They are kinda' unique and certainly would fend off bad guys as long as the shooter did his thing. I'd sure not like one going off inside a vehicle if I could help it and especially if I was shooting through a window! That's got to be a hell of a noise! Pellets may be bouncing around a little also! I generally like the gun but I'd think it might be more suited to woods walking or charming snakes. Just my $.02.

My personal opinion is that it's a stupid gimmick gun, at least for self-defense against people. We discussed it pretty extensively here: Who makes a good holster for The Judge?.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham

My personal opinion is that it's a stupid gimmick gun, at least for self-defense against people. We discussed it pretty extensively here: Who makes a good holster for The Judge?.

Thanks, Mike

Originally Posted by Charlie

I'd sure not like one going off inside a vehicle if I could help it and especially if I was shooting through a window! That's got to be a hell of a noise! Pellets may be bouncing around a little also!

Good point

+1 what Mike said. That video sucked me in too with those two huge holes in the sillouette, but apparently the penetration, at least of the .410 shot, is severely lacking. So unless you are being attacked by a cardboard BG like the guy in the video there are probably better alternatives.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham

My personal opinion is that it's a stupid gimmick gun, at least for self-defense against people.

Now Mike, don't hold back how you really feel.

I don't think I'd get one myself. There are many other guns out there that can get the job done better.

Originally Posted by Todd

Now Mike, don't hold back how you really feel.

Heh heh. I've never been good at keeping opinions to myself, probably to my detriment.

I just got May's American Rifleman, and the Judge won Handgun of the Year. Then again, Taurus has a full-page ad running on page 11, opposite Wayne LaPierre's column. Expensive ad space.

I like the following description better.

I see this as an ideal weapon to keep on the car seat to quickly resolve an attempted car-jacking. When a punk jerks the car door open, a face full of number four shot should rapidly dissuade the social misfit from wanting anything to do with your car, and should also render him unable to pass the eye exam for a driver’s license for the rest of his miserable life. If this seems cruel, so be it. If someone sneaks into a parking lot and hot-wires a car, that is one thing, but if he tries to forcibly take an occupied vehicle at a traffic light, he can learn to read Braille in prison as far as I’m concerned.

Unless he's wearing Oakleys. Then you're screwed.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham

Unless he's wearing Oakleys. Then you're screwed.

Those Oakleys are so.... tactical!

but seriously
if you had a judge then what would your shot or buckshot number be?

All weapons have their pros & cons.

I like the Judge myself for several reasons. It can fire several different loads of ammunition.
The .45LC has great stopping power & with a 3" cylinder & a 4" barrel it's more like firing out of a 5" barrel.
The .410 comes in several different loads that would work great for defensive & hunting rounds. You can use 2 1/2" OO or OOO buckshot as well a 3" buckshots. You might also be able to fire slugs but I'm not sure about that myself. The #4 shot would really put a hurting on anybody it hits. If you don't think so then just let somebody hit you with 40 or so BB's at high velocity & we'll see just how fast you hit the ground screaming!! It will definitely penetrate even heavy clothing & do some nasty damage.
The #5 shot & higher may not kill a person per see but it will most likely incapacitate them to the point that they will be out of the fight & will give a pretty good pattern even at short range.

With the .410 shot you just point & shoot. If you miss a little your still going to at least hit an arm, shoulder or the face & the BOOM from that gun will scare the piss out of most any attacker!!

If all else fails you can club them to death with it

I own a Judge Ultralight W/ 3" barrel I like it alot but the 410 shells get quite hot and I cant drop them untill the gun cools down. Someone said that Winchsters won't do that but have not tried them yet. My range will only let me shoot slugs so I have not tried buckshoot. The gun feels real nice. If I could solve the 410 problem I would be very pleased.

Saw my first one up close at my range this week. The guy who brought it, obviously saw the video. His first round of #4 shot from about 6 yards took out the head of his silhouette and added an array of spatter through my shoot and see which was hung about 4 feet down the line from his target. Looked like a lot of spray with little penetration. He also shot 45 LC and 410 slugs as well. To my surprise, the Long Colts were nicely accurate at 15 yards, as were the slugs (I didn't get the brand but he said they were rifled slugs). We checked the target holes and there weren't any signs of the slugs tumbling at all.

All things being equal, this gun may have its uses and it has a wealth of versatility, but being limited to 5 shots with the potential of some of those shots not having penetration capability, it's not for me in a defensive situation.

"Taking the head off" of a cardboard target is not in any way related to the real-world requirement of effectively stopping a bad guy who is intent upon doing some damage to you.
Birdshot from a Judge may blind someone who isn't wearing glasses, if you're aiming in exactly the right place, but that won't be enough to decisively stop a fight.
Buckshot from a Judge will lack penetration and won't deliver enough force to stop a fight, no matter where the buckshot strikes.
Slugs from a Judge have less power and penetration than do bullets from .45 "Long" Colt cartridges.
If you're going to be shooting .45 "Long" Colt cartridges, why not get yourself a dedicated .45 "Long" Colt revolver in the first place?
Why bother with the Judge?

(If I remember correctly, Jeff Cooper's line was, "It's a solution looking for a problem.")

Try the judge with rifle slugs.

Originally Posted by Big Jim

Try the judge with rifle slugs.

To quote myself (see below): Slugs from a Judge have less power and penetration than do bullets from .45 "Long" Colt cartridges.
If you're going to be shooting .45 "Long" Colt cartridges, why not get yourself a dedicated .45 "Long" Colt revolver in the first place?
Why bother with the Judge?

Originally Posted by submoa

I like the following description better.

I see this as an ideal weapon to keep on the car seat to quickly resolve an attempted car-jacking. When a punk jerks the car door open, a face full of number four shot should rapidly dissuade the social misfit from wanting anything to do with your car, and should also render him unable to pass the eye exam for a driver’s license for the rest of his miserable life. If this seems cruel, so be it. If someone sneaks into a parking lot and hot-wires a car, that is one thing, but if he tries to forcibly take an occupied vehicle at a traffic light, he can learn to read Braille in prison as far as I’m concerned.

All I can say is AMEN!!!!

.410 slug - wouldn't a .45LC "slug" be more effective
.410 shot loads - at anything past point blank, they are less than optimal. So wouldn't a standard handgun load be just fine? If you need a shot load to hit someone at typical SD distances, perhaps more practice is in order. If over-penetration is a concern, consider some frangible SD loads.
Snakes and small vermin - I'm sure that typical pistol cartridge shot loads are more than enough.
I'm sure the Judge is a fun range toy and plinker. I just don't see it changing the face of self defense as we know it.

I like the Judge because it is huge, cheap, heavy, ugly and chambers not one but two semi-effective cartridges. I think I'll wait till they offer it in 28 gauge with a new proprietary .55 Taurus Magnum handgun load.
Sorry, to each his own.
Eli

They're comin' out with a 12ga/.75 caliber model in a coupla weeks, Eli.
Only five shots, but what the heck, right?

Jean and I will be away 'till the 15th. See you then.

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

They're comin' out with a 12ga/.75 caliber model in a coupla weeks, Eli.
Only five shots, but what the heck, right?

Jean and I will be away 'till the 15th. See you then.

Roger that. Have a safe trip.
Eli

I trust my 3" Judge with my life, that's why it's my nightstand gun. First off, people try to shoot regular .410 shotgun ammo out of it, way too much spread for such a short barrel. I exclusively use the Federal 410 Handgun plated 000 and the Win. PDX1, both have spread control sabots and are made for guns like the Judge. Here's a target I shot with the PDX1 at 25ft.

You can see where the sabot hit the bottom of the target, this would be a real bad day for a bad guy. The Federal plated 000 patterns just as well. It's all in the ammo you feed it and there's always 4 more shots in the cylinder.
I have mine loaded with 2 PDX1's, 2 Federal 000, and 1 of my 45Colt x-tra whoop-ass, handloaded, 250gr XTP's. If that don't stop an intruder I guess you'd better get the kryptonite. I can't understand why people hate this gun so much. I saw past the gimmick and took the time to explore the options available, a couple thousand rounds later, I have no regrets, and no doubt.

The Judge is a serious "take out the bad guy"weapon.I agree.The
Federal 000 buck handgun .410's are my favorite.They hold a good pattern
and are bad to the bone.Slap 5 rounds (20) 000 buckshot in the b/g and
call the dog food factory.Won't be nothing left but hamburger meat.