Would you trust a Taurus against dangerous game?

[d2wing]

I think a Taurus is good in that role. They're cheap(-ish) so if the cabin is broken into and the gun stolen, you haven't lost as much as if it were a Ruger or Smith; the gun probably never ever gets fired, so it will last forever.

Yes that and it is Stainless Steel. Yeah. Probably never shoot a bear with it unless one attacks my dog or tries to break in. One walked right by last year but didn't bother anything. My dog and it ignored each other. Chances are extremely low of any danger. I have shot vermin but that's all.

 

[Beck]

Did someone say Old Model 66? This one is from the early 1980's. It has an internal trigger block, unlike the transfer bar on modern Taurus revolvers. Its trigger and accuracy are like a nice S&W.

Taurus Model 66

• Tallball
• Jan 6, 2018

Yep, that's the same era mine is from. I have a 4-inch blued model made in the late 1980's. Back then I was looking to buy a S&W M19 when the Taurus 66 caught my attention. It still looks and functions like new. The only thing I changed was the grip, swapping the factory wood grip for a black rubber Uncle Mike's. It fits my medium size hands like a glove.

 

[chicharrones]

All the bear threads have been making me kick around the idea of a big bore revolver.

On paper, I really like the Taurus tracker 44 mag. Light, smaller, cheaper than the competition.

But it's a Taurus. I know there is a love/hate on the internet. And I would not hesitate for a fun gun or even a hunting gun.

But life/death. Would you?

Makes me think about all the folks that carry a Taurus to protect against two legged critters, let alone four legged ones.

 

[GerryER]

This opinion battle has been going on for years. I'm a gunsmith, mainly pistols and revolvers, mostly retired and have Taurus revolvers in .22, 9 mm, 357 Mag, 44 mag and have never had any problems with any of them. I carry the 44, and sometimes the 357, when in the woods as my backup. I have sold Taurus revolvers and pistols to my friends and have never had one come back for service. I have serviced a fair number of S&W revolvers. I use the .22 revolver in the pistol classes that I teach and have never had problems with it; many, many rounds through it! Keep them cleaned and lubed like any precision machine, and it will give you good service. All brands have their issues, and every once in awhile a lemon gets through and the bashing starts. I trust Taurus revolvers (and pistols) completely. S&W loves for people to pay more for similar quality; the new Smith's use the same technologies as Taurus (MIM components, plastic (oh, sorry, I mean polymer), etc.). Buy a Taurus and enjoy it!! It will serve you well.

 

[chicharrones]

A Taurus that gets a good checkout by a gunsmith before it gets put into the glass cabinet at a gun shop is probably the best way of increasing customer satisfaction. I had to work on both my Taurus guns to be satisfied. One of them just a little, one of them quite a lot.

My experience dealing with Taurus customer service turned me off of buying a new Taurus pretty much forever.

Now show me a classic Taurus revolver or metal framed autoloader that was either made right or fixed by the prior owner, and I might consider the purchase.

 

[GerryER]

Makes me wonder if S&W started some of the bad press about Taurus. Originally, Taurus copied many of the S&W products and sold them for nearly half the price of the S&W's, appealing to the lower income people. Just a thought. They still are a bargain compared to other options. No question about S&W quality, but Taurus has good quality as well and has a lifetime warranty. But sometimes a particular gun just appeals to a person, no matter the manufacturer and you have to get one. The new Colt Python 3" comes to mind:
https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/editor-s-choice-colt-python-3/

 

[chicharrones]

Makes me wonder if S&W started some of the bad press about Taurus. Originally, Taurus copied many of the S&W products and sold them for nearly half the price of the S&W's, appealing to the lower income people. Just a thought. They still are a bargain compared to other options. No question about S&W quality, but Taurus has good quality as well and has a lifetime warranty. But sometimes a particular gun just appeals to a person, no matter the manufacturer and you have to get one. The new Colt Python 3" comes to mind:
https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/editor-s-choice-colt-python-3/

That still holds true. My income is why I bought Taurus guns (and Rugers) instead of S&W many years ago.

Currently, some Ruger revolvers are priced in the same ball park as some S&W revolvers. Which pretty much means if I have Ruger money now, I'm looking at S&W more than I did in the past.

 

[PzGren]

Would you trust a Taurus against dangerous game?

I would trust any Taurus just as well as any other mass produced gun; quality of firearms of main stream manufacturers varies widely.
I trust myself to check a gun out sufficiently to catch problems, regardless of manufacturer but there may be a good reason why I carried a cheap Glock in a dangerous place.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I would not. But mostly because I already have a smith and Wesson 44. If all I could have was the Taurus i would have to shoot it enough to trust it. My first self defense gun I bought was a titanium 85. I wish I had it back.

 

[LoonWulf]

yep

 

[SDGlock23]

No, I'm not a fan of Taurus. I'm sure some are functional but to me they've always copied others and in general make a mediocre product, handmade in a Brazilian sweat shop, if you will.

 

[Random 8]

Didn't read the myriad of replies, but my semi simple answer is yes...with conditions. I've owned 3 Tauri, and for 2 of those the yes is absolute. In the case of the millennium G3, the yes came with the condition of using a make of ammunition it liked to cycle. I've had this with other brands that are much ballyhooed, so I don't count it as a Taurus issue, more a model issue. Bottom line, shoot your gun. If it goes bang and hits what you point it at, should it matter whether there's a pony or a beef steer on the grip?

 

[GerryER]

No, I'm not a fan of Taurus. I'm sure some are functional but to me they've always copied others and in general make a mediocre product, handmade in a Brazilian sweat shop, if you will.

Taurus made the Beretta 92 for Beretta and then made a copy when Beretta pulled out, using Beretta's equipment. Beretta quality and reliability, especially the 92 (and the smaller .380 84's) have an excellent reputation! Many companies private label products for other companies. The gun industry is no different. Browning - FN comes to mind. And, we have plenty of sweat shops in this country, too.

 

[entropy]

Makes me wonder if S&W started some of the bad press about Taurus. Originally, Taurus copied many of the S&W products and sold them for nearly half the price of the S&W's, appealing to the lower income people. Just a thought.

Except for the fact that S&W sold the machinery to produce the revolvers to Taurus when both were owned by Bangor Punta. Taurus also bought the plant in Sao Paulo that produced Beretta 92's, when Beretta decided to shift production of the 92F and FS back to Italy. I don't know whether moving the safety to the frame was part of the agreement, but whatever the reason, I applaud it. The slide mounted safety was the one thing I didn't like about the M9.

 

[Antihero]

I had a 44c for awhile and ran many thousands of rounds thru it, mostly hot reloads. It did fine.

You won't be able to go above 300gr though, cylinder is too short