The Taurus Judge
Since its release over a decade ago, the Judge line of pistols has expanded significantly. Models range from the Raging Judge 6.5-inch Magnum revolver to the Judge Public Defender with a 2.5-inch polymer frame, to the Home Defender with a 13-inch barrel. Both stainless and blued models are available, as well as the newer TORO models that come ready to mount your favorite red dot.
Related Review: Taurus Judge Home Defender – Your New .45 Colt/.410 Hand Cannon
Various models aside, what makes the Taurus Judge different from other revolvers? The curious appearance of the Judge is due to the elongated cylinder used to accommodate the .410 shotgun shells. Why would you want shotgun shells in a pistol, you might ask? I’ve stopped asking similar questions as I’ve aged. Some people don’t like the things I like, and that’s fine. It leaves more room for me to do what I like.
Besides, this is America, and if somebody wants a palm shotgun, that’s fine by me. The Taurus Judge not only has the ability to shoot .410 but also can shoot traditional .45 Colt pistol cartridges. This hybrid ability makes the pistol useful for a variety of things. Shooting moving targets is easier with shotshells, but deep penetration is better accomplished by heavy bullets. The Judge gives you the option for both.
Range Time
With the Judge and a few boxes of various ammunition types, we headed out to see what it would do. My initial impression of the Judge was that it has a strange profile and an oddly long look to it. Obviously, the reason is the longer cylinder to accommodate the .410 shotshells.
Loading shells and cartridges both went exactly as expected, and the cylinder lock was easily disengaged. Many of the various Winchester shotshells we shot required just a slight push to seat in the cylinder, while .45 Colt cartridges dropped neatly into place with that satisfying metallic "plunk."
The double and single action of the Judge felt very similar to the other Taurus revolvers I have shot. It has a clean feel with a tactile click as it locks into place, and like most revolvers, the Judge has a crisp and clean break. I’ve often heard that .410 patterns from pistols like this were too big to do any good, but shooting the Judge with both #6 shot and large buckshot, I found that at 5-10 yards, the patterns would cover roughly the size of a human torso.
Shooting the .45 Colt cartridges took a little more judicious aiming, but hitting jug-sized targets at 10-15 yards was easy. Obviously, if your goal were to shoot something any farther than that, the Colt would be the ammunition of choice.
Recoil
I noticed a significant difference in the way the Judge recoils compared to similar size pistols. The long cylinder and resulting muzzle distance from the grip give the Judge a lot of leverage. With a small grip like this one, it was surprising how much the gun would rise above your aim point.
I imagine if one was to use some spicier ammunition, it would be even more pronounced. As it was, it was a challenge to keep the gun on target through the recoil. The actual kick of the pistol wasn’t bad at all; it just rocked back in your hand with much force.
Purpose
As I sat there thinking about what the Taurus Judge would be good for, I started tabulating potential uses. I suppose in a defensive situation any gun is better than none, so having a Judge at your side might be helpful – though I don’t see a situation where it would ever be my first choice.
As an avid outdoorsman, I can see a variety of uses. Many have suggested it would make a good snake gun, and while no snake hunter, I can see how a shotshell-loaded pistol could come in handy against venomous reptiles.
I could also see the Judge faring well as a sort of survival pistol. If backcountry camping or hiking, a dual-purpose pistol that could be used for birds, snakes, and other animals could be very handy. While a .45 Colt isn’t ideal for large predator defense, it sure beats something like a 9mm or .357.
Pros & Cons
We often cede some features when we create multipurpose designs, and the Judge isn’t immune. While it is handy to be able to shoot both shotshells and metallic cartridges, the Judge is not amazing at either. Depending on your purpose, that might be ok. The significant muzzle rise I mentioned also is not exactly my cup of tea.
Many of the .410 shells required just a touch more effort to push out of the cylinder. It feels like the brass head expanded tightly against the cylinder, requiring you to push the plunger a bit more than anticipated. It’s certainly not a big deal, but something worth mentioning.
Other than that, the Taurus Judge is very much like its shorter siblings from Taurus. The trigger feels great, the finish on the pistol looks good, and the fiber-optic sight pops in any light. The controls are familiar and feel good, allowing a complete novice to pick up the gun and operate it with ease. The tight-fitting cylinder has no noticeable slack and securely locks into each position.
My Verdict
When the Judge was initially released, I thought it was an interesting idea. To be honest, I also thought it was sort of a solution looking for a problem. It would seem after all these years, I may have been wrong.
Not only do they continue to sell, but the Judge itself has been imitated. Smith & Wesson released a similar pistol called the Governor in an effort to gain market jurisdiction.
Though I think the Judge is suitable for many tasks as I’ve outlined here, I don’t know if it fits my collection that well. I can surely see why someone would want to add it to their own, though. Let us know what you think of the Taurus Judge in the comments below.
