The Smith&Wesson Governor

[Mike Irwin]

And the Le Mat revolver came out in the 1850s.

[Pfletch83]

I use to be against the idea of a .410 revolver for defense until I started looking at how handguns are used and the circumstances they were used in defensive encounters,then I looked at what the Judge and then the Governor brought to the table.

I'm sure others will do the same.

[Pfletch83]

Here are a few youtube vids with the Governor and the federal 2-1/2 inch '000' buckshot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNFYpWs3yLU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlYXNhJXmXo



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_iJ34EHuQs

[stolivar]

that is not a very good pattern at 7 yards. the last video is how tight my Governor shoots.

but I do concur that 24 rounds in 3.9 seconds is going to put a heck of a hurt if not fatal exposure to lead.




steve

[Venom1956]

Then please don't let it get outta hand. I think I'd really like to know the darned things capability or limitations from a member here who has one and knows it and is willing to share objective facts, not generalizations or a subjective "mine is best" (always a pet peeve).

Actually we are quite reasonable when we try and show him that his claim of 'best' is unsubstantiated when compared to proven handgun FACTS we show him. Continuing to blindly follow what he believes as fact, which in itself is fine. But when he keeps trying to show us the 'error of our ways' it be comes tiresome. Then there a novices that are just learning and can take his opinion as fact, which can then endanger them. Believing this gun to posses traits outside its abilities .

IIRC, Pfletch has put down a hog with it, so he's got that going for him. But self defense against someone using lethal force against you isn't quite the same... maybe (like I'd know... maybe said porker was coming at him w/ tusks snapping... dunno).

He shot a pig in the head. It died.

Yes the Gov CAN serve as a HD/SD weapon but it is by NO MEANS "THE BEST" weapon.

[Pfletch83]

Question: How thick is a hog skull? Answer: two inches of bone.

From 6 feet the buckshot punched through it, much different than a usual point blank shot with the muzzle to the head.


Now for another question.

What is the thickest bone in the human body?

[idek]

I grew up in a farming community where farmers would kill grown cattle with 22lr bullet to the forehead. The cow's legs jerk upward and it dies instantly.

Killing one pig with a head shot proves that shooting a pig in the head with Governor can kill it. It does not prove that the Governor is superior to other firearms.

[allaroundhunter]

Pfletch.... 6 feet is point blank range for any firearm, and the fact that your .410 punched through a pigs skull is not revolutionary, nor is it as impressive as you seem to think.

We routinely put down pigs with .22 shorts at further ranges than that because our trap has an area of about 25 square yards (225 sq ft) and the pigs get as far away from us as possible.

Does it make the .22 short the next great super CCW weapon that people just don't understand yet? No....


Heck, we have had to put down two cows and a horse with the old .22....Guess what? It did the job without a flinch from the animal...

[Pfletch83]

Okay then Experts show me the "Best" handgun for self defense.

[allaroundhunter]

Okay then Experts show me the "Best" handgun for self defense.

That's just the thing. There is not one "best" handgun for self defense. It isn't as simple as you seem to think and are trying to make it. Killing a pig by shattering its skull is not the definition of the perfect carry gun. Does it make for a lethal pig stopper inside of 6 feet? Sure....but that is a niche market to say the least.

The fact that you are claiming that this gun is the be-all-end-all is what is so frustrating and even annoying. There are people that come here again thinking that there is one "best" gun out there, and instead of being able to inform them that there is more to it than just face value, that it varies from person to person, they are getting the same thing from you that they will from a know-nothing gun store counter guy.

It defeats the purpose of being able to educate people on what it actually takes to choose a good handgun.

Is the judge/governor good for a few things? Sure. Is it best at any? Well, I would say killing snakes and other vermin. But there are better options for 99% of people who are looking for a carry gun.

[Pfletch83]

okay then let me narrow this down some....what is the best close range defensive handgun?

[idek]

Is there such a thing as a long-range defensive handgun?

Most defensive handguns are intended for close range. And there still isn't one that's best.

Some guns are nice to carry and conceal. Some shoot big bullets. Some shoot fast bullets. Some have high capacity. Some have nice triggers. Some have nice sights. Some have controllable recoil. Some are cheaper to practice with. Some are easier to operate. Some are not picky about ammo. Some guns just feel right or point naturally in a specific person's hand.

[allaroundhunter]

okay then let me narrow this down some....what is the best close range defensive handgun?

1) The one that you have with you
2) The one that you are most proficient with
And finally, 3) The one that goes *bang* when you pull the trigger.

As I said before, there is not one "best" in any category.

[Dragline45]

I remember when Glocks were thought of as junk plastic guns,but after a few decades look what most are buying these days plastic wonder 9's ( yes I include .40s&w and .45 acp versions)

The Governor and judge revolvers will prove themselves to be no different.

Sorry but you are a little delusional if you think the Governor or Judge is going to be the next Glock of the handgun world. I consider the Judge and Governor to be novelty guns and the hype will slowly die off in the next few years. They try to mimic a shotgun only to come up pitifully short in power, accuracy, and reliable spread of the shot. They are awful with the .45 loads and the gun is far to large to be used for that application. They give no real advantage over a typical handgun caliber but give up a whole lot.

okay then let me narrow this down some....what is the best close range defensive handgun?

There isn't one, because if there was everyone would own and carry it. Everyone has different needs for a handgun, so the best handgun for me could be completely different than what is the best for someone else. Sometimes I carry a small .38 or .380, usually a compact 9mm. It all depends on where I'm going and what I am wearing. The 9mm, .40, .45, .357 etc... are all street proven calibers. They have decades of use with success and there's no arguing against it. The .410 shot shells do nothing these calibers cant, but those calibers can do alot that the .410s cant. I would rather become proficient with a 9mm or .45 and become confident in where I can place my shots, than rely on a .410 shot shell launching a few lead balls randomly down range.

[MLeake]

For those who are curious about hog skulls, here's a link to a thread about them, that includes pictures of a hog's skull sawn in half, cross-section style, plus pictures of a shot hog.

[Hal]

Mike - & the Duckfoot sometime before the LeMat.

[Mike Irwin]

The duckfoot wasn't a revolver.

[Hal]

Same concept - one trigger pull = multiple projectiles..
While the LeMat was a revolver...the shotgun was a single shot..
Still - same concept - handgun capable of shooting multiple simultaneous projectiles.

Dosn't matter though - both were flops...

[Winchester_73]

The only solution to this is a glock 41: a double stack glock that can load .410 rounds or with a different magazine, 45 acp. Then you get the capacity and reliability of a glock, with the undeniable shot-pistol advantage.

I know some people here would be in line for that one!

[2damnold4this]

To me, the Governor/Judge seems a but large for concealed carry considering its capacity. It might work better for woods bumming but I'd rather concealed carry a 642 or G26.

[mavracer]

Do you have anything other than anecdotal evidence or opinion that the .410 buckshot load is any better or worse at stopping agression than a single well designed 250gr 45 Colt?