I also tested .45 Colt loads, the 750 fps 250-grain Cowboy Action load and the Super X 255 grain 860 fps load that delivers a whopping 410 ft-lbs. To center the X in a USPSA Dirty Bird target, I needed to hold about 2 inches low at 10 yards. Of course, not all handguns are purchased for urban defense; many are used as protection from both two- and four-legged aggressors. Taurus Judge Public Defender. The Bulldog is a defensive carry gun only. It will fit in my pocket or … of energy. Most defensive situations occur at less than 3 yards, and backup .45 Colt loads could certainly be loaded for subsequent shots. This little hand-cannon holds five shots and Taurus claims it weighs in at 27 ounces unloaded. American Defender: Ruger American Pistol Review, Best Concealed Carry Guns In 2021 (Updated! Today, it’s available in more than a dozen models. It's also surprisingly accurate with Winchester 45LC Silver Tips and the front fiber optic sights are great. The series was dubbed “the Judge” when the company discovered the .410 revolvers were popular as a defensive sidearm for judges, since a .410 shot load would have excellent short range stopping power and less chance of collateral damage to bystanders at even medium ranges. I like the Extra 6th shot the S&W offers & the fact that you can shoot also the .45acp rounds with supplied moon clips. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I eventually began leaving it in the safe in favor of a lighter, but similarly powerful 340 S&W .357. True, the Public Defender only has five rounds in a cylinder, but most compact .45s with similar weight and dimensions only hold six or seven. 9 shot snake loads and three hard-hitting, 250-grain .45 caliber bullets. Judge Public Defender. Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links. Hey, kids, - let's stay on the specific question rather than going off on the platform's concept. The 3" shells are more powerful, but I don't ever recall any of the .410 shotshells being referred to as Magnum. Dick Jones is a freelance outdoor writer and author whose interest in guns and shooting has encompassed his lifetime. I would recommend this gun highly as a good car gun or even an HD option. For the backpacker, this means real utility. No one will argue that the .45 ACP isn’t a capable stopper and the Super X 255 load exceeds the energy levels of the Winchester Defender .45 ACP load at 392 ft-lbs. The gun was very consistent. Which one should I buy to carry in the car? The series currently includes 17 models (per the Taurus website) chambered for five rounds of either .410 2.5″ or 3″ shotshell and .45 LC, which can be shot interchangeably. Certainly they would penetrate a rib cage and cause massive hemorrhaging, which is the only reliable stopping factor when it comes to handgun calibers. I carry the Public Defender as a trail gun and general CCW piece. Shooting 000 buck loads and 45LC. Taurus Judge® Series; More than a decade since it was first introduced, the legendary Taurus Judge® series of revolvers still rule. My scale showed it weighed in at 23.5 ounces (+/- .5 ounces). He’s also a shooting instructor and runs Lewis Creek Shooting School in High Point, N.C. There have not been 2 3/4" .410 shotshells in the US in the last 40 years, if ever. 3o3brit - - that pic with the young lady shooting is impressive. This scaled-down model of everyone?Ts favorite combo gun, the Taurus Judge, still gives you the ability to fire your choice of ammunition? Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent. My 10-yard, five-shot groups were always ragged holes unless I called a shot out. The model reviewed is the Public Defender. My test gun came in at 23 ounces, so a fully loaded Defender would come in with a loaded weight a bit less than a compact double stack .40. After much review and consideration. Available in a carbon steel or stainless steel frame and with the option of a Titanium cylinder. Coming from the sales success of the Judge revolver, Taurus released the Public Defender Polymer to be considered as a … Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. The holster fits it perfectly, and has Velcro lined belt flaps that help secure it to the side of the seat. Senior Member . At press time, the Taurus Judge Public Defender Polymer (PDP) revolver is the newest of the Taurus Judge series. For years the Taurus Judge was in a category of it’s own. As with the original Judge, these shoot five rounds of either .45 Colt or .410 shot. While the rifling of the Judge series is more shallow than normal because of the .410 chambering, accuracy was certainly acceptable. Since a Public Defender will handle everything from serious stopping .45 Colt defensive rounds to skeet loads suited for dispatching snakes, I decided to test the whole gamut. I also have a PD Poly as a "truck gun" which resides in a cheap air-soft holster by Crosman between the driver's seat, and center console of my Dodge Ram.