Revolver Reliability

B

Berettafan21

New member
I am thinking about purchasing a Taurus 617 in Titanium. I am wondering what I can do or what I can have done to make this as reliable as possible. I already plan on replacing the springs with wolf springs. Is this hard to accomplish? Any and all help would be appreciated.

PS. You may ask why I am thinking about getting a revolver that some would say has questionable reliability. There are a couple of reasons. First I have read numerous post from people who do to their expericence trust their lives to Taurus revolvers, so I am really not too worried. Secondly no other manufactuer makes a firearms that fits my prefrences better than the 617 and believe me I have looked so please don't bother suggesting other firearms. I do not want this to become a rip on Taurus thread so please do not post if all you have to say is negative comments about Taurus I have heard enough already and still feel confident with my decision. Lastly to answer a question before it comes up. If I am confident with the revolver then why try and make it more reliable and if I feel it needs to be more reliable then why trust my life to it. My answer to these questions is isn't every little bit of reliability worth gaining when it comes to matters of life and death.
 
I have no Taurus-specific ideas, but you may wanna check out the sticky at the top of this section titled "Revolver checkout: how to tell if a particular specimen is any good". Print it out and take it with you and check out the revolver in the store BEFORE you buy. If Taurus QC is spotty, then going through the above process will help decide if that particular specimen is going to be okay or not. Better to wait and get another 617 later if the one at the shop has a good chance of being a lemon.
 
Taurus

I have a Taurus 608 with a 61/2 in pipe in blue. I love the fact having 8 rounds of .357, no problems with this pistol. I've had it for 4 yrs now. The 608 is built on a .44 frame thus giving it 8 shots so it is over built for a .357. From what I've read any titainium of scandium revolver will not stand a steady diet of full magnum loads.Yes even Smith and Wesson so if the Taurus is your choice so be it .I see no reason why it couldn't be a good choice
 
I own a Taurus 617 in stainless. It is still stock the way it came from the factory. I have had exactly one "problem" with it: the yoke screw worked it's way loose and disappeared. That is a problem endemic to almost all smaller revolvers in magnum loads. I called Taurus and explained what happened. They mailed me a new screw no charge, no questions asked. Of course I found the missing screw under the desk in my home office after I received the new one so now I have a spare.

The 617S is my (our, really - my wife shoots it quite well) nightstand gun. I keep it stoked with .38+P Remington Golden Sabers. Honestly even the stainless version hurts a bit too much to fire with magnum rounds. I can't imagine trying to fire magnums through the titanium version.

I can't answer your question about replacing springs, but I can tell you that unless you get a lemon (it happens with all manufacturers) the 617 should serve you reliably. Just be sure to check the screws regularly if you're going to shoot magnum rounds through it.
 
Before you put the Wolf springs in read my post here on that very subject...
http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewforum.php?f=115
I put a spring kit into my model 85 (both trigger and hammer). First the trigger spring: improvement and reliable.., then I added the hammer spring: nice DA pull BUT NOT RELIABLE! Light strikes 1 in 5 failed to go off.. Your mileage may vary. Read the whole set of posts under, " Model 85 and Wolf springs". Write me at csteuart50@comcast.net for any other questions..
Good Shooting, CraigJS
 
It's reliable as it comes from the factory. Most people put in the ligher Wolf springs trying to get a lighter trigger pull. They aren't trying to make the revolver more reliable.
 
Springs

I have heard some people comment that Taurus springs may be prone to breaking and that is why I decided to to replace them.
 
Good move on going with the Taurus. I have a 605 in blue. Using factory ammo, I've never had any problems. The only mis-fires I have had came from hand loads with some questionable primers.

Unless you have forearms like Pop-Eye, I would stay with a steel or stainless frame. The only times I wish I had a lighter frame is in the very hot weather and this thing has been in my pocket for about a solid week.

You are obviously planning to use this gun for self defense. Be very careful about replacing the springs. If you get hauled into court for shooting someone, the lawyers will probably tear you apart for having aftermarket springs in it. You may have 12 bodies in a jury box that are supposed to be your "peers", but that doesn't mean there are 12 brains to accompany the bodies.
 
I have heard some people comment that Taurus springs may be prone to breaking and that is why I decided to to replace them.
Click to expand...

Don't bother. I have 3 Taurus revolvers, the 5 year old 617, a 10+ year old 66 and a newer 94. No problems with springs of any sort.

"Constant locking up" in a revolver can indicate that the spot where the cylinder face and/or the forcing cone are dirty. Some revolvers have to be cleaned for that more than others. It can be a problem after firing a lot of rounds through it consecutively. I had that happen with my 617 once. After that I made a point of cleaning it more carefully.
 
I have the taurus 605 in stainless steel and have been very happy with it. Only complaint is some light strikes with certain ammo after about 800 rounds.
I had the smith put a heavier spring in under warranty. I want it to shoot everything, as reliability is number one. Wolf springs are lighter than factory, so don't do it. The factory springs are light enough, you don't want to go lighter. A 12lb ought to do. ;)
 
Right now I have 3 Taurus revolvers.
2 older 85s with many rounds through them .
The only problem I've had is a broken firing pin spring in one but it still shoots fine.
I haven't fixed it because I don't carry it or shoot it much anymore.

I also have one of the newer revolvers with the built in lock.
A SS 445 .
Trigger is great, I wouldn't change anything on it.

One problem I have heard of with the smaller lighter hand cannons is a tendency for the bullet to unseat with heavier loads causing the cylinder to jam.

I've had it happen to an 85 once when I was using cheap reloads.
The gun would be absolutely worthless in an emergency situation if this happens
 
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