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Taurus "The Judge"

LEG DAY

New Member
Quality or Novelty? I was thinking about picking one up to put in my truck. Anyone own one or shoot one. I feel like i'd need to be inside of 5 feet to kill anything using .410 shells with that spread. What are your opinions on this piece?
 

Banjo33

AV-8 Type
pilot
I've got a buddy former-SEAL turned pilot that has one and loves the thing. It goes everywhere he does, although I don't know if it's merely for the wow factor or he just really enjoys to shoot the thing. It's cool, no matter what...
 

Bevo16

Registered User
pilot
Good weapon for a woman. It's nothing but a very short barrel shotgun, point and spray. End a bad guy's day.
 

PropAddict

Now with even more awesome!
pilot
Contributor
I came close to buying one for a bedside gun, but then found out that if you shoot .410 shotshells in it, the barrel life is significantly diminished. Essentially, it just falls apart after a few hundred rounds. The Taurus forums were full of guys with the same issue.

Maybe they've fixed it with the newest models.
 

Rocketman

Rockets Up
Contributor
I have no personal experience with this weapon but there is a pretty good review here. http://www.gunblast.com/Taurus-Judge.htm

This guy suggests # 4 shot followed by 4 rounds of 45 Colt. His opinion is that # 4 shot won't be effective much past 12 feet and that there is no reason to use .410 slugs at 1/3 the weight of a 45 Colt round.

He didn't mention it but a .410 buckshot shell which carries 3 000 buckshot might be the way to go?

YMMV
 

Boomhower

Shoot, man, it's that dang ol' internet
None
Seems to me that if you load it with alternating ammo it would make a hell of a home defense weapon. Slow 'em down with the .410, then hammer the hell out of them with the .45.

The .410 part would appealing if you are woken up at 3 a.m. with someone in your room. You really don't want to aim too much with eye boogers and a numb shoulder from sleeping.
 

C420sailor

Former Rhino Bro
pilot
I heard that it was originally known as 'The Judge' because it was designed as a small belly gun for judges to carry while on the bench.
 

LEG DAY

New Member
I have no personal experience with this weapon but there is a pretty good review here. http://www.gunblast.com/Taurus-Judge.htm



He didn't mention it but a .410 buckshot shell which carries 3 000 buckshot might be the way to go?

YMMV

They make new version that accepts a 3 inch shell which I think holds 5 000 buckshot. I'm pretty sure that could kill. That box o' truth article is interesting. It seems outside of 7 feet its almost worthless using .410 shells. I did find this article of a women who shot her husband twice with the judge and he was damn near unharmed...

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/09/pearl_river_woman_shoots_husba.html
 

DukeAndrewJ

Divo without a division
Contributor
I found this interesting, maybe give it a read:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot41.htm

Looks like he had fun - Anyone know where he comes up with the rule of 12 in of penetration being necessary for a home defense weapon?


"Birdshot, in any gauge, is for little birds."

I have a 12 gauge pump under my bed loaded with 7 1/2 birdshot (I really only shoot skeet, or quail hunt when lucky so it's all I buy). I always figured at fairly close range, it would still have plenty of stopping power.
 

Rocketman

Rockets Up
Contributor
Looks like he had fun - Anyone know where he comes up with the rule of 12 in of penetration being necessary for a home defense weapon?


"Birdshot, in any gauge, is for little birds."

I have a 12 gauge pump under my bed loaded with 7 1/2 birdshot (I really only shoot skeet, or quail hunt when lucky so it's all I buy). I always figured at fairly close range, it would still have plenty of stopping power.

Most info I've seen takes a dim view of using birdshot for self defense. YMMV.

Here is the best info on the subject I've seen in print:
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

From the above URL:

"The answer to that question is that ammo should meet the FBI's requirement of:

1) at least 12" of penetration in properly prepared ballistic gelatin/soft tissue, and
2) expand to the largest diameter possible in order to cause the largest possible wound.

While some people question the 12" penetration limit, it is not subject to discussion in this article. The FBI is deemed to be more knowledgeable than most, and it is backed up my Dr. Martin Fackler and others who have spent their life discussing the subject. Duncan McPherson, in his book "Bullet Penetration: Modeling the Dynamics and the Incapacitation Resulting from Wound Trauma" actually argues that 15" is not an unrealistic requirement a bullet should obtain. He does point out, however, that 11.5" of penetration shouldn't completely disqualify a bullet from being acceptable either. While 12" should be a minimum requirement, 18" is the approximate maximum desired penetration depth. Beyond that, and the bullet is likely to exit the intended target and retain enough energy to cause others harm if a person should be in the line of fire. Obviously you should never take the shot if you're not sure of what's beyond your target and rely on your ammunition to do your job of being prudent.

I will briefly point out that the 12" penetration requirement stems from the fact that not all shots are frontal-torso shots. Many times the bullet must penetrate significantly more tissue, such as when the person being shot has his arms extended in front of him, if the shot is at an oblique angle, etc. You choose ammunition based on a worst-case scenario, not the best."
 

OldNavy

Registered User
Good weapon for a woman. It's nothing but a very short barrel shotgun, point and spray. End a bad guy's day.

My wife wants one for the house. Gotta be safer penetration wise than a FMJ or HP coming from a handgun. This way she won't accidentally shoot the dog in the next room.
 
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