Thoughts on the "GOVERNOR"

[redhawk444]

My opinion on these guns is that I cannot figure out why anyone would want to shoot a 410 shot shell in a gun chambered for a .45 LC.

The .45 is certainly more effective as a personal defense gun and there are shot shell cartridges available in .45 LC that feature 150 grains of #9 shot if he wants to kill snakes with it.

The ability to shoot .45 ACP is good, but you don't need a stretched out frame for that.

It is a sales gimmick that seems, of late, to have a good number of responders....

 

[Papa]

probably no worse than a 325 nightguard.

 

[Tslepebull]

Maybe I am shallow but I cannot get past the appearance of the Governor/Judge/Z-frame anything. At a logical level I can accept some utility but at the emotional level I just compare the thing to the shape of and dimensions of an N frame and come away wanting. To me the frame/cylinder window just looks disproportional (phugly).

 

[ogilvyspecial]

Maybe I am shallow but I cannot get past the appearance of the Governor/Judge/Z-frame anything. At a logical level I can accept some utility but at the emotional level I just compare the thing to the shape of and dimensions of an N frame and come away wanting. To me the frame/cylinder window just looks disproportional (phugly).

To me, I guess that because I had a Judge chambered for the 3" shells I feel that
The Govenor looks pretty good, by comparison, when it comes to it's proportions.
Would I call The Governor a "good looking" revolver?
No........but it doesn't looked like it's been "stretched" as much as The Judge did.
I will say this, The Judge's slimmer profile probably makes those chambered for the
2.5" shells look a little more proportional than The Governor does.

I'm not comparing either to any other revolver's because I'm
trying to stick with an "apples to apples" line of thinking.
One other thing, The Judge I had makes my Governor seem like an "Airweight."

 

[Tinygnat219]

Here's my .02, for what it's worth.

If the Governor revs your engines and gets you increased trigger time, I'd say go for it! Are there better choices for self-defense out there? Sure. However, there are a lot worse. At least you aren't going around with one of those silly little NAA .22 LR or .22 Magnum revolvers as your SD gun.

While I personally have no use for the Taurus "Judge" or the "Governor", it doesn't mean that someone else doesn't.

I have shot the Governor and .45 Colt and .45 ACP are easy to shoot out of this gun. The shotshells are fun, but to me a novelty.

In short, if you want it, grab it learn to shoot it well and then show us pictures! The gun is only as good as the shooter (well, for 90% of the time) and anything that gets a shooter increased trigger time IMHO is the best kind of gun there is.

 

[brucev]

Re: OP. There have been many good constructive responses posted in response to your question. As to effectiveness, etc., use .410 loads designed for use in the Governor and you will certainly get better results than if you use some plain Jane .410 load intended for hunting with a 18-26 inch long barrel. For slugs, again use ammunition developed for and intended for use in revolver length barrels. When it comes to .45 Colt and .45 ACP loads, load and fire whatever you want. These rounds have been taking care of business for over 100 years. At HD range, they will be just as effective fired from the Governor. It is probably true that the Governor will not give "target" accuracy on par with that commonly expected from revolvers designed and chambered for specific rounds like the .45 Colt and .45 ACP. And... such accuracy is always nice when one is doing a little bit of target shooting at the range or in the woods/fields. But the Governor is not designed for that purpose. It is designed for SD/HD at limited distances. It will never satisfy the traditionalist or the urban warrior. But for dealing with "things that go bump in the night" it will be just the right tool for the job. In 32 years of marriage, my wife and I have served churches located in some not so nice areas. We've had to deal with attempted break-in's on five separate occasions. I or she used what was available... usually a 12 ga. loaded w/ birdshot. I also once used a M-59 (which at the time I knew was not reliable w/ hollow point ammo), a 6" 28 .357 Magnum (which of course had to long a barrel and was chambered in a caliber that would possibly be to loud if fired in a confined space), a .45 ACP Series 70 Colt (which everyone knows often require work for them to be reliable with hollow point ammo and which have such tiny sight as to make them all but unusable in low light). And, horror or horrors... the revolver that now currently sits on the nightstand is a little 15-3 loaded with 125 gr. jacketed hollow-points... and everyone knows the .38 Special is not really up to dealing with a typical HD/SD situation. But, until I can see a reason to change, that little 15 will sit on the nightstand and be carried by my wife in her knitting bag. And hopefully it will never be needed. But should the need arise, I figure it will do fine even if it is not the first choice of the cognizant. JMHO. Sincerely. brucev.

 

[dla]

.....The 410 SD concept is sound as long as you know your gun/ammo limitations.....At close range the 4 000 buck pellets will go through and through a normal size fellow...

Please consider that unless you have some data proving that "through and through" claim, you are endangering noobs.

 

[roundgunner]

I don’t have a Governor yet but maybe someday.

I have a friend who has one and I gave him some of my 45 Colt reloads to shoot. He would like some with more spunk. He plans on wearing it while camping. (black bear country)

Does anybody push anything like 260gr at 1000 fps thru the Governor? If so will you share the info?

The ones I gave him were 8.5 Unique w/240 SWC. It hits about 825 in my 4”, never chronoed in the Gov.

 

[youngda9]

I would think accuracy would suffer greatly shooting through such a long smoothbore cylinder, gathering up velocity, and then striking rifling in the barrel. How would this affect cast vs jacketed bullets? I would think the cast would skid and be torn up somewhat. Would like to see a recovered round after being shot.

Has anyone tested this thing for accuracy with some 45LC rounds out at 25 yards?

 

[sodacan]

I think the Governor should be impeached. S&W shouldn't be chasing other companies and copying bad ideas. Guns like these are just bigger, uglier, and more expensive Saturday Night Specials, and they give the anti-gun nuts more grist for their mill. Lucky for us the 2nd amendment allows us to keep and bear even really ugly arms. Good luck to all.

 

[akaviator]

Hey first post here. Lots of great discussion...

I bought a Governor last summer when considering my next survival/defense gun. I'm a pilot spending most of my life in the remote areas of Alaska and the versatility of this piece really got to me. After firing a few boxes of each type of load that it'll handle I was really hooked. Out to 25 yards the accuracy with acp's and LC was imo excellent, and the shotshell option is just slick. I can load it up with 260 hardcasts and have an ample bear protection gun, and with the shotshells I can cap a bunny, grouse or ptarmigan. acp's are cheap to shoot.

Good price, handles nice, wonderful trigger, S&W quality, versatile. I'm really pleased with it and find no reason not to recommend it.

 

[vinnyFL]

What is not to like? It shoots the ammo I use for my Colt SAA, 1911 and Bond Arms .410.45 Colt. I never have to go looking for ammo for it as I always have something I can shoot in it. There are some good Buffalo Bore loads for it in .45 +P and .45 Colt that would be good for defensive use but the gel tests and my own testing has shown me that the Federal HD 000 buckshot holds a tight group and penetrates enough for any inhouse and car defense distances.

What I like is that this is the kind of gun you can take with you to the range when you are shooting your other .45s and gives you another gun to shoot without the need to buy any other caliber of ammo. Generally opinion are a good thing but not when they are not based on fact. Then they become a waste of time, indication of the posters credibility and in some cases dangerous to others who may read them and act upon the opinion.

 

[vinnyFL]

I'm with Mike.

When God made shotguns, he made them with smooth bores.


A rifled-barrel shotgun is just,... just,...just, well it ain't right.

First off God did not make shotguns. Secondly all firearms were smooth bore at one time. Thirdly, chokes were later added to shotguns to control the shot pattern. Fourth, Federal and Winchester have figured out how to keep their buckshot together in a tight group when fired through these guns using pre flatened disks in one case to grab the rifling and using a sabot in the other case. I can go on but just try shooting one at 10 yards using the Federal HD 000 Buck and see all those 4 pellets stay in the head area. Even if they penetrated just 8", 4 .36 caliber pellets will get anyone's attention. Of course there is always that illusive no pain feeling drug addict who just will not stop unless you hit is brain or spinal column through 4 denim shirts and an arm. In that case good luck with whatever you are carrying.

 

[Buford57]

Not a knock on the Governor, but what about it makes it possible for S&W to shave $400 off the price of a 325 Nightguard by lengthening the cylinder and window to 2 1/2 in .410 dimensions?

I could really go for a .45ACP/.45LC revolver ala the Nightguard, have no personal need or desire for a .410 revolver and would much prefer either a shorter OAL or a longer barrel.

 

[nipster]

Never owned a governor or judge nor shot one. Dont need it, dont care for it. The short 410 and 410 shot in general is pretty useless, especially out of a 2" barrel.

It's a gimmick gun, they sell a boatload of them at gun shows, that should tell you something (the newb factor).

 

[arc2x4]

I shot one that belongs to another club member, It was surprisingly light for its size, I shot .45 Colt and .45 acp at 50 feet at an NRA 50 ft bullseye timed fire target. I was able to hit the black quite a few times and all shots were on the paper. Would I buy one? Well I have a 22-4 to shoot .45 acp and carry, so NO, But it was kind of cool in its own big ugly way. The owner was surprised I could keep all the shots on paper at that distance and even hit the bullseye a couple times. I told him it was a nice gun and good luck with it.