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I wanted all of your thoughts on the Governor for home defense. I was looking at the judge but ran across the governor.

lildave40 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:58 am I wanted all of your thoughts on the Governor for home defense. I was looking at the judge but ran across the governor.

I've seen Abbott's targets. He shoots OK, but his mobility is limited. While I trust him to run the state, I would not hire him for home defense. Besides, I don't think he is looking for a side job right now.

oljames3 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:05 am

lildave40 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:58 am I wanted all of your thoughts on the Governor for home defense. I was looking at the judge but ran across the governor.

I've seen Abbott's targets. He shoots OK, but his mobility is limited. While I trust him to run the state, I would not hire him for home defense. Besides, I don't think he is looking for a side job right now.

I think I may have not put it correctly. I am talking about the gun.

oljames3 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:05 am

lildave40 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:58 am I wanted all of your thoughts on the Governor for home defense. I was looking at the judge but ran across the governor.

I've seen Abbott's targets. He shoots OK, but his mobility is limited. While I trust him to run the state, I would not hire him for home defense. Besides, I don't think he is looking for a side job right now.

oljames3 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:05 am

lildave40 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:58 am I wanted all of your thoughts on the Governor for home defense. I was looking at the judge but ran across the governor.

I've seen Abbott's targets. He shoots OK, but his mobility is limited. While I trust him to run the state, I would not hire him for home defense. Besides, I don't think he is looking for a side job right now.

LOL!

I hear Judge Willet is a good shot..

JMPO, the Taurus Judge series and the S&W Governor are solutions looking for a problem. I'd rather have one of these than no gun at all, and I'd rather have the Governor over any of the Judges, but the guns I already have are what I prefer for home/personal defense. These are 9mm semi-auto pistols and carbines, 12 ga. shotguns, and 5.56mm carbines, plus a .38 special revolver and .357 lever gun. The .410 pistols are sub-par on all the terminal ballistics tests I have run across, whereas feeding them .45 Colt gets them back in the ball-park, so adding extra length to the cylinder/size to the gun to accommodate the .410 makes little sense to me. I'd personally rather have an S&W 625 of one variety or another.

lildave40 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:58 am I wanted all of your thoughts on the Governor for home defense. I was looking at the judge but ran across the governor.

My opinion..... I would not try to shoot anything other than a varmint with a .410 pistol.

Home defense.... Shotgun with some sort of Flite Control wad is #1 choice. I wouldn't fault anyone for choosing an AR. If you;re looking for something to carry on-body, a reliable semi-auto pistol with 10+ rounds beats 5 or 6 rounds of .410.

YMMV

with what Russ & RoyG said. Other than varmint /snake control, I see both of these as a niche. I've only had one student bring one (he had intended it to be his EDC, until he shot it with .45 Colt); he was a very large man, as in pushing 7' tall and 250+ lbs, and it was uncomfortable for even him to shoot.

With that being said, here's a compare/contrast article by Guns Magazine: https://www.guns.com/news/review/taurus ... s-governor

Since the Governor has the option of firing .45 ACP (using a moon clip), that might dampen the recoil some. However, keep in mind there's a slight loss in muzzle velocity when shooting a cartridge designed for a semi-auto from a revolver, so your terminal performance might not be the same as if fired from semi-auto pistol. Someone posted a Paul Harrell video awhile back that discussed this in better detail than I could do justice here.

RoyGBiv wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:41 am
Home defense.... Shotgun with some sort of Flite Control wad is #1 choice. I wouldn't fault anyone for choosing an AR. If you;re looking for something to carry on-body, a reliable semi-auto pistol with 10+ rounds beats 5 or 6 rounds of .410.

YMMV

Agreed all around. If using a shotgun, I'd pick 000 or Number 4 buck with flitecontrol.

I have one and I originally bought it for snake control on the ranch, not home defense. If you are certain that you want a Judge vs Governor for home defense go with S&W as a higher quality product. I shot a .410 outside once without hearing protection to see what snake control would be like and I think that I still have hearing loss. It does have an advantage of being able to load multiple variations say 2 .45acp, 2 .410, and 2 45 colt. It would not be my choice for home defense and it is mainly a safe queen at my house. I personally keep a 18" Mossberg Maverick 88 with #4 buck for home defense.

My friend bought 2 for rattlers on his ranch. He soon asked if I wanted one as he switched to a 1911 wth a mag of snake shot and he just carried spare mags for two legged vermin. He said the 1911 patterned much better.

I think there are better options. Can you make it work? Sure, but I think you'd be better off choosing a platform and becoming proficient. Or choose several platforms and learn them.

Here's Paul Harrell's take on the Judge. I can't see the Governor being much different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDJHS0_l8xY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFxZBGjf1GU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDFhJteaFxM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhBiWvM5nbA

troglodyte wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:27 pm I think there are better options. Can you make it work? Sure, but I think you'd be better off choosing a platform and becoming proficient. Or choose several platforms and learn them.

There is no "best" home defense tool. If you choose to use a firearm for home defense, I suggest you select the tool with which you are proficient, with which you can and will practice/train, and which is practical for your home situation. My wife and I each use our EDC pistol for home defense. We secure any pistol which we are not carrying. We are proficient and trained in the use of this tool which is practical for us. Your mileage will vary.

If you want something short and handy and “shotgunny” for home defense, that will handle buckshot a LOT better than either the Judge or the Governor, why not get a Mossberg 590 Shockwave (https://www.mossberg.com/category/series/590-shockwave/), or a Remington 870 Tac-14 (https://www.remington.com/other-product ... 870-tac-14)? The Remington is available in 12 and 20 gauge, and the Mossberg is available in 12 and 20 gauge, and I think .410 bore.

In any case, either of those two guns is going to handle shot way better than the revolvers, and can also shoot big fat heavy slugs. And the Mossberg will also handle mini shot shells with an adapter. I don’t know if the Remington will or not.

That said, my primary HD weapon is a Glock 17, so.....

Middle Age Russ wrote: ↑Tue Nov 20, 2018 11:40 am JMPO, the Taurus Judge series and the S&W Governor are solutions looking for a problem. I'd rather have one of these than no gun at all, and I'd rather have the Governor over any of the Judges, but the guns I already have are what I prefer for home/personal defense. These are 9mm semi-auto pistols and carbines, 12 ga. shotguns, and 5.56mm carbines, plus a .38 special revolver and .357 lever gun. The .410 pistols are sub-par on all the terminal ballistics tests I have run across, whereas feeding them .45 Colt gets them back in the ball-park, so adding extra length to the cylinder/size to the gun to accommodate the .410 makes little sense to me. I'd personally rather have an S&W 625 of one variety or another.

Good for snakes, but there are better choices for defending your loved ones.