The Smith and Wesson Governor: Misfit or Misunderstood?

[Breakaway500]

I have never encountered a pistol that can chamber both .410 shotgun shells,45 Colt and .45acp cartridges that would shoot a single projectile worth a damn. Sure,it can spray OO or 000 balls,but even then not with much pattern consistency, with that rifled barrel. The Judge,the Governor and the derringers that can shoot all of these shells/cartridges are ok at doing it,but not good at any one of them in particular. The rifling ruins the buckshot pattern, and that large gap between the bullet and the barrel ruin accuracy. .410 slugs group ok,but not exceptionally well.
I suppose it is like an "all season" tire..it's Ok for most any weather,but not really exceptional for any road conditions.
I expect my guns to be exceptional performers,so no more .410 pistols for me. Just my humble experiences with enough of them to just say NO.

It has nothing to do with "the lock" although that is a nasty blemish I'd rather avoid as well...

 

[George28]

I wonder if the inspiration for the Governor/Judge ''pistol shotgun'' came from the Harrington and Richardson 'Handigun.' My Dad has one. It is a .410 shotgun pistol with unrifled , 8-inch barrel. Production of this gun was halted in 1934 when the National Firearms Act was passed. The gun was passed down to my Dad from my grandfather, who apparently carried it all over West Texas in the 1920's, occasionally brandishing it during drunken brawls and having it confiscated at least once by Texas rangers. This fearsome gun is not nearly as compact as the Governor/Judge, and it is ''only'' a .410, BUT as a kid, I saw it dispatch plenty of pheasants and rabbits and ducks (oh my). ATF now classifies it as AOW. Thankfully, Dad filed the appropriate federal paperwork on it in 1965. Photo attached is not the gun in my dad's possession, but similar.

 

[comiskeybum]

It's dead on point to aim with 45LC. OK?

Sent from my Pixel XL 128

 

[Tom S.]

I'm waiting for the 12ga version.

 

[NYlakesider]

I'm waiting for the 12ga version.

And your "orthro" doctor will be waiting for you!

 

[Gamecock]

I have never encountered a pistol that can chamber both .410 shotgun shells,45 Colt and .45acp cartridges that would shoot a single projectile worth a damn.

I range tested a Judge a few years ago. It shot .45 Colt just fine. 3" group at 25yds.

I patterned #6 shot at 10 feet. A snake could easily walk thru. 7 feet: still not good. Five feet: good pattern, no holes big enough for a snake to juke out of it.

I have heard commenters on the interweb say they have used it effectively against snakes at 10 feet. Maybe it was the gun I was using; maybe they don't know what 10 feet is.

So I repeat what I said before, for HD with .45 Colt and some snake blasting, the concept is good. .410 for SD is a bad idea; it could get you killed. No .410 load has the accuracy or penetration to do the job; .45 Colt does.

 

[CamoBlaze]

I have never encountered a pistol that can chamber both .410 shotgun shells,45 Colt and .45acp cartridges that would shoot a single projectile worth a damn. Sure,it can spray OO or 000 balls,but even then not with much pattern consistency, with that rifled barrel. The Judge,the Governor and the derringers that can shoot all of these shells/cartridges are ok at doing it,but not good at any one of them in particular. The rifling ruins the buckshot pattern, and that large gap between the bullet and the barrel ruin accuracy. .410 slugs group ok,but not exceptionally well.
I suppose it is like an "all season" tire..it's Ok for most any weather,but not really exceptional for any road conditions.
I expect my guns to be exceptional performers,so no more .410 pistols for me. Just my humble experiences with enough of them to just say NO.

It has nothing to do with "the lock" although that is a nasty blemish I'd rather avoid as well...

Have you looked at the buckshot patterning for handgun loads in the governor? You're wrong. It patterns well. If you want to talk wound tracks go for it it, the patterning is fine.


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[Lee's Landing Billy]

I range tested a Judge a few years ago. It shot .45 Colt just fine. 3" group at 25yds.

I patterned #6 shot at 10 feet. A snake could easily walk thru. 7 feet: still not good. Five feet: good pattern, no holes big enough for a snake to juke out of it.

I have heard commenters on the interweb say they have used it effectively against snakes at 10 feet. Maybe it was the gun I was using; maybe they don't know what 10 feet is.

So I repeat what I said before, for HD with .45 Colt and some snake blasting, the concept is good. .410 for SD is a bad idea; it could get you killed. No .410 load has the accuracy or penetration to do the job; .45 Colt does.

Curious, what personal information have you about the penetration capabilities of these shot shells and how were they gathered. What media was used and at what distance did you shoot?

 

[luderacer]

i have one loaded with pdx1 next to the kitchen sink in case of those darn bumps in the night, and if im in the kitchen getting a midnight snack

 

[84Carrera]

I don't shoot snakes,I mostly run them over with the tractor, by accident..

I guess you like rodents and insects

 

[silversnake]

So I repeat what I said before, for HD with .45 Colt and some snake blasting, the concept is good. .410 for SD is a bad idea; it could get you killed. No .410 load has the accuracy or penetration to do the job; .45 Colt does.

This is what I've been saying all along.... The Governor is not bad, it can fire two decent self-defense rounds plus .410 for pest control. But .410 for home defense.....why?

And before someone asks if I'd like to get shot with one, if someone is shooting at me with the Governor, I hope they've decided to load it with .410s.

 

[686-380]

You lost me at...

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.

If you would, please forward the quotes from "every reputable shooter (sic) instructor" for verification.

 

[comiskeybum]

Sure. Let's get shot by a 41 caliber slug that consistently k
Penetrates past 12 inches followed by two 32 caliber balls. Yup, guaranteed survival right?

Sent from my Pixel XL 128

 

[Oldfrt]

Of the three revolvers I have it comes in second as most fun to shoot, loosing out to the 460V. I do one handed double action with 45ACP's alternating hands. I go to the range usually twice a week and take one revolver and my bolt action 22lr rifle, so I rotate the revolvers each day.

It's not a gun for everyone, but if I am ridding my bike in an area where the big risk is a mountain lion, wolf, or wild dogs then the Governor will be with me.

 

[Mister X]

If you would, please forward the quotes from "every reputable shooter (sic) instructor" for verification.

Google is your friend. They are not hard to find.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Google is your friend. They are not hard to find.

That's a cop out if I ever see one.

 

[Mister X]

I've already provided links to articles and the other quotes I used were from other forums and I believe links to them is not allowed.

The quotes from Dr. Gary Roberts, Todd Green and Tam Hill were from pistol forum. Massad Ayoob's quote was from the GATE self-defense section on Glocktalk.

How about this. Find me a well respected instructor who endorses the Governor or Judge.

 

[686-380]

Haters gotta hate

I've already provided links to articles and the other quotes I used were from other forums and I believe links to them is not allowed.

The quotes from Dr. Gary Roberts, Todd Green and Tam Hill were from pistol forum. Massad Ayoob's quote was from the GATE self-defense section on Glocktalk.

How about this. Find me a well respected instructor who endorses the Governor or Judge.

Touché. However, your blanket statement wasn't debate worthy. I even GAVE you Mas Ayoob

The market success of both the Taurus Judge and S&W Governor can't be denied. I guess only time will prove whether they're viable platforms.

 

[Mister X]

I imagine there are at least a few instructors of varying degrees of competence that recommend these guns somewhere, but among the ones whose opinions I place high value on, I am honestly not aware of a single one nor have I ever seen one quoted. That to me speaks volumes, but YMMV.

 

[Gulfecho]

I've already provided links to articles and the other quotes I used were from other forums and I believe links to them is not allowed.

The quotes from Dr. Gary Roberts, Todd Green and Tam Hill were from pistol forum. Massad Ayoob's quote was from the GATE self-defense section on Glocktalk.

How about this. Find me a well respected instructor who endorses the Governor or Judge.

How about this: Tell us if you have ever owned, fired, even cleaned a Governor/Judge. In other words what is your personal experience with these firearms?