The resounding success of the Judge series of revolvers from Taurus played a direct role in the introduction of the S&W Governor revolver in 2011. Similar to the Judge, the Governor is designed to fire any of the following:
The Governor is built on what S&W calls a Z frame which is basically a stretched out N frame. This revolver has a 6 shot capability and the ability to shot a mix variety of calibers in each 6 shots. For example, one could load 2 rounds of .410 shotgun shells and 4 rounds of 45 Long Colt and fire all 6 without any issues.
Loading and shooting the 45 ACP cartridges requires a moon clip (which is basically a small metal ring that is designed to hold a number of rounds together to be loaded all at one time instead of loading them one by one. The moon clip is required for the 45 ACP rounds as those cartridges do not have a rim like the .410 shells and the .45 Long Colt. Each Governor firearm ships with five 45 ACP moon clips in various round configurations.
The Governor frame is made from either a scandium alloy or lightweight stainless steel, making the revolver very light (29.6 ounces unloaded) for its size. Like most S&W revolvers, the Governor is a single action/double action model that can be fired in either single action or double action mode. Current Governor models are equipped with a 2.75” barrel.
Since the Governor was introduced, S&W has offered it in 3 different versions:
Here are some commonly asked questions that we see regarding SW Governor holster styles:
Although the Taurus Judge and the SW Governor do look similar, they actually have very different dimensions. The standard Judge has a 3” barrel length compared to the 2.75” barrel on the Governor, and the Judge is 1.5” wide while the Governor is slightly thinner. Because of these frame differences, the Governor won’t fit into a holster model made for the Judge and vice-versa.
Yes, we can help. Any OWB or IWB holster listed below is available in version to fit the S&W Governor with a Crimson Trace grip.
Any of the Smith Wesson Governor holster models displayed below can be ordered with an optional thumb break (also called a retention strap) for added retention.
Our most popular IWB Smith & Wesson Governor holster is the MTR Custom Adversary Clip-On IWB (which is the model displayed above). The inside the waistband holsters are ideal as a concealed carry holster or for concealment. In addition, all the IWB holsters are designed with a reinforced mouth for easy draw and re-holstering.
We do carry a paddle-style holster made for the Governor, and it can be seen here: MTR Custom Paddle Holster.
The pictures you see below for each holster are just sample pictures for demonstration purposes, and were taken with whatever pistol or revolver model that we happened to have on hand at that time for demonstration pictures. It’s very difficult (if not impossible) to take a picture of every holster that we carry made for the S&W Governor in every shooting hand and color combination.
Any of the gun holster models listed below are available in a version to fit the S&W Governor with a 2.75” barrel, and all those holster models are available in a right hand and left hand configuration. Each of these gun holsters are molded specifically to the Governor for a perfect fit.