Slugged my Governor Barrel

[The Old Salt 719]

Used a 45 LRN bullet to slug my Governor barrel. Measured 0.450". A little tight for a 45 Colt barrel, but it shoots them ok. Anyone else slug their barrel? if so what was the results.

[triaxle]

No but I have the silver color Gov and it shoots great . with any thing , even clipped up some 45 GAP Gold DOT I had . no problems making good hits if I had to .

[steelslaver]

How many lands and grooves does your governor have? If it is an odd number it is hard to get the correct measurement. But, even if your barrel is actually .450 as soon as a .452 bullet hits the front of the forcing cone it will swage down to become a .450 bullet with no problems. The actual barrel isn't where oversized bullets cause problems. It is in a chamber where the cambering forces cause the bullet to get clamped tightly in the case neck and difficult to release when the initial pressure occurs.

A gun guru named P O Ackley re chambered 30 caliber barrels with 35 caliber chambers and fired them with no pressure problems. Plus, guys with oversized throats in 45 colt revolvers regularly use .454 and larger bullet and fire them down .452 barrels.

[stansdds]

What Steelslaver said.

[The Old Salt 719]

Thanks for all the info on sizing and where the problems lie. Re-did the slug test today and came up with 0.451" And yes its difficult with a 7 land barrel. Basically have to let your caliper get set up on the land created low spots and rotate the bullet and see how high the reading goes.

So its a marginally 0.450" - 0.451" barrel. Issue is preventing leading by not having a big enough bullet. I have a 0.452" sizing die. SO next is running a bullet through the sizing die to see what size it really comes out.

Once again thanks to all.

[Drm50]

My experience with Governor and Judge clearly shows me there is no reason to worry about 45 Colt ammo. They are not accurate enough to worry about it. They will do what they are designed for close range defense.

[The Old Salt 719]

DRM50 ... That's true ... Its always another opportunity to learn something. Soon I hope to post info on the Governor load I first started working on when I owned a Judge. It uses a 444Marlin case instead of 410 hulls.

[Oldfrt]

I once thought my gov wasn't very accurate, handed to a more experianced shooter. At 25 yds he got a very tight group, wasn't the gun.

[Univibe]

I'd dis-elect the Governor and get a real firearm. Life is precious.

[Muss Muggins]

What’s wrong with the Governor?

Originally Posted by Univibe

I'd dis-elect the Governor and get a real firearm. Life is precious.

[Univibe]

Originally Posted by Muss Muggins

What’s wrong with the Governor?

1. Wirh .45 Colt, it's huge for carrying. If you want a five shot revolver, get a j frame or similar in .38 spl.

2. It's useless for self defense with shot.
Useless.

3. 410 slugs are basically .380. So you have a huge five shot no reload .380.


Governor and Judge are novelties that only newbies buy for self protection.


Get a real gun to stay alive.

[Oldfrt]

With 5 grains of tightgroup behind a 230 grain XTP hollow point the gov shoots flat out to 15 yds with about 10 inch drop at 25 yds. Considering that with moonclips it is a easy reload of the 6 shots. But I digress, no I havent slugged the barrel, but so far I only use copper coated bullets sized .451 and it cleans up easily.

[Univibe]

Originally Posted by Oldfrt

With 5 grains of tightgroup behind a 230 grain XTP hollow point the gov shoots flat out to 15 yds with about 10 inch drop at 25 yds. Considering that with moonclips it is a easy reload of the 6 shots. But I digress, no I havent slugged the barrel, but so far I only use copper coated bullets sized .451 and it cleans up easily.

Easy reload? Moonclips?

Find some kid with an airsoft pistol. Make some dummy rounds for those moon clips. Engage in a short range shootout with said kid. You'll find that reloading a revolver in a shootout is virtually impossible. And you'll have the red welts to prove it!

[Muss Muggins]

Duly noted . . .

Originally Posted by Univibe

1. Wirh .45 Colt, it's huge for carrying. If you want a five shot revolver, get a j frame or similar in .38 spl.

2. It's useless for self defense with shot.
Useless.

3. 410 slugs are basically .380. So you have a huge five shot no reload .380.


Governor and Judge are novelties that only newbies buy for self protection.


Get a real gun to stay alive.

[steelslaver]

Over length throats needed for the 410 rounds mean that any 45 bullet fired from such a chamber is going to do whatever it pleases for that length of what to it is an way oversized throat, and at the same time hot gasses from the burning powder are free to escape past the outside of the bullet costing velocity. N frame guns are bulky enough without adding 1/2 again as much chamber to make what is not really much of a shotgun. With buck shot in a 20' room your shot spread isn't going to make up for much and then your only delivering 3 90gr balls with no sectional density what so ever at a velocity that makes a 380 look good. It is interesting and that is about it. If you want a 45 carry gun get a 325 or 625, if you want a shotgun go buy one. Because a governor is a poor 45 and an even poorer shotgun. I could load 2 138gr lead 45 caliber balls in a 45 colt case, get decent velocity from them 276gr. But I would rather deliver 1 200 gr rounds, one after the other, right where it counts

[steelslaver]

Box O; Truth and the Judge
The Box O' Truth #53 - The Taurus Judge, Revisited - The Box O' Truth

[Univibe]

Listen to steelslaver; he explains my bullet points.

[Muss Muggins]

If I’m reading you both correctly, use of a Governor with Winchester PDX rounds does not constitute “deadly force . . . “

Originally Posted by Univibe

Listen to steelslaver; he explains my bullet points.

[Echo40]

I really like my Taurus Judge Magnum, it's one of my favorite guns to take out to the range, and with proper ammo makes for a devastating close-range all-purpose weapon for Home Defense, Vehicle Defense, and especially Wilderness Defense.



Pay no attention to the ignorant haters or the outdated click-bait reviews from derelict websites they link to. The Taurus Judge, Smith & Wesson Governor, and Magnum Research BFR in .45LC/.410 Bore are awesome. As long as you're smart enough to know that Birdshot is for Birds, cut shells are dumb, and that obviously a short-barreled .452cal barrel with shallow rifling isn't going to have bullseye accuracy at 100+ yards, then you're smarter than any of the haters and will do just fine with the Governor.

I respect that not everyone likes the Judge/Governor, but it's obnoxious how certain folks just cannot resist trash-talking it. Seriously, I think that AR Pistols and PDWs are dumb, but then again, I've never shot one, and even if I had yet still didn't like it then I'd rather spend time discussing firearms that I like then whining about those that I don't. So you won't see me posting my admittedly ignorant opinions in every single thread on the subject of AR Pistols/PDWs.

Happy Valentine's Day.

[DeplorabusUnum]

I slugged my model 25 and it came out .452. My throats all measure .455, so I size my bullets at .455. Works just fine.

[steelslaver]

Originally Posted by Muss Muggins

If I’m reading you both correctly, use of a Governor with Winchester PDX rounds does not constitute “deadly force . . . “

Not saying that, I am saying there are lots of better 45s and lots of better shotguns. I chose a Remington 12 gauge pump and a 325. Mainly the 325.

The main battle cry of the Governor fan club is multiple projectiles and at ranges that those partial round will remain effective the spread is not going to make up for poor shooting. Besides Lehigh Defense has multiple projectile rounds that work as well in "normal guns"

[Muss Muggins]

It’s not a shotgun, and keep in mind I don’t have a field of fire where I’m gonna use it longer than about 30 feet. My rationale is that there’s no risk of penetration, the PDX rounds will keep the intruder occupied as I close distance, and that pistol will get deadlier with every step. Just for the good of the order, would you use a Mossberg Shockwave in .410? Keeping in mind that it occupies both hands? As for choices, Grandma Muggins always said “There’s a lid for every pot . . . “

Edit: You edited while I was quoting you. Isn’t the main battle cry of shotgun enthusiasts in general multiple projectiles and at ranges that those partial round will remain effective the spread is not going to make up for poor shooting. . . .

Originally Posted by steelslaver

Not saying that, I am saying there are lots of better 45s and lots of better shotguns. I chose a Remington 12 gauge pump and a 325. Mainly the 325.

[Drm50]

I think a lot of guys need to take a measuring tape outside and mark off some distances in 5’ sections to 30’. The 30’ mark would be long range for self defense type issues. Shoot these Judges and Governors at each distance. Use whatever ammo you want. Then do it again with a 38sp revolver or 380auto. I think you will find you did just as well close and better at the longer ranges out to 30’. Like somebody said a 410 slug is 1/5oz and is about equal to a 38sp. Shot at 30’ from open choke 410 would not have much effect unless you put out bad guys eyes.

[Muss Muggins]

Originally Posted by Drm50

. . . Like somebody said a 410 slug is 1/5oz and is about equal to a 38sp. Shot at 30’ from open choke 410 would not have much effect unless you put out bad guys eyes.

Dick Cheney almost killed his hunting partner at better than thirty feet with birdshot. Nobody posting here will stand in front of a Governor at 30 feet, regardless of what it’s loaded with, and after taking a round or two, they would be in no mood to do harm. And after all, that’s all we’re trying to accomplish in a self defense situation . .

[Drm50]

Cheney wasn’t shooting a snub nose 410 and was probably shooting #7.5 shot at 11/8 Oz. at 30’ would have decent pattern.

[Muss Muggins]

Originally Posted by Drm50

Cheney wasn’t shooting a snub nose 410 and was probably shooting #7.5 shot at 11/8 Oz. at 30’ would have decent pattern.

So what I’m gleaning is that you don’t think a Governor constitutes deadly force either . . .

[Oldfrt]

Any body else notice that this thread has migrated from a technical aspect of a particular revolver model to a bashing/argument of effectiveness of said model?

[Muss Muggins]

It always does. I’m out after this post . . .

Originally Posted by Oldfrt

Any body else notice that this thread has migrated from a technical aspect of a particular revolver model to a bashing/argument of effectiveness of said model?

[Joker18]

I have one in blue, no regrets! Shoots well.