Rifleman Review: Taurus Judge Executive Grade

Taurus added its Judge revolver to its Executive Grade series of guns several years ago, giving the popular design an upgrade in terms of fit and finish. In the "American Rifleman Television" Rifleman Review segment above, NRA Media Editorial Director Mark Keefe takes a closer look at the design.

"The Judge has been around since about 2006. Now the interesting part about this gun is it's chambered in .45 Colt, but it also will accept .410 bore shotshells," NRA Media Editorial Director Mark Keefe said. "The Judge actually spawned, really, a revolution when it came to .410 defensive loads designed specifically for this gun."

Equipped with a five-round, elongated cylinder to accommodate shotshells, the Taurus Judge Executive Grade uses a short barrel measuring 3" long, and the ejector rod is shrouded in an underlug just below the barrel. A brass-bead front sight provides a bright aiming point that's easily viewable in the gun's simple rear notch.

"The thing about the Executive Series that Taurus does is they assemble them separately from the main production, and they do a lot of hand polishing on this gun," Keefe said. "Of course, it's all stainless steel construction, but you can see that somebody who knows what they're doing has put some polish on this gun. It's not like a Python from the 1950s, but I gotta tell you, for Taurus, this is pretty nice."

In addition to the external polishing, the internal components have also been polished to provide for a smoother trigger pull in both double and single action. A pair of checkered walnut stocks adds to the gun's aesthetic while also providing a hand-filling grip. Each Taurus Executive Grade revolver ships inside a foam-lined, hard-sided transport case.

"It's a gun that I've really come to appreciate over the years," Keefe said. "I've shot snakes with it. I've shot skeet with it. Not very well, I might add. But this is really a versatile gun. And the fact that they chose to put this into the Executive Series tells me that the Judge is going to be with us for a very long time."

Taurus Judge Executive Grade Specifications
Manufacturer: Taurus
Action Type: double-action, centerfire revolver
Chambering: .45 Colt/.410 bore, 2.5"
Barrel: 3" stainless steel, satin finish
Frame: stainless steel, satin finish
Sights: fixed rear, brass bead post front
Stocks: presentation-grade wood
Trigger: double-action, 10-lb., 11.5-oz. pull; single-action, 6-lb., 12-oz. pull
Overall Length: 9.5"
Height: 5.1"
Width: 1.5"
Weight: 36 ozs.
Accessories: owner's manual, letter of authenticity, locking hard case, sticker and lock
MSRP: $947

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.