Taffin says .357 Raging Hunter sets standard

Ok. I read the article anything by the name Taffin gets an automatic read. Before I go into the gun itself I wanted to bring up Taurus in general. I have had two newer Taurus guns an 85 and a 605 both snubs, and an older 80s model 65 in .357. None of those guns have ever failed me in carry or shooting. There was a period where taurus taurus was pretty hit and miss and firms like Sig which were designated "premium" firms could be counted upon. I'd like to say that kinda changed. Sig has had issues lately while taurus has been introducing new guns and a wild turnaround in QC. Ok rant over there.

I like this gun, I have always liked the raging series, I would want a bigger caliber than .357 but for the game Taffin talks about taking it will do. I wouldnt want that double lock up feature I don't think .357 would be able to cause a lock failure in that beast. I do love the ability to easily mount optics and I'm sure @CraigC will disagree with me but I think this may even best the Super Redhawk/Blackhawk Hunter with this system. It looks really cool and that may be just enough for me to buy it.thanks for the article.

Intriguing

My hunting 357 is a 6.5in Ruger NM Blackhawk. Something comforting in knowing I can shoot thousands of 180grn XTP'S at nearly 1400fps (handloads) and never develop endshake or timing issues.
This Taurus seems pretty stout though.

Buddy has the raging hunter in 44 mag. Worst thing about it was finding what height rings for the scope. Trigger is a bit heavy but smooth so I've been able to maintain tight groups with it. He is having trouble with general handling but that has more to do with this being his first wheelgun and will come with time. The double lock is annoying but not insurmountable. Overall I'm impressed with Taurus and considering them higher now for future purchases.

I don't have anything against Taurus but the 6¾" version weighs as much as a 7½" .44 SRH. Which is to say that it's heavier then the .480. That's a lot of beef for a .357.

What I like about the SRH mounting system is that it's on the frame AND you get to keep your irons. Most frame mounts eliminate the rear sight. Picatinny rails are great but this one is still on the barrel of what is already a very, very heavy sixgun. It's going to be very nose-heavy, while the SRH has great balance.

Interesting gun. Like many other posters, I have some early Tauri that were not the best guns in the world. It seems that Taurus has continually improved their quality. The gun in the article is mighty tempting. I will point out, though, that Taffin says it's the most accurate double action .357 he's fired. I assume one of his line-bored single actions still holds the overall title.

I like it!

Although I want nothing to do with a ported pistol.

My friend has the 44mag Tracker.

I shot it once with no ear pro to see how bad it was.

I felt as if I was whacked on the side of the head with a 2x4 across my ear. Instant pain and disorientation.

For a range only pistol fine. Hunting or defense no thanks.

Whats interesting to me is that Taffin reviewed the Freedom Arms 353 many years ago, and said it was the most accurate .357 he has shot. So is the Taurus the new best? I find it hard to believe that a Taurus would be more accurate than the Freedom Arms. Maybe he was saying the Taurus is the most accurate DA revolver he has shot. I have not read the article, so I realy don't know the particulars. i JUST READ THE ARTICLE, AND ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION. SORRY.

Benp said:

I like it!

Although I want nothing to do with a ported pistol.

My friend has the 44mag Tracker.

I shot it once with no ear pro to see how bad it was.

I felt as if I was whacked on the side of the head with a 2x4 across my ear. Instant pain and disorientation.

For a range only pistol fine. Hunting or defense no thanks.

Click to expand...

Is it really the porting or just .44 mag in general cause I had to shoot without ear pro my Ruger SBH with a Remington load and same thing ear pain.

I wouldn't shoot any centerfire without ear pro, even just once. Having said that, I do find compensators make things a lot louder.

I had a 6” Taurus 66 that I bought in the late 1980’s. It was a serviceable gun that worked just fine for me ( The only “hunting” I did with it was to dispatch old, injured dairy goats with 158 gr JHP loads). I sold it to pay bills many, many moons ago, and never really missed it.

The “Raging” series are all big guns, from the .454 (which may really need the dual locking system) to the Raging Hornet or Raging 30, which I thought might be cool toys.

I do like their dual-insert grips, after 40 rounds of .41 shooting a 210 JHP over 20.1 gr H110 through my 7.5” Redhawk even the Hogues that gun wears started to sting my paw.

With a DW 8” M-15 VH (among others in the safe) I really have no need for one of these big DA .357’s, but it’s nice to see Taurus working hard to make good stuff.

Stay safe.

Obviously the dual locking system shouldn't be needed to safely contain .357 mag power levels... I do wonder if the double locking mechanism might have contributed to the high accuracy?

On the other hand, that also seems like a place where getting it not-quite-right would hurt accuracy.

ATLDave said:

I do wonder if the double locking mechanism might have contributed to the high accuracy?

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No. There’s enough slop in the lock up and enough MORE in the cylinder-to-mainpin fitment that the manual latch in the Raging series really doesn’t “accurize” the alignment. Just makes sure it stays put.

I much prefer the Ruger double lock design. One control for both locks. Sure is a lot easier to manipulate the revolver for reloads when it’s hot!

ATLDave said:

Obviously the dual locking system shouldn't be needed to safely contain .357 mag power levels... I do wonder if the double locking mechanism might have contributed to the high accuracy?

On the other hand, that also seems like a place where getting it not-quite-right would hurt accuracy.

Click to expand...

I've wondered about that myself. I have read that under the right conditions a misaligned revolver can still shoot well because the act of firing forces the gun momentarily into alignment. Obviously if the gun is locked hard into misalignment, results are not likely to be positive.

I can't speak for best accuracy but the 44mag 5inch is for sure the most balanced big bore revolver I have ever fired.

While I believe some people have had good luck with Taurus guns, I have not!

I bought a 905B2 (Blued 9mm). I have since had 3 others because after 100? rds or so the cylinder
either locked up, or would freely spin in either direction.

I have a 380 revolver (free due to warranty of 905B2)
They just didn't want to send me another 905.
I've had sporadic incidents of that one not wanting to advance while pulling the trigger.

I also have a PT 22.
A brand new mag broke on the very 1st firing.
They promised to send a new mag.
I contacted Taurus immediately. That was 3 years ago.
I contacted them 2 more times over the next year to remind them.
They never sent one.

So I've found their firearms to be fully less than functional.
And I've found their word to be untrustworthy.

Just my 2¢ worth.
I hope your experience is different than mine.

The Evangelist Cowboy said:

Is it really the porting or just .44 mag in general cause I had to shoot without ear pro my Ruger SBH with a Remington load and same thing ear pain.

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I have shot many pistols and rifles with no ear pro. Nothing compared to this. It wasn't the loud that was the problem.

My buddy and I were at his cousins a few months later prairie dog hunting. His cousin took a quick shot with the 44 Tracker.

Funny thing is, his experience was identical to mine. He hunkered down and grabbed his ear.

So for me, no daily use ported pistols. Range queens, I will consider it.

.38 Special said:

I wouldn't shoot any centerfire without ear pro, even just once. Having said that, I do find compensators make things a lot louder.

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I have found that luxury to not be a viable option.

I have tried hunting with my Impact Sports turned on. Holy cow it drives you crazy.

In a SD situation one can't say "time out, ear pro."

Stopped buying Taurus when they added the locks. If they get rid of the locks I will consider them again. That said, I have 2 Taurus .357 mag snubbies and a 4" .44 mag (all pre-lock) as some of my HD stash. The snubbies are ported ... fists of fire !

Impressive. I'm not a Taurus fan but may need to give this one a look. Taffin carries some weight with me so I need to at least check one out. Is nice that one can put optics on it easily. I don't like the weight though and a 7+lb SA trigger is horrible. However, am a .357 fan and if Taffin speaks well of it.......

Most accurate DA revolver he said. If it beat Freedom Arms my world may have shifted off its axis.

.38 Special said:

I've wondered about that myself. I have read that under the right conditions a misaligned revolver can still shoot well because the act of firing forces the gun momentarily into alignment. Obviously if the gun is locked hard into misalignment, results are not likely to be positive.

Click to expand...

The crane is supported in position, but the cylinder remains to have the same endshake and rotational “slop” on the locking bolt as any other revolver design. The crane lock on the Raging series does not accurize or otherwise influence the cylinder alignment in any way.

The "raging" series of Taurus revolvers has been known to be the cream of their crop for a while. With today' modern technology it is not hard nor overly expensive to make an accurate barrel. Make that a long pipe, port it, add decent sights and put it in a revolver platform that is heavy enough to manage hunting load recoil and make it pleasant to shoot at the same time, and you have a fairly accurate handgun.

The look nice and modern, that's it.
I have no intention to bash any brand or manufacture that put a lot of effort to bring jobs in our soil.
However, Taurus has so many new product in the market I wonder if it is relate to the life spam of the product or demand.
I've no intention to sound negative, many manufacturers put lemon in their rosters.
The aforementioned revolver look fancy, but I won't put that caliber on my hand.
For years when I saw a box with the letter Tau at the shows just kept walking, now the only relationship with them is my Rossi 94 rifle (shinny outside but cranking the action is a shame) and provably the last one in my life span.

czhen

I ordered one and am looking forward to wringing it out...

MaxP said:

I ordered one and am looking forward to wringing it out...

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What caliber did you choose? The .357 ?

Now I have another thing to want...
Honestly, Im rather liking the idea of a big, heavy .357
For a general use gun, im more likely to reach for one of my .44s, either my gp100, or my 6.5"SBH.
A heavy .357 would provide a great deal of fun at the range tho, and for riding around looking for pigs in the papaya fields a scoped .357 would probably be perfect. Pop a speed loader in, brace on the hood, and puka piggies.