Taurus Ultralite snubbie

[300savage]

I've been looking for a hammerless alloy frame snubbie, but any handgun is hard to find around here now. Today I saw a new Taurus model 850 Ultralite in blue. 38+P, blue, alloy frame very similar to the centenial style S&W 442. I believe that it is the 850B2UL, but I can't find it on the Taurus web site or any model number with that configuration. Is it a previous year model that is no longer made? Many thanks.

 

[Glockman17366]

It's probably one of the titanium guns Taurus was marketing a year or so ago. They were available in four colors, if I recall. I believe they have all been discontinued, but I could be wrong there.
The only titanium guns I see on the website (for models 850 and 851) are the shadow grey ones.
I have no idea why Taurus discontinued these guns, but I imagine raw material and manufacturing costs vs. actual selling prices had something to do with it.
I have one of the titanium 851's in shadow grey. So far, it goes bang when I pull the trigger. It's a carry gun and I've got around 300 rounds through it.
If you buy that Taurus, put a couple hundred rounds through it ASAP.

 

[mnrivrat]

When on the Taurus web site try doing a search using the model number. For some reason their site is not always up to date in some area's.

I was looking the other day for their Model 721 and it didn't show under any of the lists, until I did a search.

I think the Blued UL is anodized aluminum frame with carbon steel cylinder and barrel. Titaniums generaly have a Ti in the model, or in the case of my Taurus, it is marked Titanium on the frame and called Total Titanium . ( This model no longer available in that material but is still being made in Aluminum and stainless as a UL gun.

I have three Taurus wheel guns. No problems with mine, but from what I hear they do have a higher rate of return for warranty than Ruger or S&W for example. I don't regret buying any of mine, and I have seen my share of Ruger and S&W screw ups to know that things can happen to any of them.

 

[1911_CQB]

I have an 85 ultralight and love it. She hasnt given me any prblems yet. Other than I was using el cheapo LRN for blasting one day and the rounds creeped up in the cases from the inertia and locked it up, but that was my fault, I should have known it would happen in such a light gun.

 

[mgkdrgn]

I can't find it on the Taurus web site or any model number with that configuration. Is it a previous year model that is no longer made? Many thanks.

Unfortunately, the Taurus website is pretty pathetic wrt providing information about their products.

 

[MCgunner]

Dang, no shortage of revolvers around here, just don't go looking for a Ruger LCP or a Kel Tec P3AT. I saw a 642 Smith yeasterday at a gun shop while looking for other stuff. Now, don't even TRY to find any factory ammo. Thank God for reloading presses.

I have an 85 ultralight and love it. She hasnt given me any prblems yet. Other than I was using el cheapo LRN for blasting one day and the rounds creeped up in the cases from the inertia and locked it up, but that was my fault, I should have known it would happen in such a light gun.

Yeah, I roll crimp the hell out of my ammo for the 85UL. LOL Rounds jumping the crimp can be a problem with hot +P, but I've not had the problem with standard pressure factory loads, what few I've fired in the gun. I normally shoot my own reloads. Quality factory defense ammo shouldn't give a problem, either, in the lightweight guns.

 

[kingnova]

Same thing happened to my son's model 85 but he was using reloads.

 

[Glockman17366]

think the Blued UL is anodized aluminum frame with carbon steel cylinder and barrel.

I think you'll find that to be an aluminum frame and titanium cylinder/barrel shroud.
Taurus used to market these as Multi-Alloy, although Ultra-Lite is engraved on the frame.
I've never seen one (at a gun shop or on the Taurus web site) that was blue anodized...doesn't mean they didn't make any though.

 

[300savage]

When I said it was blue, I didn't mean the bright anodized blue that I have seen on a titanium Taurus, but something closer to black. They had a S&W 642 there as well and it felt just a little lighter in my hand, but they were both significantly lighter than the two stainless models they had. I think the 850 in question was an aluminum frame with a steel cylinder and barrel, and not titanium.
The 642 had a cylinder that was long enough for 357Mag, but it was listed as a 38+P only. It looks like S&W just uses their 357 cylinders but reams them to 38 length. I wonder how the longer jump to the rifling affects the accuracy and chamber pressure. I actually liked the Taurus over the Smith for a couple of reasons, beside the shorter cylinder. For one thing I liked the trigger on that particular 850 better, it didn't drop off at the end like the Smith, and the ejector stroke was substantially longer on the 850, which should translate into few stuck brass.
A used P3AT was in the case as well. First time I held one; I do not have large hands, but man it did not feel good in my hand.

 

[MCgunner]

A titanium .45 Colt on taurusarmed.net right now. I think he's sold it. Odd blue color that looks like anodizing, but I have no idea, really.

 

[aingeal89c]

it's the m605. the model was discontinued after taurus released the 605b2. Try looking on gunsamerica.com, they might have some left.