Need some advice: Need to get a snake gun. I like the idea of a .410 round although don't want to pay for a S&W Governor. Who has a Taurus Judge and are they OK?

I have one and really haven’t shot it much. However, after a couple of years I’ve had no problems.

45 with cci shot shells works great or 44 special cci shot shells in a 44mag probably 40cal or 9mm also

I've got one and shot it a lot, but I bought mine to shoot banana spiders and rats/mice off of the tractor with. It works fine, but keep in mind that shot opens up fast in a short barrel. When I do kill a rattlesnake to eat I prefer a 22 hp in the caveza.

within reasonable distance (6') they work just fine.

A Judge will work and I looked at them but went with a Bond Arms Rowdy 410. Less money, smaller and I can buy other caliber barrels for about 150 bucks brand new. I currently have the 22 barrel on it full of rat shot just for snakes. It does just fine on them.

Had a Judge and hated it. Always had two cylinders that would "hiccup" a little when drawing back the hammer or cycling through to choose a different round. Sent it back to Taurus, and they fixed it to where only one cylinder did it, but not with enough consistency to isolate the problem. Got tired of dealing with it, sold it at a loss, and bought a Governor. It's 10 times the gun that the Taurus was.

The Taurus was a decent piece for the price, but I was never confident in it. The governor I was confident in after the first day.

I had a Judge that I kept in my tackle box when I was living in East Tx. I killed 100’s of snakes and other vermin with it while running the rivers. The only problem with the judge is it’s weight. It’s made for leaving in a vehicle. I wouldn’t want to carry it.

Yes it is, but o prefer a 22 pistol with rat shot . Just because the Judge kicks like a mule

I borrowed one from a friend for a week to try out. IMHO, I couldn't see any advantage over carrying my 4" .357 or .44 mag revolvers.

I also have two compact 9mm semi-autos that DO reliably cycle with snake shot, so I often stack snake shot over hollow point rounds.

Rocks work very well but they aren't as much fun.

Love mine. Ability to shot 45 long colt out of it doesn't suck either. Range is the issue. Hitting a rattlers head at ten feet not going to worky too much. Realize what a rattler can and cannot do and distance it appropriately.

If we didn't have a hoe or shovel nearby, we used rocks after hitting them in the head with a stick and that's way more fun.

IMO, the Judge is a gimmick that does nothing well. It will shoot 410 shells, but with the rifled barrel, the shot spreads quickly. It will shoot 45's, but with the long chanber for the 410, there is a huge bullet jump. You would be better off getting a .22, .357, .44, or .45. and loading it with rat shot loads. The shot will still spread quickly, but when you load it with the appropriate rounds, it will do that well. I have multiple .357 pistols and load my own 357 rat shot. It does a great job, but I still usually just load it with standard 158 gr HP and shoot snakes with that. If I see a pig before a snake, I don't have to rotate the cylinder to get to an appropriate load.

I have a friend that is an avid arrowhead hunter. He roves South TX for miles & miles all year searching for points & as you can imagine, comes across a LOT of rattlers this time of year. He carries a small LCR chambered in .38 SPCL loaded with shot capsules. Additionally the little revolver has a laser installed. He's says this is the best snake dispatcher he has ever come up with. Light & pocket-handy with easy head pin-point aiming at close range.

I have killed hundreds of rattlers in my life. Grew up around Sweetwater. A shotgun or the shot shells work great but I never had a problem with just a 22 pistol. It might take a few extra shots to hit them but it’s not like a bear charging you or anything. I’ve killed more with rocks and sticks than anything. I never have understood the need for a snake gun.

My only complaint seems to be isolated to me because I’ve never heard anyone complain about, but.. the Ergos don’t fit me very well. The pistol recoils pretty hard with shotshells and it drives the back of the trigger guard into my middle finger hard enough that it is painful to shoot. Shooting an occasional snake or varmint is fine but for, it isn’t a range toy.

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Guess I'm the only Judge fan on this forum? Carry one in my truck for the specific purpose of dispatching hogs and rattlers. Has done a fine job on both many occasions. Yes it's best done from under 10 feet in both cases. I keep two .410 and three Long Colt loads at all times. Only takes a second to spin the round I want under the hammer for the circumstance.

No Sir, I like mine. It's a banana spider killing son of a gun.

East made a custom leg holster for me that slides easily from my right hip when walking, to the top of my leg while sitting on the tractor. Good retention and just a fun set up. Shooting rats, mice, and 8 legged demons from a tractor is just plain fun.

Never fired the Judge but did shoot the S&W Governor both in .410 and .45LC. Pretty cool gun.

Another fan here, and keep it loaded just like you. 2.5 in #9 shot works wonders on snakes.

Evidently, only real men like the Judge.

I can see how you'd draw that conclusion...

I've owned one for years; my son owns one as well. We love 'em for snake and hog dispatching duties. We carry ours in shoulder harness rigs and don't find the weight to be an issue. Both are 2 1/2 inch chambers so the recoil is not objectionable. We have them equipped with lasers, so as ;long as we don't try to push the range with them, they are accurate enough for our needs. Great gun to carry in a vehicle or to hide out in the bedside table. We've had no problems with their functioning, and have shot everything from #9 shot to 45 Colt. So, I guess the short answer to your original question is "YES."