45 Colt loads for Taurus 4410 Judge

**Jack Leatherman** · September 18th, 2008, 10:58 AM

I recently purchased a Taurus "Judge" stainless 4" barrel. I plan to carry canoeing, camping, hiking, backpacking, etc.. In some areas might encounter wild hog. Right now I am fascinated with the 410 shotshell ability for snakes, rats, etc. I bought a box of Win. Cowboy loads 250 grain RNFP. It is very pleasant to shoot these and I was really surprised by the accuracy. I can shoot it about as well as my Ruger Blackhawk in 44 mag. or my Kimber 45 acp.
I would like to load something a little hotter in 45 Colt to use for hogs and or personal defense if I continue to carry the Judge in the wilderness areas. I know all the data for "hot" 45 Colt stipulates safe only in Blackhawk and Contender. I have a box of Sierra 240 grain HP I was thinking about using. Has anybody had any experience loading 45 Colts for the Taurus Judge? Once the new and fascination with the 410 option wears off I will probably go back to my Ruger 44. Right now when I take to the woods I am planning to load 1 or 2 410 shotshells to come up first followed by 3 or 4 45's.

**mrnyman** · September 18th, 2008, 03:02 PM

Jack , all the .45 Colt loading Data you will find recommends the Ruger Guns.
I love that Taurus Judge, makes an excellent woods Gun.

I find that Winchester 225 grain Silvertips are dead on accurate in my Taurus even at 25 yards. and the Silvertips are no slouches either.

I too plan to reload something a little hotter in the 1100 to 1300 fps range.

Also the Remington 250 grn LRN shoots great out of my Judge but is a bit dirty and very smoky.

nyman

**Buckster** · September 19th, 2008, 04:04 AM

I am another fan of the silvertips in my Judge. I have had a leading of the bbl with some remington lead round nose that took about an hour to work out. I for 1 will only shoot jacketed bullets from now on.

**dogngun** · September 19th, 2008, 08:54 AM

Taurus revolvers have a reputation for leading barrels, justified or not, I don't know.

I shoot a lead semi-wadcutter at about 900fps, not loaded, but bought from ammodirect.

mark

**judgecart** · June 20th, 2009, 05:00 AM

There's quite a choice of 45 colt loadings for your activities. The following
are: Hornady Leverevoluition (960 fps), Buffalo Bore (200 gr GD hP 1100 fps)
Buffalo Bore (255 Keith at 1000 fps), Cor-bon (200 gr hp GD 1100 fps) and
their +P DPX Coper (1200 fps). These cartridges are for revolvers like the
Judge for SD and hunting applications. I haven't got to try Winchester
Silver Tips I recently bought, but I just bet being Winchester they are
very good. Have a box of Cor-bon +P 335 hard cast at 1050 fps and 823
ft lbs, that to my understanding was used in the S&W Model 225 45 Colt.

I suppose being the mildest of the +P's, it is suitable for the mid-sized
or rather weaker 45 colt handguns. However, I talked with a Cor-bon
Engineer that stated they used their +P loadings on a regular basis with
the Taurus Judge. The engineer did also state it wasn't a good idea to
fire thousands of +P rounds in the Judge.

**mike7639@sbcglobal.net** · March 21st, 2011, 08:48 PM

I am not a reloader but I really like the Speer Gold Dots. I hear lots of folks talk trash about the lack of accuracy from the Taurus Judge because of the length of the cylinder and the distance the round has to travel before it reaches the forcing cone, shallow rifling, etc. I have to cry BS on all of it. The attached picture is of a target I shot at 7 yards today. The top 4 rounds were offhand single action. The flyer down low was offhand double action. I bought this gun specifically as a self defense gun to keep on my night stand and I reckon that it is deadly accurate for that purpose. It is 12 feet from my headboard to my bedroom door. Like you, I was shooting Winchester 250 gr lead flat nose cowboy action loads today but I keep it loaded with alternating Winchester PDX1 and Speer Gold Dots. I think you may like the Gold Dots.

**redeye202** · March 22nd, 2011, 01:43 PM

A good you tube vid on what a Judge can do is one made by--Hickok 45--check it out,the Judge is a very good SD gun,the vid is like 15 min. long.

**mike7639@sbcglobal.net** · March 24th, 2011, 06:13 PM

Thanks Redeye, That was an interesting video.

**redeye202** · March 25th, 2011, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by mike7639@sbcglobal.net

Thanks Redeye, That was an interesting video.

No problem,people bash the gun as being a novelty piece,but the vid does show that it is quite a gun for use as it's intended purpose,a self defense weapon.