Smith & Wesson Governor .45 Colt
Model: 160410
Smith & Wesson Governor .45 Colt
Model: 160410
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Smith & Wesson Governor is a double-action .45 Colt built for home defense and camp carry. It has an MSRP of $949, and its 6 chambers take .45 Colt, .45 ACP on moon clips and two-and-a-half-inch .410 shotshells, in any mix the owner loads.
Two full moon clips and three two-shot clips come in the box, which .45 ACP needs, since the rimless case has nothing to hold it at the right depth. The barrel is 2.75 inches, the gun is 8.5 inches overall and 5.5 inches tall, and the cylinder a .410 hull needs makes it 1.75 inches across, wider than a .357 of the same length. The trigger works double action and single action, there is no manual safety, and nothing on it is cut for an optic.
If you're cross-shopping, the Magnum Research BFR also chambers .410 alongside .45 Colt, but it is a single action at an MSRP of $1,719 with a 7.5-inch barrel and 72 oz on the scale, built for hunting. The Heritage Rough Rider Big Bore has an MSRP $434 lower and fires .45 Colt alone, with a hammer that has to be thumbed back for every shot.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Three cartridges from one cylinder, loaded alone or mixed.
- The clips come with the gun, so .45 ACP needs nothing bought on top.
- A matte stainless finish and a polymer grip mean nothing to rust or swell in a truck or a pack.
- There is no manual safety, so carry depends on the holster and the long double-action pull.
- A .410 shotshell out of this barrel spreads fast, and the pattern is thin past across-the-room distances.
- Six chambers come out one at a time unless the rounds are clipped, and the clips cover .45 ACP alone.
Category Rankings
How the Smith & Wesson Governor .45 Colt ranks among full-size .45 Colt handguns.
Ballistics Calculator
Calculate trajectory, drop, and energy for .45 Colt ammunition.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is it different from a Taurus Judge?
Capacity and the trigger. S&W puts the Governor's cylinder at 20 percent more capacity than the Judge, and the Governor can be cocked and fired single action.
Can .45 Colt, .45 ACP and .410 be mixed in the same cylinder?
Yes. S&W's own instruction is to load them alone or in combination. The .45 ACP rounds have to sit in the clips; the other two headspace on their own rims.
What .410 shells fit?
The shorter of the two common lengths. S&W lists it for two-and-a-half-inch shells, so the longer three-inch hulls will not chamber.
Does it take a .45 ACP cylinder swap?
No, and it does not need one. The clips do that job, which is why the cylinder is cut for the longer .45 Colt and .410 cases.
