Taurus began as an import through Interarms, in the 1980s. That's less than 30 years. How can anyone have bought so many of these guns, and 100% of them all be bad? NOBODY will continue to buy from such a company.
The interesting part is that so many people have had much better service, and products, from Taurus than the nay-sayers can account for.
I own an even dozen, some of them 20+ years old. They range from .22 to .45 ACP, and none has had to be returned because of a factory failure. Many have well over 10K though them, at that. The chances of, over 20+ years, always picking up a 100% gun should be impossible, given the ratios brought here by the Taurus-bashers Assoc.
What type of personal protection? CCW, or just for at home? The at-home gun can easily be a 4" version. The heavier weight, and longer sight radius, will make shooting any load more comfortable, and accurate.
If you had started this with saying that you wanted to buy a Ruger, the same idiot remarks would have been made. Had you wanted a Smith, you would have been counseled to buy an older one, without "that dangerous lock".
Some people seem to thrive on telling others that their choice is always wrong.