[Smitty258]

I've been looking to get my first revolver. I want a .357 to carry with me when I go camping and hiking through the mountains. I'd like it to fire those mini shotshells for snakes, and well as full house .357 loads for possible bigger critters. I really don't want to spend a lot since this will be kinda a beater gun.

I found this Taurus that I think would fit the bill nicely, plus the lifetime warranty is a plus for me. Model 65SS4
http://www.taurususa.com/images/imagesMain/65SS4.jpg

What's your guys opinion? I'm not a big revolver guy so I need some opinions here.

Thanks!

[unspellable]

Make a VERY good inspection before buying. When they are good they are good but they crank out some lemons.

By all accounts the life time warranty is worthless as they don't seem to be able to fix the lemons. And keep in mind it can cost you as much as $35 to ship it back.

[.41Dave]

Taurus seems to be hit or miss. I've owned 2, and have had good luck with them. It's my understanding that quality has improved significantly at Taurus, so if it's a new gun you should do just fine. The other option is to find a good used S&W or Ruger.

[BetaShooter]

I recently bought a Taurus Tracker .44 mag. I checked out, using the "how to checkout a revolver" technique posted on this site, the 3 specimens the store had on hand and they were all excellent. Tight cylinder to barrel gaps, no cylinder play, etc. My gun shoots great too, very accurate and the trigger is great in SA and fair to good in DA. Sounds like the Taurus revolver would be perfect for your application.

[rtl]

How does the price on that model 65 Taurus compare to a Ruger GP100? I traded the former for the latter years ago based solely on how each felt in my hand, but feel I ended up with a much more rugged revolver.

[OhioPaints]

As others are said, they are fine guns IF you get a good one. My data is old, it's been 8 years or so since I bought my Taurus.

It took three tries to get a good one. They sent me a different gun each time. But I had the dealer send it back so it didn't cost me.

I am happy with the one I have, a 5 shot 3" .357. It conceals and carries easily.

Possibly more reliable approaches would be to buy an old used S&W or Ruger (e.g. Security Six). They are available in the $250-$300 price range. Often they are police trade ins and are in good condition.

I hope you do not plan to shoot snakes just because they exist. Most snakes are harmless to people and help keep down rodent populations.

Ken

[Bacchus]

I've had pretty good luck with the ones I've fired. They seem to fit my hands well and are moderately priced. I would recommend them given that you can handle the one you're considering prior to purchasing it.

I haven't seen many at the few Roanoke/Salem shows that I've visited.

[ravencon]

My one experience with owning a Taurus revolver was not a happy one. Complete junk. YMMV.

[blindndead]

For the people that dont like the taurus Revolver what do you think is top shelf?

[Biker]

I have only owned one Taurus revolver (a 450) and I've been very happy with it.

Biker

[unspellable]

The Taurus raging Bull seems to be the top of the Taurus line for quality control. I have two and they are OK. I have a 44 mag and it's OK. On the other hand I had a Titanium 5 shot snubby and it had chamber alignment problems.

That said, I have two Rugers with chamber alignment problems. But Ruger has a much better reputation for service.

[carterbeauford]

I have a Taurus 65. It has 700 or 800 rounds through it with no issues, action is smooth and cylinder lines up with the barrel perfectly. If you are used to carrying a polymer pistol on your hip, you are in for a surprise, it is heavy.

For a little more I cannot discourage you to look at a Ruger GP100 though.

[Legionnaire]

I had a blued M44 that was very good. I was surprised by the out-of-the-box smoothness of the double action trigger. It served well for several years. As others have said, their quality was somewhat spotty earlier on, but has improved dramatically by all reports in recent years. I'd happily look at another Taurus.

[bpisler]

The taurus revolvers i've owned have either
worked very well or have been in need of
work.I've had to file half the front sight off
to get one to hit close to POA.The last one
i owned was a blued 606 357mag that had
a cylinder that would rotate backwards 1
chamber when fired.

I owned a 606ss that was ported and it was
outstanding,i sold it cause i didn't care for
the porting.I had never owned a ported
gun and this was a inexpensive way to
find out if i would porting or not.

[Panthera Tigris]

I've owned some great ones, I've owned some that were lemons. I pretty much stick to old S&W, Colt or Ruger guns these days.

[Encoreman]

My 2 cents, I have purchased 4 Taurus's, 3 are .357, 1 is a 38. All work fine, in fact I shoot a model 65 in competition, local of course. That said, I like my S&W revolvers more. You usually get what you pay for. The choice is yours to make, if my life was on the line, I'd pick up the 1st one I could lay hands on!

[Werewolf]

A year and about 5 trips to the gunsmith to fix 5 different problems and my Raging Bull in 44Mag is now a top flight revolver that shoots scary accurate. It is now my favorite revolver (no thanks to the bums who built it).

That said: I'LL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER TAURUS PRODUCT! :cuss: POS!

No way should I have had to go thru what I went thru to finally get it to work right.

If I hadn't read so many horror stories about Taurus I'd write my experience off to bad luck - wasn't bad luck - bad QA.

[tubeshooter]

One keeper (early 90s), one lemon (late 90s) over here.


I probably wouldn't push my luck trying again....

[1 LT MPC]

I've owned two--never again! Stick with Ruger, S&W, or Colt.:banghead:

[9mmhpfan]

I bought a Taurus model 66 blue steel 6 inch barreled .357 Magnum in 1998 from a sporting goods store that eventually went out of business. After putting a 1000 rounds through it was having trouble locking up as easily as it had and on one trip to the range the extractor rod literally came off in my hand! I sent it back to the factory and with no questions on how it happened or what ammo I had shot in it they fixed it and returned it in about 2 weeks. They stand by their lifetime warranty. Since then it has digested who knows how many thousands of rounds with no problems. I am a satisfied Taurus and I think I only paid a total of $198.00 taxes included.

[Paladin7]

I would go with a used (pre-lock, pre-MIM) S&W or a Ruger GP100 / SP101 hands down...

With a used S&W, provided it checks out right, quality will be light years ahead of the Taurus, price ought to be very competitive and re-sale value is far better.

[Jim PHL]

I've owned two Taurus guns. NIB mid-to-late eighties PT99Af ("Brazilian Beretta") Excellent in every way, just not my cup of tea. Had it for years with never a problem but traded it away anyway. (My basic problem with it was size. Great for a duty-, range- or house-gun but I had others for every niche.)
My only Taurus revo was a 4" Model 94. (Blued, 9-shot, .22lr) I liked the looks, feel, fit and finish, accuracy and single action trigger pull. But, even after a trip back to Taurus, I could never warm up to a heavy, stagey double action trigger that, apparently, they could not smooth and lighten for me.

For the purposes you mention, I'd say go for it.

[MCgunner]

My two Taurus revolvers are definitely keepers. My M66 is the most accurate of four 4" medium frame revolvers I've owned, a M971 Rossi, a Ruger Security Six, and a M19 Smith and Wesson. This one has found a home, ain't goin' nowhere.:D

One thing, though, I much prefer fully adjustable sights on an outdoor .357 revolver, any caliber really, but especially a .357. Reason is because there is so much POI difference in light .38s and heavy magnum loads. I like to be able to carry light .38 loads for small game and the heavy stuff for toothy or two legged predators. I want both loads to shoot to POA. I have elevation marks on my outdoor revolvers for light and heavy loads. I own three primarily outdoor revolvers, the M66 Taurus, a .357 6.5" blued blackhawk, and a .45 Colt 4 5/8" Blackhawk. I also have carried my Ruger P90 afield and it has a fixed elevation sight, but the hot and light (actually, just not so hot) loads shoot to same POA, probably because they're the same bullet. I shoot 200 grain bullets in that gun and they all have the same POA. They're not really that far off in velocity from each other, though. .357 is not that way. .38 wadcutters are really light and shoot low, heavy magnums are really hot and heavy bullets and shoot high.

[Hawken50]

i have a tracker and love it.

[Arcticfox]

I have a NIB tracker in 44, and a used S&W 629. If you hold one in each hand and work the actions, the Smith is WAY smoother in every respect (i.e. hammer pull, trigger pull, ejecting bullets, cyliner latch operation.) Accuracy is also better on the Smith. The Tracker is my hiking companion because it is smaller. I will probably pass on the next Taurus in favor of a Smith. If you just want to plink, the Taurus will be fine.

BTW, what is all this BS about shooting snakes???!!!! Snakes are beneficial to people, and you can easily STEP AROUND THEM, or WALK AWAY FROM THEM. They aren't bears or lions. They don't stalk you. I can't imagine what goes thru the mind of someone who stumbles upon a snake, and thinks they are in danger, and have to kill it. :banghead: That is one of the dumbest things I hear gun people talk about. What is it going to do, run you down and bite you? If you disagree with this, I'd love to hear your logic on why a snake in the wilderness should be shot. If it's on your doorstep, and its a rattler, then ok. Otherwise, gimme a break!

[orionengnr]

Owning four dogs can give you a bad attitude about snakes...

Knowing people that have dogs, cats, etc, bitten by rattlers...I'm not waiting to see one on my doorstep.

If I run across one, it will become a belt. Or a hatband. Or road pizza.

As soon as rattlers are endangered in Texas, let me know. I won't be holding my breath.

[Cousin Mike]

Hi Smitty...

I only have one at the moment, but I love my Taurus. The picture you posted looks exactly like my 608, minus the ported barrel and yours has different sights. Mine holds 8 rounds of .357 magnum.

It's very accurate - as well as controllable and pleasant to shoot .357 magnum from. Shooting .38 Spl from it is almost as slight as .22LR, and just as accurate. It's heavier than my 1911, and I want to get some nice wood grips for it - but I couldn't be happier with it. I don't have any previous experience with Taurus, but I'll be buying a lot more Taurus revolvers in the future.

[gandog56]

I have a 20 year + old model 66 .357 magnum, blued with a six inch barrel. I bet I have put at least 50,000 rounds through it. The other day I finally took it to a smith for a total disassebly . cleaning, replace the springs. Took it to the range the next day and shot a box of 50 38 special DEWC's through a hole that wasn't quite 2 1/4 inches across. I think I paid about $175.00 for it when it was brand new. It was my first big bore centerfire pistol, and it is still the most accurate pistol I own, bar none.

[eagle45]

I have three Taurus revolvers, all snubbies and have had no problem with any of them. One was purchased in the mid 80s, one about 4 years ago and one about a year ago. Trouble free, reliable and accurate. I also had a 608 that I traded a while back.

Generally speaking, they have had quality problems in the past, and probably still do, most manufacturers of any type of product does. But they do seem to be improving their QA and are making a better product. I'll give em credit for variety for sure, they seem to offer a lot more to choose from.

[fisi]

you would have better luck winning the powerball than finding a taurus that worked..................

[Biker]

Guess I should've bought a Power Ball ticket instead of my 450, although my 450 has saved my bacon before but I've never won the lottery.

Biker:scrutiny:

[tubeshooter]

I thought about it for a couple of days, and the good gun was better than the bad one was bad. It is still my first and favorite.


I would probably give them another chance if I saw something I really liked for a good deal.

[Redneck with a 40]

I have a taurus tracker 357 mag revolver and I really like it. Its a very tight, accurate gun. I must have gotten one of the good ones, but in my opinion, Taurus builds excellent guns at reasonable prices.

[Cousin Mike]

you would have better luck winning the powerball than finding a taurus that worked.

Man.. I gotta start playin that powerball! :p

I think the amount of satisfied Taurus owners here speaks for itself.
I own a Colt Revolver. When I bought my 608, I had originally planned on buying a S&W. The Taurus just won me over. I admit, the trigger on my 608 may not be as light as the pull on a S&W or Colt revolver, but it's just as smooth. Just takes a hair or two more pressure in SA. It's still just as accurate as any gun I've ever fired. I've also never held another revolver that fit my hands so well. My next revolver will almost definitely be another Taurus.

[makanut]

Taurus makes good products, just pray you don't get a lemon, as their customer service dept. is utterly worthless. :banghead:

[Woody_in_MN]

Smitty,

I expect there are people out there that will dis-agree - but from 1st hand experience I LOVE the Taurus. The recent Taurus that is. Thirty years ago they wer kind on bottom feeders along with Llama. I own mostly semi-autos, but I currently have a Taurus M66 6", and a M617 Titanium 2". I love them both and would not think of selling either. I have had maybe a half-dozen Taurus's over the years. I have never had to send any of them to the factory for any reason. The only Taurus revolver I know of that might be suspect is the 605. But there are a lot of people on this board that own, and really like the 605 as well.

My first had experience allows me to say the M65 in a 4" or shorter barrel would be a great choice. If you are only thinking target, or target w/ home defense - you may want to condsider the M66 w/ adj sight. If you want to go new on a budget this is a great choice. If you are open to used, Ruger used to make a security six, and service six in 357 that were/are a great gun in 357. Their newer sp101 would be an option too - but more money.

Good choice, and stay safe.

- w

[Baba Louie]

Taurus has come a long way in the past few decades. For the price point, they are good enough, in my experience, to shoot and they shoot well. Once I know that and trust them to go bang each time, to shoot to the POA, I have no problem trusting them with my life if need be.

Sometimes the machining is a little rough, the trigger gritty at first. Mine have smoothed out over time. I own 5 Toro wheelies.

They are not S&W's, Colt's or Ruger wheel guns. Nor are they made in the US by American workers. As such they are suspect until proven reliable and deemed, "good enough". But even those few American mfgs have been known to turn out a lemon now and then. North American lemons still cost more than South American lemons as a general rule of thumb.

Based on the ones I own and have shot, I'd recommend buying it. But only if I felt I could not wait a bit longer, save a bit more and buy a new S&W or Ruger or a used Colt, S&W or Ruger. But that's just me. YMMV

[MillCreek]

As part of my 20+ handgun collection, I currently own four Taurus revolvers: two 650s and two 651s. All of them were manufactured in 2004 or 2005 and purchased new in 2005. Each of them has worked perfectly out of the box and have continued to do so through several hundred rounds each. Fit, finish and accuracy have all been very good, and has exceeded some late-model S&W snubbies that I have handled or fired.

My favorite Taurus revolver is the titanium 651, which I like to carry when out riding my titanium road bike. For the weight savings, of course.

[S&Wfan]

Hi,

We aren't talking Chevy vs. Ford, or Honda vs. Toyota type comparisons here.

As my brother (who is a regular vendor at gun shows) once told me, before I bought the first of many handguns . . . "Don't skimp on a gun that may make the difference if your life if ever on the line."

His other advice, "If you buy a quality gun that's extremely well regarded, it will only go up in price if you take great care of it."

One thing I can add to his wonderful advice, which was taken by me by the way before I skimped a little is this . . .

GO TO SOME REVOLVER COMPETITION MATCHES . . . and see what revolvers the fine shooters depend on to win matches with.

My advice? At least look at some good, used, pre-lock S&W revolvers! Their trigger pulls are generally quite good . . . and they can be made incredible. Their accuracy is thus outstanding (for trigger pull is SO important), and their build quality . . . and RESALE VALUE is indicative of the respect this great company has EARNED.

The only non-S&W revolver I currently own is a Colt snubbie I inherited from my father. I'm always looking for a few more of 'em too. The other brands ain't even on my radar screen, due to the superior trigger pulls I can get out of my Smiths.

The other current production brand that I could recommend to you for defense is the Ruger brand. They make stout, accurate revolvers you can depend your life on too.

[BigO01]

Have an older model 669 I bought used this year with a 4 inch barrel and fully adjustable sights , goes bang when it is suppose to and the bullets hit the target .

What else is there it is suppose to do to be considered a quality gun ?

I also own a Taurus auto a PT 940 it also works perfectly .

My very first pistol was a new S&W 586 that had to be sent in for repair as the extractor was oversized and when I shot magnum loads the empties would get completely stuck in the cyliders to the point that I had to push the rod against a hard surface to eject them .

That one expierence doesn't make me badmouth S&W but it is a fact that it happened , I think those that have had problems with Taurus are simply overreacting .

[woodsltc]

I've owned Taurus's before and I will not "waste" my money on another one.

Stay with S&W, Ruger,Colt ....etc......

Don

[10-Ring]

I haven't been the biggest Taurus fan. I've had a semi auto that I sold off at a loss w/in 3 months of ownership. I also have a 22lr wheelgun that has had 1000's of rounds through it and I really doubt I'll get rid of it.
That said, I've shot a few newer Taurus wheelguns and have found their quality to have improved many fold since I bought my guns. I've actually been contemplating another Taurus addition :D

[Woody_in_MN]

S&Wfan,

I am a S&W fan also. In fact this morning I'm on my way to pick up a S&W M57 in 41 mag. I was going to reccomend a used S&W in larger frame (if mags were steady diet) but forgot to. However, really based on my experience, and the shared experience of people I know personally - the Taurus 65 is a good choice.

- w

ps - if anyone out there is not happy with their Taurus - let me know - I'll buy it from you.

[Biker]

I've always been a huge fan of the .45LC and when I found a 2" snubbie in a 17oz, ported, corrosion resistant package, I just couldn't pass it up.
No regrets at all.

Biker

[weregunner]

Hi folks. I own three Taurus revolvers. Models 66,65 and 85CH.The two 357 s are older than dirt and so am I.If you call in the 50s old.Purchased the 357mags back in the middle 1980s.No timing troubles with the cylinder.All chambers are true.Trigger pulls smoothed out to 9lbs on the DA pull.Haven't replaced a thing.No gas blow by either.Accuracy is still under 3in. at 25 yards.Maybe I got lucky and have 2 fine shooters.One pistol is blue and the other is nickel.Shot mostly 38s and +P through both.Both have approximately 1000 rounds of full power magnum loads through each.The 85CH came 5 years later and all the above for the 357s is true for the 38 snub.I realize the Taurus 66,65models have limits on dureablity due to similar limits on the S&W model 19 or 66. They can all shoot 357mags but too much of a good thing can cause wear and tear beyond what they were designed for.S&W designed the 19 and 66 models to be lighter and more compact for carrying than the model 27 or 28 357s.Then full power 125gr. 357 mag loads came along so Smith came out with the 686 for full time 357 Mag shooters.So take your pick based on what fits you and how much 357 mag and 38 special shooting yu are going to do.I will endorse Taurus because the pistols niche was filled by them when I could not find or afford the Smiths.Price has to be considered here.

[Lucky Derby]

About 10 years ago I got a job selling guns at a local store/range. the first gun I sold for my new boss was a new Taurus .40 S&W auto. (I know not a revolver). When the guy picked it up 15 days later (Stupid waiting periods:cuss: )and took it out on the range the gun went "click" ! It had a broken firing pin NIB! Gun was sent back to Taurus and was repaired, without a problem. It gave me a bad feeling about Taurus. I've only had one, an 85, and I had no problems with it. I owned it prior to getting that job. I've known as many people who had problems as those who haven't. I won't take that gamble again.

[Confederate]

By all accounts the life time warranty is worthless as they don't seem to be able to fix the lemons.

I think it's more a matter of them not wanting to fix the lemons. One revolver I sent back because it had excessive head spacing between the cartridge and the recoil shield. So they moved the cylinder back. But when they did that, the barrel/cylinder gap opened from a .007 to about a .012. Totally unacceptable. So they took it back a second time. When I got it back my b/c gap was .009 and my head spacing was .010. Again, not acceptable. Instead of just fixing the problem and bringing the whole gun into tolerance, they were just moving the cylinder back and forth.

Another time I got in three Taurus 66 .357 revolvers. All three were out of tolerance. Lockup was fine, polishing of the gun was flawless; everything was tight and otherwise fine. But when I checked the chambers of all three guns, none of them seemed to have any throats. Dropping wadcutter bullets through each chamber, they fell through every single one. (I used a different bullet for each chamber.) Normally, you'll find some jacketed bullets that will fall through, but wadcutters don't because they're slightly oversized.

None of the three revolvers would group worth a damn. The moral is, a gun can be tight and otherwise in tolerance and still be a lemon because of something most gun buyers don't try. (I have two Security-Sixes that catch jacketed bullets in all six chambers of each gun and I had two .38 Speed-Sixes rechambered for .357 and the gunsmith did such a great job throating them that they give superb accuracy.)

I agree to a certain extent you can get a good gun from Taurus, but I have no idea of their propensity to "shoot loose" because I've never owned a Taurus long enough to find out.

[dispatch]

I have owned a Taurus 85 and a 65 for about 20 years and would never think about getting rid of either of them. The model 65 lives in my night stand. That being said, if I could only keep one .357 revolver, it would my Ruger GP100. I guess it could be classified as my beater because it goes places I wouldn't want to take some of my others. I have absolute confidence in it and envision my grand kids and their kids using it long after I'm gone.
I think you would be well served to spend a bit more and go with the Ruger. The three inch fixed version sounds like it would do everything you want.

[rickinmd]

I used to own two Taurus revolvers, a 608 and a 605. After several trips to the factory to fix problems that were never really resolved, I gave up. Now I buy only Smiths or Colts, usually pre-owned.

[SouthpawShootr]

I've had 4. My first was an 85. I dearly loved that gun and still kick myself for trading it. It served me exceptionally well. My next was an 85TI. I was bend on replacing my 85 and thought the TI would be a good choice for carry as well. It is, but the very thing that makes it good for carry make it uncomfortable for use as an extensive shooter. My third is a 650. Nice gun runs well. The 4th is a 431 in .44 special. I bought it used and haven't shot it yet. Seems like it will be ok, but I won't know until I get it to the range. Overall, I've had good experiences with Taurus. Lots of people have posted that they have not and I keep that in mind when I look at their revolvers. I tend to spend more time looking new ones over than I would with a comparable S&W. In fact, it's a good idea to run even new ones through Jim March's revolver checkout stickied at the top of this forum. Treat it as you would a used gun and you won't get burned.

BTW, I know an pistol instructor that keeps Taurus revolvers on hand for loaners to students taking his basic pistol course. He reports that they run well, but he doesn't allow any high octane loads through these. Some have very high round counts.

[jibjab]

I think ten to thirteen years ago Taurus was ok, before and after ? I've owned two, a mod. 431 2 1/2" RB and a mod. 85 ss 2" of that vintage 10-13 yrs, both shot loose sooner than expected but still shot ok . If you plan to shoot alot ? Ruger would be my choice for a new revolver, for used a S&W pre- lock or a Colt or Ruger .

[jad0110]

I currently own 2 Tauri: a 66 .357 Mag and a 94 22 LR. The 66 has been totally flawless, with a nice trigger and total reliability. The 94 on the other hand is a turd. The cylinder jammed when it became misaligned badly enough to impact on the top strap just behind the breech, putting a nice little gouge in it :cuss: .

I really do like my 66, it is a sweet shooter. As has been stated, every manufacturer has their lemons. Would I consider a Taurus in the future? Sure! Would I consider a Ruger or S&W? Sure! In fact, I've got nasty little itch for a Ruger GP-100 4" stainless.

[Brian Williams]

I had 2, a 357 6" 7 shooter and a 45LC 4" 5 shooter.
Notice it says I had 2.

[LMC]

I have a .38 spl 4" that was made in 1985 i bought used from a friend and the gun is very tight and accurate i never had a problem with it yet, my wife loves to shoot it, anyone know how taurus quality was back then.

[Glockensig]

I own 4!! I have a 4" stainless steel model 669 and a 4" blued 669. They have both been awesome. I have fallen in love with my 851 ( shrouded hammer version of model 85 ). I also have a model 905 - 9mm snubbie - which has been trouble. I atribute most of it's problems to the poorly designed moon clips.

[SeanSw]

The mid-80's Taurus model 96 that I bought here off THR was nicer than my pre lock S&W 617. Until the firing pin broke off. The finish was nice and the trigger was very smooth and light. I have dry fired some newer Taurus revolvers and I certainly wouldn't have purchased them like that.

I'm still trying to send out the gun for repair but it hasn't been a high priority lately.

[jad0110]

Update on my Taurus M66. I bought this gun NIB 6 months ago, stainless steel 6". I have currently put 552 rounds though it, about 20% of which are .357s. I really like the trigger on it, but I know many people greatly prefer the triggers on older S&Ws, which are considered to be the "gold standard" of trigger actions. I asked the owner of the range I went to this morning for his opinion on my Taurus' trigger. He was very surprised by how smooth it was, which he said was at least as smooth and light as his late 60s era S&W M64. So I guess I got a keeper! Will every Taurus have a trigger like this? No, but many apparently do. I was considering selling it to buy a Ruger GP100 stainless 4", but I'll just save my money for a while and have both!

From what I can tell, you will either get a Taurus that is a complete junker or you will get one that easily holds it's own with rivals S&W and Ruger.

To each his own.

[steelhead]

I purchased a 627, 4 inch, stainless when they first came out. The ergonomics were fantastic, I liked the size and capacity, and most of all, I could get hits with it. The downside was that the cylinder would bind after about 15-20 shots. I sent it back for repair and it was returned a few weeks later. It stayed in the safe for a few months and then I sold it to a friend because I was raising funds for a Ruger .480 SRH. He never had a problem with it and still has it to this day.

Fast forward a year, and I shot my "old" 627 and then really started to regret ever selling it. So much so, that I went and purchased another NIB 627 and that one has been flawless since day 1.

I also recently purchased a used Taurus 441 (44 Special) and the only negative, to this revolver, is a heavy (14#+) trigger pull. Despite the heavy trigger, it still shoots great and looks like another winner.

[DON.V]

i have a 605 i occasionally carry and have no complaints with it. greatly prefer a smith or ruger though.

[Skpotamus]

I've worked at gunshops for the last 6 years. In that time, I have had two problems with taurus guns. One, a 454 Casull raging bull the idiot (owner) managed to shoot a double charged load thru and blew apart. Taurus replaced the gun and told him not to shoot reloads thru the gun again.

The other was a Milllineum 40,t he owner said the gun would fail to feed and wasn't accurate. Taurus replaced the barrel for the guy and it ran fine.

Who is saying they've had problems with Taurus CS? They actually called my shops BOTH times there were problems to ask more specific questions and get the guns running properly. They have been top notch as far as CS goes.

My Taurus 85 Titanium has been utterly flawless, and incredibly accurate. A 2" barrel that can hit 50 yard targets reliably is nothing to turn your nose up to.

BTW, for all those people claiming ruger has such great CS, has anybody tried to use it lately? Do you know that Ruger has DROPPED ALL WARRANTIES on all of their firearms? The last ruger we had a problem with, Ruger wanted to charge the customer to even take a look at it.

[wheelgunkid]

Ignore the comments that just state Tauruses are pieces of junk, Tauruses are worthless. I can accept comments like "the one I had gave me problems" but to just state "they're a piece of junk" is a waste of a post.

That being said, I've owned Taurus revolvers that did have problems. I've owned ones that were great too. I've owned S&W revolvers over the last few years that gave me just as much if not more problems than Tauruses. The only ones I've owned that did not give me any problems have been a gp100 or an sp101.

But, Tauruses are not pieces of junk.

[browningguy]

Just one mans story. About 18 months ago I decided to get a small shrouded hammer revolver. Why? Well I didn't have one that's why. So off I go to the gun shop I frequent thinking Smith and Wesson. The three samples he had, all new, had horrible heavy gritty trigger pulls. The one new Taurus he had had a heavy pull, but smooth. So I took home a 650 SS 2" model. I don't shoot it a lot, probably only 300-400 rounds or so since I got it, but it is reasonably accurate and I've had no problems with it.

By the way, I'm a believer that the only good snake is a dead snake. However I'm running so fast after I see one I can' hit them.

[Panthera Tigris]

Wipe out all the snakes then, and wonder why there is suddenly a plague of millions of rats and rabbits.

I have a blued 650, btw.

[aaronrkelly]

I bought a brand new gun with a completely toast barrel. I sent it in promptly and was told it would be approx a 2 week turnaround. After 1 month passed I called, seemed the gun needed a new barrel and they were waiting for it from Brazil.....should only be 2 more weeks. Every time I called that barrel would only be 2 weeks.

3 1/2 months later I got fed up. I heard "it should only be 2 weeks" for the last time and lost all my humor. After a chat they admitted they had no clue when the barrel would show up and that it could be quite a wait.

After threat of legal action they decided to send me a replacement gun.

I received that gun a week or so ago.

Barrel checks out fine. There are a few tiny blemishes on the top of the barrel and one considerably nasty blemish near the front sight. The cylinder holes are machined horribly, they have more rings in them then Saturn.

I shot 3 or 4 cylinders full of ammo thru it.....functioned OK.

I will keep this gun rather then get the butt poking I would receive trying to trade it in.......it will also serve as a reminder next time Im tempted by the price of a Taurus handgun.

[weregunner]

Folks. The original poster hasn't posted since August. While we have all given an opinion I would think the thread starter would have been heard from by now. He may be watching and waiting,but this seems pretty long not say something. He must have some opinion after all that has been said here. I hear nothing but crickets chirping out in this field. Are you still out there or have you passed on and don't care anymore? I'm thinking he's gone. I realize that it may take a person time to post back.