Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Thinking of getting a S&W Governor - experience?

I am seriously thinking about purchasing a stainless S&W Governor to use as a "snake" gun while in the field. Does anyone have experience with them? I love my other S&W revolvers, enough that I am willing to pay more for a Smith vs. a Taurus Judge. I am also a lefty, so any experience with holsters would be beneficial also. Thanks

The Governor is an excellent gun. It shoots surprisingly well with 45 Colt. I seldom use mine with 45 ACP, but you have the capability and it comes with the needed moon and "third-moon" clips.

The Governor is surprisingly light for its size. It is compact enough to carry concealed in the winter or with bulky clothing. It's only drawback in this respect is its robust girth. It is only available in 2 1/2" chambering, so there's that.

I carry mine in the tractor all the time during the summer. Unfortunately I've never shot a snake with it because I've not seen very many the past few years. I've had the Governor since it came out. I've had three Judges and none worked, so I applaud your decision to go with the S&W.

Holsters are available from Galco, as was said. They are also made by DeSantis, who I think makes them for S&W themselves. I've got a custom-made one myself and would post a pic of it if PB hadn't done dirty deeds to those of us with accounts and my computer with the pics on it hadn't went south a month or so ago. I like my holster, but if I were to do it again I'd get a S&W if available locally and since it probably wouldn't be, I'd get a DeSantis, which probably would.

FWIW I don't think the version you are looking at is stainless. It is just a silver version of the original. Both are made of Scandium Alloy but do have stainless barrels.

Am never interested in gimmickry? use the money to buy CCI or learn to load snake shot capsules for one of your favorite Smith 38, 357, 44, or 45's.

The .410 is simply superior to the ones you mention. I wish Smith could come out with the 28 Ga. version, but the ATF wouldn't allow it at the last minute, after having approved it initially.

Hawk, I think the NFA issue is with smooth bore pistols and revolvers. It can be done, but with the paperwork and a $200 tax.

If I bought a Governor the bore would be really rough and I'd have to fire lap it a couple hundred times...

Bother making which? To my knowledge all the Judge models are rifled.

They wouldn't bother making the 28 gauge model if it were strictly an NFA item in the US.

The .410 is simply superior to the ones you mention. I wish Smith could come out with the 28 Ga. version, but the ATF wouldn't allow it at the last minute, after having approved it initially.

True, but for snake shootin they'll all do just fine with the added bonus of having a coat pocket full of speed loaders with accurate SD/big game loads for one of the Smiths.

LOL, six two and 255 aint that big, but yes, we gotta meet someday, you're ever through here bounce a rock offa my doghouse.

He's bigger than the stats would indicate!

I think they have some sort of policy decision that says there has to be a non-shotgun caliber that will fit in it for it to also accept a shotgun round. Biggest that fits that rule is a .410/.45. Basically, it's a loophole, because it's (in theory) a .45 Colt with a long enough chamber so as to fit a .410 shotgun round. If it were marketed as a handgun .410 shotgun, it would be an NFA item. That's why they can't have any large gauges, because there aren't any standard rounds that match up with a shotgun shell. Even if there were, it wouldn't be legal, because said standard round would exceed .50 caliber, which is barred also by US law in anything but a shotgun shell.

Then somebody needs to get busy on the 54 Special revolver cartridge. Brass case, 209 primer, a 425 grain 54 caliber Great Plains Bullet and about 120 grains of 2F Black to get it rolling.