Experience with Taurus snubbies?

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Had a 605, which I liked a lot. Sold it in a cash crunch, but it was mostly superb (it went back to Taurus for a jammed cylinder pin, which is not a unique-to-taurus failure, but could happen to any gun--Taurus fixed it with nary a complaint).

Have now a Model 85UL with the concealed hammer. I bought one, and it was defective (cylinder spun freely, trigger pull was horrific); returned it to Gander Mountain and they replaced it without discussion, and the replacement was flawless. I'm quite pleased with my Taurus experience.
 
My Taurus M85UL has the absolute best out of the box DA trigger I've ever shot on a revolver. It isn't that bad to shoot, but +P stuff does slap you a little in a 15 ounce revolver. It shoots 3" groups at 25 yards. I had the front sight milled off and a sight with an elevation wire installed for my light loads. I've always wanted to do this and decided to with this gun because it was a keeper. This allows me to shoot my light loads involving a very accurate 105 grain SWC and my 158 grain +Ps with a simple adjustment of sight picture. This little gun fits in a pocket, yet is accurate enough to shoot small game out to 20-25 yards with, pretty awesome little gun. With my light loads, I think of it as a kit gun that fits in a pocket. Same gun with +P is a self defense gun, something I couldn't say about a .22 kit gun. And, it's amazing how well you can hit with a snubby at extended ranges, too. I carry it when I'm out in the sticks or fishing or such. I usually have a sub compact 9mm for social duties, but often carry the little Taurus for that, too.
 
took a Taurus Model 44 home yesterday. I ordered it based on pics I saw. Found out after I ordered it, that it was ported. Didn't want porting... but oh well.

Never shot a ported gun before, so I guess I'll find out if I like it or not next time at the range.

sure does look nice though, the gun I mean. Not crazy about the grip, it seems "skinny". I like a more round, hand-filling grip.

If it turns out to be a good-quality gun, I may buy a .357mag too. The smiths are too expensive, unless used.

edit: sorry, I just noticed the "snubby" part of this thread...
 
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On the 608, the 6.5 inch barrel looks nice, but with the porting, does that reduce the effective length of the barrel to be closer to 5 inch?
 
Taurus Snubby

Dave, I have a Taurus 605 .357 that I really like. I checked it out good when new and shoot W-W 145 gr. ST's. It has
a lot of recoil but manageable. It was $250 less than a Smith 60. I shoot 3'' groups at 15 yards from a rest.
 
I see that yet again this thread has been resurrected back from the bowels of THR. :)

Since I started this thread, I've picked up two S&W Model 640s, and a 2" Model 15, so I'm all set with snubbies. Perhaps other members will benefit, however.
 
Taurus model 605

I own a Taurus Model 605 ss and I like it...looks like it's been a while since anyone posted on here.:what:
 
I have a SS Taurus 2" 85 we affectionately call Pinky. I bought the revolver for my wife but she didn't like or wasn't interested in it so I went and got some pink Hogue grips for the pistol to dress it up for her. Still she wasn't interested in Pinky. Today Pinky is my truck gun. I've run a few hundred rounds through the revolver without so much as a burp. I've been told by a friend after he shot Pinky if the worst case scenario were to happen and Pinky had to be pulled folks might laugh themselves into submission without ever having to use him. Do I like Pinky? Of course, as much as anyone can like a snubby. :D
 
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I have a model 85 that I bought in 1990. I don't know about the new ones but mine is just as good as a S&W 36. I've had zero problems with it and it has had maybe 300 rounds through it.
 
I guess the thread was so nice... it got necro'd twice.


On topic: I have a Taurus 85 from 1994. So just a bit older than this thread. My very first gun, still have it, still my main carry. It has been superb.
 
Bought a 85SS used, in unfired condition, pre-lock. It is a distant second to my (read, now wife's) J-36. Sill it will run with any current J frame on any scale one might want to compare it with.
It now serves as my daily carry firearm.
Data for reloads are from Speer Reloading Manual #10 with 2400 load past any current listing it sent a Hornady 158gr. LHPSWC across the screens at 924FPS average. Slight leading noted!! Federal primers, cases fell out and primers showed no signs of flatting. Increased recoil noted. Not a practice load, but one outstanding carry load.
Coming up on my 69th B-day I've learned to keep most things in prospective. I doesn't matter what your talking about-cars, trucks, boats, battery powered tools, really anything. The best you can say about it is- I'd buy it again, and that's how I feel about Taurus snubbies. I'd buy it again!
 
question about an older taurus

have a buddy, had an older taurus, .357 7shot snub nose bought in the mid 90's maybe, cant for the life of me remember the model number? good gun though, better looking than their current offerings
Anybody know what model numbers? or what s&w revolver it was a copy of?
i liked the size of it fit my hand pretty well (bigger hands)
Gene
 
That would probably be a Taurus 617 with a 2" barrel. My most-times carry. I just picked up a Taurus 608 4" 357 in SS. I might lop it down to 2.5". Getting the right tools together at the moment. 8 shots of 357 Mag w/o a reload is nothing to sneeze at. :)
 
ivankerely said:
have a buddy, had an older taurus, .357 7shot snub nose bought in the mid 90's maybe, cant for the life of me remember the model number? good gun though, better looking than their current offerings
Anybody know what model numbers? or what s&w revolver it was a copy of?
i liked the size of it fit my hand pretty well (bigger hands)
Gene
Click to expand...
Taurus® Mdl 617, it is not a copy of any S&W® design. It is built on the Taurus® "Compact Frame" which is to say it is larger than a small/J frame, but smaller than a medium/K frame. It is an outstanding gun and has been my EDCG since 05/2003.....
100_2233.jpg
100_2235.jpg
 
My only experience with Taurus revolvers has been very positive. I own a mid 90's 3" SS 431 44 special that is superb. Great trigger and very accurate...what more can you ask from any revolver.
 
I had numerous problems with a couple model 85s. Timing issues, flash gap problems and soft firing pin hits. Now this was on two 85s I had 15 years ago or so, hopefully Taurus has fixed these issues. Last I remember they did have excellent customer service and really wanted to keep me as a satisfied customer.
 
you guys are good! I finally got ahold of my friend and he said it was a 617 just as you guys had, impressive
thanks for the clarification I had wrongly assumed they made just smith copies thanks for setting me straight
gene
 
It's kinda luck of the draw as to whether you get a good one or not. Bought a m85 about 20 years ago that was excellent, and a m85UL about 10 years ago that was also excellent. Went to the lgs a few months ago to look at one with a buddy. Of the 5 they had in stock, 3 had the same issue.

In single action, if you pulled the trigger very slowly, as one would do when target shooting, (or checking creep, as I was doing) the hammer would drop and stop about 1/4" from the firing pin. In double action, or if you pulled the trigger smartly in single action, it would drop fine.

While I realize a .38 snub isn't gonna see a lot of time shooting bullseye, it should still function correctly. After that experience, and after a lot of stories on the web, I have decided that like many things, Taurus quality isn't what it used to be. Personally I will no longer consider buying a new one.
 
In past threads I have trashed the Taurus, as I own a 608 and have had problems with timing and rough action. But, I pulled the side plate off and found that the inside had what appeared to be factory shavings. I cleaned it out really well, and now it is a different revolver. It's much cleaner feeling in DA and SA, and no more timing issues what so ever. It's also extremely accurate with both +p 38's, and full house .357's.

For the money, they are a decent revolver IMO.

GS
 
I've had maybe five Taurus 85s and all were great. A couple of 'em I put a few thousand rounds through. Bear in mind my last one was purchased over 20 years ago and only one was brand new even then, so IDK if the quality is decent nowadays or not. But all of mine were nice. The fact that I got rid of them all says more about my youth, predilection for autos and the fact that I usually didn't have a lot of cash but was always chasing the next gun.:banghead:
 
I own three. Two are pre-lock guns, and one is current production. NONE of them have given me an issue in 20+ years of service. I also own a 3" Model 66, and a Model 82. Same history there, as well.

Fact of the matter is, I've had more Warranty work done on S&W revolvers than any other brand. One, a Model 625-3 broke the hand mechanism on the FIRST shot. Another, a new 617 locked up so badly that a gunsmith had to get the cylinder to open so that it could be emptied for return. They replaced the gun, THAT was how crappy their QC was.

In today's environment of panic buying, those cocked barrels, gritty triggers, and poor finishes seem to be equally spread among ALL revolver manufacturers, as they scramble to get guns to market.

Because of this, I'd suggest that a careful examination of any new gun is more common sense for ALL brands.
 
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