2007/10/05

Misc. Friday Ramblings...

Deputy Jo Lupo, Eureka.
Boys, there is plenty of back door access for everyone. Um, that didn't come out right.

Friday FIREPOWER!
  • Here comes a lighter Judge.
    The latest of the Judge series revolvers from Taurus is their new lighter weight Ultra-Lite Judge, and is the subject of this review. I did not find the original all-steel gun to be cumbersome, but after carrying and firing this Ultra-Lite, I like this version much better.

    By comparison, at 25.1 ounces, the Ultra-Lite weighs 12.9 ounces less than the all-steel Judge. That three-quarters of a pound is significant if carried in a holster all day while fishing, backpacking, or just hiking around the woods. Other than the weight, the Ultra-Lite has all the features of the original Judge. The front sight is a highly visible fiber-optic unit, and the rear a square notch in the top of the frame. It is a fairly rugged and dependable combo, and the sights are very easy to align quickly. The Judge holds five shots, in any combination of .45 Colt or .410 bore shotshells, as the situation warrants. For general woods-roaming in the summertime, I like two shotshells followed up with three .45 Colt loads. The first two can easily dispatch the largest snake, and the last three can handle everything else.

    Shooting the Ultra-Lite Judge, I tested a variety of .45 Colt and .410 bore shotshell loads, including some triple-ought ( 000 ) buckshot. Personally, I prefer birdshot and solid .45 Colt ammo in the Judge, but after many requests and an update on the previous Judge review to include buckshot, I tried some in the Ultra-Lite Judge. The revolver patterned numbers four and six birdshot very well at any range at which a snake could be a danger, clustering a tight pattern at six feet from the muzzle, and still pretty effective out to seven yards, as can be seen in the pictures. With .45 Colt ammunition, this Judge wasn’t as accurate as the earlier gun, but still displayed usable accuracy at close defensive ranges. Seven yard accuracy offhand was pretty good, entirely acceptable for close range social work.

    Interested in just how close the social range of the Judge is, check out this video.

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