Tag: Guns and such

Okay, at first glance this is a weird one:

Now before everyone starts falling about with laughter, let’s just look at what this piece brings to the party.

One of the problems with the similarly-chambered Taurus “Judge” revolver is its size:

I mean, that lo-o-o-o-ng cylinder makes it a monster, which makes it problematic in terms of its utility.  You can’t carry it comfortably and frankly, the shorty barrel makes it unpleasant to shoot.  (Ask me how I know this.)

While the little .410 shotgun shell is a weeny compared to its larger cousins in 12-, 16-, 20- or even 28ga, it still announces its ignition with a very meaty slam into your wrist if chambered in a handgun.  (I once owned a Bond Arms Derringer in .45 LC/.410ga, and shooting it was an ummm interesting experience.)

Frankly, therefore, a handgun chambered in .410ga is not really a viable or even pleasant proposition.

Now let’s look at that Rossi Circuit Judge again.

In a stroke, it does away with all the disadvantages of the .45/.410 revolver by adding a longer barrel (helps with recoil and ballistics) and the shoulder stock turns it into a handy little carbine.

Ignoring the .45 Colt part for a moment — because we all know and love the old cartridge for its deadliness — what this Circuit Judge brings you is a tiny and manageable .410 shotgun, with six rounds capacity.  Find me another .410 shotgun that compares.

Would I want a Circuit Judge for myself?  No, because I have no real need for it.  But if I lived in an area where potting crows and rabbits and such is part of an early evening’s entertainment with friends while sitting around a fire pit with a glass or two of single malt at the elbow, such as at Free Market Towers in Hardy Country…

…I’d buy one in a heartbeat.

Whilst idly browsing the shotguns at Collectors, I happened upon this wonderful piece:

Now, one might balk at paying $27,500 for a gun made in 1907, but one would run the risk of being called ignorant of Boss & Co.’s storied heritage.  And unlike some other marquee shotgun brands (Purdey coff coff ) who are part of the Beretta conglomerate, Boss is independently owned.  And as Boss has been in existence since 1812, one might assume that the London-based gun company is well-known to many discerning gun owners because of the excellence (“Best”) of their products.  And one’s assumption would be correct:

It should be remembered, by the way, that it was Boss & Co. who designed and made the very first over-and-under shotgun, back in 1909 (okay, I’ll forgive them this heresy) so in this, at least, John Moses Browning was a copier and not an originator.

And Boss haven’t made only long guns, either:

Boss & Co. are unashamedly devoted to making a premium product, and only a premium product — hence the term “Best Only”.  And yes, that premium comes at a steep price;  but to own a Boss shotgun is to own a work of art and a piece of history and heritage like few others.

And that’s the reason why I think that the old 1907 shotgun at Collectors is an absolute bargain.