Jeff Quinn at gunblast.com reviews The Judge (h/t FR)

Taurus has introduced a handgun that may just be the ideal trail gun for those of us who live, work, and play among timber rattlers, cottonmouths, copperheads, and diamondbacks. It should also prove just as useful for our Western friends who must contend with the sidewinder and the Western version of the diamondback. I don’t know which I hate more, as all are ornery when cornered, but the cottonmouth is the only snake that I have ever had personally come after me. Most snakes will slither off if they can, except for maybe the copperhead, who just lies there quietly grinning and waiting for your approach. At least the rattlers will sound off and give you a chance to soil yourself just before he sinks those fangs into your flesh. However, in my experience, the cottonmouth is downright mean….

I always carry a handgun, unless I am flying what was once termed the “friendly skies”. When out deeper in the woods or down by the creek, I carry one loaded with shot loads if I am wandering around there during the itching season. This new Taurus is chambered for the .410 shotshell, and packs a pretty good payload of shot to reliably dispatch crawling vermin. For the vermin that walk upright on their hind legs, it also chambers and fires the .45 Colt cartridge, making this a very versatile handgun. Taurus calls this five-shot revolver “The Judge”, which seems appropriate, even if the name will most likely offend the type of person referenced in the preceding paragraph. It weighs in at just under 36 ounces, and packs rather comfortably holstered on the hip or across the chest in one of Rob Leahy’s Grizzly Tuff holsters, with the latter preferred if any riding or wading is anticipated.

Patterning the .410 shotshells proved that this revolver is, as I expected, a close range proposition, which is just fine. Any farther than twelve feet away, the pattern opens rather quickly. The number 7-½ shot at that range is pretty sparse. I would have liked to have some number 9 shotshells for testing, but none was to be found. Anyway, the 7-½ penetrates better, and at normal “A SNAKE!!!” range, it does just fine. The spread is wide enough to assure a good hit, and the pattern tight enough to assure a quick kill….

I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Judge, with both shotshells and solid bullet .45 Colt ammo. It offers a lot of versatility in snake country, and can be carried for urban defense loaded with shotshells, heavy .45 Colt hollowpoints, or a combination of both. A number four shot load followed by four hollowpoints might be just about ideal for social work.

For the location of a Taurus dealer near you, click on the DEALER LOCATOR icon at: www.lipseys.com.