The Smith and Wesson Governor: Misfit or Misunderstood?

steelslaver said:
Which tells me that inside normal self defense and certainly with in a home, you need some shooting ability to get a solid hit, even with the wonder of 4 pieces of buck shot. I'll take one of my 44 specials or 45 acps keep it well with in your 5" spread and I will get penetration.

I am not totally against these shot pistols, but I think way to many think that because it is firing shot that "you can't miss and and a hit." Thinking its for the untrained, those who don't have time for a lot of practice, etc. Just point it and pull the trigger. All wrong. I am sure its way cheaper to practice with slugs that shot shells and if you do enough to keep your shots in a 5 inch pattern you'll go as well or better with an ordinary hand gun.

Hey, its a shotgun revolver! Maybe a poor one with bird shot and with buck its just a 380 that fire 4 shots at once. It will work if you do your part. Your choice. I pick a real revolver will do my part. Time has proven the 44s and 45s. Jury is still way out on 4 pieces of buck shot from a handgun.
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I'm not quite sure why you used my post. I posted what we found out after hours of shooting by several good men. Our goal was to find out what, of all the shotshells for these revolvers, held the best pattern or group at 10 yards. I specifically said we had no penetration data. Nothing that I said should have been taken to mean that we think any shotshell is BETTER than any other centerfire round. The information was posted for information not an endorsement. I personally believe that any target hit by 4 36 caliber balls moving at 800 fps+- all at once in a 5 inch circle would would give you full attention. I also do not carry or use these guns. My wife uses one everyday in collecting eggs and moving about here on the farm. She uses it to great effect. These guns use some great old cartridges and I can promise you that I can take it chocked full of 45 Colts or 45 acp and put 4 rounds well inside 5 inches at 10 yards, but none of that changes the versatility of these guns for people that need them. Every use does not have to be measured by self defense. An egg eating snake in a dark henhouse is dead when my wife pulls the trigger on a shell of #8s. You are a hunter and Montana boy to boot, surely you use different tools for different jobs, guns included. So I will continue to read your posts and pick up useful knowledge. Perhaps you can do the same with mine. I NEVER try to sway people's choice in the gun they pick. Money is too hard earned for most folks. Just trying to pass along a little info.
 
silversnake said:
"Along with sponsoring a variety of firearm sporting events across the country, Smith & Wesson is especially proud to sponsor the successful careers of Doug Koenig, Jerry Miculek and Julie Goloski Golob, three of the world's most legendary shooters, and a full team of talented men, women and juniors using Smith & Wesson firearms."

Team Smith & Wesson | Smith & Wesson

Not to mention the 625JM....
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That is called sponsorship. Jerry is not a direct "employee", as previously noted on this thread.
 
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Well I just ordered a Governor from Bud's Gun Shop tonight because: I liked Hickok45's video of one, I didn't have one for my gun collection, the MS I've got is getting worse and I'm having a hard time racking the slides on my semi-auto's, I think it's going to be a great carry gun and I've wanted one ever since I saw the Judge when it came out. There are probably more reason's and if they come to me I'll let y'all know when I post back how the gun does once I get it and put some lead down it's tube.
 
Camaronut2001 said:
Well I just ordered a Governor from Bud's Gun Shop tonight because: I liked Hickok45's video of one, I didn't have one for my gun collection, the MS I've got is getting worse and I'm having a hard time racking the slides on my semi-auto's, I think it's going to be a great carry gun and I've wanted one ever since I saw the Judge when it came out. There are probably more reason's and if they come to me I'll let y'all know when I post back how the gun does once I get it and put some lead down it's tube.
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Humph. You must not have read the part above where it's only good for hammering nails ... :)

Enjoy your new gun.
 
Naysayers: the Governor is here, it's here to stay, those of us who choose to own one always will. Letting lose 4, 9mm 000 buck with each pull of the trigger at close quarters will inflict devastating wounds. Explain to me why this concept is so difficult to grasp? The evidence presented in this thread far out weighs your opinions. So please, in the future provide quantifiable data refuting my claim or admit your supposition and lack of experience regarding this revolver and place it where it belongs, in the realm of the hypothetical!
 
Gulfecho said:
Naysayers: the Governor is here, it's here to stay, those of us who choose to own one always will. Letting lose 4, 9mm 000 buck with each pull of the trigger at close quarters will inflict devastating wounds. Explain to me why this concept is so difficult to grasp? The evidence presented in this thread far out weighs your opinions. So please, in the future provide quantifiable data refuting my claim or admit your supposition and lack of experience regarding this revolver and place it where it belongs, in the realm of the hypothetical!
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I don't disagree 000 buck will do damage. But will it be more likely to incapacitate an attacker than .45 Colt from the same gun? Where's the quantifiable data in the form of defensive gun uses with .410 loadings from any revolver?
 
For those who mock it, I cant imagine that any person intending ill will would laugh at a Governor being stuck in their face. I have no interest in the Governor, but it's still a gun that shoots some vicious, man-stopping metal.
 
Gulfecho said:
Naysayers: the Governor is here, it's here to stay, those of us who choose to own one always will. Letting lose 4, 9mm 000 buck with each pull of the trigger at close quarters will inflict devastating wounds. Explain to me why this concept is so difficult to grasp? The evidence presented in this thread far out weighs your opinions. So please, in the future provide quantifiable data refuting my claim or admit your supposition and lack of experience regarding this revolver and place it where it belongs, in the realm of the hypothetical!
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You defend this gun as if it's your child. It's a debate over a tool. None of it should be personal. Get over it.

Your "evidence" has been far from convincing. No reputable defensive shooting instructor I know of is convinced, so maybe it is you that has the comprehension problem.

And it's not all about ballistics. I have laid that out in numerous posts, but you have ignored it likely because you simply don't understand it and would rather debate ridiculous issues like whether Jerry Miculek is technically an employee of S&W or not. Some of the arguments in favor of this weapon have bordered on lunacy.
 
Mister X said:
Some of the arguments in favor of this weapon have bordered on lunacy.
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Why do you even care? You obviously don't like the Governor. Yet you like to spend time arguing it's merits. Get over yourself.
 
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Snowwolfe said:
Why do you even care? You obviously don't like the Governor. Yet you like to spend time arguing it's merits. Get over yourself.
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I don't argue, I debate. There's a difference. These issues should be debated in a civil manner.

I've trained LEO's defensive tactics and ECQ FoF for nearly three decades. I've also taught reality-based martial arts and self-defense to civilians for even longer. I have always taken those jobs very seriously and do care that good people make informed decisions when making choices how to best defend themselves. Self-defense is a very important topic and those lacking knowledge should get accurate information. Sometimes it involves telling people things they don't like to hear.

Every reputable defensive shooter instructor absolutely pans the Judge/Governor. Should their opinions be completely dismissed and ignored and priority given to anonymous posters on an Internet gun forum? All opinions do not carry equal weight.

Would you walk into an reputable MMA gym known for producing champion fighters and argue with the trainers as to what's effective because you've watched the UFC on tv? This is the same thing.

"I get why birdshot sucks, but why is this gun/000 buckshot pairing so controversial?"

"Because you can get more capacity, smaller size, more shootability, and higher quality out of a 9mm pistol from any number of manufacturers.

The defense of the Judge people always seems to be, "It doesn't suck completely!" OK, it doesn't suck completely. But what in the world makes it better than other options? Nothing that I can see beyond the bug-eyed slack-jawed window-licking hoorah jollies some people get from having a "shotgun pistol." They want to believe they're shooting 12g #00 power levels. They're not. It's a .410. It's a caliber specifically sold to little kids who can't control real guns.

I honestly believe the Judge is popular only because 5.7mm ammunition is too expensive and the people who desperately want to look cool with a weird gun can afford to shoot .410 shotshells in front of their friends a lot more often."

-Todd Green

"I don't know if that was calibrated gel in the video or not, but those were some really unimpressive wound tracks. Granted, there were three of them, but they all reminded me of pocket pistol FMJ loads. "

-Tam Keel

I can find pretty much find endless quotes and articles from knowledgable well known instructors that say similiar. Doesn't that in itself make you at least stop and think that just maybe there are perhaps much better weapons to rely on in matters of life and death? If there are much better choices, why in the world would anyone not want to use the best available option? What is best is debatable and may very well be different depending on the individual, but I have found no reputable instructor with any substantial amount of experience, knowledge and intelligence that believes the Governor is the best, most effective choice for anyone.
 
It makes more sense to use a Governor to handle .410/45LC than to shoot those rounds in one of the available Derringers so chambered!
 
In all fairness, at least one expert, Mas Ayoob, doesn't put much stock in the Governor. It will take numerous successful defensive incidents to sway them. I cheerfully carry mine, whenever possible. It's got the perfect blend of psychological intimidation, caliber flexibility and function...For me, an average Joe consumer. Hopefully, I won't be contributing to any statistics, one way or the other!
 
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