Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns The Raging Judge

Cole, I have 7 454's 6 are FA-83's and the other is a custom RH. The point is the 454 and the 45 Colt shoot the same bullet and yes the 454 can shoot it faster. Once one starts taking game and shooting completely through them (exiting) with a more sedate cartridge and dropping them at the shot there is no more to be gained. I have shot completely through (exited) 1000 pound Bison with a 325 grain LFN flat point hard cast shot from a 45 Colt 6" barrel and blew snow into the air on the off side. I have also done the same thing with the 454

Now you tell me how is it "mo betta"????

IME it ain't it is simply more of the same, nothing wrong with a 454 and neither is there anything wrong with a 45 Colt

Post up the game that you have taken with one



Now to apply to the red portion of your post. That is how you interepted my post? Sad really sad if that is indeed how you took it

There you go again, Cole. These handguns (save for those Taurus monstrosities) aren't giving anything up to rifles. This moose wasn't feeling like I had used an inferior firearm on it (.500 Linebaugh loaded with 500 grain LFNs at a whopping 1,100 fps).



I too prefer the .45 Colt to the .454. The additional speed generally doesn't buy you anything more than more muzzle blast, recoil, and the potential for crimp pull. No thanks.

Cole, I have 7 454's 6 are FA-83's and the other is a custom RH. The point is the 454 and the 45 Colt shoot the same bullet and yes the 454 can shoot it faster. Once one starts taking game and shooting completely through them (exiting) with a more sedate cartridge and dropping them at the shot there is no more to be gained. I have shot completely through (exited) 1000 pound Bison with a 325 grain LFN flat point hard cast shot from a 45 Colt 6" barrel and blew snow into the air on the off side. I have also done the same thing with the 454

Now you tell me how is it "mo betta"????

IME it ain't it is simply more of the same, nothing wrong with a 454 and neither is there anything wrong with a 45 Colt

Post up the game that you have taken with one



Now to apply to the red portion of your post. That is how you interepted my post? Sad really sad if that is indeed how you took it

I guess I don't understand the purpose of the Raging Judge. It seems too heavy and ungainly to pack in bear country, or for snake duty. Yet it's too short barreled and the sights suck for hunting use. Seems like a compromise on all fronts. Just my opinion.

I guess I don't understand the purpose of the Raging Judge. It seems too heavy and ungainly to pack in bear country, or for snake duty. Yet it's too short barreled and the sights suck for hunting use. Seems like a compromise on all fronts. Just my opinion.

When Whitworth and jwp post about their handgun loads, my hand starts to hurt.

Helluva moose Whitworth! Nice work.


Travis

As many here know I own a regular Judge and shoot it and carry it often. Since the "Raging" version of the Judge came out, I have wanted to get ahold of one and wring it out. They are not easy to find and I've seen less than half a dozen of them. Some of them are six shot .454 Casull's but some are seven shot 45 Colts, as opposed to the regular Judge being a five shot.

The new Raging model is actually a completely different gun. The frame is considerably bigger than the Judge's and I've already told about the greater capacity. Like the Judge, it is a .410 rifled pistol which handles cartridges too. Unlike its smaller brother, this pistol doesn't come in a 2 1/2" chambered version. All are 3" chambers and the barrel lengths are 3" or 6 1/2". Finishes are Blued carbon steel or Stainless.

My particular example is a Blued 3" barreled model. For those who are familiar with fairly recent cinema, the Judge looks pretty similar to the revolver in the movie Hellboy. So much so that images from the movie with that gun in it will pull up anytime you do an internet search. Basically the Raging Judge is an elongated frame gun similar to the X frame Smith and Wessons. Mine is the .454 Casull version. With it you can shoot 454 Casull, 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, 410 2 1/2" and 410 3" shells.


First shots out of the gun were 300 grain Hornady .454 open tips. This was my first time ever shooting the big Casull magnum, even though it's been out for years now. I did this the day I got it.




Ten shots from 45 Colt 250 grain Cowboy loads. Looks like I was a bit to the right with the first group. This is seven yards offhand, no type of rest. Then the last five were double-action.


300 Grainers, as in the first pic. About twenty yards away offhand, no rest.



250 Grain Hornady 454's from closer in overlaid with some buckshot and birdshot.



300 Grain Magtech FMC from about 15 yards overlaid with Federal #4 high brass 3" .410.


225 grain Winchester JHP personal defense loads, double action overlaid with Remington #5 high brass.




Obviously I'm not very experienced with the Casull. My impression is that the Raging Judge is more accurate with handgun ammo than the Judge is. It is about the same with birdshot. IMO it leaves something to be desired as you move farther away. I took a couple of shots close-in, at snake distance, and the birdshot should work fine, especially if you use 6's or above, for serpents. I took a few shots with Federal 000 buckshot and it should be fine at typical gunfight distances.

The worst thing about this gun is that the chambers are tight. With certain Federal .410 ammo, it was difficult to push the shotshells in although I accomplished it without forcing them too much. Extraction with these was sticky. Either these or the Remington 5's were difficult to rotate the cylinder, double-action with, for some reason. If you cocked the hammer and shot single action, it was fine, but double action was difficult.

Appearance is fine with a nice, deep blue. Fit and finish is good. I'm not an experienced .454 shooter, but the grips seemed to soak up the recoil pretty good. I haven't had to make a trip to the hospital yet. So far, so good. It's a heavy gun weighing over 5 lbs. I made some comment to the family when I brought it out from the gun dealer, about it weighing like "6 lbs.", thinking I was exaggerating. I think the longer barreled version actually does weigh over 6 lbs.

Recoil ranges from downright mild with Cowboy Colt loads to pretty savage with 454's. In between are the 45 self defense loads and the 410's. I would recommend the fairly heavy 45 Colt JHP's or Open Tips for self defense. Possibly alternate them with some buckshot if it makes you feel better. I'd use Federal Judge specific 2 1/2 inchers.

Overall, I think there might be 75 yard deer hunting accuracy there, but I haven't tried it on a rest. It is so big, you about need a rest for longer ranges. I think it is adequate for self-defense but you need to be strong enough to manipulate it, which is no mean feat. With the right shotshells, extraction isn't bad, but with the wrong ones, it gets hinky. Like the Judge, you need to see where your shot is going before relying on the shotshells for self-defense. The buckshot rounds seem much more powerful than any birdshot. Using the 2 1/2" shotshells seem to mitigate any extraction problems. Winchester high brass birdshot of either length, slides right in.

There are my first impressions of the new Raging Judge. It has its strengths and weaknesses, just like any other gun.

The worst thing about this gun is that the chambers are tight. With certain Federal .410 ammo, it was difficult to push the shotshells in although I accomplished it without forcing them too much. Extraction with these was sticky. Either these or the Remington 5's were difficult to rotate the cylinder, double-action with, for some reason. If you cocked the hammer and shot single action, it was fine, but double action was difficult.

You are spot on. The Judge/Raging Judges does many things, none of them well

All are 3" chambers and the barrel lengths are 3" or 6 1/2".

No he's not "spot on" except in your world where many details are missed/ignored/not understood/et al



It is available in a longer barrel.

A 5 pound or more firearm that shoots a 410 shot at 600 to 700 FPS and doesn't pattern that well is not a great option for those with experience. A 45 Colt Bisely that is capable of hitting a pop can at over 100 yards and weighs much less with a six shot cylinder is a better option to most

Let's not even mention the Taurus quality or should I say lack there of

No he's not "spot on" except in your world where many details are missed/ignored/not understood/et al

The Raging Judge has yet to make its mark, but the Judge is the best selling revolver in the United States right now. Good or bad, like it or hate it, there it is.

The Raging Judge has yet to make its mark, but the Judge is the best selling revolver in the United States right now. Good or bad, like it or hate it, there it is.

The Raging Judge has yet to make its mark, but the Judge is the best selling revolver in the United States right now. Good or bad, like it or hate it, there it is.