[taoshooter]

Anyone have experience with a Taurus 651 (small frame, sheathed hammer, ported, 2").
Is there really much difference between a Taurus and a S&W besides cost?

[critter]

We have (my wife's carry gun) a Taurus M85-a lightweight 2" .38 special. Nice little .38 carry gun (it's hammer is not shrouded though). It gets carried a lot-shot a little.

Only thing is, I do not like a ported barrel for a carry gun. The user gets a lot of flash AND MORE if it becomes necessary to fire the gun in a retention position (with it close to the body).

[Snowdog]

I own an M85CH as well and love it. I am not much into comparing Taurus to other firearms. You simply will not find "pride of ownership" in a Taurus as you will a S&W.
For example, I own both a Taurus M669 and a S&W 686. They are similar in size, and I seem to shoot the 669 better than the 686... but the 686 is what I "show off" when showing someone my revolvers.

As for function, I believe the S&W has the better out-of-the-box trigger and finish, but I feel they are strongly comparable besides that.

As for the small M85, I've never regretted that purchase (nor have I with any of my other Taurus handguns).

[E357]

Small Smiths and the Taurus share the same basic trigger design. For these small frame guns (new general production) it's just a matter of getting lucky as to the better trigger. In the larger frame guns, Smiths are usually better out of the box.

With some gunsmithing larger frame Smiths will have the best.

Elliot

[PCRCCW]

I had the CIA...the gun your asking about..........and a M60, SP101, Rossi...etc....I love snubs. The SP101 was the gun I kept.....for a while anyway. I go through way to many guns.
The CIA was a shooter and very very nice. Better DAO trigger than comparable smiths I tried.
Frankly either way you go youll get a good gun....more than likely, anyway.
Shoot well..........

[Snake Eyes]

I had a Taurus 85 ultralight 5-shot. About 50-60 rounds into ownership, the cylinder seized.

I couldn't find a gunsmith to fix it, because Taurus has a lifetime warranty, so there's no money in fixing them. Off to Taurus it goes.

I get it back 6 weeks later, shoot it, everything OK so far. Pack it up for a trip to Atlanta as my carry piece while traveling.

When I go to unload it to pack it for the trip home, the cylinder falls off the gun. Klunk. And I was depending on that gun to save my life...

When it got back from Taurus the second time, it got sold. Quick.

The only gun I've ever sold and never regretted.

PT

[taoshooter]

Thanks "Critter" I'll take your advice on porting.

PS: I like your signature!

[Fish Springs]

The titanium cylinder/aluminium frame M85 we have is a solid gun. It has a recoil signature that is like nothing else I have ever shot. But it is solid, ports help keep the muzzle down, accurate deep carry gun.

When you want a light weight, closer range pistol this one has worked well.

[PawDaddy]

I love my Taurus 85! It is stainless and has a 3" barrel. I am going to try to get a chopped hammer for it. It is a good carry gun as is, but I like the looks of the chopped hammer.

[wunderkind]

Normally $200 or so less than a new Smith, the real buys in Taurus are the used ones. Taurus/Rossi revo's don't hold their values nearly as well as a Smith-and that's what I like most about them!

A Rossi snub i picked up for about 200 LNIB outshoots a shooting buddy's S&W that was over $500.

I know that may be luck of the draw, and that Taurus/Rossi QC may not be as consistent as S&W, but my experience has been great.

If you can pick up a Taurus 2" for about two bills, go for it!

Cautionary note about holsters--will fit in any leather J-frame holster, but try first in Kydex...even tiny differences in frame sizes can render a holster unusable.

If you want a plastic holster, make sure to try it first if it says 'fits S&W j-frame and MOST clones." Hate to blow $$ on a holster and find out it doesn't fit by .01 of an inch. (Been there, done that...)

[Josey]

Hey I would look for a steel S&W Model 38 in 38 Special. I have had Webley, S&W, Rossi and Taurus snubbies. Mine were all fine. They went bang when I pulled the trigger.

[coldshot03/04]

I had the Taurus M605 357mag. To this day Im still kicking myself for trading it for that Dang Llama 45acp.:mad: I would recommend the Taurus.;)

[bpisler]

Just took my asnib 850 to the range this past weekend,trigger is very good,smooth with no hitches.It shot to POA with magtech 158gr FMJ at 35'. I can't complain for $200.00,used but looks brand new and it's a better shooter compared to the 60-15 smith i used to own.

[Okiecruffler]

I would have gotten the 651, but it wasn't out yet. If my numbers are correct, I have around 4800 rds thru it, about half of them .357. I still think the S&W's are better, but when I looked at the prices I had to wonder if they were that much better.

[usnavymasterchief]

Of the dozen or so handguns I own, my wife decided the Taurus 651 was hers, primarily because the shrouded hammer does not hang up in her purse and she can fire it D/A or S/A a major plus in my book. I replaced the trigger return and hammer springs with Wolff Springs made for a Taurus 605. They fit and function perfectly and made a HUGE difference to the trigger action for only $7.00 and 15 minutes of my time. So far we have had no failure to fire rounds with the lighter hammer spring.
For a 2" snubby, it is as accurate as my Colt D Frame or my S&W J Frame. The trigger is a major help with accuracy. At 7 yards (all I care about) it shoots point of impact at point of aim. I have fired Cor-Bon full pressure .357Mags with little discomfort because it is a relatively heavy piece for a snubby and that's a good thing. My wife keeps it stoked with Cor-Bon 38Spl +P 125gr JHP's. Plenty powerful for close in self defense and that's all any snubby is good for, IMO.
I think the Taurus 651 is comparable to or as good as any on the market, and the price is right at just over $300.00.
I find Taurus revos to be great guns for the money but I'm not very fond of there semi-autos with their price up there close to a Glock, I'd choose the Glock over Taurus any day. Wish Glock made a revo in .357Mag.
Last, stay away from ported models for all the reasons previously mentioned. Shoot a .357 Mag in a ported 2" at night and you'll probably be blinded by the flash and shot by the BG.

[landon74]

My wife has a Model 85 that's ported, she likes it quite a bit. She's put several hundred rounds through it with no probs. It's a great little gun for the money.

I've got a 617, I like it a bunch, it's heavy enough to make recoil tolerable. I've put about 300 hot magnum loads through it with no problems, it's a good gun for the money.

I've also got a scandium framed S&W .357 snubbie. The triggers on the Tauri (SP?) are as good if not better than the S&W. Especially the model 85 in single action the trigger breaks clean at about 3 lbs.

Now for the money, I could have bought both of the Taurus pistols and some ammo for what the S&W cost.

So as for the bang for buck I'd go with a Taurus.

[usnavymasterchief]

What LANDON74 said is so true. I bought a brand new S&W 340PD with tax and other fees it was almost $700.00. It WAS the worst handgun I have ever owned, a genuine POS. I sold it at a huge loss because nobody in these parts wanted anything to do with it.
The 617 is a great 7 shooter in .357Mag, a little large but none the less a fine gun for the money and I could have bought two of them and had change for what I paid for that POS S&W.

[denfoote]

I have the M650. The only thing bad I have to say about it is that it's a real bear to shoot with full power .357MAG loads!! If you get it, pay close attention to the bullet weights listed in the owner's manual. What Taurus does not tell you is that these are the grain weights that the gun was designed for. My 605 was shooting way low with the 125 gr and simular loads. Then, on a lark, I got hold of some 158gr rounds. To my surprise, it shot right to POA!! :D I now feed mine the Remington 158gr SJHP round. Like I said, it's a bear to shoot, though!! :eek: