[Pixelguy]

Interesting new rifle/shotgun crossover weapon called "The Circuit Judge".

Opinions?

http://www.pitchengine.com/free-release.php?id=65435

 

[MonsterMash]

I like it. It would make a good snake charmer type shotgun. It definately goes on the "play gun" list. :

 

[dan3]

That "Circuit Judge" might have some uses - plinking, pest control, etc., BUT - I'd hesitate to use it for anything more than fun !
Just too many questions about it - Does the gap between cylinder and barrel have any type of shroud/cover to protect the shooter"s hand from the flame/blast when fired?
IMHO - a smooth bore .45Colt barrel would be pretty useless accuracy wise - and would a .410 shell print a useful pattern from a rifled barrel? Also, how strong is the action? Will it only handle light "cowboy action" .45 loads or will it take heavier loads?
I will admit though - it does look like it might be fun to fool around with... just don't know if it could be really useful.

 

[sailinghudson25]

.410 shotguns are very anemic. It is difficult to hunt past 20 yard with a .410 shotgun on squirrel.

I really like 45 long colt, it is my favorite handgun caliber. However, for deer hunting it is another extremely anemic cartidge.

A shotgun rifle combo is great for stalk hunting. Where I hunt, there is tons of grouse and a few deer. for $450 I bought a savage 24 in .30-30 / 20 gauge. It is absoltuely perfect for what I want it to do. The .30-30 get the deer down well with-in the range of the iron sights. The 20 gauge doesn't have a tight pattern, it is limited to 20 - 25 yards range of squirrels and rabbits. However, the wide pattern is perfect for close range grouse.

A shotgun -rifle combo is a great hunting tool if used with iron sights. That novelty gun is a novelty gun. Come turkey season or deer season, it will be rusitng in the safe.

Also, 45 long colt doesn't group that well in those long chambers. Instead of the bullet traveling a very small fraction of an inch before hitting the rifling, it travels 1-2 inches before hitting the rifle grooves. That bullet will be pretty trashed by the impact on the grooves. Likely at very best 4-5" groups at 50 yard is my guess.

I would much much rather have a shotgun with rifle sights, than that rossi thing. The trajectory of 20 or 12 gauge smoothbore slug will be about the same as the 45 long colt bullet. I hunt small game in an area riddled with black bears. I take a 20 gauge shotgun. 1st two shots are #5 for squirrels, after that it's slugs. However, black bears are very little threat to humans If not cornered or have trouble finding food.

The only 2 good purposes I heard for that taurus judge are close range pest control 10 yards or less and to kill dangerous saltwater fish before dragging them onto the boat, like mako sharks. That thing is too big and clumsy for concealed carry. There are much better firearms in the 45 long colt caliber.

 

[Beaterar]

Search Judge post one here, many have said its a gimmick firearm and I tend to agree.

 

[levelfarmer]

I really like 45 long colt, it is my favorite handgun caliber. However, for deer hunting it is another extremely anemic cartidge.

Naw Suh, it ain't, unless you restrict yourself to factory ammo. I have taken deer out to 40 yards with a Ruger Old Model Blackhawk 7 1/2 inch barrel with a 255 grain semi-wadcutter over 10 grains of Unique. They drop right where they are. The bullet makes a big hole going in and a big one going out. I use the same load in a Win 94 Trapper. I have never chronographed this load, but the loading manuals say I should be getting 1000 fps from the 7.5 inch barrel, and maybe up to 1300 fps from the rifle. This is actually a rather mild load, but it delivers close to 500 ft. lb of energy at the muzzle. It is demonstrably a good load for 160 pound Georgia Whitetail deer.

If you really want to achieve the full potential of the .45, check this article by John Linebaugh. I don't have a need for most of the heavy loads, but it is interesting to read about the reasons the .45 Colt can be safely loaded to excel .44 Magnum velocities and energy at lower pressures, and less stress on gun and shooter in Ruger and Contender handguns.
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

I don't know about the various "Judges," and I don't want to know about them. I will stick with my S&W and Ruger handguns when it comes to .45.

 

[labotomi]

Naw Suh, it ain't, unless you restrict yourself to factory ammo. I have taken deer out to 40 yards with a Ruger Old Model Blackhawk 7 1/2 inch barrel with a 255 grain semi-wadcutter over 10 grains of Unique. They drop right where they are. The bullet makes a big hole going in and a big one going out. I use the same load in a Win 94 Trapper. I have never chronographed this load, but the loading manuals say I should be getting 1000 fps from the 7.5 inch barrel, and maybe up to 1300 fps from the rifle. This is actually a rather mild load, but it delivers close to 500 ft. lb of energy at the muzzle. It is demonstrably a good load for 160 pound Georgia Whitetail deer.

If you really want to achieve the full potential of the .45, check this article by John Linebaugh. I don't have a need for most of the heavy loads, but it is interesting to read about the reasons the .45 Colt can be safely loaded to excel .44 Magnum velocities and energy at lower pressures, and less stress on gun and shooter in Ruger and Contender handguns.
http://www.customsixguns.com/writings/dissolving_the_myth.htm

I don't know about the various "Judges," and I don't want to know about them. I will stick with my S&W and Ruger handguns when it comes to .45.

While what you say is true, the circuit judge is not designed for the hotter loads you describe, so you would be limited to factory "anemic" loads.

the only judges to be able to handle the hotter loadings are the "raging judge" series

 

[MonsterMash]

But come on guys.....admit it. A rifle revolver is just cool. Reminds me of the old cowboy guns and the rifle revolvers of that era.

 

[MikeK]

Rifled barrels pretty much trash shotgun patterns, and the little .410 has an anemic pattern to begin with. And in short barrels, shot charges just don't build up much velocity. I see these guns as interesting conversation pieces, good snake and vermin control tools, and general fun plinking guns, but not as a serious survival piece.

 

[dcliffhanger]

Revolving rifles and shotguns were a bad idea in the 1800s and they are a bad idea today. Good for novelty use and neat for the gun rack but better ideas came along, like pumps and autos, and they died out as they should have.

think about it. Your off hand/fingers are out there with several rounds of live ammo lined up on them in the loaded cylender. A revolving long gun is an inherent violation of the #1 safety rule.

 

[Silentpoet]

Looks like it is a football bat.

 

[Hill Top]

I know this is an old thread but I have a circuit judge and have taken deer and hogs out to 75yds with the 45LC. Killed **** and coyotes with the 410g (my loads). The circuit judge is not rated for +P pressures but it is not limited to "anemic" loads. My favorite load is 21gr of Lil Gun under a 250gr XTP HP, chrono's at 1360fps. It'll stop anything on 2 or 4 legs. Got six dove with the 410 this morning. It's obvious the nay sayers have not tried one.

 

[roadking]

A friend of mine traded for a new circuit judge. Was shooting it off of a bench and had his left arm along side of the cylinder when it exploded.

Large piece of the cylinder blew through his arm breaking it and leaving a lot of damaged flesh.

A couple of surgery's later and a few months recovery time, all is well other than a nasty looking scared mess on both sides of his arm.

As stated earlier, revolving rifles/shotguns were a bad idea a hundred years ago, and they are still a bad idea.

They have about as much functional use as a sidesaddle for a hog. Stay away from them and get yourself a real and useful firearm.

 

[Russttu]

I have one and it is an interesting rifle. I use it primarily to kill rattlers on the farm but it also serves as a great home defense package. The are some serious 410 defense rounds out there and a 45lc will open up a be all sized hole in someone with a nice hollow point defense rond.

Accurate Witt eh 45 is decent, but I wouldn't count on placing head shots anywhere past 75 yards. But hitting center mass anywhere with a 255 grain bullets at 50 to 100 yards will do some serious damage.

 

[Lourock]

I saw a rossi circuit judge the other day (the "tactical" edition) and thought it might be a decent home defense weapon?

 

[Grumpus Monkus]

Having had a Taurus Judge revolver, I found the ammo expensive (.410 & .45LC) and I couldn't always find .45LC. As stated the .410 is anemic, and again compare the price for a box of .410 vs. 12ga.

Unless you have spare cash and just want a toy I'd pass on the Taurus. Of course my opinion and 1.50 will get you a cup of coffee somewhere.

 

[wildhare]

I just saw on the rossi usa web site they are offering one in 28ga, I kinda like that idea.

 

[Ax2 Run]

taurus cj

I bought one of these the month they came out for $560. Hands down the coolest gun iv ever owned. The sights are great, comes with a scope mount as well. The .410 is fun but gets old fast. The .45 colts however are awesome. Way more accurate than I expected. At 50 yards I made about a 2" grouping. Ended up getting rid of it do to ammo cost, but I would gladly pick up another if they made a .45ACP version.

 

[garrettw1986]

i liked the one i had shot two deer with mine using 45 colt
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f....496630443922.295684.589268922&type=3&theater

 

[CritJoe]

I don't know if this has been covered yet but the circuit judge is made by Rossi not Taurus.