Taurus 85 SS2 better than S&W Equivalent (637)??

[JR47]

Their parts do not fit properly to improve them the way a S&W can be.

Huh? I hope that a real gunsmith never said anything that silly. If the parts don't fit together properly, the gun won't work.

As the Taurus uses a transfer bar, and the S&W doesn't, and the resulting lock-work is slightly different, improving the trigger might just require someone who actually isn't trying to use S&W tricks on the Taurus.

Using Colt tune-up tricks won't work on a S&W, either.

Try Cylinder and Slide for a bit of understanding Taurus guns.

Personally, I've had two brand new S&W revolvers fail on me. One on the first shot. My 625-3 failed on the first shot, letting the cylinder spin freely. I've also had the timing on a new Model 29 go bad within 50 shots of regular, non-hot, White box .44 magnum.

Smith and Wesson repaired both under Warranty, both taking roughly six weeks each gun.

I actually think that S&W, Glock, and the likes are as problematical as any other brand. Their fan-boys just cannot accept that, and carry tales of every other brands failures from Site to Site, making it SEEM as though brand X is worse than their "baby".

 

[franco45]

I'm very surprised at some of the fair objective posts in this thread. When I read the title I pictured flamethrowers starting up all over The Highroad Nation. I just got back from shooting a new (to me) Taurus 605. I paid $250 dollars for a lnib 5 shot 357.
Frankly I was a little concerned about my first trip to the range with it today. This happens occasionally when I take a Taurus to the range for the first time. Must be a nervous reaction from all the Taurus bashing on the web. It not only was 100% reliable it was surprisingly accurate with both 38 special and 357 magnum.
I also put 50 rounds through my Taurus TCP. It too was perfect as usual.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

I intend to purchase three more Tauri. A PT92 to compliment my Beretta 96, a long barreled 357 and 1911.

 

[J_A_C]

I've had several guns from both companies. 3 Taurus guns, all junk. A Stainless PT1911 that would choke at least once a mag, a PT709 that was so badly made it took a hammer to disassemble, and a .22 mag pocket gun that felt like the action was filled with sand and it kept binding up. I tried talking to customer service but they told me to pound sound. LGS let me return the guns. I've had probably 10 S&W's, both M&P autos and J frames, and the only gun I ever had a problem with was the M&P 22. Called Smith, they emailed me a shipping label and I had the gun back within a week, along with 2 free mags for the trouble. The Smith costs more, sure. But I think the Smith has a better chance of running 100% out of the box, and if it doesn't they will make it right. Worth the extra $$$ IMO.

 

[PabloJ]

I've had several guns from both companies. 3 Taurus guns, all junk. A Stainless PT1911 that would choke at least once a mag, a PT709 that was so badly made it took a hammer to disassemble, and a .22 mag pocket gun that felt like the action was filled with sand and it kept binding up. I tried talking to customer service but they told me to pound sound. LGS let me return the guns. I've had probably 10 S&W's, both M&P autos and J frames, and the only gun I ever had a problem with was the M&P 22. Called Smith, they emailed me a shipping label and I had the gun back within a week, along with 2 free mags for the trouble. The Smith costs more, sure. But I think the Smith has a better chance of running 100% out of the box, and if it doesn't they will make it right. Worth the extra $$$ IMO.

Did you buy all of them at the same time or just bought numero dos and tres because previous one was POS? I prefer stuff with little or no warranty that actually does not break like a Ruger.

 

[J_A_C]

My uncle is a big taurus fan, so i kept telling myself it was bad luck. After the 3rd time, I swore them off. And I agree about ruger, I love my minis and 10/22s, and my dads SP-101 is a tank.

 

[Rodfac]

Haven't had a personal experience with the Taurus model you mentioned, but both my wife, daughter in law, and her mother have S&W 637's that I helped them buy, qualify with and carry on a daily basis. They're quality guns and quite accurate for a short barreled revolver. We mounted Crimson Trace grips on two of them, and I was able to get a sub 2" five shot group at 28 yards with it. For a fact, I couldn't do that with the iron sights, but the laser made it possible and S&W assembled the gun that did it.

One of the three, new out of the box, tied up after several cylinder fulls of standard velocity training LSWC's. My call to S&W Service Dept. was answered in less than a minute, they sent a FEDEX shipping label the next day, and I had the gun back in 7 working days...fixed right and at no expense. Their customer service is 2nd to none in my opinion (had a similar happy ending with a M36 that we've owned for over 20 yrs tho not the same problem). I have had no other service failures with any of the dozen plus Smiths we've owned over the years...they're just made right from the start.

If anecdotal evidence is to be believed, Taurus customer service leaves much to be desired, as does their basic quality out of the box. I'll admit the my experience with them is limited to a pair of "Judges" brought out to our farm for a try out, and some LGS handling. Those two "Judges" were not built as well as any Smith I've had.

JMHO, Rodfac

 

[JR47]

I've had several guns from both companies. 3 Taurus guns, all junk. A Stainless PT1911 that would choke at least once a mag, a PT709 that was so badly made it took a hammer to disassemble, and a .22 mag pocket gun that felt like the action was filled with sand and it kept binding up. I tried talking to customer service but they told me to pound sound. LGS let me return the guns. I've had probably 10 S&W's, both M&P autos and J frames, and the only gun I ever had a problem with was the M&P 22. Called Smith, they emailed me a shipping label and I had the gun back within a week, along with 2 free mags for the trouble. The Smith costs more, sure. But I think the Smith has a better chance of running 100% out of the box, and if it doesn't they will make it right. Worth the extra $$$ IMO.

Odd how you keep calling them POS, yet keep buying them.

As stated, I have 14 Taurus handguns. Some approaching the 35 year mark (they were bought when Interams imported them). That includes the Model 941 .22 WMR revolver, and a 709. My Pt1911 is in .45 ACP. NONE of them has seen the factory due to a Warranty issue.

I have, in the past ten years, bought three new S&W revolvers. All three of them failed immediately. The 625, after the first round, had a free-spinning cylinder. The 617 locked up so badly that it required a gunsmith to get the cylinder open to remove live ammunition. The Model 29 shot loose in 50 rounds. It was spitting what felt like half of the bullet with each trigger pull. NONE of these guns was returned in less than six weeks, either. They represent almost $2000 in guns. The 617, when returned, would bind up after less than one hundred rounds. It's gone.

The 625 is now good to go. The Model 29 was sold to a S&W collector, who promptly shot it. He managed three of four hundred rounds of ammo, and it went out of time, again.

I've has similar experiences with other manufacturers, Colt, Sig, HK, and even Wilson. The repairs were made, and only a couple of them were still unreliable.

Now, I see a lot of the same stories traveling from site to site. Some of them improve as they go, as their story's errors are pointed out. However, until some manufacturer actually publishes total output, and total warranty claims, the only thing here is supposition, innuendo, and opinion.

 

[strange246]

I have multiple Taurus's, a 608 (8 shot .357mag), 605 (5 shot .357mag snub), 617 (7 shot .357mag) and just ordered a model 94 in .22LR, that said I also own Rugers, CZ's, and alot of others, I'll take ANY of my Taurus's over a comparable model from S&W, (except the 94 only because I havnt put it through its paces yet) in my opinion they're built substantially more durable, and the trigger and lockup on the three .357's is as smooth or smoother than any S&W that I've ever oned or shot, just my $.02

 

[1 old 0311-1]

I own a few Taurus wheelies but they are in no way even close to S&W.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

My gut got gained a few pounds since I quit smoking back in August, and its much more comfortable to carry my Taurus 85 than that full sized Beretta 96 these days..

 

[raider-one]

I have owned both S&W and Taurus Model 66 blued 4" 7shot, my smith felt like a death trap the trigger was so light I accidently fired it on three diffrent occasions, I barely rested my finger on it and it went off, it was safer to fire in double action. I traded if for a SA Ruger, but I prefer DA so I traded it in and bought my Taurus, I preffer the trigger pull on it in both SA and DA. I think it is a solid well made weapon, I sent my Taurus to the factory because the casing swelled in the cylinder and had to be removed, Taurus made the repairs and paid the freight both ways and no cost to me, I got my gun back in 8 days with a spent casing and a new cylinder. I have fired S&W 686 Colt Python and King Cobra. Expensive guns with no backing when they break after the first year that's when the warrenty runs out, fact all guns have the potential to break down. I found these guns to all have similar action and accuracy, the trigger on the Taurus is very similar to the Python and King Cobra, the mechanism on the Taurus the springs in the side plate are the same as the 686. FYI The Taurus model 66 was first imported into the US in 1968, The S&W 686 was first produced in 1980, so who copied who, the copy always follows the original. Find what you like and buy it.

 

[clang]

"I don't think you are understanding, you are comparing an all steel Taurus 85 to an aluminum framed light weight S&W 637. If you want a better comparison, use a S&W 60 or 36 to see what an all steel S&W feels like. The steel framed revolver is always gonna feel more solid than an aluminum one!"

This is the point I was trying to make in my first post.

----------------

"Maybe you're right. My dad had a 60 Cheif's special made in the late 70's early 80's. Nice gun. Wasn't +p rated, and all of a sudden S&W claims leaps and bounds of technology in metallurgy makes it possible to consistently shoot +p loads out of a gun that was originally nothing more than a rushed sized up mock up from a .32 revolver..."

The S&W Model 60 has been available in .357 Magnum for the past 15 years. It can probably handle +P .38 Special.

 

[PabloJ]

"I don't think you are understanding, you are comparing an all steel Taurus 85 to an aluminum framed light weight S&W 637. If you want a better comparison, use a S&W 60 or 36 to see what an all steel S&W feels like. The steel framed revolver is always gonna feel more solid than an aluminum one!"

This is the point I was trying to make in my first post.

----------------

"Maybe you're right. My dad had a 60 Cheif's special made in the late 70's early 80's. Nice gun. Wasn't +p rated, and all of a sudden S&W claims leaps and bounds of technology in metallurgy makes it possible to consistently shoot +p loads out of a gun that was originally nothing more than a rushed sized up mock up from a .32 revolver..."

The S&W Model 60 has been available in .357 Magnum for the past 15 years. It can probably handle +P .38 Special.

It should be able to handle .38+P even in pre-Magnum J-frame. They made J-frame stainless in '9mm Parabellum' a cartridge that is rated at 35,000psi in standard loadings.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I don't care you like the Taurus or any other gun better than a S&W or whatever but you can't compare the Steel Taurus to an Aluminum Alloy J frame and then say the Taurus feels stronger. You said that several times in a few posts but you are comparing different types of revolvers. The M637 is an Airweight which weighs 15oz, the Stainless M85 weighs 22.5oz. Compare it to the S&W M36 (19.5oz) or M60 (22.6oz) and you won't come up with the same conclusion.

Also, how can the Taurus feel different when they took the S&W design for their own. Taurus always "borrows" good designed from everyone else and sells them as theirs.

Maybe you're right. My dad had a 60 Cheif's special made in the late 70's early 80's. Nice gun. Wasn't +p rated, and all of a sudden S&W claims leaps and bounds of technology in metallurgy makes it possible to consistently shoot +p loads out of a gun that was originally nothing more than a rushed sized up mock up from a .32 revolver...

Those all Steel revolvers could safely shoot so called +P ammo. How can a barrel be marked +P is there was no +P ammo at the time? If you would have said the technology in metallurgy advanced from the 20's sure, but from the 70's and 80's, not so much... +P ammo is only a marketing ploy but that's for another thread.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

The S&W Model 60 has been available in .357 Magnum for the past 15 years. It can probably handle +P .38 Special.

I feel better with the purchase I made. $289, $20 transfer, and $9 shipping.. $309 for a reliable, all steel comfortable good shooting good trigger, lifetime warranty.. pretty good deal I would say, and the 85 has been around quite a while, and has a generally good rap.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

I've already mentioned, if you bother; that perhaps I was comparing the wrong gun, and someone else noted that in some cases, the Taurus was around before said model of S&W...

 

[BBQLS1]

I've had several guns from both companies. 3 Taurus guns, all junk. A Stainless PT1911 that would choke at least once a mag, a PT709 that was so badly made it took a hammer to disassemble, and a .22 mag pocket gun that felt like the action was filled with sand and it kept binding up. I tried talking to customer service but they told me to pound sound. LGS let me return the guns. I've had probably 10 S&W's, both M&P autos and J frames, and the only gun I ever had a problem with was the M&P 22. Called Smith, they emailed me a shipping label and I had the gun back within a week, along with 2 free mags for the trouble. The Smith costs more, sure. But I think the Smith has a better chance of running 100% out of the box, and if it doesn't they will make it right. Worth the extra $$$ IMO.

The Taurus designed autoloaders had some issues in the past. Not sure about their current crop, but you don't see many training with them.

I'm happy with the revolvers I've had though. Resale isn't good on them though.

 

[BBQLS1]

I intend to purchase three more Tauri. A PT92 to compliment my Beretta 96, a long barreled 357 and 1911.

For a little more money, you can get a Springfield Armory, Colt, Kimber, or for a little less a Rock Island..... all hold their value better than a Taurus. I'd pass on a Taurus 1911 unless it was real cheap.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

For a little more money, you can get a Springfield Armory, Colt, Kimber, or for a little less a Rock Island..... all hold their value better than a Taurus. I'd pass on a Taurus 1911 unless it was real cheap.

Any of those have a lifetime warranty? I'm kinda scared by the whole "tuner" nature of the 1911, honestly. The Taurus has a lot of bells and whistles.. and the ones I have handled (not shot), felt better than the Ruger at least.

 

[Cluster Bomb]

i have owned a Taurus 85 and loved it.shot really good. feels right in all the right places. I had the stainless DAO version.

 

[clang]

"I feel better with the purchase I made. $289, $20 transfer, and $9 shipping.. $309 for a reliable, all steel comfortable good shooting good trigger, lifetime warranty.. pretty good deal I would say, and the 85 has been around quite a while, and has a generally good rap."


If you are looking to save money, you can find a good used steel 85 around here for about $200 OTD.

 

[Jaymo]

I found a used, stainless Taurus 85CH with the wood banana grips for $175.00, at the LGS, last week. It has a very smooth trigger, just like its twin. They wanted $225 for it, but I pointed out that the cylinder felt rough when turned.
All it needed was a cleaning & a drop of oil.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

If you are looking to save money, you can find a good used steel 85 around here for about $200 OTD.

Huh? I already bought it back in late October. But thank you for being helpful.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

I found a used, stainless Taurus 85CH with the wood banana grips for $175.00, at the LGS, last week. It has a very smooth trigger, just like its twin. They wanted $225 for it, but I pointed out that the cylinder felt rough when turned.
All it needed was a cleaning & a drop of oil.

Nice score.. whats the CH? Is that blued Stainless or something, or something to do with the hammer?

Mine is a 85SS2.. the uh.. stainless stainless.. hehe

(the reason I point this out is, the UL's look stainless, and have stainless cylinders, or at least some do, and I saw a blued SIG semi-auto with the slide marked "stainless".)