Heritage 45-410

[12Bravo20]

When we get the report of a home owner hitting a perp with 5 or 6 410 buckshot rounds (which means 20-24 .36 caliber holes right through the bad guy ) and it being a failure to stop I guess I'll eat my hat and join the rest of the internet in hating this caliber /chambering.

Same with me.

One has to remember that even though a 3" 410 buckshot load only has 5 pellets versus 9 pellets in a 2 3/4" 12 gauge buckshot load, the individual pellets are still moving at around the same feet per second and the pellets are the same size/weight. And contrary to popular belief, the 2 1/2" 410 shells generally have a faster speed for the given payload. You can find 2 1/2" 410 shells loaded with either 3 or 4 pellets of buckshot.

While I haven't tested any buckshot/defensive 410 loads out of a pistol or out of any barrel shorter than 14", I wouldn't discount 410 buckshot loads out of a Mossberg Shockwave or other shotguns. Yes I keep my Mossberg Shockwave and Mossberg 500E loaded with 3" 000 buckshot loads for him defense.

Since this is about handguns, I'll stay on subject. A 410 defensive load will work just fine out of a handgun at close range of 7 yards or less. I would not try to shoot at any target farther out than 10 yards with a handgun loaded with 410 SD rounds. As mentioned, the rifling does effect the shot in a negative way.

On the subject of the Winchester PDX1 shells and the Hornady Critical Defense shells. They might do just fine out of a handgun at close range. From my testing, they don't do well out of a 14" or longer barrel. The Winchester PDX will hold an okay pattern at 15 yards out of my Shockwave. The Hornady Critical Defense was all over the place at 15 yards. Needless to say I was not impressed with the Hornady Critical Defense ammo. If I had to use something other than buckshot, it would be the Winchester PDX rounds.

 

[Gordon]

i like my Taurus PUBLIC Defender especially wth the 4 pellet Federal 000 short barel lad. it delivers fist size groups to 7 yards and useful ones at 15 yards. it does a little better with 225 grain hp federal Colt ammo so at 25 yards nothing would be safe. To me right now pretty much bedridden a couple months it makes very good sense .
I say this as a person who has trained and competed with handguns for 50+ years and am fairly advanced in my research of such. My Taurus is well made all stainless with great defensive sights and I have tested and am impressed with the Federal load .

 

[TTv2]

Yea, different strokes, that, and a lack of experience with whatever too I think.

I used to think the Judges were kind of silly and what was the point. Then I picked up an S&W Governor in a trade, and now have a bit of a different outlook on them. Personally, I see them as a narrow use, supplemental type woods gun. I really dont see them as a personal defense gun, but they would certainly work in that respect. I just think the usual thinking that the 410 would be best for that is flawed, and the 45's would be the better choice.

At least with the S&W what they are not, is heavy and unbalanced. The Governor feels like a 4" K frame in the hand, even though it is not. Its well-balanced, points naturally, and shoots well.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder, and at best, they do look a bit odd compared to your average revolver.

Another thing they are not is inaccurate, and that's with any of the rounds they are capable in shooting, which in the case of the Governor, is 45Colt, 45ACP, and the shorter 410's. And interestingly enough, and contrary to what you are often told because of the cylinder jump, at least with my gun, the 45ACP wins in the accuracy department. And the 45Colt is no slouch either. At distances you might use shot, the 410's pattern well, and at 10 yards, the buckshot will consistently give you a fist sized vertical string of 4, 0.33 caliber, 00B pellets(Federal).

That Heritage is different, and actually "looks" better than the DA guns I think. I dont see SA gun being a better choice than a DA gun myself, and that would be the main reason Id pass on it for an actual working gun. Still, it would be fun to fool around with.

One of the reasons I had an interest in the Heritage was because it uses the typical single action ejection I could use chamber adapters with .38 or 9mm and not have to remove the adapter and punch the empties out like with a double action.

As for accuracy, I've tried various types of bullets and powders in my Judge Public Defender and the best I can do is 2 inches at 10 yards, usually with a 250 grain bullet. Go lighter to reduce recoil and the group opens up another inch. It's combat accurate, I can hit 10 and 12 inch steel plates at 15-20 yards in single action and at 7 yards the .410 patterns with the 4 pellet Federal load will not spread far enough to miss a human torso.

I view the .410 revolvers as home defense guns and woods guns. They are not meant for conceal carry and that's the turn off for a lot of people.