I own and use one (6 1/2 inch SS) so here goes.
If you're looking for a safe queen, to be put up and shown, never shot. This is not the gun. It's ugly. If you are looking for a .45 colt revolver to take deer at 100 yards, definitely not your gun. It's by no means a tack driver. So far, 30 yards is my pie plate distance, beyond that I will get wayward shots that never find paper. With shot shells, you expect the rifling to cause a great deal of dispersion immediately after exiting the muzzle, and it does. At around ten yards the spread covers half of a mans body. It's a little impractical as a hunting gun, that's been well established already.
With that out of the way, here's my experience with "The Judge". On the day I purchased the gun I went to the range with two boxes of cowboy loads and four boxes of .410. I tore through the rounds in what felt like minutes. It's a very fun gun to shoot. It kicks less than my 9mm's and less than a .38, no matter which round you're feeding it. Taurus bills it as a personal defense weapon, I imagine it would serve that purpose just fine though I never want to find out. I bought the gun to serve two purposes, to be fun at the range and snake duty around the house and camp. It has yet to disappoint me at either. Now, contrary to what everyone likes to repeat from their friend's cousin's half-sister's dog's previous owner's daddy, this gun will do the job on snakes well beyond striking distance. I usually don't kill snakes unless they are an immediate threat or if they have made my home their's, this is how I know. I've shot cottonmouths, big and small at around 15 yards with the .410s, one shot, dead snakes.
Out of curiousity, I took the thing with me on a rabbit hunt. I didn't intend to use it, but I strapped the hoster on and headed into the field, also carrying my 12 gauge. We ended up following the dogs into a densely wooded lot where the farthest I could see through the brambles and brush was less than 10 yards. I shot two rabbits with it, one shot each. So, yes, there are some practical applications for this revolver should the need arise.
Now, here's why I love this gun. I had it strapped in the holster on my hip one day while we were on the river heading to the camp. We were making a weekend out there, mostly fishing with a little squirrel and rabbit hunting mixed in. My buddies and I tie off when we get to our trail leading to the camp and start unloading. I was helping one of them carry the ice chest up the trail, leading the way for the others when the other guy carrying the ice chest screamed "Oh, sh*t". About three feet in front of us was a huge old log that we knew snakes like but never had too much issue with them around it. I looked down and there were 5 mocassins at his feet as one of them struck at him, it missed. At this point I pulled the 4410 and cleared our way with four shots. The next nearest gun to us, was 30 or so yards back in a case, unloaded. This gun ended several close encounters with snakes, it's quite convenient
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I realize that no gun is perfect and to expect so is foolish. This gun is actually quite far from being perfect; the cylinder doesn't lock tight, the trigger is exceedingly heavy, the long journey to the forcing cone greatly decreases accuracy with .45s, but this gun definitely has a place in my safe and at my side. It takes care of business quickly. I also feel the need to give it honors for the finish. While it isn't as cleanly finished as some higher end guns, I left it in the boat for two weeks once in an empty well. No blemishes to speak of, and it was extremely damp in that well. I was definitely impressed with that instance. Now I ask kindly, please, if you do not own or have never shot this gun, don't dismiss it so quickly as a useless gimmick and flame anyone who would purchase it. Try it yourself, but realize that it is a comprimise gun, not perfect on either side but a very reasonable middle ground.
