Smith & Wesson Governor Review: .410, .45 Colt and .45 ACP

One cylinder, three kinds of ammunition. The Governor is clever, and cleverness is the easy part to admire. Here is the part that decides whether you keep it.

Why the Governor exists

The Smith & Wesson Governor rests on a simple promise: load whatever you have. The cylinder takes .45 Colt, .45 ACP and .410 shotshells, so you can match the cartridge to the situation without changing guns. Retail listings for the model show a 2.75-inch barrel and six chambers, which is the entire platform in one sentence.

That promise attracts a certain kind of buyer. A few are curious about the idea of a handgun that fires a shot charge. More are drawn to the practical angle of keeping one revolver around the house, farm or campsite that can run different loads depending on what is in the drawer. Both are reasonable motives. Neither is the same thing as wanting a daily carry gun, and the Governor makes the distinction obvious as soon as you pick it up.

Three cartridges, three personalities

.45 Colt. A rimmed cartridge with a long history, and the most natural fit in any revolver. You load it like any other revolver round, and it behaves like a revolver round. It is the safest starting point for learning the gun.

.45 ACP. The cartridge most pistol shooters already own. Because it is rimless, a revolver needs help holding and extracting it, which is where moon clips come in. A loaded clip drops into the cylinder in one motion, and a clip full of spent cases comes out in one motion. They reward tidy habits and punish bent clips, so keep spares and store them flat. Our speedloader guide and 9mm revolver guide cover the logic of clips on other guns.

.410. A small-bore shotgun shell in a pistol-length rifled barrel. This is the cartridge the gun is famous for, and it is where honest expectations matter most.

Pattern reality

A shotshell fired from a long shotgun barrel with a choke delivers a pattern that opens at a predictable rate. A shotshell fired from a short, rifled handgun barrel is a different thing. The rifling can spin the shot charge outward, the payload is small compared with larger gauges, and the barrel leaves very little distance over which the shot can be shaped. Patterns can differ a good deal from one brand and shot size to the next.

We are not going to quote pattern sizes or penetration figures, because we did not verify any and they vary by load. The practical advice is simple:

1. Pattern your own gun and your own chosen load on paper at the distance you care about.
2. Compare several loads rather than trusting the first one you try.
3. Treat any "it throws a pattern like a shotgun" claim skeptically. A handgun that fires .410 is a handgun that fires .410; it is not a replacement for a shotgun.

For a longer discussion of the idea, see our network piece on the .410 revolver question, which asks who should actually buy one.

Size and handling

The Governor is a bulky revolver. It is not a snub, and the designs that make sense for discreet carry, like the ones we covered in carry snub revolvers, are a different category. Holster selection is narrower than for mainstream revolvers, and an inside-the-waistband rig is a stretch for most bodies and wardrobes.

That bulk is not all bad. Weight and size help absorb the recoil of three different cartridges, and the long cylinder gives you six chambers to work with. For a property gun kept at a camp or a farm, a revolver that you can load and unload without a magazine or a chambered round has its own appeal. It is simple, and simplicity is a safety feature.

Where it makes sense

A Governor makes the most sense as a:

• Camp or property gun. Easy to store, easy to load, flexible across cartridges.
• Novelty with a purpose. If you enjoy shooting .45 Colt and .45 ACP, the extra option of .410 is a talking point and a pattern-board experiment.
• Home-or-vehicle gun for someone who already stores it properly. Keep it locked unless in use; access should be planned, not casual.

It makes less sense as:

• A discreet carry pistol. Size and weight work against that.
• A bear or large-animal answer. Our bear defense guide explains which cartridges make that conversation serious. This one is not it.
• A first handgun for someone learning the basics. Three cartridges are three sets of rules.

Practical tips for owning one

1. Pick one cartridge to learn first. .45 Colt is the simplest.
2. Buy several moon clips if you plan to use .45 ACP, and keep them organized.
3. Mark or separate your ammunition. If you do mix chambers, do it intentionally and never lose track of what is where.
4. Clean thoroughly. Shot, powder and carbon from different cartridge families build up in the cylinder and the forcing cone.
5. Check local rules. Ammunition, magazine and feature restrictions vary by jurisdiction, so confirm what applies to you before buying or carrying. This is a general reminder, not legal advice.

The verdict

The Governor is a thoughtful answer to a question many people have not asked: what if a revolver could shoot whatever you had in the drawer? As a camp or property gun that you maintain and handle carefully, it earns its keep. As a defensive-carry or hunting miracle, it asks you to believe more than the specifications support.

If you want to see whether it suits you, borrow one or rent one before you buy, learn the moon-clip routine, and pattern your .410 loads yourself. If you simply want a good .45 Colt revolver with a reputation for toughness, the options in a standard six-shot .45 Colt may serve you better and cost fewer compromises.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications and publicly available information. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and legality for your own situation.

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