Questions About Taurus 94 Revolvers.

[Ridge]

I've been thinking of getting a smith&wesson 617 but I can't afford the high price tag right now,and I've been looking at the Taurus Model 94 4inch Model.

I figured this was the place to go to get some info.

So here goes.

#1:How accurate are they?

#2 Does the price tag match the preformance,or do the little revolvers belie their humble price tags?

#3:How tough are they?

Any info would be really helpful.

 

[Jim PHL]

As much as I wanted to love mine, I never did. I sent it back to Taurus for its horrible DA trigger. Got it back pretty quick but don't know if they did anything. Great size, finish was very nice, 9 shots vs. 6, good sights and actually a very good SA trigger, but I bought it with intentions of practicing mainly DA shooting and that trigger just never got any better. I ended up taking $100 intrade towards my first K-frame .357. I don't miss it.

 

[mtnbkr]

My experience matches Jim's. Another point is the 9shot action "feels weird" after shooting 5 and 6 shot revolvers.

I really wanted to like mine. Heck, I bought my older model used at a gunshow and sent it to Taurus after finding out it was terribly innaccurate (had other problems too). Taurus replaced it with a brand new one, yet it too wasn't right. The trigger was TERRIBLY heavy and gritty. I couldn't shoot well with it at all. I sold it for what I paid for the original and haven't looked back.

Chris

 

[gazpacho]

So far mine has turned out worse than the Walther P22 I owned. The firing pin locked on the first shot, jamming the cylinder. It did this on the next 9 shots before I gave up trying. I sent it back to Taurus three weeks ago, and haven't heard anything about it yet.

The SA trigger is nice, breaking cleanly. The hammer spring is very heavy, so DA is consequently heavy. I bought to revolver to replace a worn out Ruger Single Six, so I didn't care much about the DA trigger pull.

I have an 85B and a 850B (.38spec) that work great, so I'm not slamming the brand. But If I had the chance to do it over again, I wouldn't buy the 94B2 revolver.

 

[mainmech48]

I've had my SS 4" M-94 for over ten years. The DA trigger was somewhat stout, but it slicked up quite a bit after a couple of bricks went through it. SA pull was on-par with my S&W M-63 from the git-go. Once I'd discovered which brand of ammo it prefers, accuracy is at least as good as I'm able to hold for on any given day. Never have been able to put it in a Ransom to find out definitively how much better than I am it might be though. I will say that it's plenty good enough for my purposes: the can will jump or the critter drop when I do my part.

Detail stripping, cleaning and proper lubrication of the action, along with installing the Trapper spring kit made a huge difference. I ended up using the heavier of the two rebound springs with the lighter mainspring to get 100% reliable ignition with all the ammo brands I normally buy. It made less than a pound of difference in the DA pull, which went from almost 14 lbs stock to a little over 9 after kitting.

I replaced the stock grips with Pachmayr Compac neoprene and painted the front sight with flat black enamel, just to make it suit my tastes better.

I have put at least 6K rds through it. Nothing has broken nor worn-out. Timing is still good and the cylinder hasn't loosened significantly for side or end play.

Don't know how much more I could ask of a utility/knock-around revolver which cost less than $225 NIB.

 

[Ridge]

Thanks everybody.

I am looking for a knock around piece and I'll most likely go for the action spring job,so I won't need a red devil wench to pull the trigger.

How much did the spring kit cost Mainmech?

 

[whm1974]

I was thinking of getting one of these with the 2" barrel in Stainless.

-Bill

 

[mnrivrat]

Interesting

I have purchased two 4 inch blue models in the last few months and my experience has been positive with both of them.

Accuracy has been good on both. Function is fine with a rather stiff hammer spring that makes the DA pull a bit more than desirable, but springs can be changed as noted.

I cut one down to a 2 & 3/4 inch barrel and left one stock. I am pleased with both of mine and have less than the cost of a Smith & Wesson in the pair. They are J frame size pistols.

 

[mainmech48]

Ridge: Brownell's has a kit from Wolff for small-frame Taurus revolvers including the M-94. It's very similar to the one that I got years ago from Trapper Gun Works.

The catalog number is: #969-301-510 "Wolff Taurus 73, 85, & 94 Shooter's Pak" price is $10.50 + S&H.

Contains 1 9# hammer spring (stock is 11#); 1 9# and 1 6.5# trigger return spring (factory is 14#).

Don't know if Trapper has a web site. You could Google and get current info if they do. Price was also similar, IIRC.

FWIW, if you do much revolver tinkering, especially on designs using the S&W-type system, Brownell's rebound slide spring tool (#080-666-000, $14.08) will save you a lot of potential grief. Makes a "three-handed" job easy and pretty much eliminates the chances of damaging or losing those little springs.

 

[mnrivrat]

Trapper does have a web site - their spring kit is catalog # TAU - 1 and sells for $9.60 + S&H , but I am not sure what the kit includes. I also have no sense of any difference in quality between the two brands of spring kits.

If you decide on the Taurus 94 , A spring kit will be helpful . I have not found anything on this revolver that would leave me to believe it is not reliable and the internals on mine show good quality construction. The timing and lockup are also very good on mine.

Smoothness of function on most all modern firearms can be improved by changing springs and by lightly breaking machined edges and doing some minor polishing. Todays manufacturing process does not include the hand labor it once used to do those things .

If your not familiar with the dis-assembly on your firearm and uncomfortable doing this type handwork yourself, the firearms generaly improve with breakin . (shooting or dry firing) Do not dry fire a rimfire revolver however without snap caps or spent brass being in the cylinder .

 

[magsnubby]

I had a 94 i bought in November 2000. It only had about 500 rounds through it. I wanted to like it i really did. Fit and finish was nice and accuracy was quit good. I just couldn't get over what felt like a 30 lb D/A trigger pull.

I thought maybe changing hammer springs would lighten it up a bit. Wolff's web site says "Not recommended for 94/941". Maybe a good 'smith could smooth it up a bit.

 

[BryanP]

My 94 4" blue is rock solid. Like most the only complaint I have about it is the horridly long and heavy DA trigger. SA is fine. Function is fine. Price was very reasonable.

 

[helpwanted]

I had a 4" stainless model from a few years ago. The worst revolver I've ever owned. It had a double action pull that only a gorilla could love. The single action pull was ok. It went out of time before I put a brick through it. Went back to Taurus and came back after 2 months without anything being done to it. I sold it, good riddance.

 

[bean357]

Wondering if anyone can advise on whether S&W J-frame grips would or could easily be made to fit a Taurus 94. I've seen numerous things about the 94's as well as 85's being J-frame "copies". I've discussed it with a few of my shooting buddies, but have gotten conflicting answers. Thanks!

 

[mainmech48]

Probably - with enough effort and some ingenuity, but why bother? I know; there are a lot more aftermarket grips in the catalogs for "J" frame S&Ws, but there are also a good many for the small-frame Tauruses like the 85. Most, if not all, of them will work on the M-94.

The Pachmayr Compacs on mine were listed for the M-85 and fit just dandy with no modification at all. The same should hold true for other makes.

If in doubt, the easiest thing to do is take your revolver along when you go to a well-stocked shop or to a gunshow. Most vendors will let you try them on before you buy. The two major advantages of this over ordering through the mail or over the web should be obvious, and far outweigh any small cost difference, IMO. You not only get to determine how they fit the gun before you buy, but how they suit your hand and style as well.

 

[Moonclip]

Mine was fairly accurate but misfired too much for my liking and I did not want to deal with shipping it to Taurus with what is cost now to send handguns by Fed Ex so I ended up getting rid of it. I expect some misfires with 22lr revolvers especially when dirty but this gun did so as often as 5 times per 50rd box. My S&W model 63 rarely misfired and neither does my S&W model 17. I guess you get what you pay for in many cases.

 

[magsnubby]

bean357,
Nope. The J frame grips won't work on a Taurus. The Taurus has a hole in the side of the frame that J frame grips won't cover.

 

[Master Blaster]

I bought one 4" blue bull barrel, I have fired about 6000+ rounds through it, it is extremely accurate very well balanced, has an excellent double action trigger, excellent single action, paid $240 NIB in 1999. I use it to introduce new shooters as well. It does not like target ammo. The chambers need to be cleaned with a brush every 100 rounds or so, or you will get misfires due to the crud ring preventing the bullet from seating, and the first hammer strike then seating the round rather than firing it. My smith model 43 is the same way. Both guns prefer plated .22lr or federal with the wax wiped off.

Its a great .22 revolver perfect sized for smaller hands, women and children love to shoot it. Lock up and timing on mine are excellent, and I have not changed out any springs.