38 Special revolvers

Taurus revolvers are solid from a design standpoint, but unless they are current production be advised that they've had quality control issues in the past. I understand they're on top of the problem these days, but my one experience with them left a bad taste.

Back around 2008 I had a brand-new 9-shot .22 Taurus 94 that choked before I finished my second box of ammo. One of the pins on the transfer bar sheered off. I called about ordering a replacement part and was told I had to ship the revolver back to the factory at my expense along with a $35 service charge to have this $5 part replaced. I bit my tongue, had the part repaired locally for less and sold on the revolver with a full disclosure about the failure.

BTW, I routinely carry two J-frame .38 Special S&Ws as CCW arms so I'm fine with the concept.

doubleh said:

If I could think of any good reason to have a 38 I would be tempted to return today but I can't.

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What do you carry now?

Dave DeLaurant said:

BTW, I routinely carry two J-frame .38 Special S&Ws as CCW arms so I'm fine with the concept.

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Do you carry both at the same time?

DoubleH,

Your posting seems to go like this:

Saw spinach for sale. I looked at two
packages. I don't like spinach. So
I didn't buy spinach.

I had a late 90s M85 that was probably better than a contemporary S&W, nice polished stainless, wood grips, no MIM. Shoulda kept it.
Then I had one of their .44 Specials, 4-inch, wood grips with fixed sights. Maybe a little older, say '85-87. It always shot waaaaay left and ammo was hard to find (then as now), so it went down the road with no regrets.
Also had an 7-shot titanium .357 ported snub with the weird "heat sink" style rubber grips and the hammer lock- forgot the model number. Bought it new around 2002. Looked really cool, but was hella uncomfortable with anything other than .38 target loads.
IMO, Taurus had a "sweet spot" between about '88 and '98, but Im not interested in anything they've made before or since.

doubleh said:

If I could think of any good reason to have a 38 I would be tempted to return today but I can't.

Click to expand...

This is the Smith 38 Special that has mostly resided in a desk drawer in the living room ever since I bought it from a co-worker for $100.00 almost 25 years ago. If "I could think of any good reason" to replace it with a $100.00 bill, I’d go to the credit union come Monday morning and get myself a brand new, crisp $100 bill. Then I’d sell the revolver and take my wife out for dinner at a fancy restaurant with what was left over.

doubleh said:

They are a rare breed around here and it's been a long time since I have seen a new one for sale. Last Wednesday I stopped into the farm and ranch store for a couple of sacks of feed for my feathered friends and of course I had to detour by the gun stuff on the way for the feed. This place sells a lot of firearms and ammo and has the best prices in the area. There I found two Taurus 856 stainless revolvers in 38 Special. Nice looking guns. One was the matte finished one with rubber grips and the other was the polished one with wood grips. They were separated by a $150 price difference. I did not ask to handle them but would prefer the wooden gripped one as I have never liked the rubber grip design of Taurus guns. If I could think of any good reason to have a 38 I would be tempted to return today but I can't.

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doubleh - NOT, quite sure what you are asking ? If anything ?
Interested in 38 Spl or about a Taurus chambered in 38 Spl ?
If about Taurus, no experience here. My son has one, it seems fine - he likes it.
Have an M10; it is my house and utility gun.
38 Spl covers most needs; good for most uninvited critters, fun to shoot, accurate, easy to reload.
Highly recommend one !

.308 Norma,

That Model 67-1 in today's market is
worth around $600. Or even more.
Yeah go ahead and sell it. Plenty
of Combat Masterpiece buyers out
there.

doubleh said:

If I could think of any good reason to have a 38 I would be tempted to return today but I can't.

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Then don't.

Depending on the price, I'd choose a 605 over an 856 since I have a lot more .357 ammo than .38. However, if the .38 only/856 was at a good price I'd get it.

I have three 38 Specials. I like the cartridge and have shot it quite a bit over the years. I only use them for shooting targets and plinking. Also occasionally blasting at ground squirrels, jack rabbits and badgers in the spring and summer. So the cartridge is useful for me. Can't speak to the Taurus version but I'd probably buy one if the price was right.

doubleh said:

They are a rare breed around here and it's been a long time since I have seen a new one for sale. Last Wednesday I stopped into the farm and ranch store for a couple of sacks of feed for my feathered friends and of course I had to detour by the gun stuff on the way for the feed. This place sells a lot of firearms and ammo and has the best prices in the area. There I found two Taurus 856 stainless revolvers in 38 Special. Nice looking guns. One was the matte finished one with rubber grips and the other was the polished one with wood grips. They were separated by a $150 price difference.

Click to expand...

The polished version is the so-called "Executive Edition". They've done more than polish it. it's said to be quite nice.

did not ask to handle them but would prefer the wooden gripped one as I have never liked the rubber grip design of Taurus guns. If I could think of any good reason to have a 38 I would be tempted to return today but I can't.

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<shrug>. Grips are replaceable.

(FWIW, I got a copy of the Executive Grade's wood grips off Gunborker. And, out of the box, don't care for it. It'll take sanding and shaping to be what I want.)

NIGHTLORD40K said:

IMO, Taurus had a "sweet spot" between about '88 and '98, but Im not interested in anything they've made before or since.

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Agree wholeheartedly. They were screaming deals in that era, and you could find many of the models very lightly used for around $150.

(All together now…) I wish I had kept more of the ones that I bought back then.

westernrover said:

Do you carry both at the same time?

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I shoulda said "one of the two". My standby is a 3" Model 60 Proshop and the 'spare' is a 2" Airweight.



The Airweight is a bit smaller and lighter for summer carry, and I suppose it would make a very plausible back-up gun. I figure if I'm expecting a situation where more than 5 shots might be necessary, I'll either bring my Glock 19 or (more likely) stay home.

I carry a S&W 642-1 38 spl that I've had for probably 15 years.
To think that a 38spl can't get the job done as good as any other caliber out there is absolutely ridiculous.

308 Norma, I'll give you $100 for that wheelgun, Would be a great companion to this one I just picked up. I am somewhat partial to 38 Special, good, solid, well rounded cartridge.

UncleEd said:

.308 Norma,

That Model 67-1 in today's market is
worth around $600. Or even more.
Yeah go ahead and sell it. Plenty
of Combat Masterpiece buyers out
there.

Click to expand...

Wow! I had no idea it was worth that much! I don't think I'll sell it though - it's not hurting anything sitting in the desk in the living room. And I'd rather have it than the $100 I paid for it 25 years ago. Besides, I DO take it out and run a few rounds through it every once in a while, in the name of "testing out a new 38 Special load."

armoredman said:

308 Norma, I'll give you $100 for that wheelgun, Would be a great companion to this one I just picked up. I am somewhat partial to 38 Special, good, solid, well rounded cartridge.

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That's a dandy, armoredman! I like those Pachmayers too - better than the Hogues on mine.

Dave DeLaurant said:

Taurus revolvers are solid from a design standpoint, but unless they are current production be advised that they've had quality control issues in the past.

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Well, to disagree a little bit here - some of the late '80s, early '90s Taurus revolvers, particularly the Models 66, 82 and 85 were done pretty well. I owned a 1991 M85 that was virtually a clone of the S&W M60 (early .38 SPL version), albeit with a full extractor rod shroud, that was exceptional; an old 82 that I picked up at a gun show for a ridiculous price was executed nicely and quite serviceable, while my brother's old 66 was, and still is, a durable and reliable revolver. Now, I've zero experience with recent Taurus revolvers, and haven't paid for one in over 30 years, but let's be fair and not engage in revisionist (internet) history. There were several years that S&W also put out more than a few dogs and lemons (Although I own a Bangor-Punta era Model 15 that's superb).

I have two 38 spl Smiths (1 J and 1 K frame) and a Llama Comanche 357Mag /38spl. I run Pachmayer grips on my Smiths too. Despite being raised using semi autos I really like wheel guns. I also like lever action rifles. I guess I'm just nostalgic or old fashioned.

A Llama Commanche, haven't seen one of those in the flesh in decades!
I have had some Taurus revolvers over the years, one being a Model 82 made before the acquisition, one with tiny ridges in the cylinder flutes. Taurus refused to work on it when it had issues - too old. That one was traded in on a Smith Model 10-8. I also bought a Model 65 .357 MANY years ago, had to save up for it, wet down to the gun shop advertising the sales, (I think it was $199 or so), and the sale was off, turned around to walk out and they said, sale back on, just for you, kid. I think that was '89. Only reason that gun and I parted ways was when I found a screaming deal on a gun I HAD to have, and it was traded in right out of the holster. Until then, it was flawless.
After that some years ago I won a snub 85 in a giveaway I'd forgot I had entered. When I got it, I knew why the guy had given it away - the crane and ejector rod were bent. However, Taurus lifetime warranty kicked in and the perfectly functional repaired revolver came back to me a month later. A few years later, when the housing collapse caused us to lose our home, I had little money to finance the move. That little snub was literally my pet deposit. I didn't cry over the loss, not by a long shot, but once it was up to snuff, it was a damn good little pocket gun.
I'd buy a new Taurus revolver, or a used one I could spend some time going over, first.

Dave DeLaurant said:

Taurus revolvers are solid from a design standpoint, but unless they are current production be advised that they've had quality control issues in the past. I understand they're on top of the problem these days, but my one experience with them left a bad taste.

Back around 2008 I had a brand-new 9-shot .22 Taurus 94 that choked before I finished my second box of ammo. One of the pins on the transfer bar sheered off. I called about ordering a replacement part and was told I had to ship the revolver back to the factory at my expense along with a $35 service charge to have this $5 part replaced. I bit my tongue, had the part repaired locally for less and sold on the revolver with a full disclosure about the failure.

BTW, I routinely carry two J-frame .38 Special S&Ws as CCW arms so I'm fine with the concept.

Click to expand...

I have a Taurus M85 and 3 inch M942 22lr. I trust their current models of revolvers more then their semiautos. They are good to go as far I am concerned. After 2012, they are the old Taurus by name only. Management and some employees changes since then.

I love the 38 Spl. Cartridge, and have many revolvers chambered for it. Several are wearing the Taurus moniker. Most are J and K frame Smiths.
Never had an issue with any of my 38s.