Smith & Wesson Governor
YouTube: Jerry Miculek - Pro Shooter

Taking a Closer Look at the Versatile Smith & Wesson Governor Revolver

The Smith & Wesson Governor revolver offers excellent versatility.

When it comes to firearms for home or brush gun purposes, few can offer as much versatility as the Smith & Wesson Governor. This single/double-action revolver shoots not one, but three different types of ammo including .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and .410 shotshells.

Smith & Wesson offers this gun in a few different variations including a matte black finish and stainless steel. This is a handgun built for close encounters with its 2.75-inch barrel length. Given the proper self-defense loads, this gun packs quite the punch.

But do not just take our word for it, watch pro shooter Jerry Miculek in the video below as puts the Governor through its paces. This guy is one of the leading experts on shooting in the world. This short and simple test of .410 shells shows why this is a solid home defense option.

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The popularity of .410 shotshells as a defensive round has been growing in recent years. While .410 may traditionally be thought of as a round for introducing new shooters to hunting, as you saw here, those specialty self-defense rounds pack quite the punch. More than enough to dissuade any human attacker. While it may not be enough to stop a charging bear or other large predator, it will certainly make them think twice about their attack.

These guns have a Scandium alloy frame material, and they feature a black ramp front sight and fixed rear sights on the standard model. They also offer a version of this handgun with a dovetailed Tritium night sight for better target acquisition in low light conditions. Smith and Wesson also makes one model also offers Crimson Trace laser grips to make staying on target even easier.

In addition to a bevy of ammo choices out of one gun, Smith & Wesson added some more value to this gun with some included moon clips for faster reloading. They package each Governor with four. Two six round and two 2 round moon clips specifically for .45 ACP.

There is a lot to like about the Governor, especially the ammo options at a time when handgun ammo is becoming difficult to find. Really, the only downside to the Governor is the large size. This revolver has an overall length of 8.5 inches and a weight of 29 ounces unloaded. This is certainly no single stack, 9mm semi-auto! That makes if you are looking for a carry gun, it's going to be harder to conceal than most guns. Invest in a good holster. However, if you are looking for power and versatility, the Governor is certainly a firearm to consider and with a reputation like Smith & Wesson's, it's going to be a gun that will not let you down when you need it.

For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels

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