return fire from a secondary target (me).

Well, I just won the auction, so I'm a proud new owner of a SS 3" barrel with 3" chamber! I got to think about my wants and needs *at this time.* I think I'll have alot of fun with this. When I learn more, I'll get something else, something more specialized for my needs. Right now, I have to say, my wants (fun!) are outweighing my needs! I'd like to thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter.

I guess there will be interest for some here in knowing how the 3" shot improves on the 2.5" shot. Maybe I'll do the water jug test. I live in Eastern Montgomery County. Any idea where or how I might do this?

I also need to provide the seller with the name of a licensed dealer in the area to ship the gun to. Any recommendations? I live in the Blue Bell area, but I'd be willing to drive some distance if there is a reason to.

[Jailkeeper]

Well, I just won the auction, so I'm a proud new owner of a SS 3" barrel with 3" chamber! I got to think about my wants and needs *at this time.* I think I'll have alot of fun with this. When I learn more, I'll get something else, something more specialized for my needs. Right now, I have to say, my wants (fun!) are outweighing my needs! I'd like to thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter.

I guess there will be interest for some here in knowing how the 3" shot improves on the 2.5" shot. Maybe I'll do the water jug test. I live in Eastern Montgomery County. Any idea where or how I might do this?

I also need to provide the seller with the name of a licensed dealer in the area to ship the gun to. Any recommendations? I live in the Blue Bell area, but I'd be willing to drive some distance if there is a reason to.

Congratulations on your purchase Tobor! A co-worker of mine believes the Judge is the best thing since ketchup in a bottle.

Now we need range reports & pictures!!!

[tobor]

Congratulations on your purchase Tobor! A co-worker of mine believes the Judge is the best thing since ketchup in a bottle.

Now we need range reports & pictures!!!

Thanks for the congrats! The pics are easy. See below. Range reports will have to come later. Two pics attached. Don't know whether they'll show inline in the post or not. Guess I'll find out in a moment.

[Jailkeeper]

Thanks for the congrats! The pics are easy. See below. Range reports will have to come later. Two pics attached. Don't know whether they'll show inline in the post or not. Guess I'll find out in a moment.

Very nice!

Not all sidearms have to make sense Tobor. Every now & then you have to buy something just 'cause it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I have a Bond Arms derringer in .45/.410 that I have only carried a few times over the years. I bought it because I LIKED IT. I still do. LOL

Life is short & meant to be enjoyed.

I expect to see range reports some time very soon young man!

[tobor]

Hey, check this out. A guy here saw his gunsmith put a screw-in choke into a Judge>

See:

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/...ad.php?t=22752

[tobor]

I'm almost embarrassed to say, that late last night, after MUCH reading up on The Judge, I developed some heavy duty buyer's remorse. I had read several reviews earlier in the day, all seemed a glowing review of The Judge, all concluding the gun was a great self-defense firearm. But then I read two posts from different forums, that sealed the deal for me AGAINST the Judge.

One post criticized the marketing video, the one where the driver shoots out the passenger window, tearing up some board with birdshot. "What would you do if the car window wasn't open?" I NEVER drive with my car window open. Would buckshot, let alone birdshot, penetrate that window with enough force to do damage? I doubt it. Here's another. "Supposed the car-jacker is wearing sunglasses? The pellets will bounce back and blind you" I laughed out loud when I read that. But I started realizing the limitations of the Judge. My thinking went further.

I remember the fps velocities of the buckshot (what I would use,) for the Judge. After one guy brags that it's being hit with 3 9mm's at one time, another guy replies, "That's like buying an underpowered 9mm and shooting a guy 3 times. Why would you buy an underpowered 9mm?" Now this whole thing is starting to crystalize for me. Why would I? I read in another thread (and here too) that if the guy is armed, and I have the Judge loaded with the first one or two chambers with buck, (you know, buck, buck, 45, 45, 45,) that might allow enough time for the better-armed assailant to squeeze off one or two rounds. And if he has more sense than I do, (has loaded more than buckshot in his gun,) I lose!
I was up until 6 in the morning thinking about this. I slept late, got up and had a cup of coffee, and thought about this one more time. I came to the same conclusion: the Judge was not for me. It no longer made sense to me. The gun was for people who couldn't aim, (no offense to the Judge fans here,) and for people who had no coordination and couldn't learn to aim well. I quickly contacted the seller of the auction I had won the previous day, and weaseled out of the purchase. I apologized profusely, even offered to reimburse him for any selling fees, even though I knew, from studying the auction sites terms, that he would not have to pay any selling fees, since I had not paid for the gun. The guy will still probably give me negative feedback anyway. I guess I deserve it.

Anyway, today I did what I should of done all along. I contacted my uncle. He's a long time gun buff, a big Smith & Wesson fan. I met him for a late lunch and we discussed my needs and wants. Mind you, I'm not looking entirely for self-defense, I'm looking for some fun too! I'm also the kind of guy that often doesn't mind going against the grain, as long as I think my decision makes sense. I do know, however, that no one makes purely rationale decisions. Even the most analytical guy makes emotional decisions, but rationalizes them with the analysis. That's me to a T.
My uncle asked me a bunch of questions, and then showed me one of his many revolvers, I think it was a 627. He explained that the 357 caliber would more than adequate, as long as I wasn't in Alaskan bear country, and that it would be a superb self-defense weapon for the home, if I was intent on owning a revolver. I mentioned that I'd also like to go to the range for some target practice. We talked about at what distance I wanted to have accuracy, and then he suggested that I would want a 5" barrel, kind of like Goldilocks, not too long not too short. Revolvers with this barrel length would be just an inch longer overall than the Judge, explained. Both would be tough to concealed carry, he explained, (large) but that doesn't matter much to me. I thought I'd later get a small snub nose for that purpose. He also mentioned that the 8 round chamber equalized to some extent the advantage a semi-auto has over a revolver, with the revolver being somewhat more reliable. Hmm. "I like that," I rationalized. But then we got to weights. 45 ounces! Too much for me. We have to go shorter, I said. He rubbed his chin, and said, "Not necessarily." We could go with alloy. Now I have read that alloy is something one might not want due to the increased recoil. Uncle then started talking about a different gun, a S&W revolver with a 5 in barrel, a 8 shooter, alloy. I forget the name. He said it would weigh about the same as the Judge, but from his experience, it didn't have excessive kick using 357's and was a pussy cat with 38's. A friend of his owns one, and he has often borrowed it at the range. Uncle said the only sticking point for me might be price. Now realize I he had already informed me of the price range of the steel guns, and that was a step up from the price of the Judge. He then told me that the alloy version would be about 50% more than that! I said 'Whoa!" I'm a beginner, don't want to much gun, do I? He explained that he had the philosophy that one should buy what one wants and can afford, not to worry about getting over my head. He said the alloy 8 shooter was not difficult in any way to use, and that a S&W would last a lifetime. And I *can* afford the price. So that's it. Tomorrow I go to see the gun at his friend's house. Wish I could remember the model. Later in the week, if I like it, we can go to the range to try it out.

I'll let you all know what happens. On a differnt note, I was reading up on the various concealed laws, from state to state. What a hodgepodge of laws! And New Jersey! Strict! From what I could tell, I wouldn't be able to legally take the gun down to show my father who lives at the Jersey shore, even if I had the thing in my trunk, unloaded. That sucks! We can open carry here, but I cant even cross the river with a hollow point in under my floor mat! Bogus!