Taurus 905 9mm Revolver Durability

S

Southern Shooter

New member
I recently purchased a Taurus 905 9mm revolver and have a question about it.

Talking with Taurus I understand that the 905 9mm revolver (NOT the Instant Backup version) is based on the full-size Taurus model 85 .38 special frame. According to Taurus, the model 85 is rated for +P ammunition. However, I have been told by gun shop owners, gunsmiths, friends, etc. that +P ammunition should not be fired from the model 85 on a regular basis...that I should practice with standard loads.

If the 905 9mm is truly based on the model 85 .38 special frame then I am concerned about the revolvers durability. This thinking is founded on the general bullistics of the 9mm vs the .38. The standard 9mm seems to be equal or higher than even most of the .38 special +P ammunition. If the model 85 should only have +P ammunition fired from it periodically should there not be concern about firing higher pressure 9mm from it on a steady basis?

Will this gun endure the pounding of standard 9mm ammunition upwards of between 7,000-10,000 rounds? How long can this gun be expected to last if it is well maintained otherwise?

Also, does anyone have chrono numbers specifically for this gun?

Thanks
 
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southern shooter

I have the model 605 357 snub, which is a very tough gun. I was thinking about the 9mm taurus snub. Question is: How does the ammo load? do you need to use clips, or do the cartridges taper fit? Also, how do you extract them?
 
loading and shell fit

It is mainly designed to be fired with the Taurus Stellar clips ( moon clips ). You can fire it without the clips as the cylinder has a ridge where the shell neck can sit. I have not fired it like that yet, though. With the stellar clips it is just a matter of hitting the extractor rod. Shot without the clip you may be able to pull them out individually or with a wooden dowel if need be. Some people claim to have had problems with shell extraction when using the clip. I have put 300 shells through it without a single stuck casing. And that is with using Winchester, UMC, and CCI brass casings. I have not used aluminum cased shells...a doubt that I will.
 
i dont know about the .9mm but the .357 snubs i owned was not so sturdy. the cylinder would rattle and the ejection rod and cylinder latch would work themselves lose after a 100 or so rounds.
 
I don't think you have any worries. I have been shooting an 85CH in .38 Special for over 10 years. I always use +p, and there is NO noticable wear.

Even if you do cause some wear, then its easily fixed. I would never carry a pistol when going into 'Harm's Way', being concerned with long term durability.
 
A good friend of mine has a Taurus 85 that he bought back in the mid 90's. He has put probably at least five thousand rounds through it, most of which were .38 reloads loaded to +P specifications. He reports no problems so far.

His experience, and that of other friends of mine, finally prompted me to take a look at Taurus, a brand that I had heretofore ignored in my 24 years of gun ownership. I now have three Taurus handguns: one 9 mm Millennium Pro, and two 651 revolvers, one in stainless and one in titanium. I have been very pleasantly surprised by the quality, reliability, fit and finish. All of my Taurii are still relatively new, so I cannot report on long-term durability. But right out of the box, the fit and finish of the Taurii revolvers was much better than a NIB Ruger SP-101 manufactured in 2004. Then again, the fit and finish of my Rugers that I bought back in the 80's is way better than the one made in 2004.
 
I have a Taurus 85 Ultra-Lite. :D It is rated for .38Spl.+p, and that is indicated in the user manual as well. The gunsmith at my dealer where I bought this nice little wheelie, advised not to use +p through it. I didn't ask why, I can only assume he thought +p is too heavy for a small frame snubby. I have fired over 50 rounds of +p in the short time I have owned it, with no visual adverse affects.
 
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