Taurus has moved the Judge line solidly into the big boom category with the introduction of the Raging Judge Magnum chambered in .454 Casull.
This six-shot, big bore revolver can fire .454 Casull, .45 Colt and 2.5″ and 3″ .410 shotshells. Due to the power generated by the Casull cartridge, the cylinder has a double lock.
The Raging Judge Magnum is available with either a three-inch or six-inch barrel. The six-inch barrel has a vented rib and can accommodate a scope mount.
Both versions of the Raging Judge Magnum have a fiber optic front sight and a fixed rear.
This Judge is big and heavy. The three-inch model weighs almost 61 ounces, while the six-inch version weighs more than 72 ounces. Holding a floor sample at the SHOT Show, I was impressed by the revolver’s very solid construction.
This is a big jump in the power of the Judge line, and it may prove to be very popular with people living in bear country.
2013 Update
I wanted to give everyone a quick update on the Raging Judge and what Taurus is doing with the line. Unlike a lot of new guns introduced at the annual trade shows, these guns are still selling strong. Currently, Taurus offers the Raging Judge in a 3″ and 6.5″ model. The 3″ model has a matte stainless steel finish and carries a retail price of $1,061. The 6.5″ model has a glossy black finish and has a MSRP of $1,012. The longer revolver weighs a whopping 73 ounces, which sounds heavy, but probably feels a little light when shooting the .454 Casull rounds.
There was some previous concern about the locking mechanisms on the Taurus Raging Judge. The gun has lock points in front and at the back of the cylinder. I have talked with a lot of people since these guns were introduced, and I have not heard of any failures in these guns.
111 replies on “Taurus Raging Judge Magnum”
I just got this gun and I have to say that it is a great gun!! The 410’s and 45’s shoot great. The big 454 will bite you if you are not paying attention. I think that the weight is balanced just right to handle the big 454 round. Taurus designed this gun perfectly! Too bad to hear about the 28 gauge being held up by the ATF, looks like a fun shooting gun.
Has anyone actually seen a 6″ Raging Judge. I.m starting to see 3″ models at shows, but no 6″ yet.
Got my Raging Judge magnum, 6″ stainless yesterday. Wow what a handful. I plan to shoot it tomorrow at an indoor range. I think I will call it “Bear be gone” or “Cat scat” ( the mountain variety :-0) I had several local gun shops looking for the past 6 weeks and the wait was worth it. This is my 2nd Judge and it is sooooo much bigger than my 3″/3″ magnum.
David,
Please stop back by after shooting it and give us a range report.
Richard
I took my mini hand cannon (aka raging judge magnum 6″ .454 casull) to the range and I was very impressed with the results.
First up was the standard colt .45 long 250 grain. This ammo was impressive in my previous judge magnum 3″/3″ but, and I am assuming because of the extra heft, weight & balance of the raging judge, seemed like shooting a .22 long with more flash. Smooth as silk that a child could do it if only they could only lift it. And, it is noticeably quieter than the standard version. At just over 72 onces, it really is a hand full, or in my case two hands but surprisingly well balanced and easy to use.
For the second round I mixed .410 magnum (3″) slugs and 000 buckshot, three each. Again this gun calmed them down too as compared to the standard judge magnum. It appeared that the muzzle flash was less but it was probably just the barrel size difference.
Next up I tried some “hot” .45 colt long, the CorBon 335 grain +p. I made the mistake of putting this in my original judge (highly not recommended!!!) and it was a real palm stinger in that gun. What a kick it had. But, in the raging judge, it was more like shooting standard .45 colt long cowboy ammo in a standard judge. Oh my!! I am now feeling the love for this gun. It tames all standard judge rounds.
Now I am confident that the .454 casull, 250 grain loads should be less intimidating than I anticipated. I load up and just to be more accurate, I cock the hammer and shoot the first 4 rounds single action. I was stunned at the differences in sheer power that is released. By the time I shot the 4th round I was confident that it is manageable. I shot the next two rounds double action rapid fire which is doable but less accurate. What a blast!!!! Literally. The range officer came up to me and asked if he could shoot it. The sound and vibration was an attention getter. Most people cannot believe the size of this thing. For hiking in Wyoming, it is a lot less weight and considerably smaller than a rifle.
Overall, I was more than satisfied with the “upgrade”. Now the challenge is finding an affordable holster. I’m looking for a shoulder / across the chest military type that won’t inter-fear with my backpack straps.