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

I love mine. Had a Judge before the Governor came out. You couldn't give me another Judge. Galco makes a holster for the Gov.

I was handling a Governor at the store a few weeks ago. Felt like quality. I was tempted to buy it. What is it you like about it?

Smooth action, and the ability to shoot either 45 Colt & 45 acp in it also. And I like the fact that the Gov. has a front night sight. I use mine mine mainly for killing rattlesnakes at the Ranch, when I have to get out at night and open a gate. A Factory Skeet load of Remington # 9 shot kills them graveyard dead!

Are these a smoothbore?

No. They are rifled.

Yeah, but look at the rifling. It’s very shallow, has a very low twist rate, and lacks sharpness. I think they did it that way on purpose. It satisfies the legal requirement that it be rifled, while not overly interfering with a shot pattern.

I don't own one, but a buddy and I spent an afternoon shooting one. We took a few pics of results of the self-defense ammo:

Here is a pic of the box. The first test was done at 10 feet:


The tear in the 8-ring in the upper left is the where the wad went through:


Here's the same ammo at 25 feet:


And, finally at 50 feet:


We also tested (but failed to take pics of) some garden-variety .410 ammo. Unfortunately I can't remember what brand or what size shot. We were more interested in the size of the shot patterns. I tend to recall that the patterns were very consistent to the size of the self-defense ammo--just more pellets, obviously.

I don't know if this is of any use to you, but there it is...

Apparently, the tightest shot groups out of this gun are from 000 buck, and that due to the balls being lined up, back to back.

Yeah, this would be pretty devastating. Penetration on these is from 10 to 15 inches in ballistic gelatin.

It just seems to me that a .410 shot load for something at snake range would be pretty violent plus with that much cylinder it would weigh a lot more than any of your other handguns. Have you tried the CCI capsule shot loads out of say a .38 Special or larger? I never thought the .22 shot cartridges were worth having, but I've even read good reports about the .22 Magnum shot loads on snakes.

I always saw these as a gimmick. Too heavy and ineffective,inaccurate at any distance to be something I want to carry. I would much rather have a Performance Center Pro Series Model 60 for self defense,even against snakes.

I love mine. It's limited use, basically a bushhogging gun. Coupled with a hill people gear chest pack it can't be beat for killing rats and snakes while bushhogging.

I play around shooting 45 acp with it often and it's easy enough to keep them on 12x12 steel at 25 yards but I've never shot it for accuracy or with "real" 45 ammo.

I fail to see why a 4 inch 44 magnum plus shot shells would be inferior? They are a gimmick in my opinion.

I dont need a snake gun, but; if I did the 410 offers more variety of loads and shot weight than a 44. I also dont see the need for a tight pattern to shoot a snake that is only a few feet away. I would want to be assured that there was enough spread. Again, since I dont have this problem I am guessing.

The big advantage I see is the size and novelty of a 410 revolver - FUN FACTOR. I can see buying one just for fun. It helps to dream up some rational or excuse to carry it round.

I think S&W is missing a bet with the snub nose only configuration. I would like to see a 4 to 5 inch barrel and that barrel could be threaded for a choke tube. T/C had a good screw on design for their 410. I could perhaps dream up some possible use with a little more barrel and some choke. Taurus offers longer barrels. I dont want one that bad. Not to criticize Taurus, but for a marginal call like this, a useful configured S&W might tip the scales for me. If Taurus did a screw choke, that would make a difference.

I had the TC in .44 Magnum way back in the day, and it did have a screw in choke tube, but it also served to nullify the effect of the rifling, and was designed for that purpose mainly. I imagine the one for the 410 was also designed for that.

A 445 supermag Maybe thats a .444? Heck Now I cannot recall? Anyway they can be filled with 9-11 grains of unique and then tap a felt wad into the case above the powder to keep it against the primer. Fill remaining space with .7.5 or 9 shot. Cover over the top with a swipe of silicone bath calk. If I recall Correctly it's the same amount as a 410 shell after the first fire-forming shot from your cylinder. Of course this is for a 44 mag revolver the use of the .444 supermag shells to to increase the case length as much as possible. I have also used Krag brass and other .44 based shells. These 445 supermag are plug and play no trimming or cutting cases needed. It's an astonishing effective load, cannot imagine being hit with this as a home intruder. A head shot straight in the face would immobilize any human instantly without (unlikely) killing them. Although missing teeth and permanent blindness would be a very likely result. You would have 6 of these in the cylinder which is a pile of shot flying out of that gun! Even shooting somebody in the hand would rip the flesh apart!

This will be a very substantial and impressive load to 10-20 feet. I've killed grouse with it and plenty of smaller things. It will destroy an aluminum can with the amount of pellets hitting it. I won a Judge at a Pheasants Forever show. Shot a box of shells and sold it right after that. The Pattern was okay at exactly 5 feet, closer and it was one big lump of shot with the wad. further and the shot spun to the sides so that at 15 feet you might not even get a single hole in an 8.5-11 sheet of paper. My son shot a full cylinder at a pop can 20 feet away and never hit it once That gun is an epic fail of the firearms industry!

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.

The 44 Mag. shot shells simply don't hold as much as a 45 Colt, let alone a .410 which is superior in every respect. There is nothing wrong with a 629 loaded with shot...if you don't have a superior Governor loaded with real shotgun shells.

Some of the .410 shotgun shells are not for the faint-of-heart when lit off in a relatively light revolver. The .22 is hardly worthy of consideration and the .38 is simply vastly inferior in payload.

I wish the Judge worked, but it doesn't. As such, I wish that Smith would come out with a 3" chambered model. The Judge chambered in 3" with a five shot cylinder and 3" barrel is very handy. You combine that with Smith's Scandium frame and you would have something. 45 ACP capability is nice but I'd rather have the 3" .410 if I could trade. The Judge seems heavier but is more compact due to its slimmer profile, being five-shot.

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.

When I handled the Governor at the shop a few weeks ago for the first time, I was struck by how light it felt in my hand compared to what I expected.

I don't recall the weights, but a Governor "feels" lighter than a Judge of comparable size. It also feels a lot lighter than say a Mountain Gun which is approximately the same size. I'm thinking the Governor is about 30 oz., but I may be mistaken. It is a sporty proposition somewhat, with heavy .410's. I've never shot any really heavy 45 Colt's in it, and won't, but I've never experienced uncomfortable recoil with them or 45 auto'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.

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.

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...

Taurus wouldn't bother making it if it was only available as an NFA item in the US.

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.

Apparently we're talking about two different things - sorry for the confusion.

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...Gunner, you gotta be as big as they say you are. You're the only poster that consistently talks about carrying more than one handgun at a time, along with speed loaders or extra magazines. Probably doesn't even "print" on your clothing. I gotta meet you one day.

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!

Yeah, but You and Bobby are fast ;]

I did the exact thing MD is laughing about, went up to Ft. Chaffee last Winter to visit some old Buds passing through, under my Carhartt coat was a 4" barreled Colt Trooper 357 mag with four speedloaders in the left coat pocket, those high-tech cutting edge boys woulda laughed me off base had they seen what I was carrying.

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.

Sounds cool, but I think it's against Federal law to have a gun that accepts cartridges with bullets of over .50 caliber, except for slugs for shotgun shells. The Feds have chosen, in their infinite wisdom, to classify such weapons as destructive devices rather than as firearms. I think the exceptions are grandfathered-in rifles like old .600 NE elephant guns and such. No newly made firearms, though.

I wonder about that determination. I brought this up at an internal Wa. State firearm training class for instructors. It backs up your statement at least in Wa state law. They explained that over 50 caliber was illegal to hunt with except black powder. I asked about a 12 guage slugs which are 72 caliber? I was told shot guns are exempt as well as Black Powder. Then I asked the definition of a Rifle and was told it was any blah blah blah with a rifled bore. So then I asked again what about a shotgun with a slug from a shotgun with a rifled barrel or rifled choke tube? A shotgun becomes a rifle if the barrel is rifled. No question about that and no debate according the the Attorney General they asked about this.

Ah ha........ That had them completely stumped. I do not think this is a federal law, I think it's by state. There are countless Searcy 700 nitro express double rifles made brand new today and soldbrand new today that are available pretty easy if you have the big bucks to buy one!

The federal regulation has an exception for firearms with cartridge greater than .50 caliber that are "generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes". That's how the new 700 Nitro express avoids NFA status and the Ithaca Street Sweeper does not.

The Governor isn't my first choice for hunting, but it would probably be more than accurate enough to kill a deer. As for hoodlum-shooting, it is more accurate than you would think and at combat distances it would be just as good as a model 25 with 45 Colts or ACP's. I am not selling them, but they are good guns and most knocking them have no experience with them. I'm certainly cool with anybody who wants to stay with what they already have, but these are viable alternatives with added advantages.

Interesting. I guess you'd know, given your profession. I sure thought over .50 caliber cartridge firearms were classified as destructive devices, apart from shotguns.

Read all the way to the end (emphasis mine):

§ 479.11 Meaning of terms.

Destructive device.
(a) Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas (1) bomb, (2) grenade, (3) rocket having a propellent charge of more than 4 ounces, (4) missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, (5) mine, or (6) similar device; (b) any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter, except a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Director finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes; and (c) any combination of parts either designed or intended for use in converting any device into a destructive device as described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this definition and from which a destructive device may be readily assembled. The term shall not include any device which is neither designed or redesigned for use as a weapon; any device, although originally designed for use as a weapon, which is redesigned for use as a signaling, pyrotechnic, line throwing, safety, or similar device; surplus ordnance sold, loaned, or given by the Secretary of the Army under 10 U.S.C. 4684(2), 4685, or 4686, or any device which the Director finds is not likely to be used as a weapon, or is an antique or is a rifle which the owner intends to use solely for sporting purposes.

Give them a lot of arbitrary leeway.

I ordered the Governor. Hopefully it will arrive in a week

I hope you enjoy it and it is all you expect. Let us know.

Same here Ethan, I'm looking forward to a range report with particular interest in 45 ACP & 45 Colt at 25 yards or more,

I've not shot it for accuracy, but I've put a lot of 45 acp through mine at a 12x12 steel plate at 25 yards. No problem keeping them all on it rapid fire but again, just blasting away, not really trying to be precise. Haven't put any Colt through it.

When I practice with mine, it's generally from 7 yards. No problems up close like that. The sights on the Governor are certainly not a strong point.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...889/handgun-shotshell-loads#Post12471889

I picked the pistol up last night. Grabagun shipped out quickly and FFL was quick as well. I hope to mess with it this weekend and will report more. 1st impressions = very pleased