Taurus Circuit Judge as home defense or appocalypse weapon?

[Gordie Howe]

I got a Taurus Circuit Judge nib, at Academy. I put a scope on it as well.

My reasoning is the 45 long Colt is deadly at short and long ranges, and the 410 shells can be fired fast, at close range in hopes of a wing ding. I would use the CHL handgun outside the house and in immediate reactions, but if I had advanced notice like looting after a hurricane, I could grab the Circuit Judge. Am I on the right track; any thoughts?

[SF18C]

Revolver rifles just make me feel kinda funny.

I am sure it is a great gun but how fast can you reload it? Maybe just to many years with an M4 in my hands to try and figure out how to use something else.

Did you get one like this? It is a good looking gun!
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I have been looking at one of these in a .45 Colt or .45-70!

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[Gordie Howe]

Got one just like it. Its not complicated to load and fire. Anyone can be taught it in less than a few minutes; such as a wife daughter, ect.
If you get the wing clips you can push five cartridges in at once. making reloading a few seconds. This would be more like a weapon if you were barricaded, and had an advance notice. I have read there are some really nasty high tech 410 shells made now.

[HenryAKirk]

I have been coveting that Rossi M92 for a while now only I want it in 38 spl/357 mag to match my S&W 66-2.
That would make an awesome set and they could eat the same ammo.
I wish that quarter I planted would hurry up and sprout, I need that money tree more and more all the time.
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[grim-bob]

It's a cool little gun. I've fondled one a few times and even though about buying one eventually. Looks like fun and seems easy to handle... if you are comfortable with it then it is what you should use if that's what you have.

Personally, if I need a rifle for self defense I want more than 5 shots before I'm having to reload. If I need a shotgun I want more than .410 (for self defense anyway). So for me it just seems like a compromise for a self defense rifle/carbine.

[jmra]

I've never really understood the thing myself. Looks like more of a novelty thing to me.

[MadMonkey]

I'm sure you could make it effective with the right ammo and the correct techniques.

On the other hand, I don't really see the point of getting one as a defensive gun with so many better choices out there (Glock, AR, pump or semi auto shotgun, etc).... plus any of those will be effective with almost any ammo you grab for it (with the exception of birdshot or snap caps ).

[Jumping Frog]

I got a Taurus Circuit Judge nib, at Academy. I put a scope on it as well.
... Am I on the right track; any thoughts?

Seems like the time to ask that question was before you bought it, not after.

So I hope you like you gun. It would not have been my choice, but I am not going to criticize your choice after the fact.

[Salty1]

Like others I consider it a novelty gun, not bad for snakes but you do need to be close. I used to see the commercials for it on TV, always laughed at the claims they made and how the watermellon just exploded. I see a value if one owns lots of property and wants it on their side when outside, as a defensive handgun there are a lot of better options.... Look around for the 410 ammo that was developed specifically for short barrel revolvers, they may increase the capability and effective range. Good luck and let us know what ammo you test and how it performs for you...

[The Annoyed Man]

The very first thing that comes to my mind is that it looks like it would have some good utility as a "survival gun" alternative to something like an AR7 or the Savage Model 42. By "survival gun," I mean the kind of gun you would consider for keeping in the back of your Cessna WITH a couple of boxes of shells in each chambering for "just in case." The AR7 takes 8 round mags, and it floats, but it only shoots the one caliber—.22 LR. If you were on foot, it would be easier to carry the AR7 plus a LOT of ammo than either of the other two guns; but that doesn't mean it is a better choice. The Rossi doesn't have the capacity of an AR7, but the it has the advantage of caliber in the rifled barrel, and the ability to fire shot shells, and in .45 LC, it probably has a greater effective range. The Savage can shoot either .22 LR or .410 bore, but only in single shot, break-open mode. OTH, it will never jam, being the mechanically most simple of the three.

The problem for me is (your mileage may vary), I really can't see the Rossi as anything else than as a survival gun........except for its novelty. For home defense, a tactical style shotgun with 5+1 rounds of 12 gauge 00 buck packs more wollap in the shotshell department PLUS an additional round (funny....I initially typed "addictional," and shooting mine for the first time last Saturday was quite intoxicating), and an AR15 has more wollap in the rifle department AND more capacity AND better accuracy (although at self-defense, inside the home distances, that accuracy advantage is probably moot).

In a zombie apocalypse, firepower and range will mean a lot, and it gives up a lot of both to an AR15, not to mention that the .45 LC is approaching being an obsolete caliber. By "obsolete," I don't mean that is not any good; but lets just be honest and just say that, even in normal circumstances (when BHO ain't the prez), .45 LC is not one of the more popular calibers stocked on the store shelves. So what are you going to do when your personal supply runs out? Unless you're handloading and have a ton of supplies stocked up, that gun is eventually going to run out of bullets for good. As a hunting round, the .410 bore would damage less meat than a 12 gauge, but it would limit you in size of game and effective range. And in either case, I think a .22 rimfire carbine or pistol, or a semiauto rifle in .223/5.56 is a better zombie-killer.

I've looked at this gun, and its predecessors/variants over the years, and thought to myself that it would be kind of neat to have one, but obviously I haven't put a very high priority on it since I've bought other long guns in the interim—focusing on the hunting and tactical niches instead. I would be really interested to know how it shoots, and what your impressions are about it after a range trip. If Rossi offered it in a take-down format, I think that it would become the perfect survival gun.

[anygunanywhere]

That thing looks just plain scary to me with that pistol grip and all black with that rail thingy on top.

Does it come with a thirty round clippy?

Anygunanywhere

[Gordie Howe]

It does also fire 45acp.

[Gordie Howe]

One question, I should call Taurus about: why don't taurus judges have wing clips included to fire 45acp ammo ?

[Gordie Howe]

I did read it's called a revolving shotgun and on the California State ban list now.

[RJGold]

Buddy of mine has a Judge revolver. He carries it with him on his 1200 acre ranch. He's killed snakes and a couple of skunks with it (always with 410 loads). I told him I don't think I want to be that close to a skunk when I shoot it. I prefer shooting them with my 22LR.