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Smith & Wesson Governor vs Bodyguard 38 Revolver

| Comparisons, Product Info | January 24, 2013

Smith & Wesson Governor vs Bodyguard 38 Revolver Size Comparison

The Smith & Wesson Governor vs Bodyguard 38 revolver size comparison image was created with the triggers aligned. The two revolvers are both great firearms, but serve different purposes.

The Governor is a very good defense option, but it’s size is not exactly what we would call ideal for concealed carry. If you are looking for a concealed carry option, well Smith & Wesson designed the Bodyguard for that exact purpose.

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LeMat Revolver a True O.G. (Original Gun)

| History | January 21, 2013

LeMat Shot Shell Revolver

The LeMat revolver is the Original Gun of the shot shell revolver market niche. Jean LeMat earned the O.G. rating by predating the Taurus Judge and Smith & Wesson Governor by more than 100 years! To be completely fair and balanced this design was not identical to the Judge or Governor as it was a standard revolver with a secondary option of a 16 gauge shell. However, this design is the earliest model that we could find that integrated a shot shell into the handgun design.

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S&W Governor vs Taurus Judge

| Comparisons, Product Info | January 21, 2013

S&W Governor vs Taurus Judge Comparison Triggers Aligned

The S&W Governor vs Taurus Judge revolver size comparison images are rendered in three different alignments; grips aligned, triggers aligned, and muzzles aligned. The comparison is specifically between the Smith & Wesson Governor model number 162410 and the Taurus Public Defender Judge model number 4510PD-3B.

One of the major differences between the two is that the Taurus Public Defender Judge has a 5 round capacity where the Smith & Wesson Governor is able to accept an additional round with it’s 6 round capacity cylinder.

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Smith & Wesson Governor a Taurus Judge Clone?

| History | January 10, 2013

Taurus Judge and Smith Wesson Governor Revolver Size Comparison

We wrote this article for Robert Farago and his Blog, The Truth About Guns. In this article we dove into the history of the Shotshell Revolver and why it would not be fair to say the Smith & Wesson Governor is just a Taurus Judge Clone.

Let’s start with this: is Ruger’s new 1911 a copy of Smith & Wesson’s budget-minded 1911? More likely, Ruger’s copying the original Colt m1911 patented by John Moses Browning designed on February 14, 1911. While reviewing modern firearm patents you will find many, or most, reference previous designs in their work. They may have used the safety mechanism or possibly the firing mechanism from a previous design and adapted it to their current design. The truth about guns is that most of them are copies. One could even argue they are all copies. Now about the Smith & Wesson Governor . . .

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Samuel Colt Original Revolver US Patent 9430X

| History | January 10, 2013

Samuel Colt US Patent X9430 Drawing 1

Samuel Colt was granted US Patent 9430X on February 25, 1836 for the revolving cylinder pistol, or simply put, the Revolver. This design by Colt helped usher in the era of the multi-shot pistol, effectively replacing the single shot devices of the day. It marked the transition from single and double barrel flintlock pistols to a multiple shot pistol.

This patent gave us the famous saying:
“God made man, but Samuel Colt made man equal”

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NAA 22 LR Mini Revolver Belt Buckle Improvements

| How-To, Product Info | August 18, 2011

The North American Arms 22 LR Mini Revolver Belt Buckle that we have pictured is very close to perfect. It makes a great carry option that is extremely quick and easily accessed. The belt buckle holds the NAA 22 LR Mini Revolver with a rear clasp that locks onto the included grips. This clasp offers a solid hold and eliminates the cumbersome front clasp the other buckle has.

As good as this belt buckle is, there was some room for improvement. The only issues we improved upon were the small amount of rattle that came from the button and the actual revolver contacting the buckle.

The three improvements we made to the buckle itself are:
1. Placed the smooth side of Velcro tape under the barrel.
2. Placed a small piece of electrical tape just behind the cylinder.
3. Most importantly the O-Ring on the back side of the button. I/D= 1/8″ O/D= 1/4″ Section= 1/16″

We made only one improvement to the grips. That was to smooth out a few of the burrs on the grip notch just to improve the fit and finish.

A few noteworthy bits of additional information:
1. This specific model is still available at some retailers, but it is getting harder to find. NAA has changed the mechanism to use a magnet now.
2. If you have an older model 22 LR Mini Revolver there is a good chance it will not fit properly. Things to look for to recognize older models would be; a smooth trigger, smaller and smoother hammer, and/or cylinder without safety grooves in it.

How-To check revolver timing

| How-To | August 4, 2011

The process for checking the timing on a revolver is quite simple.

For this revolver timing demonstration video, we used a Colt Python, which is known for having some issues with keeping the timing right.

This is one of the things you should always check prior to purchasing a used revolver.

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Smith & Wesson Governor or Taurus Judge Public Defender

| Comparisons, Product Info | July 26, 2011

For years the Taurus Judge was in a category of it’s own.  This wasn’t because it was so superior to the competition, but instead because there was no competition for shotshell revolvers!

Well a good thing can only last so long for Taurus.  Smith & Wesson designed the first competitor for the Judge in the shotshell revolver market.

Smith & Wesson has a history of quality especially in the revolver market, so what do they do when they design a shotshell revolver?  Well, simply put, they improve upon the existing options.  So what did they do:

1.  S&W Governor is .5 inches shorter in length compared to the most compact Judge.

2.  S&W Governor provides the additional option of .45 ACP with use of moon clips.

3.  S&W Governor most importantly made it a 6 shot revolver rather than Taurus’ 5 shot option.

So should we expect to see everyone buying the Governor from now on?  No, the Judge still offers many more models to choose from.  They offer the Judge at a lighter weight in ounces and dollars.  Their lowest MSRP is over $100 less than the Governor’s.  We also expect Taurus to hit the drawing table and come out with a 6 shot option.

Personally, the Governor does win in my book, but that’s solely on the 6 shot capability for now.

Here are a few size comparisons that we did on the Smith & Wesson Governor and Taurus Judge Public Defender: