Taurus Judge & deer hunting

[Wheezy50]

Does anyone here have experience with the "Judge" and deer hunting with it? I've been wanting to get a handgun to hunt with, can't decide between a Judge and some other revolvers, maybe .357 in 4 or 6" barrel.

The Box O' Truth #41 - The Taurus Judge Vs. The Box O' Truth - Page 1

This is some information I found in a old thread. I didn't really find a lot of information on how a .410 slug, fired from a 4" handgun would handle a deer sized target. I would be using a slug, not the buckshot or mixed buckshot/flat pellets.

I would assume this to be a 40 yard or less weapon?

Maybe the .45LC would be better for deer and then some home defense rounds for the nightstand?

 

[Mgderf]

Judge is a fun gun to shoot, and I would trust it for home defense with the proper loads, despite what many on here will say.

Hunting deer with a Judge pistol? I would not recommend it, unless you can sneak up within about 20 yards or so. I don't know if I'd try 40 yards without MUCH practice. Even then...?

 

[Max Volume]

Judge is a fun gun to shoot, and I would trust it for home defense with the proper loads, despite what many on here will say.

Hunting deer with a Judge pistol? I would not recommend it, unless you can sneak up within about 20 yards or so. I don't know if I'd try 40 yards without MUCH practice. Even then...?

Agreed. I wouldn't use a .410 for deer, as a matter of fact it was illegal to use for deer in Indiana for eons until fairly recently.

There are some possible explainations for the reversal. Insurance companies are one of the largest lobbyist groups. They do not like paying claims for vehicle/deer collisions. It has been said they have more control over deer seasons etc. than sound biological reasoning. According to some folks thinking, a deer that lies in the woods for a couple of days is still a dead deer thus reducing the size of the herd.

You can kill a deer with .410 with a very well placed shot at close range. But the same can be said for a .22 rimfire.

 

[Bottlefed]

I don't think the barrel passes proper length requirements

 

[Wheezy50]

I don't think the barrel passes proper length requirements

You can get a Judge with 4" barrel. That's the minimum length.

 

[LD36]

I think if you want a Judge to hunt deer with, the Raging Judge Magnum is the only way to go. .410/45C/454 Casull. I read an article in Guns and Ammo about it and the author said he has taken many deer with the 454 Casull with no problems

 

[Hookeye]

On the G&A article, the author stated he shot .454 on many deer no problem, or he shot .454 from a Judge on many deer with no problem?

Just because the .454 has what it takes, that doesn't mean the .454 Judge does too.

Adjustable sights and a good trigger, decent sight radius........they all help.

I would not buy a Judge to deer hunt with, but if one had already purchased one...........

If going new gun purchase for deer, I'd opt for a Ruger SBH 7.5" .44 mag.

.357 works but is a bit light for my tastes. .44 mag up to 240 grainers are not bad on the shooter, and work good on deer.

 

[Hookeye]

I'm not sure one could hunt deer with the .410 in the Judge.
Is a shotshell considered a cartridge (by DNR view)?
Eh, the .45 Colt should shoot better anyway.
What is the performance drop in a handgun bbl length vs shotgun when using .410?
I know some kids who hunted with .410 shotguns and dropped deer out to 50 yards.
Seems to work OK to that distance.

 

[Mark 1911]

I would not hunt deer with a .357 pistol. I know its legal, but I've shot deer with a .44 mag pistol and did not like the results either time. A rifle or shotgun is a quicker, cleaner kill IMHO.

 

[Bottlefed]

I didn't know they made a 4inch judge. The question I have is just because its possible why would you want to use it for deer?

 

[Seancass]

Don't use .410 anything on a deer.

I think you could use .45LC hunting ammo(NOT COWBOY LOADS), but run them thru a cronograph to check their energy. I would want energy above good .357 hunting rounds. Good handloads would be better. Shoot several boxes thru it at the range to make sure you know where it hits. Several Boxes! Not one.

Don't use .410 Anything on deer! It's made for small birds!

Oh and since others have already said it, just don't buy a judge for hunting! Hunting is serious and you need the appropriate tool!

 

[Mgderf]

Agreed. I wouldn't use a .410 for deer...

I did not say I wouldn't use a .410ga on a whitetail, just not a Judge. I suppose it could be done with a slug, but not my cup of tea.

On the other hand, I have a Mossberg 500 in .410 bore that has taken more than a half dozen deer, and not one of them ran more than 20 yards.

I would use a .410 again for whitetail, with confidence of a clean kill, with a well placed shot.

I hunt deer with a variety of calibers, and platforms. It really comes down to what "trips my trigger" that day.

BTW- My Judge has a 4" barrel, and thus would be deer legal. I just choose not to use it as such. Too many other choices.

I've taken Indiana whitetail with a 4" barreled .357magnum and an 8-3/8" barreled .454Casull.
I've taken them with .410ga, 20ga, and 12ga. I've taken them with a .45cal and a .50cal smokepoles.
Crossbow and 500S&W.

As I stated above, I would not hesitate to use a .410ga on a deer, just not from a Judge.

 

[kludge]

DO NOT use .410 slugs from a handgun to hunt deer. That little 1/5th to 1/4th oz slug (87 to 109 grains) barely has enough power for deer hunting when fired from a shotgun barrel at 1700fps. At 900fps from a handgun, you're talking about .380 ACP ballistics.

The .45 Colt is fine for deer hunting, but I would buy a proper gun with a 6"-8" barrel. A 255 grain LSWC at 950-1000fps is all you need for deer. Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger Redhawk, Ruger Super Redhawk, S&W Model 25, S&W Model 625,

 

[Mgderf]

DO NOT use .410 slugs from a handgun to hunt deer. That little 1/5th to 1/4th oz slug (87 to 109 grains) barely has enough power for deer hunting when fired from a shotgun barrel at 1700fps.

I'll add a disclaimer here.
The property I have permission to hunt is small. I mean REALLY small. It is a stretch of hillside (70% grade), that I could literally throw a rock across. It's long enough for me to get a shot no more than about 55 yards at the very most due to vegetation and terrain.
Deer rarely bed on this property, but it is a highway of sorts, so patience pays off year after year.

This past season, my brother took a buck one day and a doe the next on this property. I came in two days behind him. Sitting in the same tree stand I got two doe in 6 seconds using a model 92 Puma .454 Casull lever. My longest of the two shots was 25 FEET!

My point here is, know your equipment, and your limitations. I would not take the .410 out for a 150 yard shot. That's what a rifle, or a big(ger) bore shotgun is for.

The vast majority of my shots on whitetail are less than 30 yards. Quite a few less than 10 yards. I have the luxury of being able to use a smaller caliber firearm, and still have confidence in it's ability to do the task I'm asking of it.
Is a .410ga optimal for taking whitetail? No,. but it is capable, under the right circumstances.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

For deer, I would choose the .45 colt over .410.

My judge keyholes the one jacketed round type I tried. Don't remember the brand.

It shoots the winchester cowboy unjacketed .45 colt great, but I don't think I would want to hunt with it. I don't think it has enough pop.

There was a .45 Colt super redhawk in the classifieds somewhere up north. I think you can put pretty hot rounds in the super redhawks, up around 44 mag level ftlbs.

If I shoot something, I need to give it a clean death. I need all the edge I can get and at 40 yards it's hard to beat a 12 gauge.

 

[kludge]

The Ruger Blackhawk and Ruger Redhawk in .45 Colt can take "Ruger Only" loads. The Ruger Super Redhawk is chambered in .454 Casull which will also fire .45 Colt.

 

[Seancass]

My point here is, know your equipment your limitations. I would not take the .410 out for a 150 yard shot. That's what a rifle, or a big(ger) bore shotgun is for.

The vast majority of my shots on whitetail are less than 30 yards. Quite a few less than 10 yards. I have the luxury of being able to use a smaller caliber firearm, and still have confidence in it's ability to do the task I'm asking of it.
Is a .410ga optimal for taking whitetail? No,. but it is capable, under the right circumstances.

I'm going to go ahead and argue this last point. I don't think the.410 is ever appropriate for deer! The projectiles are not designed to penetrate! Even the self defense rounds are not solid enough to punch to the vitals of a deer. Hand-in-hand with too soft I'd too little energy/speed. A big, soft 12 ga slug can mash it's way thru, but The .410 will burn up all it's energy in the shoulder and not kill the poor thing before It runs off the property.

 

[LD36]

On the G&A article, the author stated he shot .454 on many deer no problem, or he shot .454 from a Judge on many deer with no problem?

Just because the .454 has what it takes, that doesn't mean the .454 Judge does too.

Adjustable sights and a good trigger, decent sight radius........they all help.

I would not buy a Judge to deer hunt with, but if one had already purchased one...........

If going new gun purchase for deer, I'd opt for a Ruger SBH 7.5" .44 mag.

.357 works but is a bit light for my tastes. .44 mag up to 240 grainers are not bad on the shooter, and work good on deer.

The article was a review of the Raging Judge Magnum. He said he has taken many deer with the Raging Judge Magnum using the 454 round. I personally have a Raging Bull in 454 and it is extremely accurate and because of its heavy construction, barrel ports and specialty grips, it is surprisingly mild in recoil. I will try to find the article and reference it. The author had nothing but good things to say about it if memory serves correctly.

 

[Wheezy50]

Thanks for all the replies/info. I might have to keep searching for a deer handgun.

I just thought it might be a good reason or excuse to buy a judge, the fact that I could deer hunt with it too. I guess "could" and "should" are two different things.

I never really was wanting a .410 specifically for deer hunting, but just a dual purpose for the judge.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Thanks for all the replies/info. I might have to keep searching for a deer handgun.

I just thought it might be a good reason or excuse to buy a judge, the fact that I could deer hunt with it too. I guess "could" and "should" are two different things.

I never really was wanting a .410 specifically for deer hunting, but just a dual purpose for the judge.

If you need an excuse to buy a judge, do it because it's cool! I wouldn't hunt deer with mine unless I had to, but I'm not looking to get rid of it either. I really like mine (night court judge), you just have to be realistic about what you expect out of it.