Are Taurus Revolvers Any Good???

7

7th Fleet

New member
I've found a Taurus Ultralite stainless 5 shot snubby NIB at a local pawn shop and I can buy it for 200 bucks out the door. What is the lockwork like in them, is it the same as on Smith & Wesson J frames or is it still different like it used to be back in the mid 80s. The last Taurus that I took apart back then was built very cheesy internally. The Rossi's that I've done action jobs on are built just like the Smith & Wessons J frames. Has anybody seen the insides of a new generation Taurus five shot snubby revolver in the past few years?

7th
 
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Taurus has done...

...some juggling on the lockwork on their small-frame guns in the last year or two. They've gone to lighter springs and relocated one of the pivot pins, and the net result is a very light and smooth pull for a small-frame coil-sprung gun. Unlike the lads from MA, who seem to treat the J-frame as a necessary evil in their lineup and make changes every 25 years whether they're needed or not, I think Taurus realizes that their small-frame guns are their bread and butter.

In medium or large frame guns, I'd still prefer a *&* over a Taurus, but I'd actually prefer the Taurus in a small-frame.

731vapor1s.jpg
 
In medium or large frame guns, I'd still prefer a *&* over a Taurus, but I'd actually prefer the Taurus in a small-frame.
Click to expand...

I don't know anymore. Dryfiring only I found the triggers on a new S&W M10 and a new Taurus 82 to be too hard to decide which was better. One had a slightly better SA pull, the other had a slightly better DA pull (each was better by about the same degree, which was almost unnoticable)- I don't remember which had the better SA and which had the better DA pull. Both seemed to have very good, and about equal, lockup. I had a used 82 that was a decent gun (it was about 10 years old) and the new one seems much improved. I also think I'd pick a Tracker over most of the similar new S&W midsized offerings. If nothing else I don't think the difference justifies the $100-150 premium (around here) that the S&W will cost over the Taurus (if the prices were closer I could see paying a little more for the name and resale value of the Smith).
 
The little framed Taurus's are getting a well deserved following and its getting better. Id just on it for $ 200 as its a pretty great deal. The lock up is just like a J frame and not quite up to Ruger specs. Id jump on it.
Shoot well
 
I would not have touched a Taurus revolver 15 or 20 years ago.

The strides they have made in quality control and product refinement in that time are pretty incredible.

These days I do believe that Taurus does deserve a serious look.
 
Seventh . . .

My son bought a NIB Taurus five-shot .357 snubby approximately four years ago. It looked much like a Smith superficially, but the excellence in design/fabrication and especially in piece-part quality simply was not there. Sure enough, after <1000 rounds the timing was so bad that the cylinder locked-up.

Now real experts -- such as Mike, Tamara, and others -- make a good argument that Taurus quality has improved significantly in the last couple of years. However, with the ready availability of used -- but top-quality -- S&W snubbies at reasonable market prices, I don’t believe Taurus is worth the risk. We all value revolvers largely because they “go bang every time”, and I want to be absolutely certain they really will.

Regards.
 
"real experts like Mike..."

Guffaw... Hahahaha. Snort. Snicker...

Tell me this...

If I'm a real expert, why in the **** can't I find my Accurate reloading manual?!!?
 
I was interested in them recently

Went to a dealer to take a look. First one I checked out locked up hard on the third click. Two others checked out ok in dry firing but then the trigger pinched my finger very hard (blood blister), the grips gave me carpal tunnel type wrist pain, and porting isn't for me, so I had to pass on them.
 
To follow up on Mike's post-

I won't touch a Taurus now; not to mention 15 to 20
year's ago!:( :eek: :rolleyes:

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Make no mistake about it.

Taurus isn't even close to my first choice, either.

But if someone needs a gun they're only going to shoot a few times, a year, and would rather have a new gun instead of a used gun (there are people like that), Taurus is not a bad option.
 
Tamara laid out the Taurii situation very nicely.

I also think that Smith QC has gone downhill while that of Taurus has come up, crossing a few years ago with Taurus now on top.

Sam
 
What about a Ruger SP-101?

I know the SP was not part of SeventhFlt's initial question, but given Sam's most recent comment re the "crossover" of Smith and Taurus quality, I suspect I'd opt for an SP-101. I've seen NIB SP's for $300 (give or take) and excellent used ones in the mid-$200s. Just a thought . . .
 
I've bought two new 85's in the last year--a standard Ultra-Lite and the Ultra-Lite Police (hammerless/titanium cylinder and barrel shoud). Excellent snubbies. I approached the hammerless model with some trepidation, but the DA pull is excellent. I'm very satisfied with Taurus.
 
Has anybody that knows the difference between the older model Taurus products which were made back in the 80s and the present generation of Taurus guns, seen inside the lock work on the new model guns?

My question is this.

Are the new Taurus guns using the same lock work internally as the Smith & Wesson J frames, or are they still different like they were back in the 80s?

Has anybody had the side plate off of a Taurus Ultralite snubby in the past year or so and if you have, does it have the same type of lockwork as a J frame?????????


This is what I need to know, not how sweet or crappy the trigger pull on them may or may not be.

The older Rossi snubby .38s were built just like a J frame on the inside and since Taurus now owns Rossi, have they changed over to the Rossi's syle of lockwork on the Ultralite revolvers?????????????????? This is the queston that I need answered.

Edited to add: If the new Ultralites have the same style of lockwork as the J frame Smiths, I can live with one of them because I am familar with J frames and I can work on them. I thought that for 200 bucks this Ultra lite would make a dandy LEO backup weapon to be carried in an ankle holster since it is very light weight with the alloy frame and stainless construction I wouldn't have to worry about rust or corrossion as I would with my Colt Cobra or Model 36's. I have a Model 60 Smith but this Ultralite is so much lighter and that is what I'm looking at in this gun. I long ago bought my wife a Model 37 Airweight Smith & Wesson, but she's not about to give it up. ;)


Thanks...7th
 
I'm still alive! (I guess)...

And I own a 731UL (like Tamara's) that was tuned at the Taurus factory. It has the smoothest action this side of a match pistol.
People who I decide to let try it have a difficult time believing how smooth the little pistol IS.

KR
 
After trying to get 5 (count em!) Taurui to work for me, and trying to get their repair dept to do something, I gave up. Never again.
 
Well, I don't have one of their snubbies, but my Tracker in .357 has been a great pistol; incredible trigger in both SA & DA modes. My only bitch is the lack of available aftermarket wood grips:( .
 
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