Early 90s Taurus Revos and Made-in-Italy Fiocchi

[kannonfyre]

I am planning to purchase a made in 1991 Taurus model 669 .357 magnum revolver. Additionally, the only readily available ammo (in my country) is made-in-Italy Fiocchi 158gr LRN (.38 special) and 158gr TMC (.357 magnum). From my personal experience, maroon box Italian fiocchi revolver ammo is know to have hard primer issues (firing pin strikes that fire WWB and magtech seem not to detonate fiocchi primers).

I'd like to clarify the following issues with you guys if I may:

1) Anybody here own a made on 1991-1993 taurus model 82, 66 or 669 revolver?
2) Has the aforesaid revolver ever been shot with fiocchi ammo?
3) How reliable was the primer detonation?
4) How do I increase the trigger weight on a taurus revolver of the 91-93 era?

 

[Bezoar]

The only thing you can do is purchase a box of Fiochi ammo and get some range time in. IF you have problems with it you could just get different ammunition, or install a hammer spring kit to incease the force directed upon the primer.

 

[bakert]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I have a model 66 made in the late 80s that has never failed to set off any kind of ammo. The Fiochi ammo should work just fine.

 

[recondoc]

I just picked up a 1990 model 65B4.

I started serious handgun training in the early '90s with a 4" Ported Taurus .357 (I think it was the 669) and put thousands of rounds through it without any problems. You can always order a Wolff spring set for it from Brownells or MidwayUSA with an extra power hammer spring.
Doc

 

[pezo]

I have fired approx 5oo rounds of fiocchi 148 sjhp's. I had one round that required 2 strikes to go off. It was in a gp100.

 

[recondoc]

I took the revolver pictured in my post above to the range for the first time today. Remember that this is a gun that I found, as it is with all the custom work, in a Pawn shop for just over $200 US. I started with PMC .38spl rounds and found that in the first two cylinders I had 7 rounds get light primer strikes...EEEEK! I switched to Federal .357 Mag and ran 50 rounds through it with 5 more light stikes. I finished the session with 6 rounds of PMC .357 Mag and two of the 6 failed to detonate.
I scratched this one from my reliable list until I get to the bottom of the problem.
I figure it has to be one of four things.
1- gunk build up between the firing pin and frame where the firing pin spring lives. Not very likely unless the previous owner had several burst primers.

2- In smoothing the action, the gunsmith went too light on the springs or the springs are just worn. Ordered a new set from Wolff tonight.

3- Over time, the firing pin is worn short and is not always making contact with enough force. I'll call Taurus tomorrow and order another.

4- When they bobbed the hammer, the gunsmith removed too much metal and it no longer has the mass to detonate the primers. I'll ask Taurus about a new hammer and trigger when I have them on the phone.

I have no doubt that I will have the problem resolved within 5-7 days. I've worked on revolvers enough that this one doesn't cause me any great stress.
I'll keep you guys posted on results.

BTW- When shooting 158gr. Federal .357 Mag rounds, it made one ragged hole at 7 yards. I can't wait to get it up and running more reliably so I can take it out to 25 and see what she is capable of.

Doc

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

You gotta be careful of so called gunsmiths. There are gunsmith wannabees and bonafied gunsmiths.

 

[ktd]

In my experience with the older Taurus revolvers (bought a 66 in 1988 or somewhere about there) they had pretty stiff mainsprings, so they should work pretty good, though the only way to be sure is to try it out. Mine was reliable with CCI's, which are supposed to be hard primers.

 

[recondoc]

Whoever did this work knew what they were doing. I have a feeling that the previous owner either ran a lot of rounds through this gun until the firing in tip was shortened or, more likely, probably used a handload with a primer that fired consistantly. Due to the overall condition of the gun, I'd go with the latter.
Doc

 

[Old Fuff]

Before you go too far, use feeler guages to check the headspace, cartridge-to-breechface clearence and firing pin protrusion. Also see if there is any cylinder end-shake (back & forth movement, as opposed to rotational movement when the cylinder is locked). Heavier springs may or may not be the right answer.

 

[ktd]

not to get to much offtopic, but Doc, any idea who did that work, looks interesting, I like the grip relief groove, and what is the deal with the front sight, is it ported?

Depending on what the revolver was going to be used for, it was common to lighten it a lot and pick your primers based on reliability. Our steel challenge guns were set up that way since you just had to ding the plate, not knock it down.

Anyway, one of the big complaints about Taurus was the heavy trigger pulls, and the design uses coil mainsprings, so if you had to change out to a heavier unit, it would not be a big deal.