Taurus xxx, the copy of yyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzx

[WestKentucky]

Watching old CSI Miami I heard Horatio mention taurus as a cheap Beretta knockoff. They obviously were talking about the pt92 as a copy of the Beretta 92. Similarly the Beretta 96 is the Taurus pt100 if I remember correctly. So looking back at other taurus products which were "knockoffs" of guns sold by companies with a better reputation? If you have owned BOTH feel free to express an opinion on quality comparison. We don't need to hear about 74th hand information from your dog's vets sisters whatever.

I personally prefer taurus over Beretta but that's not a quality preference but I do like the safety location better. If I were to find an older Beretta with the same configuration I would be tempted to pick it up. My pt99 is more accurate than my m9 was and quality seems very similar. Beretta finish lasted longer than the Taurus parkerizing did.

 

[ugaarguy]

The factory that became the Taurus firearms company started life has a factory set up by Beretta for the Brazilian government to produce the Beretta 92 under license. At that time the Beretta 92 had a frame mounted safety.

Taurus later purchased Rossi, who was previously owned by Bangor-Punta, which is a consortium that owned both Rossi and Smith & Wesson for several years. B-P used technology from S&W to improve Rossi's existing S&W clones. Hence, you will see many similarities in Taurus/Rossi revolvers and S&W revolvers, even though the companies have been independent (and independently changed their revolvers) for over thirty years.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have a Taurus Model 66, their version of the S&W M19. I also have a PT-22, their version of the Beretta 21A, though made to be DAO instead of DA-2-SA.

 

[WestKentucky]

Of course their 1911 is a 1911

 

[bannockburn]

I use to have a Taurus PT92 as I liked their frame mounted thumb safety options (can be carried in Condition 1), better than the slide mounted thumb safety of the Beretta Model 92.

 

[illinoisburt]

I had a PT92 for a number of years. As a 1911 fan, I preferred the frame mounted safety that sweeps down for off The original wood grips were a bit slick to my tastes. Uncle Mikes made a good fitting set of replacements. DA was heavy, SA somewhat mushy. Long gone now, but liked it while I had it.

Recently shot a new Beretta M9. Same feel, better sights (3 dot), much better trigger, still don't like the safety/decocker.

 

[Willie Sutton]

Watching old CSI Miami I heard Horatio mention taurus as a cheap Beretta knockoff.

Which it is not, any more than an Interarms PPK is a cheap Walther knock off.

License Built is License Built no matter if it's licensed from FN, Colt, Walther, HK, or Beretta.


Having examples of all three major Beretta 92 manufacturing factory examples (Italian, USA, and Brazil) I see no remarkable differences in quality between any of the three, and prefer the feature set of the Taurus.


Willie

.

 

[bikerdoc]

My PT92 has been steller over the last 10 years. Thousands of rounds down range. Changed the rcoil spring once. Prefer it to the m9
Also have one in 9mm. Good shooter for the money.

 

[NGIB]

Both my PT92 and PT100 have been solid guns with lots of rounds thru them over the years. The PT92 sits on the coffee table...

 

[MCgunner]

I have a Taurus Model 66, their version of the S&W M19.

I've owned both, sold the 19, kept the Taurus. The Taurus 66 is a beefier frame, has a round forcing cone, is a stronger gun, and mine shoots better than my 19. It's a few ounces heavier, but still comes in about 38 ounces for the 4" version. The trigger is just as good as the Smith, also .

I also have a 3" Taurus 66 that's a fine shooter that i bought used for $180 at a gun show. Try to find a 3" 19 for that. Or, just try to FIND one. They didn't make many 3". I've run across a S&W 66 for 350 bucks with a 2 1/2" barrel. I really should have bought that one, was a little down on cash at the time. Story of my life.

Taurus makes the Judge. Smith and Wesson has a knock off. I own neither and neither do I care to own one, just saying. Of course, there was the Thunder Five first.

 

[oldbear]

My one and only Taurus is their Model 617, 7 shot revolver. It has been a very reliable and serviceable car kick around revolver. It is a close copy of the Smith and Wesson model 681.

 

[Jaymo]

I wish I'd never sold my 3" Taurus 65 and 431.
My PT-99 stainless has been a great pistol since I bought it in 1997.
I've owned quite a few Taurus revolvers/autos and none have ever given me any trouble.
I do have a Judge.
I bought it to use as a .410 snake gun for copperheads. I like it just fine.

My LGS had bought a bunch of guns from a police evidence room.
Among the guns were a brand new Beretta 92 and a brand new Taurus PT-92,
Both had their serial numbers ground off.
They were required to destroy the frames.
I walked in before they started stripping them.
I asked if I could try something, and they said yes.
I swapped the slide assemblies between the two guns.
Guess what?
They fit like they were made that way. They cycled perfectly.

Anyhoo, they stripped them down to the bare frames. They didn't leave a single pin, screw, spring, of any other parts in the frame.
I bought the Taurus parts from them, as a parts kit.
$120.00, for a complete PT-92, minus the bare frame.
I may make my 99 into a two tone 92, because the 92 parts I got are blued.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I wouldn't take the quote of a fictional character, written by Hollywood types who probably know jack about guns, to heart. Taurus isn't a cheap knockoff of Beretta any more than Eagle is (was) a cheap knock off of Dodge. Parent companies, same tooling, slightly different cosmetics and different badge marketing doesn't make it a cheap knock off.

Taurus is cheaper than Beretta because the supply chain and labor is cheaper, and the cost savings are passed on to the market consumer.

But yeah, you lost me at CSI.

 

[Miked7762]

Both had their serial numbers ground off.
They were required to destroy the frames.
I walked in before they started stripping them.
I asked if I could try something, and they said yes.
I swapped the slide assemblies between the two guns.
Guess what?
They fit like they were made that way. They cycled perfectly.

So you didn't notice the firing pin safety lever, sear release, and hammer pin head being sheared off the Beretta frame? Didn't feel the firing pin safety lever and trigger bar being ripped off the Taurus frame? That would have to happen to force the slides onto the wrong frames.

I'm surprised they cycled so well with all that crushed metal!

 

[WestKentucky]

I was wondering about the safeties which are tied into the trigger mechanism. The only potentially swappable slides would be an early Beretta 92 with frame mount safety. They do exist but are much less common than the slide mounted design. If that were the case it's a real shame that particular Beretta got destroyed.