Taurus Quality verification

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ANGUSLINCOLN

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I'm considering a snubbie revolver for a carry piece. With my funds somewhat limited,I find myself looking at new Taurus' or used Smith &Wessons .I've read quite a few disappointed comments about Taurus revolvers in general, but they seem to be 2 or 3 years old. Can anyone comment on newer Taurus quality? A little voice in my head is telling me to wait for the right S&W to come along. I haven't decided on .38 or .357 . Any advice will be very appreciated. :confused:
 
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I carry a M85SS2UL made in 1997.
The first generation aluminum framed .38spl snub.
I have not had any trouble with it.
It used to be my wife's before we were married.
She didn't have any trouble with it either!!



I have owned Taurus revolvers for a number of years and have had to send only one back for repair. It was a M605 that lost pin while shooting out in the desert. The pin was lost, which necessitated sending it back!!
 
I have no qualms about the suitability of the newer Taurus products.

Even though I dearly love the older S&W J-frames, if I had to choose a brand new specimen from one or the other I would choose the Taurus.

But that's just my opinion.
 
I started back around 85 with a Model 66 .357 Sold iy for more than I paid new
The guy still has it, still shoots it and still loves it.

I gave my son an M 83 as his first house/car gun. He's dead now and I don't know where the gun went to.
I would not have given it to him if I did not trust it

When my father's gun was stolen I gave him one of my 85s. He has no complaints neither did I for the 4 or 5 years I owned it


Right now I have a 2" CH85 and a 3" 85 that are around 10 years old or so and a newly purchased 44spl

The CH should be worn out because it was my only gun for a few years and was shot a lot.

The only problem I have ever had was with the CH. A spring is broken in the firing pin, still goes bang but the pin does not retract like it should unless you point it up. Makes reloading difficult.
I've graduated to the 40+ club so it does not get used much anyway, I'll fix it someday


The only real problem with Taurus revolvers is their connection with Taurus autos, I believe it was the PT line, which had some quality issues which in turn exposed Taurus' less than stellar customer service
 
I think Taurus revolver quality has improved over time. I can
recall an older model 82 that I once had the opportunity to shoot,
and it was the most GOD awful revolver I've ever seen! :( This
particular firearm had about a 25 lb. trigger pull; and there is NO
way one could hit a target unless he/she were firing in the SA
mode. :uhoh: :eek: Even today, those thoughts of that old gun make
me shy away from Taurus products in general.
 
Of the newer TAurus revolvers, I have 2. One is a Taurus 650 that I bought last year. Spent under $300 new and I'm very satisfied with the gun. I don't shoot it much, mainly b/c shubbies are not much fun anyways. Probably put a couple hundred rounds through it with predictably boring results. Wouldn't hesitate to carry it and have on occasion. The other is an 85TI. Probably about 3 years old. Nice gun. Light. thoroughly unpleasant with +P loads. I don't particularly like compensated revolvers, but I can live with it. Basically the gun has been the same story as the 650. It does it's job and does it well and to my satisfaction. Don't carry this one much anymore - I prefer Centennial style (enclosed hammers) guns.

My current is a S&W 642 that I bought last year for $325 as I recall. This gun was new and they may or may not still be out there at this price. I'd take this in a heartbeat over any Taurus offering. So if you can find one, snap it up. I'm not big on buying ultralight (aluminum OR Titanium) guns used. Some people just can't follow instructions and unless I know the owner personally and can verify that the gun is essentially unfired, I pass on these when I run across them (too big of a risk that the gun was unreasonably stressed by hot or inappropriate loads). Used carbon steel or stainless guns? OK. As long as they pass the revolver checkout at the top of the forum.
 
I have three of the Taurus snubbies.

An older M85, a M617 and a M851BUL. I like all of them and have had no problems with any of them. The 851 is the lightest of the three at 17oz. It handles the 38+p rounds well, and the recoil is tolerable. It carries well in an Uncle Mike's #3 pocket holster and a couple of speed strips in the other pocket.

Whatever you buy, practice with it until you are convinced of its reliability.
 
My circa 1993 Taurus M-85 CH in polished stainless is an exceptional snubby; well finished, shoots to POA and 100% reliable. My newer M-94 (9-shot .22) in brushed stainless is a great addition to my collection and will be shot much.

I own S & W revolvers (still my favorites) and love them too, but at this point, I believe Taurus is making (and has been for some time) some revolvers that are easily the equal (and in some cases, better) of the newer S & W's.
 
Taurus

March Shooting Times has an article on the Titanium .357 Tracker wih a 5,000 round test.2,500 rounds of 125 grain Federal +P .38 and 2,500 rounds of .357- 140 grain Federal HP. The Tracker was not cleaned during the test and only oiled periodically. Problems that occurred were sideplate screws loosening, after 4,700 rounds the sight elevation screw sheared off and the ejector rod would back out once in awhile. Accuracy stayed the same through the whole test and velocity actually went up slightly. A 24 ounce revolver sounds like it would be a good woods gun to carry.
 
I have a new Taurus 455 Ti in 45 ACP from CDNN. Other than having sand in the action when I recieved it and the crane being a bit stiff I have no complaints about the gun. Being so very light it's hard to shoot well. I had an old Taurus 669 that was one of the best 357 6 shooters I've ever handled. Sold it to a friend who is getting more good out of it than I was.

I like them enough that I plan on buying a new 905IB. The short framed "Instant Backup" in 9mm. I like moon clips. :) I also have a S&W 646 and a Ruger Super Redhawk. I've tinkered with all of them and with a friends SP-101. The simplest, least delicate, most robust by far is the Ruger and I'd pick it 1st as a defensive arm.

The Taurus has less tight spaces and delicate parts than a S&W and may be less sensative to debris and contamination. From any maker I'd want to put plenty of rounds down range with a specific example before I trusted my life to the gun.
 
The problems with the Taurus guns is the poor quality of the springs used in the gun. This isn't the problem with all Taurus guns, but bad springs get into enough of them that it continues to be a serious QC issue with the guns.

The Taurus guns are about the same price, maybe a bit less, than comparable Smith & Wesson guns at this point, I don't really see the point in buying them.
 
I just got a Taurus 627. Only put 150 rounds through it so far, but I have no complaints.
 
My father CCs a Taurus 85, never failed to go bang. It's a little rough around the edges but very servicable.

The Taurus guns are about the same price, maybe a bit less, than comparable Smith & Wesson guns at this point, I don't really see the point in buying them.
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I've heard this before, and like the Colt 1991s that are only (insert amount under 100 dollars) above Springfield Mil-Specs, I can't find 'em. Taurus revolvers always seem to be around one hundred or more dollars less than comparable S&W models.
 
I've heard this before, and like the Colt 1991s that are only (insert amount under 100 dollars) above Springfield Mil-Specs, I can't find 'em. Taurus revolvers always seem to be around one hundred or more dollars less than comparable S&W models.
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I just bought a new in box Smith & Wesson 642 for $369.00 - retail from a gun shop in Marietta, GA. Show me where you can buy a new in box .38 Special Taurus lightweight snubnose for $269.00.

If it's a choice of buying a $319.00 Taurus or a $369.00 Smith & Wesson, I'll take the Smith & Wesson, every time.
 
My year-old 445 snubby in .44 Special has it's problems. A few light strikes and/or the cylinder may be unlocking and rotating backwards under recoil. Now that other projects are behind me, I'll be throroughly wringing this gun out to see what's up with it. I really like the concept, I'm just unsure of the execution on this example.

My factory fresh S&W 642 isn't perfect either, but it's in a whole different class (better, that is :)).
 
I've never had any problems with either of the Taurus revolvers I've owned, a model 85, and a model 617. If they'd make some of their newer models without porting, I'd own several more of them. Is anybody at Taurus listening? Specifically their Tracker pistols in .45 ACP.....
 
Anguslincoln :

Thanks for starting this thread.
I'm thinking about a Taurus snubbie in .45 ACP for a main summer carry gun, and I have been searching the three or so forums that I trust more than others. Consensus is that they are reliable and a good choice.

Taurus seems to be a company that responds to customer imput, and is not afraid to make real improvements, and I think this has paid off.

Good luck with your choice.

Mark :)
 
Show me where you can buy a new in box .38 Special Taurus lightweight snubnose for $269.00.
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Can't say I can. But I've never seen a 642 for that price either. Perhaps I need to hike up to Ala Dan's shop. Although I wonder if he'll recommend me a Sig when I ask for a revolver. ;)
 
WOW! $369 for a NIB Smith & Wesson 642 is way toooooo much my
friend. I sell em' everyday NIB for $339.88.
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Yeah, I figured I could have paid less if I had shopped around more, but I didn't want to go through the trouble for $20-$30, and $369 or so seems to be the going rate around here.

But, anyway, my point is - comparable Smith & Wesson revolvers are about as cheap as the Taurus revolvers, and they are of higher quality. Why get the lower quality gun when you're going to pay almost the same price, maybe just a little more, for the higher quality gun?

Plus, there are more holsters, accessories, etc. for Smith & Wesson guns than for Taurus guns, in many instances.
 
The problems with the Taurus guns is the poor quality of the springs used in the gun. This isn't the problem with all Taurus guns, but bad springs get into enough of them that it continues to be a serious QC issue with the guns
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Umm, what do you base this statement on? Because it's not been my experience, the experience of many of my friends nor the experience of a friend who owns a range with many Taurus rental guns ...

Have you actually owned any Taurus handguns? I've owned several, and also had positive experiences with Taurus customer service. Springs are inexpensive, anyway. Finally, in my neck of the woods, unless you're talking about the titanium series handguns, most Taurus products do run for substantially less money that the comparable S & W. I've disassembled all of my revolvers, and with the exception of some of the finer detailing and minor differences in operating mechanisms and parts, it sure doesn't seem to me (when comparing current vintage Taurus and S & W products) that the quality difference is worth worrying about. Just my experience. But as a disclaimer, S & W revolvers are a passion of mine, and I will normally spend the extra money myself -- but if I didn't have it to spend, or was making a recommendation to a friend, I'd settle for most current Taurus revolvers and feel comfortable with that.
 
HOLY HANDGUNS!!!,
I never expected so many responses so soon. It's great to hear so many opinions,(pro and con), about Taurus products. I really feel enlightened. My dealer of choice has been on vacation for a month and returns this week and I hope to make a purchase soon. I hate it when I get the feeling that a sales rep/ store owner is just telling me what he thinks I want to hear.All you friendly folks are giving me your most honest opinions.This whole internet thing might just work out after all.One thing I've learned through my own experience(and yours),is that any manufacturer can put a lemon in your hands. I'm experiencing one now with a NAA Black Widow revolver; it's going back for the second time next week customer service gets an "A" for effort but someone is not paying close enough attention to the details there.They returned the gun after replacing the main spring without the magnum cylinder! Customer service said "no problem, we'll send one out right away". Well 2 weeks later ,I recieved it but it was a fluted cylinder that comes with their other mini revolver magnum,not the same .Now the darn thing misfires 2or 3 rounds per long rifle cylinder. Forget about the magnum cylinder, I can barely remove the casings of the rounds that do fire- it's a mess,but I'm hopeful NAA will sort it all out.So, after gathering all this information I will say I'm leaning towards The Smith & Wessons, but if the right deal comes along I won't hesitate to go with Taurus.Thanks again for all your helpful opinions :)
 
Umm, what do you base this statement on? Because it's not been my experience, the experience of many of my friends nor the experience of a friend who owns a range with many Taurus rental guns ...
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The experience of myself and a gunsmith with 20+ years experience who has repaired quite a few Taurus revolvers. The springs are, in many cases, not the best.

Have you actually owned any Taurus handguns?
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Yes, I've owned a Taurus 617.

My point is simply this - Smith & Wesson makes a much better product, and in many cases, price really isn't much of an issue (paying ~ $30 more for a Smith & Wesson isn't a price issue).

I'm not wedded to Smith's, either. I think that Ruger makes a more robust heavy-duty revolver, I'd choose a GP-100 over a Smith 4-6 inch barrelled .357 Magnum any day. But for the pocket revolver market, I think the j-frame Smith is a much higher quality product than anything Taurus is turning out.
 
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