Gun Tests Results that may help.
August 2012 of Gun Tests Magazine
~
.410 Handguns and Long Guns to Consider for Self Defense
*
About a year ago, Ray Ordorica compared two handguns chambered for the .410 shotshell, the S&W Governor 45 ACP, 45 LC, 410/2.5-inch, $679; and the Taurus Judge Model 4510TKR-3BUL 45 LC/410 2.5-inch, $620. We learned back then that these handguns performed better with smaller shot. Ray first patterned the Gov at 3 yards, which gave a pattern with Winchester Super-X No. 7.5 shot that fit onto a sheet of 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper. At 5 yards from the muzzle, the pattern with the Governor spread to about 18 inches. This was far superior to what we got with shot loads from the Judge, he reported, which would spread to about a foot at only 3 feet. The same held true with the #4 shot. The Governor’s pattern slightly overlapped a sheet of paper with a spotty pattern fired from 9 feet, but at that same range the Judge barely struck the paper. At 15 feet, the pattern differences were astounding. The Smith Governor put all its shot into a 17-inch circle. The Judge put its shot into a 34-inch circle, twice the diameter. The Judge’s pattern had many holes, but the Governor’s pattern was even, and quite impressive. The shot shell results very much favored the Smith & Wesson.
*
With 000 buck from 20 feet, the results from both guns were spotty. He concluded the maximum range for 000 buck is about 20 feet.
*
Our Team Said: The Governor earned a Grade: A mark, followed closely by the Taurus with a B+.
*
More on the Judge
An October 2009 Special Report (that followed up an August 2009 article on the Judge) focused on patterning the Taurus Judge with Nos. 6 and 7.5 shot and with buckshot. The first test of the popular Taurus Judge used No. 4 shot. Using No. 6 and No. 7.5 shot, the pattern density was best with the smallest shot, which had very little of the noted doughnut shape observed with No. 4s. Patterns with No. 7.5s were slightly tighter than with No. 6s. Specifically, at 15 feet they were 28 and 32 inches, respectively.
*
We obtained what are perhaps the most interesting results with the use of three-pellet buckshot, by both Winchester and Sellier & Bellot. We also got some Russian five-pellet loads, but they were 2.75 inches long, and could not be fired in our 2.5-inch-chamber Judge. We first tried the S&B loads at 6 feet. To our surprise we got a 3-inch pattern. Moving back to 15 feet, the three pellets had a spread of only 4 inches. At 20 feet they averaged just less than 5 inches.
We then tried the Winchester three-pellet loads at 15 feet, and they gave considerably more recoil and blast, and went into a larger group of just under 7 inches on average. At 20 feet the Winchester buckshot loads went into 8-inch groups on average. We maintain the maximum range for buckshot is 20 feet.
Our Team Said: We noted a story online that declared the Judge to be a shotgun in your pocket. As we found out, nothing could be further from the truth. We shot the Judge at 6 feet and got a 16-inch pattern. At the same distance a .410 shotgun with slight choke put the entire load into just 4 inches.
*
More at Link Removed
~
Personally with the cost of these handguns, I would consider a pistol grip shotgun in 20/410 configuration. Testing has shown that longer barrels will give tighter groups providing a greater punch when used in a HD situation.
