.410 Revolvers: Are they Really Good for Nothin’?

The.410 revolver was a huge success upon its introduction. But do they serve a purpose? The Judge, Governor, and the Public Defender. This is not a joke about “walked into a bar”, this is the first true shotgun revolver. However, many people were quick to dismiss the idea as useless. Five rounds of buckshot at a time is quite intimidating. However, others will point out that even the most powerful.410 loads are rarely used for larger game than turkeys. So, who’s right? Is the.410 revolver still a viable option in the gun market? Or was it a marketing gimmick that gained more popularity than it should? A.410 Taurus Judge..410 Remo’s intended purposeAs evident by the marketing surrounding.410 revolvers and the rhetoric of their supporters, these guns were purchased and sold with self defense in mind. The.410 revolver was quickly adopted by dedicated carriers who saw it as a compact, powerful, yet versatile weapon. The idea was so popular that defensive.410 loads were created for handguns. Although the Taurus Judge was not the first.410 revolver to be created, it was the most popular model that drove Smith & Wesson and other companies to create the model. An advertisement for the Taurus Judge.410 revolver promoting its use for self defense. Photo by Taurus USA on Twitter. Both Taurus and S&W made it clear in their marketing that they believed the.410 revolver was useful for self-defense, both at home and concealed. The revolvers could chamber both.45 Long Colt and various.410 shotshells, as per their advertisements. The.410 revolvers are large-framed and have long barrels and cylinders. They are also easy to carry. They are much smaller than any other weapon that can be chambered for.410, except some derringers. However, they are still very compact when compared to modern CCW options. Although some people can conceal larger handguns, they are simply too large for most people. It might be easier to make compromises in concealability and comfort if.410 revolvers had more merits than their bulk. However, when it comes down to defensive uses, they don’t. A Taurus Judge.410 revolver versus a Springfield Hellcat. Photo by HandgunHero. In a previous post, we examined how even the most powerful defensive loads produced subpar results compared to larger gauge shotguns. Although they have some advantages, such as lower recoil and better protection for the home, there are not many situations where they are a superior choice. The results are almost the same when comparing.410 with.410..410 buckshot is not considered to be valid for self-defense and.410 buckshot lacks the spread to achieve the hit probability advantage over larger-bore shotguns. .410 slugs are less effective than.45 LC. This means that even if you carry a.410 revolver to defend yourself, their ability chamber.45 LC makes them the best choice for weapons of this type. There are better defensive handgun rounds than this so it begs the question of why anyone would choose to carry one. The.410 Revolver Niche. Although I believe these guns were popularized due to misleading marketing, it is not entirely useless. The.410 revolver is not the best weapon to defend against other humans. This is true regardless of how much ammunition you have. Many Americans live in areas infested by dangerous snake species. Carrying a weapon to defend against them might be more important than other, less serious dangers. The Snake Charmer has been a popular choice for many years for those who are affected by this problem. Snake Charmers were single-shot break action shotguns that could be used to kill pests and varmints. They were not the most portable guns, though, as they measured in at nearly 30-inches in length. They were also limited in their one-shot capability and required that the hammer be cocked before firing. This means that a snake can bite you before you can see it. A.410 Snake Charmer. For those who patrol snake country, I can see the advantages of carrying a.410 revolver. One of these revolvers could kill a snake in a matter of seconds if the chamber is filled with birdshot. The Judge revolver is much more portable than other revolvers. They can be carried openly for easy access and are certainly smaller than a Snake Charmer. This versatility claim is still valid, as it allows one to load or carry a wider range of ammunition. These guns were intended to be used as defensive tools against human threats. While they can be deadly, that doesn’t mean that there are better guns and ammo types. You don’t have to own one of these guns for the novelty. They can be fun to shoot. However, if you use a revolver.410 for CCW or home defense it may be time to get something else. If the number one threat is your safety, it’s probably time to get something else. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be found in MOA. Perfect for long-range shooting! Get free targets