Giving off some major tactical vibes, Taurus updated its famed Judge lineup with a new entry in the series – the Home Defender.
Chambered in .45 Colt/.410, the Home Defender is a 5-shot revolver with a 13-inch alloy steel barrel. The dual caliber offers a wider ammo selection to home defenders who might want some options in terms of what they keep stocked.
Specs
Features
This beefy wheelgun caters to the home defense crowd with features like a rail up top for mounting optics and a forward rail for weapon lights.
(Need recommendations on red dots and weapon lights? We have those! Check out the Best Red Dots & Best Pistol Lights)
In addition to rails for accessories, the Home Defender also brings a cushioned rubber grip designed to absorb some of the recoil. Ultimately, this should help make shooting a little more comfortable. The grip is interchangeable – and compatible with Judge grips — if you prefer a different style.
The revolver also sports a steel blast shield, an extension surrounding the front of the cylinder. This blast shield protects shooters from the cylinder gap’s escaping gases when firing.
The Taurus Home Defender has an MSRP of $730.
What do you think of the Home Defender? Let us know in the comments. For more revolvers, check out our list of the Best Concealed Carry & Best Beginner Revolvers.
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I think it would be a fun range gun and I could see the practicality for home defense but feeding it right now with the severe shortage of .410 ammo would be a trick. I wanted to take my .410 1100 dove hunting this year and I had one box of dove loads and could find none locally or online. I was shocked. WTH?
So its a handgun that lacks the portability/concealability of basically every other handgun, and also a shotgun that lacks the power associated with shotguns (while reducing controllability because you don't have a stock)? I can appreciate trying new things, but I just don't see what real upsides this is supposed to have when you can get a reliable semi auto handgun AND a decent pump shotgun (both in better defensive cartridges) for roughly the MSRP of this gun.
It isn't meant to be concealed and it isn't meant to be a hunting gun. I think you're missing the point in it being an in-between shotgun + pistol hybrid: something smaller than a full size, 12 gauge and something with more punch than most semiauto handguns.
As to its practicality: we'll see. I ain't gonna lie and say I'm skeptical but to each their own.
All your points are right on. These Taurus Judge line-up is frankly a novelty. The delusion but that said own the stainless steel Magnum and the Home Defender but I'm not delusional that these are not my "Go to" weapons. Granted the sight of the Home Defender should scare the crap out of any home intruder but with 5 shots you better hope there isn't a couple or more intruders.
The Judge is fun to shoot and it certainly "tames" the recoil of a 45 long, also I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end either. The 410 option is something else, lots of recoil and not much stopping power, unless for snakes and smaller varmints.
The vibe is incredible, but I want to see the 45 colt users finally have something modern tactical. They’ve been starving
Absolutely cool looking but yeah, it doesn't look very practical. Almost like one of their .45LC, revolver carbines without a stock to trim the barrel 3 inches.
No. Just no.
Not impressed. I bought a Judge revolver years ago. I originally bought it for snakes. It was fun to shoot but was not suitable for home defense. The .410 loads were not lethal enough to stop an attacker due to not enough penetration with 4 copper plated disks (Winchester) or 4 BB size pellets. The only useful .410 shell was from Hornaday with a type of buck and ball mini ball of .42 caliber and a smaller caliber ball. 5 shots also doesn’t give much firepower against a home invasion.
Maybe with the .45LC it'd perform better but at that point the Taurus revolver carbine (forgot the name) might be better since it gives you a stock.
But at least it looks cool, lol.