PAPACHUCK
Member
I got a M66SS4, a 7-shot 4" SS .357 that has been nothing but impressive. I's no S&W, but it is close. A great trigger and decent sights and it's not going anywhere any time soon.
Taurus model 66 OWNERS
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bestseller92
Member
I took my 6" 669 out for a shooting session last weekend. Super dead-on accurate at 30 yards with Remington 125 grain magnum jhps. Great gun.
I don't shoot it as much with full bore mag loads as I do my Ruger GP100, because I want it to last and last, but it's a good revolver.
I don't shoot it as much with full bore mag loads as I do my Ruger GP100, because I want it to last and last, but it's a good revolver.
snooperman
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- May 4, 2009
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- 2,143
Taurus 66.. excellent gun for the money..
I do not own one but have shot my brothers many times here on my farm range and am quite impressed with it. He has had this revolver for many years and is one of his favorites as he has killed several wild hogs on my land. I have other Taurus guns , the model 85 and the 65 and I can see nothing wrong with them . They function as well as any of my S&W guns for sure.
I do not own one but have shot my brothers many times here on my farm range and am quite impressed with it. He has had this revolver for many years and is one of his favorites as he has killed several wild hogs on my land. I have other Taurus guns , the model 85 and the 65 and I can see nothing wrong with them . They function as well as any of my S&W guns for sure.
Taurus_9mm
Member
I had a blued M66 a few years ago which was a very good revolver with no issues whatsoever. I now own a Tracker .357 which I got LNIB @ a steal - $260.00 - and it has been flawless as well regardless of what I choose to feed it. Generally though it has a diet consisting of 125 gr. and 158 gr. fodder.
Best wishes.
Best wishes.
INMY01TA
Member
M66B4 7 shot here. Very accurate, love it.
MCgunner
Member
I shot my blued 3" along with my 85SSUL Sunday. Every time I shoot one of my 66s, I'm impressed with the accuracy and shootability of them. I ripped 12 for 12 6" steel plates with it from 25 off hand DA. Dang, must be the cheerios I had for breakfast, LOL. I impressed myself with that. Can't do that with the 85, but heck, it's got half the sight radius. It's pretty good, though. I can usually get 3 of 5 with it when I'm shooting good. It has an excellent DA trigger, too. Little fart is an ultralite and I was shooting 158 SWCs over 5.0 grains Unique. I can only stand about 50 rounds of that pounding in a 17 ounce gun with a rubber boot grip. My lighter wad cutters are much easier on me. So, most of my shooting was with the 66. Also had my scoped Ruger Mk II along and reverted to that as the sun set and light got worse.
ive got 2 model 66 in 4inch. the first one ive had for years and its a great gun, even got compliments on what a good shooter it was when i did the shooting part of my ccw
its the six round, so time gos by i become disabled and am wanting a gun to keep in the computer room. so i order a model 66 4 inch since the older one is great
i was surprised to see theyd made it a 7 shot meaning my speedloaders probably wont work with it.
anyway the older one is great has a serrated trigger . the new one doesnt but does have a great set of grips on it.as good as any aftermarket grip youd buy to put on a gun.
anyway the new has a smooth trigger. i was doubtful abou that until i tried it out even though its smooth its still non slip.
i was surprised to find it had been produced as a 7 shot.
ive had good exeriences with the older one and expect the same from the new one
ive also got a taurus pt 99. which of course is a copy of the 9mm by beretta.
i got what was called an accurizer site that tightened the groups from 3 inchs to about 1 or 1 1.5 its shot fine too. so knockem all ya want ive had good expereiences with all of mine
its the six round, so time gos by i become disabled and am wanting a gun to keep in the computer room. so i order a model 66 4 inch since the older one is great
i was surprised to see theyd made it a 7 shot meaning my speedloaders probably wont work with it.
anyway the older one is great has a serrated trigger . the new one doesnt but does have a great set of grips on it.as good as any aftermarket grip youd buy to put on a gun.
anyway the new has a smooth trigger. i was doubtful abou that until i tried it out even though its smooth its still non slip.
i was surprised to find it had been produced as a 7 shot.
ive had good exeriences with the older one and expect the same from the new one
ive also got a taurus pt 99. which of course is a copy of the 9mm by beretta.
i got what was called an accurizer site that tightened the groups from 3 inchs to about 1 or 1 1.5 its shot fine too. so knockem all ya want ive had good expereiences with all of mine
I own a 65 and 66, blued 4 inch barrels. They have had thousands of rounds through them and have been very reliable. I had the 65 back to the factory after about 200 rounds because of an advancing cylinder. The factory had it back to me in about 5 weeks, and it has been trouble free since that time. I wish my expensive guns were this reliable............
Robert Wilson
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- Aug 13, 2009
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- 402
I bought a new 4" stainless 669 in the late eighties or early nineties. It did what a gun is supposed to do. Quality wasn't great (not up to S&W standards, for example) but wasn't bad either. It eventually got stolen and I didn't replace it, but by then I had all the .357 revolvers I needed anyway.
I figure if you need a .357 that goes bang when you pull the trigger, and the Taurus is what you can afford, then it's fine. Revolver loonies, however, should probably save up a bit and buy a pre-lock S&W.
<edit> FWIW, I did have to send the gun back to Taurus because I abused the daylights out of it. They repaired it at no charge without hassle, in about four weeks.
I figure if you need a .357 that goes bang when you pull the trigger, and the Taurus is what you can afford, then it's fine. Revolver loonies, however, should probably save up a bit and buy a pre-lock S&W.
<edit> FWIW, I did have to send the gun back to Taurus because I abused the daylights out of it. They repaired it at no charge without hassle, in about four weeks.
MedWheeler
Member
Was off for a few days and didn't see this thread 'til now. I haven't read the replies, as they're not relevant to mine.
I bought my M66 4-incher in July of 1987, as a first handgun. It still retains a solid feel in the hand and on the firing line, and looked very nicely finished until it spent a couple of years on the streets changing hands from one thug to another after being stolen in a burglary. Got it back with a few nicks in the stock and the bluing, but it still shoots well. My only issue with it is that, after several hundred shots (live or dry), the ejector rod works a little loose and binds the cylinder shut. Easy to rectify, though; you just use a small screwdriver tip or knife tip to push the rod in, open the cylinder, and tighten the rod. I guess a little LocTite on the rod threads would fix it, but I haven't gotten around to it. Since it only happens after extended shooting, I don't worry about it doing so in a SHTF-moment. Besides, I check that gun, which serves bedside duty, almost daily, and have developed a habit (with all revolvers, actually) of giving the rod a twist before closing the cylinder every time.
I bought my M66 4-incher in July of 1987, as a first handgun. It still retains a solid feel in the hand and on the firing line, and looked very nicely finished until it spent a couple of years on the streets changing hands from one thug to another after being stolen in a burglary. Got it back with a few nicks in the stock and the bluing, but it still shoots well. My only issue with it is that, after several hundred shots (live or dry), the ejector rod works a little loose and binds the cylinder shut. Easy to rectify, though; you just use a small screwdriver tip or knife tip to push the rod in, open the cylinder, and tighten the rod. I guess a little LocTite on the rod threads would fix it, but I haven't gotten around to it. Since it only happens after extended shooting, I don't worry about it doing so in a SHTF-moment. Besides, I check that gun, which serves bedside duty, almost daily, and have developed a habit (with all revolvers, actually) of giving the rod a twist before closing the cylinder every time.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Actually, the timing of this topic is perfect; for I examined a 4" satin nickel
Taurus model 66 yesterday for a customer who was wanting too trade it in
on a Smith & Wesson Sigma .40 S&W caliber semi-auto. The Tauri was in
great condition, and had been fired less than 100 rounds. My boss took all
of this into condideration, and offered to allow the customer $175 (no box
or docs) towards the purchase of the S&W gun; but the customer refused
the trade, unless my boss up the anti to $200.
Taurus model 66 yesterday for a customer who was wanting too trade it in
on a Smith & Wesson Sigma .40 S&W caliber semi-auto. The Tauri was in
great condition, and had been fired less than 100 rounds. My boss took all
of this into condideration, and offered to allow the customer $175 (no box
or docs) towards the purchase of the S&W gun; but the customer refused
the trade, unless my boss up the anti to $200.
dusty14u
Member
My first revolver was a 6" Stainless Model 66. I still have it and it has been 100% reliable and worry free. I have sent a thousand or more projectiles downrange and it looks like several more will be no problem.
weregunner
Member
If you guys need more info on the Taurus 66 or 65 there is www.taurusarmed.net as a resource. Take a look at the "Judge and Other Taurus Revolvers" board. There's also this:
http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/index.php?topic=4786.0
Those are great looking guns!
http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/index.php?topic=4786.0
Those are great looking guns!
osteodoc08
Member
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- Jun 23, 2005
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- 1,261
Bought a Taurus M66 SS6 last year and have put it to good use. Over 1K downrange of mostly 38 special and 357 reloads. It is accurate and has a nice trigger. I'm glad i bought it and have been on the look out for a used 22 revolver to match it.
jad0110
Member
As another poster mentioned, Taurus quality is heavily dependent on the particular model and timeframe when that model was made. The Model 66 seems to be one of their best revolvers. I hear a lot of good reports about the 82 and 608 as well. If I could locate a mechanically solid 4" or shorter 66 for under $300, I'd pick it up. But they are often priced right up their with S&W K Frames where I live.
However I did acquire a near mint 3" Taurus 431 (5 shot, blued, fixed sights, 44 Special) with the original wood stocks this past weekend at a gunshow for $268. Yeah!
There is a little bit of movement in the crane (not too bad), but I'll have to check the sideplate screws as MCGunner mentioned to see if they are simply in the wrong places.
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Sniper X
Member
I had a model 88 3in Loved it! but since I only paid 150 for it and was offered 500 I sold it.
A couple of years ago I picked up a NIB 6" 7 shot, stainless 66 for just under $400. I’ve put quite a few rounds down range, and used it on several varmints around the farm. It is great performer, has a very nice trigger and is accurate in SA and DA. Well worth the money.
Had a blue taurus 66 7 shot. The timing was off on the cylinder, at round 100, the round slammed the forcing cone, locking the gun up. That is obviously the first I knew of the problem. I took it back to Gander Mountain, as I had bought it about 3 days before and traded it on a Ruger GP100.
The finish was nice, gun had good balance. It would have been a great gun, but for the timing problem, as it was well built and designed using good steel. I would buy another at a good price, supposing I had a contingency for the gun if it should have a timing issue.
The gun was spooky accurate. The most accurate gun I have ever shot, ever.
Beach Nut
Member
I have a 4" Model 66 I picked up a couple of years ago. I saw the
$ 300.00 price tag and I couldn't resist. I have been pleasantly surprised
to say the least. It is a tack driver and is comfortable to shoot even with
the hottest .357 loads. I'm not sold yet on the quality of Taurus semiautos,
but I've had no problems with their revolvers. (I own four)
$ 300.00 price tag and I couldn't resist. I have been pleasantly surprised
to say the least. It is a tack driver and is comfortable to shoot even with
the hottest .357 loads. I'm not sold yet on the quality of Taurus semiautos,
but I've had no problems with their revolvers. (I own four)
jojo200517
Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2009
- Messages
- 580
I have a blued 6 inch 6 shot model 66. Not sure how old it really is, I bought it used but in great shape. I have shot it a good bit and have no problems with it. I like the sights. It doesn't seem so accurate with the winchester white box 357 mag semi jacket hollow points, but ever since I started shooting independence (cci brass) semi jacketed flat point I noticed much improved accuracy. Also seems quiet accurate with hornady critical defense.
Altogether I like the firearm, it was my first revolver.
Altogether I like the firearm, it was my first revolver.
ashevillian
Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2010
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- 1
I have two of these similarly framed revolvers, but the 66 is by far my favorite. I shoot as an amby, so I can nail left or right handed at center mass well over 50 yards with one.
You do have to break them in, HKS speedloaders are pain and the Hogue grips that they sell for them are ridiculously hard to put on - so opt for a Safari speedloader or an SL Variant - plus find some other type of grip rather than a Hogue if you want to install without a gunsmith. (Hogue makes great grips, they just are stupid to put on for the 82, 65, 66 Models of Taurus and the HKS speedloaders work just fine with a 65 or 82)
The action eases up after around 100 shots and you need to shoot it atleast that many times. People that report they shoot better with 38's or 38 Plus P's simply need to keep in mind a .357 Magnum round is just going to be different when you shoot it due to the power, muzzle movement and aim re-acquisition. If you carry that load, shoot that load - it's important. The 66 just shoots different depending on the round, not based on specs of the gun. That said, it's important to also avoid the meme trap of shooting .38's to be cheap, and then load .357 Magnums to carry - that'll get you killed because you want be accustomed to the recoil of the shot in combination with the re-acquisition of POA. Again, shoot what you carry - atleast one or twice, put a few rounds on target with what you are packing or keeping near the bedstand.
I personally favor a Remington 125gr. .357 JHP with this particular model. They are affordable, reliable and consistent rounds to use. The user ahead of me is spot on, the 110gr. or 125gr. JHP white box Winchesters didn't seem to be what this gun wants, however, higher end Winny rounds might be a better flavor of lead.
Like their model 82, be sure you get one past 2008, usually they are good quality. You should work the trigger as often as possible if you bought one new until you can maintain the POA without the 15 pound spring pulling your aim off (too much I might add - if you want it dead on, change the hammer/trigger springs). Once again, I need to stress that dry firing seems to improve the pull if you get one new.
I bought my 66 over a ruger gp101 due to the 7 shot capacity, but may go with that Ruger model later - however, my 66 has not failed, though I was concerned about the tight action (which was more due to the fact I was short stroking the trigger, than it was due to the revolver).
My 66 kept the bears off of me when I was out remote. People who say that .357's won't work on bears never had 180gr. round worth much IMO. If you are loaded 'for bear' - go with Buffalo Bore 180 gr. .357 Magnum or a high end Winchester 180gr. Partition Gold if you can find it (my personal black bear carry) for these fun moments.
As far as defense, if you are looking for a good $350 - 400 revolver, this works fine.
However, it is a heavy piece (keep that in mind), but very much a decent .357 for starters.
You do have to break them in, HKS speedloaders are pain and the Hogue grips that they sell for them are ridiculously hard to put on - so opt for a Safari speedloader or an SL Variant - plus find some other type of grip rather than a Hogue if you want to install without a gunsmith. (Hogue makes great grips, they just are stupid to put on for the 82, 65, 66 Models of Taurus and the HKS speedloaders work just fine with a 65 or 82)
The action eases up after around 100 shots and you need to shoot it atleast that many times. People that report they shoot better with 38's or 38 Plus P's simply need to keep in mind a .357 Magnum round is just going to be different when you shoot it due to the power, muzzle movement and aim re-acquisition. If you carry that load, shoot that load - it's important. The 66 just shoots different depending on the round, not based on specs of the gun. That said, it's important to also avoid the meme trap of shooting .38's to be cheap, and then load .357 Magnums to carry - that'll get you killed because you want be accustomed to the recoil of the shot in combination with the re-acquisition of POA. Again, shoot what you carry - atleast one or twice, put a few rounds on target with what you are packing or keeping near the bedstand.
I personally favor a Remington 125gr. .357 JHP with this particular model. They are affordable, reliable and consistent rounds to use. The user ahead of me is spot on, the 110gr. or 125gr. JHP white box Winchesters didn't seem to be what this gun wants, however, higher end Winny rounds might be a better flavor of lead.
Like their model 82, be sure you get one past 2008, usually they are good quality. You should work the trigger as often as possible if you bought one new until you can maintain the POA without the 15 pound spring pulling your aim off (too much I might add - if you want it dead on, change the hammer/trigger springs). Once again, I need to stress that dry firing seems to improve the pull if you get one new.
I bought my 66 over a ruger gp101 due to the 7 shot capacity, but may go with that Ruger model later - however, my 66 has not failed, though I was concerned about the tight action (which was more due to the fact I was short stroking the trigger, than it was due to the revolver).
My 66 kept the bears off of me when I was out remote. People who say that .357's won't work on bears never had 180gr. round worth much IMO. If you are loaded 'for bear' - go with Buffalo Bore 180 gr. .357 Magnum or a high end Winchester 180gr. Partition Gold if you can find it (my personal black bear carry) for these fun moments.
As far as defense, if you are looking for a good $350 - 400 revolver, this works fine.
However, it is a heavy piece (keep that in mind), but very much a decent .357 for starters.
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I own a Taurus model 66, 6 shot stainless w/6" bbl. Just joined THR but I have had the revolver for several years and it has been more than I ever expected. I can't imagine an inferior revolver being manufactured from the same equipment used to produce mine.
I bought my wife a stainless 617 last year and wanted a 7-shot 66 to match. I got a great deal on an older blued 6" 6-shot 66 in great condition; $200! I'd still like a 7-shot 66, but will be more than happy with what I have for now. I just love wheelguns.
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