4 Best .410 Revolvers: Perfect Guns for Hiking

Under the National Firearms Act, shotguns have to have a barrel of at least 18 inches. 

That’s unfortunate because there are actual practical purposes to having a shotgun with a shorter barrel.

Fortunately, you don’t have to jump through NFA hoops like the extra cost, time, and paperwork to shoot shotgun shells out of a shorter barrel. 

Under the NFA, a gun has to have a smooth bore to be legally considered a shotgun.

You see, 2.5-inch long .410 bore shotgun shells can be fired through .45 Colt barrels, provided the cylinder can accommodate their length.

So, since revolvers and pistols have rifled barrels, they don’t qualify as shotguns even if they are capable of firing .410 shells. 

There are a few different handguns that have been made to do just that, and these are the subject of today's article.

In this guide, we’ll be talking about a few of the best .45 Colt/.410 revolvers on the market today!

.410 Revolver Comparison Chart

How We Chose the Best .410 Revolvers

This article draws on the combined experience of the Pew Pew Tactical team and contributing writers. We conducted a meta-analysis based on our hands-on experience and research into .410 revolvers.

We included models that we either have direct experience using or extensive knowledge of. All guns with complete hands-on reviews are linked, and tested guns adhere to a strict testing protocol, which includes a minimum of 500 rounds through every review gun to evaluate accuracy and reliability.

When making this list, we considered the following criteria: capacity, reliability, fit & finish, accuracy, price, and availability.

Best .410 Revolvers

1. Taurus Judge - Editor's Pick

Editor's Pick

Taurus Judge

$402

at GrabAGun

Prices accurate at time of writing

$402 at GrabAGun

Kygunco (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .45 Colt/.410
• Action: DA/SA
• Capacity: 5
• Barrel Length: 2" - 13"
• Weight: 29 oz. - 58.6 oz.

The Taurus Judge is perhaps the most well-known .410 revolver on the market. In fact, its introduction in 2006 likely kicked off the interest in .410 handguns.

Though marketed for self-defense, the Judge actually shines as a recreation and pest revolver.

I and other reviewers have found that accuracy leaves something to be desired beyond the very close range. I also wouldn’t say it's my go-to trail gun because this thing is fairly hefty.

The Judge is available in various barrel lengths, from 2 inches to all the way up to 13 inches.

No matter which barrel length you opt for, each Judge has a 5-round capacity, a single/double action, an extended ejector rod, and a transfer bar safety. 

They also each have a fiber optic front sight (except the home defender model) and fixed rear sight. Each version comes in matte stainless steel or matte black oxide finish.

Taurus has also recently added T.O.R.O. versions of the Judge, which are optics-ready and can accept RMSc/507K footprint red dots right out of the box. An optic-ready revolver- crazy, right?

All models feature black rubber grips, which aren't great looking, but they do the job well.

The Judge has a good bit of kick, but the grips go a long way in helping you control it. 

For mucking about in the woods or out in the field, we recommend either going with the 2-inch or 3-inch version to keep it reasonable to carry while still giving you enough oomph for small vermin and pests.

Be sure to check out our full hands-on review of the Taurus Judge!

2. Smith & Wesson Governor - Best for Carry

Best for Carry

Smith & Wesson Governor

$819

at Brownells

Prices accurate at time of writing

$819 at Brownells

GrabAGun (see price)

Classic Firearms (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .45 Colt/.410
• Action: DA/SA
• Capacity: 6
• Barrel Length: 2.75"
• Weight: 30.2 oz.

Our next pick comes from Smith & Wesson, and I think we can all agree that S&W knows revolvers. 

The Smith & Wesson Governor is a fairly compact snub-nosed revolver with a 2.75-inch barrel and a single/double action. 

It’s not quite as long as the 3-inch barrel Judge, but it stands a bit taller and wider.

It weighs a bit more than the smaller Judge, at 29.6 ounces, but that’s in part because it has a larger cylinder with a 6-round capacity. 

What sets the Governor apart is that it fires not just .410 and .45 Colt, but also .45 ACP. You just use moon clips since .45 ACP is rimless.

Fortunately, the Governor comes with two 6-round moon clips and three 2-round moon clips. You could even load a combination of the three if you wanted. 

This makes it one of the more versatile revolvers on the list, but it’s still limited to short ranges, considering the diminutive barrel. 

The Governor has a synthetic grip to help you manage recoil that I think looks a lot nicer than the grip on the Judge. 

The frame is made from scandium alloy, the barrel from stainless steel, and the cylinder from stainless PVD.

All visible metal bits have a matte black finish to match the grip. This revolver also has a dovetailed tritium front sight and a fixed rear sight. 

3. Taurus Judge Public Defender Poly - Lightest Option

Lightest Option

Taurus Judge Public Defender Poly

$385

at Classic Firearms

Prices accurate at time of writing

$385 at Classic Firearms

Palmetto State Armory (see price)

GrabAGun (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .45 Colt/.410
• Action: DA/SA
• Capacity: 5
• Barrel Length: 2.5"
• Weight: 27 oz.

The Taurus Judge Public Defender Poly is a more compact variation of the Judge. It’s shorter, both in height and length, than the standard Judge and uses a 2.5-inch barrel. 

Taurus markets the Public Defender Poly as a concealed carry option, but I think it makes a better snake gun for the trail. 

This Polymer version weighs 27 ounces, saving a few ounces over its steel frame counterpart. 

Another bonus is that the Public Defender Polymer has an adjustable rear sight, whereas the steel versions all have fixed sights, with the exception of the T.O.R.O. models.

Although the frame is polymer, the cylinder, trigger, and hammer are all metal. Other than that, the features of the Public Defender are pretty much identical to that of the Judge.

4. Magnum Research BFR - Best High-End .410 - High-End Option

High-End Option

Magnum Research BFR .45 Colt/.410 Gauge

$1375

at Classic Firearms

Prices accurate at time of writing

$1375 at Classic Firearms

Kygunco (see price)

Guns.com (see price)

Specs

• Caliber: .45 Colt/.410
• Action: SAO
• Capacity: 6
• Barrel Length: 7.5"
• Weight: 72 oz.

Last up is the Magnum Research BFR.

“BFR” officially stands for “Big Frame Revolver,” though Magnum Research will also call it their “Biggest Finest Revolver.”

You’ll also sometimes hear it called by the official title but with a different f-word. 

And no offense to the other revolvers on this list, but this is the best one.

All of the mechanical bits move smoothly and are highly reliable. The BFR feels just like a revolver should, just bigger. 

The BFR weighs 4.5-pounds, the same as the larger Judge. But it doesn’t appear as bulky because the weight is distributed on a longer, taller frame.

It’s 6 inches tall and 15 inches long.

In addition to stabilizing the recoil, the 7.5-inch barrel also helps provide the BFR with greater accuracy, though that’s still only relative to the other revolvers that we’ve talked about.

It also comes in at about the same price point as the Raging Judge. I personally think the BFR gives you a better bang for your buck as long as you’re not too caught up in being able to shoot .454 Casull. 

The one other slight disadvantage is the 5-round capacity.

It comes with a black rubber grip, which is effective for helping manage recoil but is also understated.

That, combined with the brushed stainless steel finish, gives you a pretty classic-looking, though large, revolver. 

The BFR has a single-action, transfer bar safety, and 4- to 5-pound trigger pull with a fixed front sight and adjustable rear sight. 

What do you think of the BFR? Rate it below!

What Is a .410 Revolver for Anyway?

Most .410 handguns are marketed as self-defense weapons, which is actually quite controversial. 

The actual viability of .410 for self-defense applications is pretty hotly debated, but I tend to be against it.

For one, it doesn’t penetrate deeply. Your attacker will mostly get surface wounds without causing damage to anything too important. 

Realistically, those wounds will probably still be painful enough to deter most attackers...but I’m not a big fan of qualifiers like probably and most when it comes to defending myself and my family.

You never know if this will be the time where the attacker is particularly determined.

There tons of better options for self-defense than .410. 

Secondly, to balance shooting both .45 and .410, .410 revolvers have to make sacrifices for each.

That means that they’re typically not as good at shotgun things as a shotgun, nor as good at revolver things as a revolver.

Accuracy is one such place that is most evident. 

Compromise isn’t something you want out of a self-defense gun. With so many dedicated self-defense weapons available, there’s really no reason not to go with one of those.

Ok, so what's a .410 revolver really for then?

Practically speaking, pest control -- especially in close quarters where a shotgun would be impractical. 

That covers clearing rats and squirrels out of a barn or storage shed. It's also decent for medium-sized varmints.

And if you're out hiking on your property or on a trail, a .410 revolver makes for a good snake gun.

Finally, .410 revolvers are a novelty, and I am a firm believer that’s a good enough reason to get a gun.

Shooting a shotgun round from a revolver is just plain fun. For a particularly good time, take one of these guns to shoot clays.

Meet the Experts

This article builds on the original work of Megan Kriss, former PPT author and freelance editor. Megan is an avid recreational shooter and writer/editor. She has an extensive writing and linguistics background, which she uses to analyze and collect data on guns and turn them into articles.

Our second set of eyes on this article comes from Wyatt Sloan, PPT Editor. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor with previous experience as a competitive shooter. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales. He has used his extensive experience with firearms at large to test guns for Pew Pew Tactical — evaluating them based on our standards and metrics.

Our experienced team of gun reviewers is run by Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings, a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. She uses her extensive professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards.

Final Thoughts

Though .410 revolvers aren't as popular as other revolver chamberings, these nifty wheelguns make excellent hiking and pest guns.

Which model is right for your next hike?

Well, that comes down to budget and gear. How much do you want to spend and how much weight do you want to carry? No matter what you are looking for, all of these options excel at keeping pests and snakes at bay.

What are your thoughts on .410 revolvers? Let me know in the comments. Looking for more revolvers? Check out our recommendations for the Best Beginner Revolvers and Best Concealed Carry Revolvers.

Latest Updates

March 2025: Removed Bond Arms Derringer and Taurus Raging Judge (discontinued). Separated Taurus Judge and Taurus Poly Defender.