I'm celebrating the new holiday, Obamauguration, with a purchase!

[wisconsin]

Got to shoot one a couple of weeks ago at my club. Those first two rounds I shot were with .410. The rest .45. Its something I say that. It got my attention. Congrats Fatman.

[Big Frank]

It looks like 295 or 296 ft/lbs for the 2-1/2" and 508 ft/lbs for the 3". A typical .357 load is 535 ft/lbs out of a longer test barrel so it's about the same as the 3". The 2-1/2" buckshot load is more like a 9mm in power. All are about .36 caliber, but it's 1 bullet from a 9mm/.357 vs. 3 or 5 balls per shot from the Judge.    .410 buckshot used to be hard to find but now they carry it at Gander Mountain. Years ago I ordered a bunch that Olin (Winchester) made exclusively for American Derringer Corporation, because nobody else had it.

[Fatman]

Picked up my Judge today.  $489.99 as promised - same price as the 2 1/2" cylinder model.  Also picked up some Fed .45 LC, one cartridge had the bullet compressed into the case a bit  . No shot as all they had was bird load, and the indoor range only wants buck. 

Smooth action, nice fit and finish and it doesn't feel ungainly in the hand at all - sure looks it, though.

[Fatman]

Update:

I can't find 3" 000 anywhere. Found three five-shell boxes of 2 1/2 at one Wally world, nada in 4 other stops.  Everyone online is out of Winchester, some have S&B, but that's 00 with a rolled crimp.

Found one brand I never heard of, and the name escapes me at the moment.

Guess it's a Cabela's trip for me.

[Big Frank]

I saw 2-1/2" and 3" 000 buck at Gander Mountain last fall. I don't know if they keep it in stock year round. Even #6 and smaller bird shot in my Contender obliterates things like tin cans. It makes a good noise maker for New Year's Eve too.    But I should trade it in for a Judge.

[Sponsor]

[Fatman]

Finally got the Judge to the range, sans any 3" 410.     It does go 'bang' with authority, and both the .45 LC and 2.5" .410 triple ought had surprisingly little felt recoil. I'd be interested to see how it handles the 3" buck. 

Seems the buck flattens out, as the holes in the paper looked more like they were made by hollow points or wadcutters than a rounded projectile - nice, even edged cut hole as opposed to the punched, tattered holes of round noses.  First shot, one pellet dead center at 7 yards, the other two in a relatively straight line diagonally down and to the right, about 2" apart. Next 4 kept the three pellets in about the same grouping, without the straight line weirdness.

.45 LC was not as innacurate as I read it would be.  I used both Ultramax 255 RNFP that I picked up at Dick's (anyone know if this is remanufactured ammo? Box didn't say) and Federal 255 Champion SWCHP.    Federal was tighter, and was more consistent when I moved out to 15 yards.  I'll save a target or two next time I shoot and get more info, this was just a quick shoot before practice w/ the XD.

One little annoyance - the casings did not extract cleanly, but to be fair I did gunk up the cylinders with fifteen rounds of 410 before shooting the Colt. I was going to get a few speed loaders, but if this happens again it would be a moot point.

Being a bear of very little revolver experience, I must say cleaning all that lead and fouling out of five chambers and the barrel was not fun. But I'll put up with it because the Judge is every bit as fun to shoot as I hoped it would be.

Two thumbs up and a Hazcat big toe to boot. 

[PegLeg45]

Glad to hear you had fun....

One of these days I'll talk my b-i-l into loaning me his to take to the range and wring it out for him (he don't shoot it much, just got it for snakes and such).

Congrats.