Ferrari Mailing List: Re: OFF TOPIC !!! - RE: Official Rifle Cartridge oftheFerrari List

[Dave Handa (dave]

Quote "I still carry either my Detonics  
9mm or my SigSauer M239 in .40S&W on my person and having carried a pistol,

more specifically a variant of the Sig for about the last 10 years before  
retiring, and ever since that will be unlikely to change for personal
preference  
reasons. I am, experimenting with a Taurus "Judge" model revolver with a  
cylinder that is chambered for both the .45 Colt and the .410 2.5in. shotgun

cartridges. This is my first Taurus firearm that I have ever owned given
their  
reputation in the past of lesser quality firearms but my examination of this

firearm (which is backed by a lifetime warranty) has caused me to conclude
that  
it appears to be a fine quality firearm, every bit equal to current S&W or  
Colt production. The idea of carrying a revolver (or placing it at one's  
bedside) that chambers a #3 buckshot shotgun cartridge in sequences (the
ideal  one 
is still in the testing stage) with the .45 Long Colt makes it a fine short

range, self-defense encounter profile firearm. I should also note that a 
number  of the "gurus" of the firearms magazine ilk concur with this
conclusion.
 
Dr. Steve"


Keep carrying the Detonics or Sig. Doctor, I'm not sure how you are
prioritizing the attributes of your carry handgun, but consider these:

1)  weight  the Judge is probably twice the weight of your current carry
guns.

2)  Size, ditto...probably twice as thick, which makes it more difficult to
conceal

3)  Accuracy...every article I have seen has shown rather mediocre accuracy
with the Judge, a problem since it must be able to chamber both 410 shotgun
shells and 45 lc requires a compromise in chamber dimensions.  It probably
has plenty of practical accuracy out to 25 yards with 45LC.  But your
Detonics or Sig will shoot to 100 yards on man size targets no problem.  

Also, what about this shotgun shell thing?  What if you need to shoot at
longer distances?  The spread with buckshot will be terrible beyond 15 feet
or so....what about bystanders?  And how do you load it up?  All buckshot,
or all 45?  Or alternate?  What if you need a long shot, but the next round
it buckshot?

You seem focused on a "short distance" fight, it would be great if we could
choose the fight we are going to be in, but I think one needs to allow for
more variables.

4) Reloading.  Granted, fights are rarely won based on a fast reload, but I
would prefer a semi-auto that can be quickly reloaded.  I don't believe that
there are speed loaders for the Judge, which would mean carrying loose
rounds in your pocket, or using dump pouches.  Loose rounds is VERY slow way
to reload a revolver.  Anyone can train up in short order to perform a speed
load in 3 seconds pretty easily.

5)  Capacity.  Only 5 rounds with the Judge.  What if you have multiple
attackers? Fights are rarely one on one, as most attackers want the
superiority of force, so there will likely be more than one.  Your Detonics
and Sig have the advantage of greater capacity and faster reloading.

6)  Caliber/Power.  That can be debated forever.  But hundreds of thousands
of people have been shot and killed with 9mm fmj (ball) ammo, and I doubt
any of them complained.  BTW, the quickest way to "make a bigger hole" in
your adversary, is to make another one.  In other words, shoot some more.

The bottom line on the Judge is it is the "wiz bang" new "gun of the
moment".  It really does nothing new, and solves no real problem.  The
reason it is getting a lot of press from the "gun gurus" is gun writers are
underpaid and love the free trips to Brazil, free guns, free ammo and other
stuff provided by the manufacturer Taurus, for a favorable article.  How do
I know this?  Because I know a gun writer who wrote something less than
stellar about a major handgun manufacturer, and they literally had him
shutdown in the industry.  No more loaners were sent out by them, or others
as word got out. Free ammo dried up as well.