Taurus introduced the “Public Defender” revolver, another in the line of the Judge revolvers, at the 2009 SHOT Show.
Chambering the same .45 Colt and .410 shotshells as the other handguns in the Judge line, the Public Defender is built on a smaller frame (the 85 series frame), and is clearly designed for concealed carry. The Public Defender still chambers five rounds, yet is smaller and lighter, weighing only 28.2 ounces for the stainless or blued versions, and 26 ounces for the blued steel/titanium cylinder model.
The Public Defender has a three-inch barrel topped with a red fiber optic sight. The rear sight is a fixed notch. The hammer has been reduced, meaning it is less likely to catch on clothing during a draw, but it can still be cocked for a single action, precision shot. The Public Defender wears a set of the Taurus Ribber grips.
The Public Defender felt a touch front-heavy, but that is probably a good thing for helping to manage recoil. While this gun is nowhere near the size of a J-frame snubbie, it is noticeably smaller than the previous Judge models. If you want to carry a .410/.45 Colt, this is the best package to do it concealed.
I spoke with a sales rep on day one of SHOT who said the pricing on the Public Defender would be around $500 for the blued and stainless models. The titanium model will be about $600. A Taurus rep on day two of SHOT also quoted me the same general numbers.
Update
Since its introduction at the 2009 SHOT Show, the Taurus Public Defender has become one of the more popular handguns in this series of Brazilian revolvers. Â The Public Defender is a more compact version of the Judge and is therefore much easier to carry concealed. Â This gun matched up with some .410 loads specifically designed for these revolvers could be a devastating close-defense firearm.
72 replies on “Taurus Judge Public Defender”
Besides the Taurus Judge I also own a Bond derringer in the caliber .45/.410 and to be honest I have never been very impressed with the .410 shot out of this derringer especially with the smaller shot loads #6 and higher , lots of noise but , very limited penetration , the buckshot seems to be the best to use in the .410 unless you plan on killing snakes at very close range less than 15 feet . And something very important to remember make sure the Taurus Judge is legal in your state before you buy this weapon and carry it in your car to protect against car-jackers , California I know does not allow ownership of the Judge or any of the shotgun type derringers , Bond , American Arms etc ! So even using this weapon against a car-jacker in California could bring legal problems and even a law suit from the criminal’s family if he is blinded or badly wounded and his family should decide to hire a good lawyer ! Remember lawyers can smell big pay offs like a shark can smell blood ! Just something to think about !
Regarding ammo prices, if you just want some good .410 to practice with, check out Wal-Mart. I was able to 2.5″ .410 @ $7 per 25. Granted its just birdshot, but its fine for practice.
About the whole legality thing, I found it interesting how Taurus was able to circumvent the federal laws regarding “sawed-off shotguns.” They rifled the barrel. =)
Dennis asked earlier about holsters…Blackhawk used to make a good one, but I’m having trouble finding it on their website. Also, 3″ ammo is a little hard to find, but your local gun store should have some (albeit rather pricey).
I very interesting local storey here in Arizona which had nation wide coverage ” Bobcat wanders into a Cottonwood bar and attacks three individuals ” needless to say this bobcat had rabies , now the bite victims must undergo the expensive and painful rabies shots ! This is one excellent reason to carry the Taurus Judge especially when hiking in remote wildness areas ! Unfortunately the bobcat attack occured inside a bar ! It is illegal to carry a gun in an Arizona bar at this time !