Judge 45/410 Beat/Ptarmigan

[JPhunt]

Is this a bad idea?

I am planning on taking a Taurus Judge 45/410 to cold bay for bear defense and to possible shoot a ptarmigan or two. From what I have found it is legal to shoot ptarmigan. 10-15 yds would likely be max range. 45 might not be the best defense but if the bear takes 5 45 colts it deserves the snack.

 

[rodney482]

I would find the hottest 45 lc you can find with a hard cast bullet

That thing shoot 410 slugs?

 

[VernAK]

Cold Bay, Alaska bears are large brown bears ala Kodiak. 410 slugs would have very minimal affect on a bear of that size. Assuming that you are waterfowl hunting, my choice would be my waterfowl gun at very close range. Very close! For ptarmigan the Judge might work but so will a sling shot.

 

[chinook907]

Cold Bay, Alaska bears are large brown bears ala Kodiak. 410 slugs would have very minimal affect on a bear of that size. Assuming that you are waterfowl hunting, my choice would be my waterfowl gun at very close range. Very close! For ptarmigan the Judge might work but so will a sling shot.

Agreed. And a guy I used to work with had to kill a big one (brown bear) with steel shot that literally got in his blind with him. It was pretty western for awhile and he put a lot of steel into it at point blank range.

 

[rodney482]

Agreed. And a guy I used to work with had to kill a big one (brown bear) with steel shot that literally got in his blind with him. It was pretty western for awhile and he put a lot of steel into it at point blank range.

Which is like a slug

 

[chinook907]

Which is like a slug

I'm not sure what you mean. Please explain.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

He is saying at 5 feet the bbs are so close together that it basically acts like a slug. I would much rather be shooting a bear at 5 feet with 12 gauge 2 shot then a .410 slug.
Not sure if it's the same guy but just south of anchorage some guys were duck hunting and saw a must bust from the brush with a brown bear hot on its tail. The bear saw the duck hunters and went for them. Think they shot it around 6 or 7 times and it died in their blind with them. All with bird shot.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[chinook907]

He is saying at 5 feet the bbs are so close together that it basically acts like a slug. I would much rather be shooting a bear at 5 feet with 12 gauge 2 shot then a .410 slug.
Not sure if it's the same guy but just south of anchorage some guys were duck hunting and saw a must bust from the brush with a brown bear hot on its tail. The bear saw the duck hunters and went for them. Think they shot it around 6 or 7 times and it died in their blind with them. All with bird shot.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Same guy(s) kwack. Small bull ran right past (in front of) their blind. A good sized brownie was right behind, and stopped & stuck his head in the blind. I've got pics somewhere of the demolished blind, bear, etc, but they're not mine.

But yeah the .410 slugs aren't supposed to do much.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Taurus judges are extremely low quality guns. My dad has 3 of them.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

He is saying at 5 feet the bbs are so close together that it basically acts like a slug. I would much rather be shooting a bear at 5 feet with 12 gauge 2 shot then a .410 slug.
Not sure if it's the same guy but just south of anchorage some guys were duck hunting and saw a must bust from the brush with a brown bear hot on its tail. The bear saw the duck hunters and went for them. Think they shot it around 6 or 7 times and it died in their blind with them. All with bird shot.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I’d hate to have to try and kill an energetic bear with bird shot. F that.

 

[SpookySpectre308]

If you're dead set on the judge Buffalo Bore has ammo in stock. This post does remind me of what a guide once told me about having a .357 sidearm:

"Did you file the front sight off so it doesn't hurt as much when the bear shoves it up your @ss?"

DANGEROUS GAME HEAVY 45 COLT +P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

BUFFALO-BARNES LEAD-FREE 45 Colt +P Field Proven pistol and handgun ammo. Maximum firepower bullets. Best ammunition for pistols and handguns for sale. Buffalo Bore. Strictly big bore. Strictly Business.

www.buffalobore.com

 

[woods89]

Same guy(s) kwack. Small bull ran right past (in front of) their blind. A good sized brownie was right behind, and stopped & stuck his head in the blind. I've got pics somewhere of the demolished blind, bear, etc, but they're not mine.

But yeah the .410 slugs aren't supposed to do much.

That would be what you would call a shot of adrenelin............

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you're dead set on the judge Buffalo Bore has ammo in stock. This post does remind me of what a guide once told me about having a .357 sidearm:

"Did you file the front sight off so it doesn't hurt as much when the bear shoves it up your @ss?"

DANGEROUS GAME HEAVY 45 COLT +P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

BUFFALO-BARNES LEAD-FREE 45 Colt +P Field Proven pistol and handgun ammo. Maximum firepower bullets. Best ammunition for pistols and handguns for sale. Buffalo Bore. Strictly big bore. Strictly Business.

www.buffalobore.com

Did a “guide” really tell you that??? Or did you just repeat what you read on the internet??? Only asking because you are about the 300th person I’ve heard/seen claim that a “guide” told them that exact same thing.

 

[SpookySpectre308]

Did a “guide” really tell you that??? Or did you just repeat what you read on the internet??? Only asking because you are about the 300th person I’ve heard/seen claim that a “guide” told them that exact same thing.

Said it over dinner to my father and I. We both thought it was funny enough to share. Guess it makes the rounds.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

With the right handloads and hard cast bullet, the .45LC can exceed .44 mag performance. However, not sure the Taurus Judge platform could handle the pressures. Those loads are typically reserved for Ruger BH, SBH, and SW large frame revolvers.

My brother and I just returned from elk hunt in MT bear country, and the Buffalo Bore .44mag bear defense rounds would not eject from his Taurus Tracker. However, he found some equally powerful Underwood hard cast defense rounds that worked perfectly.

 

[zscott]

If you already own the judge that is one thing but if you are looking at a versatile defense/small game gun to carry look elsewhere.
CCI makes birdshot for most handgun calibers. They aren’t super reliable for semi autos but work great for revolvers. A .44 mag revolver allows you to have some hot ammo for bears but still shoot the .44 special shot shells.

even better get a .454 or .460 and shoot your choice of hot round for bears and then use .45 colt shot shells for the birds.