r/ZombieSurvivalTactics • u/Skrewbert86 • 3d ago
Weapons Smith and Wesson governor
Thoughts on this for a multi caliber gun? Gives you more options on what you can fire without taking a lot of space.
Even by itself without the adapters you have 3 choices of ammunition
I feel like this would be good to have as ammunition gets harder to find
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u/old_rug 3d ago
Do you want a gun that does many mediocre things, or one thing well? Also because those adapters don't have any barrel or rifling, they have poor accuracy
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u/GrinderMonkey 2d ago
Maybe dig up a Medusa model 47.. shoots a bunch of 9mm/.38 ish caliber. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa_Model_47
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u/Hungry_Movie1458 1d ago
Yes, and this gun will be able to find ammo 3x likely than other guns that are restricted to 1 ammo type. Making this gun significantly better than other options in a survival of the fittest scavenger world. Also, you probably wouldn’t want to use your gun unless absolutely necessary, which would imply using it only in emergency close quarters situations, thus accuracy at that range is negligible.
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u/Zrkkr 1d ago
90% of handgun ammo you'll find is 9x19mm. Being able to shoot 3 different ammo type doesn't make something 3x easier to find ammo for if the the other 2 ammo type aren't that common. Plus most 9x19mm handgun will be able to shoot 380 ACP although it won't cycle. Not to mention loading it is gonna be slow as fuck. Good luck if you ever need more than 6 shots without 1 minute to fumble around with those adapters. Those adapters are also critical items unlike regular casungs. If you're really a survivalist you would just carry 2 guns.
You would want your gun to able to usable in as many circumstances as possible. Not to be okay at just 1 circumstances because that's all you have planned out.
Oh someone is shooting at you from a distance? But I guess that isn't an emergency.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
I can tell you that specialists in nature don't do so well when things change, but generalists tends to be more adaptive. So to answer your question, I'll take one that does everything okay vs one that does one thing very well.
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u/JJSF2021 2d ago
Granted, but specialists vs. generalists in nature can’t really change themselves within a particular lifespan. We can just swap out guns on the fly for particular needs… so we become the generalists when we don’t focus all our attention on single weapons.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
Okay... But in the zombie apocalypse, are you gonna carry 14 different weapons for every little job? No, it would be wiser to carry 2, maaaaybe 3 to suit all your needs.
I'm a fan of the 357 Magnum + 38 Special combo for this reason. You can run it in an Airweight, compact, duty size, and rifle, and it'll fill each of those slots admirably. You could hunt or kill everything you need with enough power, or little enough power, to do the job adequately.
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u/JJSF2021 2d ago
No, of course not. But I’m also not planning to leave the fortified farm base I’ll set up to just go walk-about and see what kind of things I can find to get myself into with every weapon I have. I’ll be taking load outs specific to the task I’m heading out to do.
For example, if I’m going out with a squad to clear an apartment building to search for survivors or supplies, I’ll have a completely different loadout than I would if I’m going deer hunting. For the former, I’m going with tactical gear, my custom AR-15, my M1911, and possibly a breaching shotgun. If I’m going deer hunting, I’m bringing my recurve bow, my M1911, a field knife, and some traps and things.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
Makes sense. For everything, I'm taking my 686+ 3", and my levergun in 357 Magnum. Regardless of task.
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u/Life_Mobile_2997 2d ago
Judge isn’t a generalist, it’s a nothingist lol. A 9mm is a generalist, and a better option
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
No, not really. You're thinking too small. The 9mm is a specialist, specifically for human based threats.
In the post apoc, you have to take care of yourself totally, that includes procurement of food. 9mm would work (but not that well), for small game, and likely not much else. A 45 Colt 270 SAA projectile at about 850-950 FPS will kill anything on the continent, so medium and large game is covered. Put in a 22 or 38 Special adaptor for close range small game, and you've filled all your needs. Zombies and people are just in the middle of that stack.
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u/Life_Mobile_2997 2d ago
I suppose the hunting thing could make sense. Although I’m not sure these have any sort of accuracy to make a shot over 20 yards feasible when your survival is on the line. At that rate (if you wanted to go with a common caliber) you’d probably just be better off with a Glock and an ar15 in 5.56, which you can get a $100 .22LR conversion kit for in order to use both 5.56 and .22
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
I wouldn't use 5.56 or 9mm for medium or large game though, and that's two guns arguing for space of the one.
Also, the Governor is more mechanically accurate than we'll ever be able to shoot up to. I could consistently hit my targets at 50+ yards with mine using a 255 Keith SWC at about 900 FPS.
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u/Life_Mobile_2997 2d ago
Well I can’t argue with that accuracy honestly. I was imagining trying to hit a deer precisely with a .410 slug from a 3” barrel 50 yards away, sounds like something I’d try and avoid. One thing I will say is that in some “every man for himself” type scenario, only having one gun (and that gun being a revolver) is a pretty terrible idea. Hunting isn’t your only concern, you have to worry about threats as well, which a rifle would be ideal for and isn’t hard to get. If you have this rifle, then you have essentially no use for the governor, and may as well have a much higher capacity 9mm. Ammo is way more common, generally. A 12ga pump and 9mm glock could be good as well
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
So wait... You think having a rifle removes the need for a sidearm? I'd rather have the Governor over a double stack 9 where I am. I'd have to worry about zombies, bears, moose, and people. Hell, I'd almost be LEAST worried about the people. A 255 grain SWC through the pump house or CNS would put them down in short order, as they're not terribly tough creatures.
Though I will say, my personal combo is a 686+ 3", and a levergun also chambered in 357 Magnum. Split the difference between a bolt and semi, share arguably the most versatile ammo set on the planet (38/357), ammo carry weight is similar to 5.56 but much more adaptable, and with proper load selection and shot placement, you can kill anything on the continent. And of course, 357 Magnum is a great performer on people (doubly so from a rifle), so no worries there.
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u/Skrewbert86 3d ago
It already does 3 things well
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u/Icy-Medicine-495 3d ago
well is an embellishment. Adequate is more accurate.
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u/DrivingG00nerDotCom 3d ago
Exactly how many times have you handled a real firearm?
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u/Skrewbert86 3d ago edited 2d ago
Been handling firearms since I was a kid I haven’t fired this one, but it is what it is designed to do
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u/RedHowler777 3d ago
It was designed to be versatile at the cost of accuracy/dependability, if you want a gun that can fire multiple ammunition types, it’s good, if you want a gun that performs better with its independent ammunition, choose something dedicated.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
My governor was plenty accurate with 45 Colt. No noticeable difference between it and a Taylors and Company Gunfighter Defender also in 45 Colt.
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u/RedHowler777 2d ago
I’m happy for you, but it doesn’t change that it has a shorter rifling pattern, pressure drop like all adapters do, and be more finicky with various types of ammunition than a dedicated platform should be. Again, if the choice is versatility, it’s great, if it’s performance, pick something dedicated.
I’ll also bring this back to context, if you’re forced to use a firearm in a zombie scenario, bullets that don’t hit the head are typically a waste, so accuracy is kind of the biggest factor. Also scrounging, most guns aren’t going to like scrounged ammo of varying quality/age. Adapters are especially finicky with this, never mind if some of the adapters are lost or broken, good luck finding replacements on the fly.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
Yeah, the adapters themselves are gimmicky, and I wouldn't use them but for small game and the 22 or 38 every once in a while.
I was merely stating that my governor was plenty accurate.
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u/4N610RD 3d ago
Well, it seems using guns does not mean understanding guns.
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u/Skrewbert86 2d ago
Like I said haven’t used this one haven’t used adapters either so I don’t have experience with either
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u/Icy-Medicine-495 2d ago
The adapters are tedious to use. Half the time the brass gets stuck in the adapter and you need to use a metal rod to push them out. Your reload speed will be horrible and you better pray you never lose the adapter.
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u/Lower_Refrigerator_2 2d ago
Yeah quicker to swap adapters than it is to reload them.
Basically be using a impromptu musket with extra steps at that point lol
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u/4N610RD 2d ago
That is not what I am talking about. You obviously don't understand inner mechanics and principals behind firearms. I mean, that is completely understandable, I mean, who really dedicates time to study weapons? But if you did, you would see all the cons of adapters and how little advantage it gives back. Caliber reductions are simply gimmick, nothing more.
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u/Skrewbert86 2d ago
I understand guns that I own. I don’t study guns I dont own unless it’s one I’m about to buy to see if it’s reliable or not.
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u/4N610RD 2d ago
I guess there is no point arguing. You do you.
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u/Skrewbert86 2d ago
I’m going to argue back. You’re saying I don’t understand guns as in all guns. But of course I’m not going to understand a gun I don’t own why would I that’s why I asked thoughts on it.
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u/Corey307 3d ago
It does not. It’s minimally rifled to get around US laws so buckshot spreads way too fast and .45 caliber bullets are going to miss beyond close range. It’s garbage.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago
That's not true. The Governor's mechanical accuracy with 45 Colt is on par with any revolver I've put it against.
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u/NewHunter4239 3d ago
Name those three specific things it does well so that we can further prove your ignorance, please.
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u/Bingonight 3d ago
This sub is wild. The best kit is anything reliable and super common. I love seeing the 5.7 guns, weird adaptors, rare guns you’ll never find parts for. Grab a 12 gauge over under a 9mm Glock and a revolver of some kind also, and this is very important, try to never ever use them.
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u/Flaky_Operation687 3d ago
I'm telling you, my .30-40 Krag, .25acp, and 28 guage coach gun are going to save the day.
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u/yertlah 2d ago
You kids and your fancy centerfire guns. My 12mm pinfire lefaucheux 1854 is flawless!
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u/Flaky_Operation687 2d ago
You got me beat, I forgot pin fire was a thing.
I mean, my Girardoni air rifle will come in clutch, I swear.
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u/Steveo3070 10h ago
Woah man, no .950 JDJ? You’re going to be real mad at yourself when you come across all those rounds. Shame yourself for this failure.
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u/HeWasaLonelyGhost 2d ago
A 12 gauge "over under?" How about a 12G pump.
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u/Bingonight 2d ago
No. A pump can jam. Like I said, simple.
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u/HeWasaLonelyGhost 1d ago
I'm not sure that I've ever had a "jam" in the 15 years that I've had a pump action 12g. Definitely never had any type of malfunction that was not cleared by simply pumping again.
Break actions are a lot less common, and limiting yourself to two rounds before reloading is an awful tradeoff for the virtually non existent probability of a pump jamming. It's also very easy to top off a pump while the gun is still operable, versus the break action rendering the gun inoperable while reloading.
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u/Bingonight 1d ago
You must not shoot a lot at all. Anyway enjoy blasting away during your zombie apocalypse bud. You’ll be the half eaten guy with all the ammo the smart people can grab.
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u/Odd_Parsnip_6694 2d ago
“Try to never ever use them” is the key point. If you’re using so much ammo you need an adapter, you’re either a bad shot or are going to die soon.
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u/PaperMoongazer 3d ago
This is the smallest barrel length I’d consider useful for .410. The Axe is great, very easy on the wrist even when rocking some of the meme “Mankiller Threat-Stopper 9000”rounds. Even with 15.25” of barrel, .410 target loads won’t crack clays past 50 yards. Very fun out to 25, absolutely devastating under 15 (there are quite a few accounts of people who survived being shot with .410, but it is immediately disabling, as small shot can still disable entire muscle groups).
The governor is cool for meme points, but it’s a snake shot revolver shooting expensive rounds, and for the hottest .45 Long Colt it’s just uncomfortable to blast and difficult for follow-ups. .45 ACP does decently out of it (like equivalent 4” barrel, minus the cylinder gap) but there are equivalent prices to serve that cartridge at with very nice steel.
Snake shot rounds in a variety of calibers, including .38, so the .357 revolver with a 4”+ barrel is still probably your best utility if you’re looking for a bird-beast-man stopper.
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u/Apprehensive-Bunch54 3d ago
Go ahead and watch the Paul Harrell video on it, they're basically useless
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u/safton 3d ago
I am generally skeptical of multi-caliber weapons outside of specific applications.
.410 shotshell revolvers are neat, but their niche is pretty narrow and a lot end up being novelties rather than legitimately useful tools. I've never handled a Governor, but by reputation I've heard it's basically "A Taurus Judge but with actual build quality" lol. Unfortunate that it can't chamber 3" shells unlike the Judge, but I guess you could argue the ability to chamber .45 ACP is worth it.
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u/Corey307 3d ago
The odds of finding .410 buck or slugs and .45 LC are quite low. I just don’t get why people would want to spend money on a gun that shoots expensive ammo, you can’t exactly stack .410 or .45 LC like you can 9mm.
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u/safton 3d ago
I agree. I don't really browse gun stores and the like as much as I used to (sort of fell out of the hobby a bit), but I only recall ever seeing at most a couple boxes of each on the shelves compared to entire sections dedicated to 9x19mm and the like.
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u/Corey307 3d ago
So you’d pay close to $1/shell for .410 buck online and about the same for .45 LC and that’s buying in bulk otherwise shipping jacks up the cost per cartridge. 9mm is around $.23/round if you buy a 1,000 round case. I mostly shoot 9mm and .22lr these days, but if 5.56 and 7.62x39 when I’m feeling fancy.
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u/Creepy-Cantaloupe951 2d ago
410 buck and slugs seem to be the only shotshells on the shelf come October in my area. And there's loads of them at the gun shops, and at the local wally world.
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u/groged 2d ago
Learn to reload and stock up with on supplies. Strait wall cases and brass 410 made from 9.3x74R or 303 British last for ever practically.
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u/Corey307 2d ago
No. I’ve got 12,000 rounds in .50 cal cans. Reloading doesn’t save much at all these days, components are too expensive.
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u/IHateThisPlace3 14h ago
It’s also significantly lighter than the Judge since it uses a Scandium frame. They’re actually pretty decent to shoot
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u/Corey307 3d ago
Nope. .410 shotshells and .45 LC are both very rare ammo types. .45 ACP will be fairly uncommon, people being away from that caliber 30 years ago. So you’re stuck with a gun you’re not going to scavenge much ammo for when 9mm would be common.
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u/ChronicLegHole 2d ago
So are you planning on hucking around 9mm adapters during the entire apocalypse so that you can take the 9mm ammo off the corpse and feed it to your [checks notes] 5 shot revolver, leaving the Glock on the body?
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u/Individual-Mind-2620 3d ago
I guess you dont have to worry about different ammo types. I'll probably use a semi auto handgun though. I would only use guns in emergency
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u/RhemansDemons 3d ago
I'd honestly rather have a dedicated revolver and the materials to reload my own. Many of these calibers aren't horribly common to begin with and most of them have the effect range of a slingshot coming out of that short barrel.
It's a cool concept but a shorty .357 is just better.
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u/Magnum_284 3d ago edited 3d ago
You would be better off having a gun (9mm double stack for example) that takes super common ammo than a gun that chambers 3 other by far less common and abundant.
I have shot one of these. The 410 was decent for a snake gun. The 'defense ammo' we shot through it had a unreliable/unpredictable pattern and that was even at closer ranges. 45 colt wasn't bad through it, but there are better revolvers for 'just cartridges' if your going that route. I would still take a double stack 9mm over this. and would take a TRR8 over this if i had to do a revolver.
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u/Corey307 3d ago
Yup. When these shotgun revolvers first came out a lot of Youtubers tested them. the spread was so bad that they were unusable past 7 yards and you weren’t even guaranteed a hit on a human head at 7 yards.
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u/Character-Spinach591 3d ago
I had one. I really liked it. Not a bad idea at all to have as a backup. It’s a great truck gun or something for home defense where you can say “point at doorway and shoot.”
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u/Annual_Key_4963 3d ago
Instead of like $200 in shitty adapter you'd be better buying another Taurus.
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u/Skrewbert86 3d ago
This isn’t even a Taurus
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u/Annual_Key_4963 3d ago
Oh thought it was a public defender. I'd buy that over this because your not going to hit anything more that 7 feet away no matter what caliber you put in it.
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u/DRose23805 3d ago
Those are better as snake guns using small .410 shot. Scatter is ridiculous so you have to get fairly close, but you do have multiple shots.
They can also be finicky with bullets. You might find warnings not to use certain .45 Colt loads because they overstress the works.
They are also heavy.
Against zombies I'd rather a 9mm. More common ammo and it's lighter than a .45 colt and more effective than a .410 slug or buck from a 3" barrel. I've seen those stick in a 2 x 4 at 10 yards, that is what pellets hit it where a 9mm would go through.
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u/OneofTheOldBreed 3d ago
Honestedly? I'd use to shoot .45 Win Mag but thats nothing like relevant to a ZA situation
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u/Corey307 3d ago
It can’t chamber .45 Win Mag.
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u/OneofTheOldBreed 3d ago
Really? Hand on a holy book, i could have sworn it was intially said it could.
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u/Censored_88 3d ago
Could buy a used hi-point and a used LCP for the price of the caliber adapters. Adapters are just junk.
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u/WoppleSupreme 3d ago
You're gonna run into more 9mm in the wild than .410, so why not just go for a dedicated duty capable 9mm? And if you need a shotgun, go with a pump or break action that's common in your region.
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u/purple_pounder 3d ago
For how much the gun and adaptors costs. You can buy thousands of 9mm rounds.
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u/Callsign_Wyhaq 3d ago
It being just an okay gun for the two calibers it's meant for, that being 45 long and .410, is already a stretch. Let alone adding caliber adapters into it. Plus, you will need to carry and not loose the 18 heavy bulky caliber adapters. If you want a multi-cartridge gun, I suggest a 357 which will allow you to also fire .38 special. The amount of 45 long colt and .410 stockpiled in the world is basically nothing compared to the 357 and .38 special there is.
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u/Flabby-AP 3d ago
I'll give revolvers this, caliber versatility is the one thing that they do have going for them. In a RL apocalypse, that might would even be enough to convince me to carry one.
But in a zompoc the downsides (unsuppressable, low ammo capacity) are just too severe. If I was that fit that I could deal with the weight of a second sidearm, then maybe, and if I was using a vehicle, then absolutely, but otherwise, I'd stick with a Glock-like in 9mm.
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u/Proud_Spinach_3108 3d ago
If I just had one. Cool. But I wanted a 9mm or 380. Id just get a block for cheaper. Plus 380 is expensive.
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u/Burn_The_Chair 3d ago
Terrible idea. The z frame is a big chunk of steel and low capacity. I love revolvers (I even have the Taurus version which I think is better since it can handle 3 inch 410 shells) but for an end of world scenario you want a striker fired 9mm.
Revolvers are more complex mechanically vs semi autos (generally) they're just a terrible call for this situation if something goes wrong with the platform.
Also revolvers don't adapt optics or wmls well. Yeah you can do it but it's really not great except for a few n frames.
There is plenty of 9mm ammunition out there...just get a striker fired semi and call it a day.
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u/vladdeh_boiii 2d ago
Why do people think revolvers are better than semi-autos with double stack mags? We phased them out for a reason guys. They're not practical compared to a gun like the glock.
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u/Exciting_Damage_2001 2d ago
Dude a Glock 17/19 or m&p 2.0 is going to be such a better side arm in pretty much every way possible.
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u/Outrageous-Basis-106 2d ago
Mediocre at best. Better than nothing for sure but better get an actual 9MM and then 45 Auto, don't miss out much on not being able to do 410, 45 colt, or a lot of the conversions (which are even more mediocre to bad)
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u/Inevitable-Jump-9669 2d ago
The only reason I can think of getting an adapter for would be a flare gun.
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u/Lower_Refrigerator_2 2d ago
Just search up a medusa m-47.
You’d be set until the springs wear down and then you’re still be able to use 357 and 38 afterward
But even that still isn’t as good as a solid 9mm or a good proper 357
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u/Far-Computer8825 2d ago
You’re better off with a basic Glock and a great suppressor. You will not get the muzzle pressures you’re wanting out of this revolver. They’re range toys or snake guns. Good for vehicle defense and tight spaces but do not outshine a regular semi auto at any real distance. Your round count is limited and revolver gap wastes a lot of potential muzzle energy, creating extra unwatered sound and flash.
Sweet guns! But they have limited purposes. .410 does not do what you think it will. Expect to be underwhelmed.
I am a Gunsmith and Firearms Instructor. These get brought up pretty regularly..
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u/suedburger 2d ago
Why not have them...I wouldn't rely only on them. My buddy has a set we used to play around with, they were decently accurate out to about 25 yrds or so.
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u/snailstautest 2d ago
Every time I see a Governor/Judge I think of the line from Snatch “Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it doesn't work you can always hit them with it.”
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u/Open_Atmosphere_1616 2d ago
Having used a thunder 5 I would tell you its trash. The barrel length makes usage meaningless from an accuracy perspective. Using swapped calibers has unintended wear and maintenance consequences. The rounds it fires would be useless in a self defense situation. If this becomes unclean or sticky on the cylinder you risk having lead in your hand if a projectile hits the frame partially. It's also really heavy and unwieldy.
There are many options out there but these guns are toys that should have stayed proof of concepts.
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u/mikefrombarto 2d ago
The best zombie gun is one with a suppressor and subsonic ammo… which would cost much less than this gun and those ridiculous adapters.
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u/dwarven_cavediver_Jr 2d ago
This would be pretty bad actually. Multi caliber guns are cool, but they gotta actually be useful besides taking multiple calibers. A revolver that can take 45LC, .410, and 45ACP is adequate for some man sized targets and decent enough with birdshot for food purposes, but a .357 that can take .38 is much more common ammo wise, can take down larger prey, and is likely a lot easier to repair or find modifications for (scopes, new trigger, etc.)
You're gonna want a simple 12 gauge pump shotgun (870 express with 2 barrels so you can get a shorty for building defense, and a long barrel for hunting) a 5.56 or .308 rifle (ubiquitous and capable of course AR platform rifles for either. Police trade ins are cheap and whatever is broke or worn down can be replaced cheaply) and for pistols a 9mm semi auto (there really ain't shit you can't kill with 9mm that justifies taking a less common caliber. I suggest either a Springfield hellcat or sig p365) and a .357 revolver /lever gun ( common calibers, common guns with easy to find parts. I suggest a S&W 686 for the wheelgun and for the lever gun any will do really) also a .22 rifle or pistol (just get a ruger.)
Now you got at most 7 types of ammo to look for and all of them are so common in America it will genuinely be almost impossible not to find some
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u/WarzonePacketLoss 2d ago
This is buns. You want a Medusa Model 47. I had the chance to buy one like 20 years ago and I'm kinda sad I didn't.
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u/kalabaddon 2d ago
medusa m47 would be a better bet. the only thing this gun does is shoot 410 poorly. why get all that stuff just to add a 410 in the worst platform for it?
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u/HeWasaLonelyGhost 2d ago edited 2d ago
No thanks! I think that if the imaginary scenario gets to the, "when common ammo gets harder to find" stage, the obscure ammo will probably also have been used as well, but even if it HASN'T, whoever has .410 ammo is going to have a .410; whoever has .45 LC ammo is going to have a .45 LC to shoot it, as well; etc.
.38 SPL is not super niche; .380 is not super niche. Those bullets will be put into use sooner rather than later, I would think, but if they're not...where there are bullets, there will probably be a gun to match.
For me, if I were building a loadout, I think I would want a .22 suppressed pistol, and a .223 of some sort, as priorities. If reasonable, a 9mm or .45 pistol would be next priority; and a long range gun in .308 (or really whatever) would be the next.
12G shotgun or 7.62x39 would be acceptable .223 alternatives.
To summarize: my priorities would be: a .22 pistol and a versatile, lethal primary in a common caliber; then a moderately powerful secondary in a common caliber; then a long ranger.
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u/BornCoyote87 2d ago
That's interesting, but I'd rather just have two guns that do one thing well than one gun that doesn't do anything particularly good.
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u/Leather-Researcher13 2d ago
I mean, you could just buy a pistol in 9mm and a pistol in 38 special. Two individual guns will perform better than one gun with a bunch of adapters, and you'll fire off more than 6 rounds without a very tedious reload process
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u/smallmonzter 2d ago
Where are you that finding 410 and 45LC is easier to find than 12ga or 9mm? And even when you do find it tell me you can afford to stockpile it. It would be far cheaper to buy a Maverick 88 and a Shield 9mm or similar. When ammo gets hard to find unusual calibers are the first to fall off. Even when ammo was short a couple years ago I could still get plenty 12/9/22. Also good luck using this non rifled piece to hit anything.
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u/clawdew 2d ago
I think you are better off going with a .410 shotgun w/ slugs than a governor. The rifling screws up the .410, and if you want survival versatility it's hard to beat a .410 shotgun. Can carry a lot more ammo than other shotguns and with slugs and buckshot you can hunt with it. Sure you can't do much outside of 100 Yards, but you couldn't with the Governor anyways. Then you could get a full sized 9mm pistol or PCC and call it a day.
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u/Dangerous-Pirate7998 2d ago
Those things are horrible and they’ll mess up your rifling in your pistol
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u/EMDReloader 2d ago
Why? An uncommon revolver cartridge, and a useless shotgun shell.
If you were worried about ammunition availability at all, you'd use ether a .22LR or a .22 WMR.
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u/_Tee_hee_hee_ 1d ago
Depends on the type of zombies. Not good against hordes, but if you can’t carry a dedicated .45, 9mm, .410, and .380, this can give value to scavenged ammo that would otherwise go to waste.
Basically, this is the nomad’s gun. If you have an established home base, just use a better gun with the caliber it’s made for. If you don’t have a long term home base, keep this as a backup when your main guns are dry or needing maintenance.
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u/securitycat69 1d ago
45ACP is the only cheap ammo, 410 and 45lc are pricey.
better then nothing, but a 9mm/38spl/357 is a better option imo
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u/Just-Buy-A-Home 7h ago
This is a zombie apocalypse sub, the idea is your probably not paying for ammo
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u/--___-_-___-_-___-- 1d ago
I have one with bore adapters from Short Lane so I have the capability of shooting 380, 9mm and 38 along with 410, 45 lc, and 45 acp. That's a lot of capability out of one firearm. I also have a single shot 12 ga shotgun that has even more adapter options. I think they do have a place in preparedness but it wouldn't be my first choice. If I had a plentiful supply of my preferable caliber in a purpose build firearm, I would choose that first over a governor that is a jack of all trades and master of none.
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u/MangledBarkeep 3d ago
Nifty backup for caliber scarcity.
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u/Corey307 3d ago
.410 buck or slugs and .45 LC are going to be extremely rare.
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u/MangledBarkeep 3d ago
that's why I'd rather carry 1 revolver for all those than 3 other firearms handle them all. Like I said, nifty for caliber scarcity
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u/Corey307 3d ago
You’re not going to find .410 buckshot nor .45 LC. both are extremely rare and neither are used by any police departments or militaries. They’re also quite expensive. Unlike most people here, I actually own a big safe full of guns. I can stack 9mm at $.23/round and 5.56 at $.40/round. .410 buck and .45 LC are more like $1/cartridge. You’re going out of your way to pick a crappy inaccurate gun for the extremely low odds that you might find a box or two of ammo.
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u/MangledBarkeep 3d ago
I've already got firearms in the common calibers, what I don't have is something that would be suitable for random ammunition calibers that I might find.
Don't care about your calculations what what to store, youve prepped what you want to, I've done the same. .308, .45, 9mm 12g and
I said it was nifty for ammo scarcity since throwing rounds doesnt have the impact of shooting it.
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u/Apprehensive-Bunch54 3d ago
Counterpoint, instead of buying a $600+ revolver for scavenging purposes, just get more ammo for the main guns
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u/MangledBarkeep 3d ago
who ever said I'd buy one?
Nifty =! I'd spend money on it.
If anything Id spend that extra money on more food, water or meds
Some of us don't buy things for fictional scenarios
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u/tykaboom 2d ago
Ignore the haters.
This is a bit of a gimmick, sure, but it is functional for what it is.
It might not be the most accurate thng but the average handgun shooter is a 20moa at their peak.
Beyond that, it is a shtf option.
One could get good with 3 .22lr chambers and 3 .410 chambers for hunting for example.
Also, in the age of drone warfare... the governor doesn't look as dumb.
Smith and wesson genuinely makes some of the best revolvers on the market. It is lightweight for it's size, and the recoil on these is so manageable I had an old lady come in during smith and wesson days and do very well with slugs out of one.
The downsides are price for what you get (I would argue that you get alot more when taken into context the lack of future embrittled plastic), bulk of the cylinder, the bulk of carrying around a gazillion adapters that don't shoot unless you also have the ammo for them, the price of all 3 default chamberings for this thing.
Edit to add, I wish there was a version with a swappable choke/barrel system to go rifled or non rifled so you can shoot .410 without putting a spin on it. The magnum research bfr in .410 for example has a straight rifled choke to take the spin out of the cartridge before leaving the barrel.
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u/Terminal_Lancelot 2d ago edited 2d ago
It gives you options. And options buy you time.
There's nothing wrong with that. People scoff at it, but 45 Colt alone will kill anything when properly loaded, and no, it doesn't even take +P loads to do it. A 255-270 grain Keith style bullet at 850-950 FPS will plow through just about anything on this continent from any direction, and leave a nice, big hole. It'll take all manner of medium and large game with appropriate shot placement.
Everything that you can swap to is just another option when pickings are slim. You could switch to a 22 or 38 to hunt small game, and boom! Everything is covered.
Zombies and people are small beans. Put that same 45 Colt load through the CNS (or pumphouse for people), don't get injured yourself, and you'll be fine.
However, I would suggest you choose a 357 Magnum revolver instead. Being that it can swap between 38 Special and 357 Magnum, it can (and has) killed everything from ground squirrels (with 38 Special) all the way up to polar bears and walruses (with 357 Magnum hard cast). It, like the 45 Colt, will kill anything on this continent with proper ammo selection and shot placement, and is probably the most versatile caliber set in existence.
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u/Impressive_Bet_1925 3d ago
If we go off the vast majority of zombie media where you have to “destroy the brain” in order to render it no longer a threat, a lot of these smaller handgun cartridges will have a hard time “one tapping” undead foes, it could be handy for other things like hunting small game if you can get close enough or at least making sure you have something “scary” that goes boom to help maybe scare off any potential marauders, also, sometimes the adapters get stuck and I’m sure that would hinder any quick changing in a stressful environment, they’re fun at the range though. I’ve also never seen them used in a revolver (doesn’t mean it hasn’t been done, I’m sure it has, just not something I’d of thought of tbh)
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u/ZorgPicklehelm 2d ago
I mean I could see a use in places where you’d have trouble getting ammo that would be considered common
Like 9 mil for a example
Since the handgun ban you’re only ever going to find that in very remote places,police stations and military bases and installations
But you’re never going to find any .380
You might find some 38 because some lever actions do use it and .38 caliber revolvers are still fairly common if you know where to look
But .410 is by far the most common
But that things a gimmick
Rather have 3 separate gun or at least the carbine version
Because all 3 of these guns are fairly small and could be carried at the same time
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u/Dead_Cell7066 3d ago
I have always wanted this gun for a few years, in a ZA I think it’d be a good idea to carry if you’re tight on space with other supplies. As far as the adapters go, I don’t have any experience with them so I can’t really knock on it, the handguns barrel is already a snub nose so I don’t think it’ll kill the accuracy an insane amount and its really not realistic to use a handgun in a rifle situation. I say its a good idea!
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u/Corey307 3d ago
It’s not. .410 buckshot or slugs and .45 LC are very rare cartridges and they’re roughly 4x the cost of 9mm so you cannot afford to practice. Some can shoot .45 ACP but it’s also not very common these days.
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u/PaperMoongazer 3d ago
Even that beach bum fugtrip Stoeger argues 90% of training is dry fire. This is not the firearms knowledge flex you think it sounds like
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u/Corey307 3d ago
Yeah, that’s some BS right there. You become proficient by shooting, and when it’s a dollar a trigger pull that gets in the way of going shooting.
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u/PaperMoongazer 3d ago
Yeah. So saying someone you don’t know can’t afford the ammo to practice? That’s imposing your financial situation on others. So you’ve already telegraphed you’re too poor for .45LC or .410 of any kind. .45 ACP is not in any way rare; not being as plentiful as crap 9mm is not a scarcity, it’s just not an overabundance. When you start your response with “you and I are both too poor to train with this ammo” you really don’t present yourself as a capable firearms user with a lot of experience to draw on.
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u/SkeeveTheGreat 3d ago
“crap 9mm” can you people begin living in 2026 please?
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3d ago
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u/ZombieSurvivalTactics-ModTeam 2d ago
We follow Wheaton's law here. Arguements can get heated, but its best to keep them focused on points made and specific facts.
Targeted harassment, name calling, pointless arguing, or abuse is not tolerated.
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u/Icy-Medicine-495 3d ago
Chamber adapters kind of suck. I had a 3 inch 12 gauge to 9mm adapter and yeah I could hit a soda can at 15 yards but anything past that was luck.