Taurus Experience - Beware

I have an older 6" Taurus Model 66, that has been 100% reliable & extremely accurate. I often carry it as my CCW, and have absolutely no qualms about trusting it. I hesitate to guess how many rounds have gone down range from it, but I'm sure "many thousands" both .357, & .38 Spl.
My Son-in-law has the same Taurus in a 4" Bbl., a little older than mine. His has seen many more rounds than mine ! Both are still tight fitting & have excellent finish left. Working great, & looking very good. I'll keep my 66, & he'll keep his also. As for the newer Taurus products, I have had little interest in them. I'm kind of hung up on Rugers right now, especially my newer GP100 Match Champ !! Absolutely love this gun !!!! Can't get enough of it, as we take it everywhere we go. I am currently using it for CCW !
 
It seems you got about a 50/50 chance of a Taurus gun working. I sold them at a big box store, we got them back right and left, autos and revolvers. If you get a good one it's good if not it's not. S&W sells some inexpensive guns that work nearly every time.
 
I've only got one Taurus - a 1999 vintage Tracker 970 SS with a 6" tube in 22 caliber. Bought it new. Fortunately, a 100% reliable good and accurate shooter:

 
I made the mistake of buying a model 94 snub nosed 22lr. I see the leading the barrel problem is common with them. Mine would do it every 100 rounds or so. The machining was so rough in it. IT would keyhole badly after it got leaded up. Sucks it was actually a fun gun to shoot. I sold it to a friend that just had to have it. He knew about the leading problems. He took it to the range and it locked up as well. He sent it in but I have never asked him how that went. That was several years ago. I will not buy another tuarus. At least not a revolver.
 
When I was 1911 shopping I was looking at the Taurus 1911-9 and honestly after a close inspection even myself being a new 1911 shopper could tell it was an entry level pistol. It felt "not right". I don't want to use the term "cheap" because it really was better than that, but when put up against a 9mm SA 1911 RO for another $200 I was sold on the SA. The SA was simply much nicer built, and felt very smooth and precise. The Taurus felt gritty and "not smooth".
 
The gun shop, who happens to sell Taurus too, told me that with Taurus some models are great and some are just dogs. The salesman was very candid about which models to buy and which ones to stay away from but I don't remember which ones he mentioned other than the curve which he didn't like. He did mention that their revolvers seem to be trouble free. My only Taurus is their .380 TCP. It had an issue with ball ammo activating the last round hold back prematurely. I should have sent it back but, I ended up filing off the hold back tab and now it functions like a kel-tec. I've put over 500 rounds through it now and it is fine.
 
Taurus has terrible CS rep, I've never had to send one back to them but I can't say my experience with the companies after sale is great either, part availability sucks, and I hear it's worse since the class action they won't sell you squat always wanting the gun to be sent in for even trivial things.

I've got 8, none of them have had issues enough to send in, But I'll probably stop buying them the first time they deny selling me springs or guide rods or what ever.. that'll be the day Taurus is dead to me.

Till then I'll just shoot them till they blow up and then sue the dog snot out of them.
 
every time I briefly mentally toy with the concept Of buying a Taurus I read threads like this...
probably why I only own & use S&W, glock,EAA,CZ,DAN WESSON, and ruger handguns.
no mechanical device is flawless, all mechanical devises require proper maintenance,inspection,
cleaning and lubrication,
but some brands have a well deserved reputation for durability and accuracy
one of the local gun-shops was owned by a friend (who recently passed in his 80s) who would only sell tauras, lorsen,and rossi, handguns,
if you insisted on ordering and buying one, and he would start the conversation by informing you,
that he would not take it back or service it if you bought one,
he said many times Id rather loose a potential sale,
than allow a customer to walk out with something that's not dependable.
now that was not the only brand's he tried too avoid selling,
but he was one totally honest guy and would tell you if you asked,
( exactly what brands he had constantly had issues and returns on, and what worked with very few issues)
(I REALLY wish DAN WESSON would bring back the larger revolvers and accessories like spare barrels)
 
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I have a few Taurus /rossi firearms. the first was a PT22 which literally came apart from firing it. That one I sent back and it came back pretty fast about 2 weeks. I promptly traded it for a 94 revolver and it has served me well. However I learned that any further purchases of Taurus/Rossi products are best done through a dealer like Davidson's that have their own warranty. I had to send a Taurus 627 back for light primer strikes. I sent it back to Davidsons and it was returned fixed within 2 weeks. I think budsgunshop has the same type warranty. That's the only way I will buy from Taurus. However I have to say customer service and delivery direct from Taurus was very fast when I had to buy a new rear sight for my 94.
 
I have a Taurus M85 Ultra-lite and it runs like a champ, no problems whatsoever. Maybe I should put it on an anvil and beat it with a ball-peen hammer to see if I can duplicate the problems some of the posters listed. A shooting buddy has a M92 Taurus (A Beretta clone/knock off) that has had no problems either. Problems listed on the internet should be considered as to what you paid for them.
 
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