Taurus 9mm revolvers - reviews? They even still MAKE them?

[Green Lantern]

I called Taurus customer service a few weeks ago, they said they had a 9mm revolver in their product line. I still could not find the exact one listed on their site. There are lots there, but all say "discontinued" the last time I checked.

Wondering, IF they still make them, if anyone has one?

I owned a Taurus .22 revolver years ago, it was OK, put the DA trigger pull was horrible! As much as I want a 9mm revolver, I don't want it if I have to have the strength of Atlas just to pull the trigger!

(note - I want one because I don't own ANY revolvers now, but I DO own a 9mm auto, and thus 9mm ammo already.)

 

[mavracer]

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=60742&d=1184362337
here is a link to a target I shot with mine,thats at 25 yards. I love mine I carry it in a uncle mikes fanny pack, when wearing appropriate attire to wear fanny pack,with two spare moon clips in a pill bottle(keeps them quiet and protects them from bending or rounds getting disloged)
p.s. I belive they discontinued them but you can still find them new www.budsgunshop.com had some listed not long ago.

 

[Dos]

I've chased this revolver and info myself. Can't recall where the thread was (probably archives) but general consensus was the Taurus moon clips were inferior and bent warped etc. causing cylinder binding. That's JUST what I read in a search. I wonder if its really true. Seems no matter how good a particular piece is some will find FAULT and dump it as Inferior. The model is Taurus 905. Saw them on Gunbroker or Auction Arms just last week. Blue and stainless. makes one wonder why S&W discontinued their 9mm snubby, and now Taurus?!! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

I have had one for about 6 months and only have about 200 rounds through it. I do not even bother using the taurus clips because they are lousy. Only reason for the moon clips are easy ejection but when shooting factory rounds blazer and winchester just turning the weapon up the cases fall right out. But it does make it difficult to carry extra rounds. It makes me wonder about taurus leadership to make such a nice gun and then skimp on the moon clips only to discontinue it later because of the moon clips. By the way I have the 905C which is the stainless model and I tell you what it is a sweet shooter.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

There are two of them up on Gunbroker right now.

 

[Green Lantern]

Only reason for the moon clips are easy ejection but when shooting factory rounds blazer and winchester just turning the weapon up the cases fall right out.

So, moon clips aren't a "MUST HAVE" item - at least for the first 5 shots?

Does anyone else make 9mm moon clips?

 

[Dos]

Mr. Revolverguy...Is firing WITHOUT the moon clips 100% reliable? Doesn't the added seating depth in the chamber (without moon clip) make it prone to misfire? If not, then it would be a great llittle revolver to have. I've never handled a moon clipped revolver, so I don't have any real knowledge about them.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

DOs

because right away I got tired of my moon clips I stopped using them after about 50 rounds. So I have 150 rounds through it with no moon clips and not one misfire. Now I will say until I get about 500 to 1000 rounds through it with no misfire then and only then will I feel comfortable carrying. Until then I stick with my 642. I will say I let the gun smith shoot it at my club range and he was totally comfortable and said he would carry it (yeah it made me question him a bit) but I do respect his work and his knowledge about weapons in general. I have even went through what most would say as wierd drills with it trying to make it misfire. Like loading it with no moon clips and then holding the weapon down into a shooting barrel to try and create more space between the head of the round and the firing pin to make it misfire and still every round went bang. This was the whole reason for trying different ammo as well, not because I do not like winchester but wanted to try to see if I could get blazer and federal to misfire but no luck.

I will say that I have 20 extra clips for it thought because you can go to taurus and by the clips. They come in a pack of 5 and I ordered 4 packs. It took about 2 weeks to get them from taurus but I did get them.

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

O h yeah you do know smith made a strange revolver that does not have to use moon clips a S&W model 547 and like I said there is no need for moon clips. My friend just got one from gunbroker and wow is it nice. Not trying to sway you away from taurus I actually have 3 taurus weapons and none of them have required any work. The taurus tracker in 357 seems to be the most accurate weapon I have. And I have a number of smiths old and new and it is the best 357 I have for accuracy. I have a m19, 686-4 with no lock, m10, and a ruger gp100 3 inch. Now I suspect the smith fans (which I am one also) will come in here and beat me about the head and shoulders for saying such and I recognize it is probably just the one I shoot the best. Now my dad will and have wanted to make me cry by the way he has just whooped the pants off me at the range with his m10 vs. my taurus.

 

[Green Lantern]

I dunno now - if I was going to carry it as a main CCW gun, I'd sure want some reloads at hand. As a backup to my G19, I wouldn't bother with extra rounds for it.

I may just take the easy way out (time-wise, NOT money and "space" wise) and have the local place order me a Taurus CIA in .357, and stock up on some speedloaders, and .357s and .38s before the September price increase!

 

[bluetopper]

No, Taurus doesn't make them any more. I did however find a slightly used one on Gunbroker, and it isn't going anywhere. Accurate and a very snappy recoil.
It goes well with my Taurus snubbie 45acp revolver, and my Taurus 45acp, 6.5" target revolver.

 

[Dos]

The little Taurus 905 9mm sounds like a vialble alternative to the HIGHER priced S&W versions if it works without the moon clips. Would be a great road gun for over night out of town stuff and an excellent BUG. I saw a 547 on auction last week i think, not in my price range AT ALL. And the S&W 940 9mm is a pricey muthr also. I must be honest, I've BASHED Taurus but only because of their crappy warranty. For the price of the 905, I'd say it is tough to beat for the price after hearing that it MAY be dependable without the moon clips.

 

[Dos]

Taurus may not make them anymore...BUT there are some new ones laying around out there somewhere.

 

[BryanP]

If you go to Taurus' web site and look at any of the 905 models they are listed as discontinued. Taurus has a history of introducing lots of different models and discontinuing those that don't sell well enough or that have teething problems they can't seem to work out. I don't know which category the 905 falls in.

 

[Dos]

Bottom line. If it shoots 9mm reliably without clips ,then screw the ejection concerns sans the mooners.

 

[mavracer]

I haven't tried mine w/o clips this sounds good wonder how well bianchi speed strips hold 9mm

 

[weregunner]

And if the first five rounds don't get the job done.............? You'll need to do a speed reload with 5 fresh rounds.... and quickly. Moonclips are easier and quicker to load with than with regular speedloaders for other calibers.

There is a technique of shoot 2 rounds and then load 2 rounds to stay in a fight longer than if only 5 rounds are used and then reload, but that only works with .38 Special,357,magnum,and .44 Special revolvers. For the most part anyway.

There are other moonclips for 9mm. revolvers. Ruger makes them. Those will fit only the SP101 Ruger revolvers.

 

[Green Lantern]

If Taurus really has discontinued all of them, they need to inform their customer service staff...! Though I'm guessing that it's possible that she was looking at a PAPER catalog from earlier?

 

[chaim]

My understanding is that they've been discontinued. I wanted one for quite a while, but I'm no longer such a 9mm fan, and I love my Taurus 85CH and S&W 442 both in .38spl.

Trigger: The Taurus .22lr and .22mag are notoriously bad. Also, earlier Taurus triggers weren't great in any caliber. Now, Taurus triggers are generally pretty good (not near the old S&W trigger pull, but comparable to current production S&W triggers). In the J-frame sized centerfire guns I think the Taurus triggers are better than current production S&W triggers, and I'm not alone.

Moon clips: Yeah, they had a rep of being the gun's weak spot. I recall at least one company made some good aftermarket clips that were much better than factory. I don't recall offhand who it was, and I have no idea if they are still made. A Google search or search of the archives here may help you.

Why discontinue them: As mentioned, Taurus has a bad habit of putting out a bunch of models to see how they sell, then quickly discontinuing them if they aren't hot sellers. They find a lot of interesting niches that way, but unfortunately, it leaves many of us high and dry pretty quickly (it seems cruel to interest us in a gun, and by the time we are ready to buy it is no longer made).

So, for availability you may have to look a bit. They didn't sell well, so there aren't a ton out there. Luckily, they were current production items not too long ago so you may luck into one new at a dealer or gunshow somewhere (I'd go for the gunshow where a lot of dealers are brought together, as trying to find one at individual dealers could become quite frustrating). Gunbroker and Auctionarms are probably another good bet. Even if you don't find one new, you may find a nice one used. With the moon clips and the snappy recoil of 9mm in a J-frame sized revolver (not as bad as .357mag, but more than .38+P) you may find some good quality barely used guns out there.

 

[Green Lantern]

Trigger: The Taurus .22lr and .22mag are notoriously bad. Also, earlier Taurus triggers weren't great in any caliber. Now, Taurus triggers are generally pretty good (not near the old S&W trigger pull, but comparable to current production S&W triggers). In the J-frame sized centerfire guns I think the Taurus triggers are better than current production S&W triggers, and I'm not alone.

I find a LOT of comfort in hearing that, like I said I've experienced the .22LR pull myself, and Gun Tests recently did a test on a .22mag that was even worse! But if the 9mm does not work, a .357 Taurus CIA was gonna be my "plan B." Knowing that I won't have a repeat of that trigger, I think it's safe to say it will DEFINITELY be my plan B!

 

[Haywood]

My 905 DAO has One of the the sweetest triggers ever, lite and smooth. For practice I never used the clips. When I carried it I used the clips. I'd rather carry my 617 so if anybody in the area of Cleveland, Ohio whants one, mine is Blue DAO and it's yours for $250. e-mail [email protected]

 

[weregunner]

Just to throw a monkey wrench onto the works there is a 905 model in the 2007 catalog. Though it was discontinued for a while it was started back up some time ago. Will have to go to my "inside source" and get clarification.

The web site has had issues with updating through it's history.

After close scrutiny and some detective work there are 2 current models that are being made. 905B2 and 905SS2 are the designations. All other 905 variants were dropped.
Just a downsizing sort of deal. Nothing more.

CS confirms it.

Do have an older 85CH and a 94 that is only a few years old.

Did 500 to 1000 reps of dryfire with,and yes they do make them, .22lrf snapcaps. Smoothed and lightened the trigger pull enough to make things better. For my example anyway.

 

[Green Lantern]

Bugger...bugger...bugger...

Now I don't know WHAT to do.

Assuming that I put aside buying a 12 Gauge to get a snubby. My handguns are .380s and a 9mm. Ammo-wise, the 9mm would be more practical. But, I wouldn't mind something a bit more powerful like a .357. Then again, to get the most out of a "hand cannon" it would ideally have a longer barrel, no?

"Think, think, think..."

 

[smee781]

905

I have a Taurus 905, its blued and Dao with box and all papers/moon clips. I am looking to down size and sell off guns I don't shoot all that often and I think its on its way out. I've shot it with and with out the moon clips and it never failed to fire. I don't think I have more than 150 rounds through it, its not even broken in yet. It a neat little gun with a 1 7/8 barrel and easy to conceal, if interested price is $275 shipped to the lower 48 to your ffl or a ftf can be set up if you are local (South Carolina).

Thanks

 

[Dos]

After close scrutiny and some detective work there are 2 current models that are being made. 905B2 and 905SS2 are the designations.

Wonder if the (2) designations of above models are improved in some fashion from previous models?