Judge vs S&W

[MilesTeg]

A pump shotgun in 20 gauge sounds like it would be perfect for you in a HD setting. Still hits hard and recoil is a lot less than a 12ga. Stay away from both the Smith and Judge. Not because either of them are bad but rather you are going to be able to control the shotgun better than any handgun. Especially a handgun shooting 410's. Had a Judge for my wife but she didn't enjoy practicing with it and wasn't accurate enough. She is a dead eye with her Smith .38spl Bodyguard and is comfortable with it. That counts more than the suggested firepower that the Judge or Gov brings.

BTW - that shop owner sounds like he wants to sell accessories that you don't need. You don't need a sling, heatshield or an extra shell holder. The sling could easily get hung up on furniture and restrict your movement when you need it most. The heatshield for you application would only be for looks. You aren't going to shoot it fast enough or long enough for it to matter (heatshields also get hot). Ditto for the extra shell carriers. If 7 or 8 shells isn't going to do the job than trying to reload a few extra won't probably help. The extra carrier is usually used to hold slugs in case you need to switch out from buck or vice versa. Bi-Mart, Dick's and Walmart all have great prices on 20ga's. You should be able to easily get a hd shotgun for $300 and be well armed.

 

[MilesTeg]

Just reread another of your posts. There is a saying that you should fear the man (woman, person, etc) who only has one gun. That is because they probably know how to use it. When you start using different platforms it becomes difficult to be good with all depending on how dedicated you are to practicing. It can be hard enough to be proficient with just one. I would change my previous statements and suggest you become really good at using the Beretta. Know how to get hits, clear jams and reload before you move on to something else for the house. Save the money and buy training ammo, range time, and some additional instructions in self defense.

 

[Chipperxd]

I personally think these "Judge" guns don't serve any purpose. Yeah, I get that it's better than nothing but unless you are killing snakes, I don't really see the purpose. Yeah I know you can shoot .45 rounds through it so why not just buy a .45 revolver?

 

[coopone]

Mary,
I would think that the Judge would be the perfect weapon for you. I've heard the recoil isn't that bad. And if you load it with 410 shotgun shells you won't need to hold it too steady. In home defense you're going to be in a small environment. Hallways are narrow, bedrooms aren't that big. .380 does have a bigger kick than a 9mm. Most .380's bought today are compact pistols which increases the kick and control for those that don't shoot that often.
With the judge revolver you just point in the direction and let the rounds fly.
And as far as the guys comment about .22 cals not killing a bunny rabbit I would think that he needs to go to the range a lot more.
I've shot 100's of prairie dogs and rabbits out on a family friends farm out in Eastern oregon. I have never seen either one get up from a shot. My shots were from at least 30-50 yards or greater.
According to history .22 cals are assasins favorite alternative weapon. Very effective if used properly.
And yes they aren't the preferred personal defense calibers but it's better than nothing. You gotta be able to control and shoot the weapon in order to protect yourself.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Taurus vs S & W? Is this an ongoing comedy act or just a one liner? LOL

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I personally think these "Judge" guns don't serve any purpose. Yeah, I get that it's better than nothing but unless you are killing snakes, I don't really see the purpose. Yeah I know you can shoot .45 rounds through it so why not just buy a .45 revolver?

We have a winner!!