home defense gun choices?

HT32BSX115

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The Judge does shoot 45LC. I have heard of some owners that like to load .410 and .45 as every other round in the cylinder. My girlfriend's dad has the 3" model.

Yeah. I have shot 45 Colt "Cowboy Action" ammunition in my Judge and the recoil wasn't bad at all. (on par or slightly less than my 1911 45)

For home defense, I actually have home defense 410 shells. It's important to note that even at "home defence" distances, (10-20ft) it's possible to miss. Ball ammunition has the potential to go right through your front door or wall and into the next door neighbors house. (you'll be liable too, btw)

The shot shell defence rounds are much less likely to exit the property and even hollow point projectiles will be stopped and/or severely impeded by doors and walls.
 

gm280

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Yeah. I have shot 45 Colt "Cowboy Action" ammunition in my Judge and the recoil wasn't bad at all. (on par or slightly less than my 1911 45)

For home defense, I actually have home defense 410 shells. It's important to note that even at "home defence" distances, (10-20ft) it's possible to miss. Ball ammunition has the potential to go right through your front door or wall and into the next door neighbors house. (you'll be liable too, btw)

The shot shell defence rounds are much less likely to exit the property and even hollow point projectiles will be stopped and/or severely impeded by doors and walls.

If I am not mistaken, and I very well my be, any gun that can shoot both .410 and 45 Long Colt ammo has to have a rifled barrel. It can't be smooth bore. And that is because the ATF, in their infinite wisdom, deemed a smooth bore barrel as a shotgun. And therefore can't be shorter then 16". So to get around that specification, any gun capable of shooting shot gun shells has to be rifled. And the only reason that comes into play, is because when the shot shell is used it a rifled barrel it has a tendency to sling the shot out in a wide pattern. So that also upsets the trajectory and makes longer shots near useless. But as a close-quarter defensive round, it works nicely. I can imagine a .410 shot shell loaded with some BB or larger size shot would be ideal. JMHO!
 

southkogs

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From the "typically useless stuff Kogs knows" file:

It can't be smooth bore. And that is because the ATF, in their infinite wisdom, deemed a smooth bore barrel as a shotgun.
The Judge and the Governor are both rifled, but you can buy a "smooth bore" insert for the Judge (dunno' how good it is :noidea: ). The definition of a shotgun in the legal code actually defines it as "shoulder fired" ... so the Judge and the Governor are technically (legally) not shotguns.
 

HT32BSX115

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From the "typically useless stuff Kogs knows" file:


The Judge and the Governor are both rifled, but you can buy a "smooth bore" insert for the Judge (dunno' how good it is :noidea: ). The definition of a shotgun in the legal code actually defines it as "shoulder fired" ... so the Judge and the Governor are technically (legally) not shotguns.
True statement

If I am not mistaken, and I very well my be, any gun that can shoot both .410 and 45 Long Colt ammo has to have a rifled barrel. It can't be smooth bore. And that is because the ATF, in their infinite wisdom, deemed a smooth bore barrel as a shotgun. And therefore can't be shorter then 16". So to get around that specification, any gun capable of shooting shot gun shells has to be rifled. And the only reason that comes into play, is because when the shot shell is used it a rifled barrel it has a tendency to sling the shot out in a wide pattern. So that also upsets the trajectory and makes longer shots near useless. But as a close-quarter defensive round, it works nicely. I can imagine a .410 shot shell loaded with some BB or larger size shot would be ideal. JMHO!
When I first got that thing, I tried a defense round that had (2) #000 buck + 15 "BB's"

My neighbor and I stood up a piece of siding at a tree and stood back at about 15 ft and tried the Judge. The 2 #000 buck (shots) hit the siding pretty much where we aimed.

The 15 BB's however............don't know where they went!

Then we tried a 410 shot shell that he had contained (9) #4 buckshot.

All 9 were in a fairly tight group on the piece of siding! little or no spread. (maybe due to the plastic "wad" ?)

If you get one of those, don't get the bb rounds!!
 
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MTboatguy

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Mod EDIT: Quoted text removed​

Uh OH!!!!

:eek:
 
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jbcurt00

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Bonz doesnt live in that state, political commentary removed and where it was quoted it was also removed

Again, stay on topic
 

HT32BSX115

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Bonz doesnt live in that state, political commentary removed and where it was quoted it was also removed

Again, stay on topic
Absolutely right...My apologies!

As far as I know, there is only one state where that type may be restricted.

If you [Bonz] do decide to get one of those types of handguns be sure to check with your state rules & regs. Especially if you buy one preowned from someone who might have gotten it in another state etc. You could get yourself into a place you don't want to be particularly if you had to use it for "real"!.
 

bonz_d

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Well as I've repeatedly stated, the wife who also has to be able to use this is opposed to revolvers so this criteria is going to eliminate a lot of viable weapons.

If it was just me the choice would be another S&W Model 19 followed by the Model 29 or the Model 41. All loaded with low velocity wadcutter hand loads with the heaviest bullet possible. After that it would be a DA/SA 9mm with largest capacity mag I can find.

As for Shotguns, I know 1st hand the impact of a 12ga shotgun has on the human body at close range and don't want to be subjected to that again. So w/o going into it for me a shotgun is not an option.
 

gm280

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bonz_n, yes 12 gauge shot gun slugs do a lot of damage. It is a serious stopper. And with todays modern slug offerings, it is an easy choice for some types of big game hunting. I have actually take TWO deer with one slug before, they were standing side by side at the time. But I like using my .280 Ruger Rifle for most hunting options. :thumb:
 
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