My Dad had 2 Govs and a Judge and gave one for Christmas. I came home hopped online and read negative review after negative review and thought well this is going to be junk.
Next day I took it to the "range" behind my house and was blown away with the performance and accuracy of it and I just got aggravated thinking about all the negative "input" threads and what not from people who didn't own or much less fire one.
Its a great lil gun with low recoil for my standards, I usually shoot .357 and above, and accuracy was right where I thought it should be. I am above average shooter that is 33 year old and been shooting for 27 years. Dad bought every kind gun imaginable and never sold or traded anything.
All in all it's a personal defense gun for home inside and out, or on the trail. It's not a "Target" "Match" gun putting a sub 1" MAO groups at 1000 yds. Take it for what it is. Just the same as .380 vs 9mm vs .40 vs .45 vs Semi VS Revolver VS whatever. Some will love it ( I do ) some will not. But please don't pass (NO PUN INTENDED) judgement on it from Judge experience cause its not a Judge. The Governor is first class where the Judge is coach. It's like a Jude on steriods. It shoots a 2.5" shell so you save a half inch on the chamber over the Judges 3" chamber. It has Night sights that will still be glowing at 6am after going in the nightstand 12 hrs before. It shoots 6 shots where as the Judge shoots 5. So u get more firepower out of a smaller package and less recoil becouse of the 2.5" shell. It also just feels tighter, solider, and just better quality gun.
Also I have a Galco Holster and my wife can never tell when I am packing or not so it can be conceled pretty good if she of all people can't tell. Now it is big and bulky compared to a LCP .380 but not too big when compared to a .357
All around I would give it a 8 to 8.5 out of ten for a full frame revolver

I had intended to take my new 625PC to the range tomorrow, but the range is closed due to Gun Appreciation Day at the state capitol. My youngest son and I will go to Austin to make sure the folks there understand where Texans stand on gun control.

We plan on going to the range on Sunday, now. Monday is MLK day, so we might go then, if not Sunday. I'll post a full review after that. So far, we've only shot 2 rounds apiece from the 625.

It's not really fair to compare that to our experience with the Gov just yet.

Well, Crud! I thought I was an experienced shooter. I have a safe full of guns, go to the range weekly, at least - spent 20years as an Army Counterintelligence CWO and 22years as a federal agent, carrying, and shooting handguns for those 42 years, plus 10-12 years as a civilian. But I would never suggest, gently or otherwise, what someone else should or should not spend their $$ on.

Now, back to the gun. I owned a Judge for a short while but didn't care for the quality of it. I am thinking of a Governor but want to see and handle one first. If I get one it will be a self-defense firearm but not at home. I need a good snake gun for my kayak and tent. That worked with the Judge and I think the Governor will take care of the quality problem. Where I fish in my kayak, wade, or camp there are numerous aggressive cottonmouths and copperheads. I don't like snakes! The only commercial shotshell handgun loads I have found effective are .45 ACP and I don't want to carry my DW Valor, HK45c or Ruger Birdshead Vaquero in my kayak.

We will see when I get to handle one but I think it will fit the bill.

You will love it. I live in the woods so my CCW always has to pull double duty. Load 2 shots of 45LC, 2 shots of 00Buck, 2 shots of 4shot and you are covered for anything. 9shot works good on snakes but 4shot works just as good for snakes but also destroys squirrels and grouse. Just get a good holster and you will never know you are carrying it.