Taurus Model 94 .22LR

[XD Fan]

I bought a lovely Taurus Model 94 .22 last spring at a local gun show. It looks like a really nice gun. I paid $235 for it. Everytime I show it to a fellow gun nut, comments are made to the effect of, "My! You've got yourself a real nice plinker there." I nod my head and grin, but the truth is that I am wondering if I have bought a lemon. I am not able to get consistant accuracy with this firearm. I will admit that I am somewhat inexperienced with handguns (this being only the second one I have owned); however, I shoot reasonably well with my XD9. Perhaps, I just have not gotten the hang of dialing in the adjustable sights.

Can anyone give some feedback on their positive or negative e3xperiences with this little .22?

 

[steelhead]

I don't have the Taurus but I did have a S&W 317 Kit Gun with similar issues. The main problem was the heavy DA pull that is necessary to light off a rimfire. Single action was no problem but DA took some time before I was able to shoot decently with it.

To help with the pull you could lighten the hammer spring a little. However, this "might" lead to some problems igniting the primer consistently. Other than that, it is just going to require practice. Luckily ammo is cheap for doing just that.

 

[ugaarguy]

XD fan, first get several different types of ammo, 3 or 4 boxes of 50 rounds of different brands should be sufficient. Next go to the range and shoot from the bench. Aim to the bullseye for the entire shot group regardless of where the shots inpact. When shooting thumb cock so you you're shooting single action, instead of doble action which could affect accuracy. Shoot a 10 shot group of each ammo onto seperate targets. Don't worry about if the the rounds' points of impact match your point of aim. Just aim to the same place and see how tightly the gun groups. If shooting single action from bench support you get poor groups then there is something wrong with the gun. If some of the ammo groups better than others then switch to the ammo your gun likes best. If the gun shoots good groups with all ammo then you just need DA trigger practice. I'm betting it's you needing DA trigger practice. However, once you master that DA trigger you can shoot any handgun well. Next in terms of probability is you're shooting ammo that it doesn't like. Finally, there is a possibility that you got a bad gun. Let us know what happens at the range.

 

[vynx]

I have one and no accuracy problems with it.

Adjust the sights and start off single action to see where it shoots. You could always let a friend shoot it to see if he has any problems.

It is a nice little plinker and I love having 9 rounds.

 

[gazpacho]

I love my 94-2. Initially had problems with it. Here is what I recommend.

1) Replace the grip. Try the Excaliber Oversized Finger Groove grip. Fills the hand wonderfully.

2) Shoot the gun until it is really dirty. Keep 9 empty cassings to use as snap caps. Wipe it off, but don't clean it. Load the gun with the empty casings. Wrap a couple of band-aids around your trigger fingers and dryfire the gun DA about 1000 times. I'm not kidding, but you can do this over the course of a couple of weeks if you want. When done, flush out the action with an entire can of WD-40, getting the straw up in there as far as you can. Flush out the WD-40 with Gun Scrubber (grips removed). Finish cleaning and oiling you gun.

3) Follow the manual for sighting in your gun. I recommend zeroing at range of 20 yards for this revolver.

4) Get a couple of HKS speedloaders.

5) don't expect super target gun accuracy. It's a fine plinker.

 

[borrowedtime69]

my wife's 94

im not very happy with the 94 i got for my wife two xmas's ago, its pretty much a safe queen. its accuracy is poor, sights stink & double action trigger pull is bad, the cylinder gets unlocked if you so much as think about touching the trigger.

However, i did drop a few ben franklins on a seven shot Taurus 970 .22 LR Tracker with 6 1/2" vented, full underlug BBL wonderful target sights, in stainless steel. sweet gun, i shoot CCI Velocitors in it.

if you can sell off the 94, put that money toward a 970 tracker in stainless (about $330) or a blued (about $285). i chose stainless cause i would probably use this gun during very cold or wet weather due to the fact that my other hunting .22 pistols (semi-autos) seize up in the cold.

best of luck -Eric

 

[DWARREN123]

I have a Ruger SP-101 in 22lr and the two main accuracy things I have found is the double action pull and the type of ammo. Single action is much more accurate and for me CCI Stingers are the ammo of choice.

 

[Master Blaster]

my 94 was purchased in 1997, pre hammer lock, its a 4", has a wonderful trigger pull in double or in single action. Mine is very accurate, and well balanced. Its the gun I use to introduce new shooters to firearms.

I haven't changed a thing on mine. When I tested out ammo for it I found that it shot the federal high velocity copper plated bulk pack ammo really well. Heavily waxed target ammo does not agreee with it at all. In fact the more expensive ammo like tenex or gold medal shoots very poorly.

Winchester Dynapoints, federal bulk pack copper plated or american eagle copper plated, shoot extremely well. Also federal champion high velocity non plated shoots great. If you are using remington bulk pack that is your problem the ammo.

Like a previous poster said you need to try several different types of .22lr ammo to see what it shoots best. Also to maintain reliability you need to clean the cylinder charge holes with a brush occaisionally, the design of the .22lr with a heeled bullet, causes build up in the cylinder, that can lead to the rounds not seating fully and you will then get misfires.

 

[dispatch]

Double Action

Sounds like you cut your teeth on a smei-auto pistol. Much easier to shoot than a double action revolver- until you experience a misfeed, stove pipe, weak magazine, or just ammo it doesn't like.
I don't own a Taurus 94, but I have owned a Model 65 .357 mag and a Model 85 .38 for many years. They are fine revolvers and I would expect the newer models to perform well.
If you are primarily concerned with defensive shooting, stick with your revover and learn the art of double action shooting. A .22 revolver is an excellent and cost effective tool to learn this art. Resist the temptation to go to the single action mode when you you're not gouping on the target.
You and the revolver both require a subtsantial amount of dry fire (WITH SNAP CAPS, or spent rounds in any rimfire arm) and live fire to become proficient together. It's not just the gun and it's not just you.
Learn it and practice it with your .22 and you will easily transiton to larger calibers.

 

[10-Ring]

I've got a 4" 94 and it has taken me a few years to learn to like this gun...it has a long, heavy gritty trigger, sights that adjust while I shoot the gun and about better than average accuracy.
I like this little wheelgun ALOT. I have been able to teach myself how to shoot DAO using it. Now, when I pick up anything else, the trigger is much nicer to use.

 

[jad0110]

10-Ring,

I purchased a stainless 4" 94 for basically the same reason. My one and only CCW piece is a S&W 642, DOA. I have found that the heavy, DA pull of the 94 is an excellent, cost effective way to master the art of DA trigger control in the 642 (and Taurus M66 for that matter). My grouping with my 642 are already tightening up nicely. I have found the 94 to posses reasonably good accuracy after I tweaked the sights.

Unfortunately the cylinder on my 94 started to bind with about 400 rounds through it . Note that I did give it a full cleaning at around 225 rounds. Just before 500, it siezed up completely, so back to Taurus it went. We'll see how the problem is fixed, I understand this is a common problem on 94s.

 

[weregunner]

Howdy. I have a blue,5in. Taurus 94.It's my understudy gun to the Taurus 65 and 66 I have.Cleaned the revolver after each and every outing.Never have had it bind but then .22 rimfire ammo seems to be dirty by nature.100 rounds is all that has been put through at each session. 1300 rounds is the tally at this point.CCI high velocity and stingers are the preferred accuracy loads.For this specimen anyway.Enjoy your 94s gents.

 

[badge2283]

Taurus 94

The best I can say about mine is its a POS. It takes 2 men and a boy to pull the trigger. When you load the cylinder each round fired causes the trigger pull to become heavier and heavier. Then when you attempt, and I say attempt, to eject the fired rounds they are stuck in the charge holes. You need to use a block of wood to hit the ejector to get the fired rounds to eject. I will not buy an other Taurus product.

 

[emilianoksa]

Could someone please explain to me why the double action on a 22lr revolver is heavier than on a centerfire?

 

[LawofThirds]

Yeah, I shed a Taurus Tracker in 22 LR as quick as possible after it started spitting lead and had developed timing issues in less than 1000 rounds.

 

[Clifford]

Emilianoksa, To insure reliable ignition of rimfire cartridges you really want to give them a good whack. So the makers of rimfire revo's give them a heavier mainspring/hammer spring than they put on centerfire revo's. This heavier spring makes the trigger pull heavier.

 

[emilianoksa]

Much obliged, Clifford.