Taurus Model 83?

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kannonfyre

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Has anyone ever heard of the Taurus model 83 revolver? I'm told that it is blued and has a 4" barrel. It's also suppossed to be a police issue type main side arm.

The Taurus website only lists the model 82 revolver and I can't seem to find pictures of the model 83 anywhere. Is it a discontinued model? Has anyone here ever owned one before? How is the quality like?

If offerred a brand new model 83 and a used S&W model 67 in good condition, which one would you pick?
 
The taurus model 83 may have been discontinued. Similar to the 82 but with adjustable sights. I've had very good service from the two Taurus revolvers I own,(models 66 and 85),but the S&W 67 if in good condition it would probably be a much more desirable gun to most people and would be my choice too.
 
We have owned a Stainless Taurus model 83 since 1993. My wife picked it because it felt just right in her hand, and because it was pretty. She shoots it acurrately and with confidence. She has also taken a couple of small critters with it. Sometimes I get to shoot it, too. It is very well made and very tight lockup. I have not seen a used one in any shop since I bought this one(blue or ss). They are not being made anymore as far as I know. Comparing it to my two S&W 15s, the 83 appears to be a bit more robust to my eyes. A very good and acurrate revolver. I have 4 great shooting S&W 38spl K frames and 2 Taurus. Inspect carefully any new or used gun for fit and lockup and buy the best one that fits you. The Smith 67 will probably have more "down the road" value, but "if" you are keeping it for the long haul that really does not matter much. Either will serve you equally well. Also,and if you do not mind, what is that NIB 83 going for? Old 112
 
My 83 Taurus is a stainless model and was around $265.00 + tax back in 1993. $493.00 does seem "very" high for a blued model in my eyes. You can buy a new Ruger GP100 stainless for that amount and mabe less than that. The Ruger GP 100 is in a stronger class than the Taurus or S&W k frames, and very well finished, and very acurrate. I do have a couple of those Rugers , also. You can probably find a very good used Ruger GP for 350 to 400, too. That is what I did. These are just my thoughts, not telling you what to do. Old 112
 
Old 112,

Am resident in Asia in a gun unfriendly country. Prices are naturally higher here and MSRP is actually a good price. The selection is sparse and the only other revolver models available are the Taurus model 66 6-shot stainless and the S&W 686 with the ported barrel. The model 66 goes for US$50 more and the 686 is 50% more expensive than the model 83. The dealer does not have any ruger revolvers for sale.

BTW, what is your appraisal of the model 83's toughness and durability? Can it tolerate a 300 shot/month +P 158gr LRN training schedule?
 
For practice I use mainly standard loadings in my reloads that I shoot. +P factory ammo is fine to use to see how they perform in your gun. I carry +P ammo when the gun travels with me or my wife. +P factory ammo is also more expensive than standard factory loads. If you are going to shoot alot, reloading is a good thing. I expect to get many thousands of rounds out of my Taurus 83. Of course, anything mechanical can fail no matter the brand. Something of interest to read on this Forum, or mabe it is on S&W Forum, is SaxonPig's shooting test with +P ammo through an older S&W Model 10. Old 112
 
I had one for my first gun, in nickel, back in 1978, it was amazingly bad. Rifling was messed up to the point one shot and it was loaded. The timing was off, so it spit, and if you did manage to get a whole cylinder through it, you would have trouble swinging the cylinder die to the lead, and the too close gap. A trip back to Taurus fixed the timing issue, but they claimed the barrel was normal. :what:

About 20 years later, a friend bought one, and it was like it was made on a different planet. It was about as perfect as a revolver could be. Looked the same, but they got it all right. Check it out carefully, and test fire it, if at all possible.
 
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