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S&W Governor Shoots .410, 45ACP, 45Colt Mixed!

11K views 52 replies 37 participants last post by  BBerry 
#1 ·
If you look at the new 2011 S&W catalog, you'll see the introduction of the S&W Governor. This gun shoots .410 shotgun, 45ACP & 45Colt...together! You can mix and match and it doesn't make a difference. S&W claims that you'll hit the target when mixing but wouldn't the perceived recoil really throw you off? Wouldn't you think?

 
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#2 ·
I still see no point in these. .410? Seriously? and for .45LC I'd rather have something other than a sub 3" revolver. In terms of .45ACP, you'd be looking at a substantial velocity loss from the barrel length and empty chamber space in the cylinder. Why choose something that is guaranteed to REDUCE performance with the two more popular chamberings for self defense? The .410 in SHOTGUN size is not often recommended for self defense and that's factoring in a full barrel velocity. :ticking:
 
#5 ·
Still not sure why S&W brought it out. I guess they saw Taurus selling a few of them and decided to jump on the band wagon. IMO it's nothing more than a novelty gun that serves no real purpose.
 
#6 ·
I hate it when companies that I respect start to turn "gimmicky". It usually portends a switch from substance to "fluff". I hope that's not the case here.
 
#8 ·
I thought I read somewhere that the 410 buckshot ballistics are approximately the same as a 38 special (tested out of a Judge). If that is true, then I see three 30 caliber balls each traveling at about 800 FPS as useful. FYI I do not own one or plan to buy one, I'm just making an observation.
 
#12 ·
Closer to an old-school .36 blackpowder cap & ball revolver, if you want an accurate ballistic comparison to a 000 pellet out of a handgun.

And since the sum of the balls doesn't matter when you figure out how well it will do (as you are not guaranteed that all will hit), one much consider each pellet as an individual projectile, not the sum total.
 
#10 ·
A number of companies seem to be releasing these goofy guns. Someone earlier mentioned gimmicky. No reason for a gun like this when taurus makes one. Don't see anyone wanting to spend any extra than they have to on a revolver like this.

Whenever I see a thread about a new weapon announcement I cringe a bit. Some are good, others almost a joke( this, sr-22 in rifle section,etc).
 
#14 ·
I have a few friends that carry them with .410 in the woods as a very awesome snake gun. Where I live you encounter rattlers, cottonmouths, and copperheads in the deer woods.
 
#18 ·
You can get snake shot in other calibers. You don't necessarily "need" this gun for that purpose. But hey - whatever floats their boat.
 
#15 ·
10thmtn: You forgot Numbskull,Jerk,... etc. ...:gah:
 
#16 ·
smolck: if I were you, I'd seriously moving to where the woods only contained deer, rabbits, chipmunks, trees, flowers and such. You lost me at the mention of snakes--- any snakes!:rolleyes:
 
#19 ·
I think we have a unanimous dislike for this gun, so far as can be seen from given responses. Wouldn't you think S&W would test these ideas out on a sample group before spending so much money in R&D as well as production costs involved in gearing up an assembly logistic that would be required to put this gun in production? I would guess that if you took a poll on here about the Taurus that shoots .410, you would see that this is not a well received gun so why would S&W think their version would be better received? I'm not here to slam S&W, I'm just sayin'.
 
#21 ·
There's lots of folks new to guns all the time. They buy into the marketing hype, because they don't know any better. The Taurus ad that showed a target with a couple of bullet holes in it, and then a bunch of birdshot holes, asked the reader "You be the Judge." To the ill informed, the one with all the birdshot seemed better, I'm sure. That ad was so disingenuous, that for that reason alone, I will NEVER buy a Taurus product. :mad:

And now, S&W is going down the same road. Misleading people who don't know any better. Sad, really. And all for a buck...
 
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#20 ·
I doubt this gun is any different than the Judge. Ive read many reviews and watched a few youtube videos on the performance of the Judge, and the performance/penatration of the rounds is very poor, so I doubt the S&W Govenor is going to be any better.
 
#31 ·
And since the sum of the balls doesn't matter when you figure out how well it will do (as you are not guaranteed that all will hit), one much consider each pellet as an individual projectile, not the sum total.
As long as I still have 2 left and I'm standing afterwards it's all good
 
#32 ·
I don't own a Governor or a Judge, but I am confident that for a 25' personal protection range, it would do a more than adequate job. I don't base this opinion on what I think a 410 handgun would or wouldn't be able to do. All one needs to do is research and locate the penetration tests conducted by several respected writers as well as the many plain folks that have done gel tests. It is well documented that the Federal Personal Defense 410 buckshot from a Governor and Judge will penetrate about 11 inches. It has been shown in tests and videos that the Federal Personal Defense 410 buckshot keep a 3-4" inch pattern up to 30 feet and very tight pattern at 7 yards. Many reviews of regular joes show 2 inch groups of 45acp and 45lc at 25-30'.

Four lead balls getting 11" penetration at 900 fps, in tight 3 inch groups at 7 yards, times 6 pulls of the trigger releasing the same volley over and over.... Anyone that says that is "worthless" or "terrible" is either addicted to hyperbole and exaggeration in trying to make a point, or simply showing ignorance of the facts. Could there be something better? I'm certain in many cases there are definitely other options that are better. It is big and bulky and using it as a CCW may be less than ideal. However, not knowing the specific scenario, of which there are hundreds of variations, we really don't know if a poke in the eye or a 357 is "better".

We do know a few things for certain. If you hit someone with four buckshot balls it will have the same impact per ball as four balls out of a 12 ga. The 410 shotgun shoots its buckshot pellet with the same velocity and impact energy, ball for ball, as a 12 guage. I am not making a comparison of the entrance wound between the two, only factual statement about the velocity and impact energy per projectile. We also know, from numerous formal and informal gel tests that the 410 buckshot personal defense loads out of a 410 revolver achieve adequate penetration depths. We know that the Governor is exceptionally accurate with the 45acp/lc at up to 30' (if you are shooting someone beyond that you are probably a shoe-in to be a defendant on trial for some murder in some degree). I regularly see owners hit 2" clusters well beyond 30'.

While I do not own a Governor or a Judge, I respect the velocity, energy, and accuracy facts that have been well document, at least for the Governor when used with specific ammo. Most everything else comes across like an argument over religion.
 
#33 ·
Very well stated, CAS_Shooter.

I've had a Judge for a few years now, and it definitely fills a void in my arsenal. We have a farm, and my Judge is the gun I carry 95% of the time when I'm out working on trails, bushhogging, or just walking around. I keep it loaded with 2 Federal Premium Personal Defense shells in 000 buckshot, 2 in 4 shot, and 1 Hornady FTX 45 Colt. With that combo, I'm prepared for snakes, coyotes, or anything else I encounter while out on the farm.

I keep my Judge in the center console of my car. I've read lots of test results and opinions on the effectiveness of 4 shot and buckshot fired from a 3 inch barrel. I've also seen first hand the destruction power of high brass 410 4 shot on a target 2-3 feet away, and I'm confident that I can convince a thug trying to carjack me that another vehicle would be better suited for him.

One factor that is usually overlooked on the countless "Judge bashings" on the internet is shot placement. I'm referring to actually hitting your target vs. missing altogether. Although I practice self defense tactics and shoot quite often, I am man enough to admit that I will be battling nerves and adrenaline as well as the bad guy in an adverse situation, and my accuracy will be affected. A (insert caliber) round that HITS a component of an aggressor's central nervous system is the quickest way to stop a threat, I get that. However, I feel that I have better odds of defending myself and stopping an aggressor up close with a blast of 4 shot. It may not kill my opponent, but it is downright nasty up close. The whole "aim vs. point" scenario comparing rifle vs. shotgun rounds is an element that I think favors the Judge.

Bottom line, (right, wrong, or indifferent) I feel confident that I have better odds of stopping a threat and escaping alive with my choice of "car defense".

Let the bashing begin.
 
#35 ·
CAS_shooter has it right.

I have, and sometimes carry, a Judge Polymer public defender.




Here is a video of some testing of it.



I have no reservations as to its effectiveness at self-defense ranges.
 
#37 ·
The Govenor--For the man who just can't decide what caliber to carry. . .
 
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