Taurus M85

A

asleepinTucson

New member
I really like my Taurus M85 standard steel 38 special. I bought it old but not used (1997 vintage by serial number) at a gun show several months ago for a price too hard to pass. I use it for concealment on the hot Tucson days when difficult to conceal my full size semi autos.

Recently came accross some past issues of "Gun Tests" issue of Sept, 2000. They rated the hammerless version of the 85 as "don't buy" because of "ignition and mechanical problems"

I've shot about 250 rounds thusfar at the range without any failures. It points great and I can hit CM in rapid fire for all 5 rounds at 30 feet.

Can anybody else support either good or bad experiences with this snubbie. I'd like to think I made a good decision and got a good deal here based on feedback from off duty LEO friends' experiences with this weapon.

Your thoughts???
 
Bought one new many years ago - probably around 1993 or so. When I took it to the range to test fire, it was apparent that something was wrong - the gun was shooting WAY off POA. After taking a look at it, I saw the barrel was turned too far in, canting the front sight.

I sent it back to Taurus, & I believe (if memory serves), I received the gun back in about 2 to 3 weeks with a new barrel installed.

Took it to the range, loaded it & did some very deliberate SA target shooting as I had done before. It was dead on - fantastic! After a cylinder load or 2, I began fast DA shooting - & another problem arose. I was getting failures to fire with a DA trigger pull.

SA always worked, & I never tried a DA pull in the initial range outing.

So...back to Taurus. This time it took a little longer to get back - I remember that for sure. When I did get it back, it worked flawlessly (the work order indicated a new mainspring was installed) & did so until I sold it years later to a friend who still has it. In fact, I was better on the draw with that little .38 than I was with my S&W 4516-1 doing double taps.

Lesson I learned? Well, I wasn't turned off on Taurus. I had a S&W 686-1 go back to the factory for excessive end shake in the cylinder a couple of years before at about 6 months old, & a Ruger MK II that had a problem with the trigger when it was about 18 months old. Sending a gun back wasn't a new experience for me.

What I did expect was the gun to be fixed for the problem I described. It was - each time it came back.

Also- now I always check a gun out completely after I buy it, so if it has to go back I have it all covered in one trip.

I think you'll like that little gun, & if I had a need for a .38 snub I would buy another in a heartbeat. If my wife wanted her own gun, it is what I would try to point her to. One word of advice: don't consistantly shoot +P rounds from it. Unless the manual say it's OK (which would differ from the one I had), Taurus advises that +P only be used on a very limited basis. If you want the extra power for defensive use, buy enough to allow you to identify POA & check for function. Then load the cylinder with 38 Special rounds for any of your shooting, keeping the +P for protection only.
 
A TAURUS 85 !!!

Oh no. You don't want to keep that. Just to show you what kind of great guy I am I'll be happy to take it off your hands:D .

Seriously, I think Taurus makes some of the best revolvers out there so I doubt if you'd be sorry. If it does have trouble with light strikes (ignition problems) like the article said you'll see it soon enough and if YOURS has that trouble I doubt if something like that would be very hard to fix (probably just replace a spring). I haven't heard much about mechanical problems with the 85 so they may have just had a lemon (all manufacturers make the occasional dud).
 
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The problem is usually caused because the internal hammer spring is coil (not leaf) which is prone to stacking. That means coils shift and get alongside each other during compression reducing spring force. A new spring cures it, but as the spring ages, it again might do that as the metal weakens. I don't like coil springs in wheelguns for that reason and they also usually have a jerky trigger pull.

As far as Taurus quality, I would agree if you don't see problems in the first 500 rounds, you probably got a good gun. Like most makers, they make mostly good ones and some turkeys as well.
 
Many years ago when I first started carrying concealed I had a Taurus 85 in between a custom shop Colt Detective Special and a S&W 3913. It was the most accurate snubnose revolver I ever shot and it never failed to go "bang." It's heavier than my current S&W 642, but you already knew that. If you shoot it well and it performs flawlessly with your carry load, don't sweat the bad hype.
 
Love my M85 Ultralite

I've put about 300 rounds through mine, bought brand-new, and found it to be a sweet shooter......extremely accurate and easy to handle. I shot 3 different types of Georgia Arms ammo through it: 110 gr PLUS-P HP's, 125 gr PLUS-P JHP's, and 158 gr SWC. Since this is primarily my self-defense weapon, I normally practice from 7yards to 5 yards and I got 3-5" groupings with no flyers. I bought the optional rosewood boot grips to make it even slicker and smaller in the pocket. I'm also impressed with the fit and finish; it is black with an almost baked-enamel look. Thus far, I'm completely satisfied.
 
I'm happy with my Total Titanium and Stainless Steel Taurus M85s as well. Never had any problems with them.

my2taurus85s.jpg
 
I had a M85CH (Chopped Hammer) that I purchased new around 1993-94. I loved the way it fired and it handled very nice for me and my ex.


I never had any problems shooting many different types of ammo, both factory and reloads. Over the following three years I probably put about 7,000 rounds through this gun training both my ex and I how to put it to good CCW use.

Kind of wish I still had it today, because you hardly knew you were wearing the darn thing, plus I had an old NYPD approved detectives holster made by Strong that I carried it in. I used the Uncle Mikes boot grips and found them to be a good addition. Now I would consider the use of the Crimson Trace laser grips...
 
Like lightsped....(who never misses a chance to post his pic) I have 2 85's. A UL and a blue steel both hammerless dao models ported 2 inchers. Have fired several hundred rounds through each and never a problem.
 
My son and I bought matching Taurus 85CH at a gun show some years back. I fed mine Federal HydroShock 129 grain HP for a long time, then switched to NyClad's as my carry ammo. Never a problem with ignition or accuracy.

Personally, I never believe anything I read in that Gun Test publication.
 
I had a Taurus M 85 blue hammer model. Itr had a great trigger, and shot well. I wanted a SS hammerless model and sold it.

The M85 SS CH had ignition problems. I sent it back several times and could never get it right. Finally after many months of correspondence, they replaced it. I sold it before I fired it, and the buyer has not had any problems, and is very happy with it.

I liked the trigger and handling of both Taurus even better than my S&Ws, but didn't want to buy another.

At this point in time I would buy another if I needed what they make.

If you don't have any problems in the first 200 rounds, I think you will be very happy with a Taurus. Things like sight alignment are easy for them to fix. It is the ignition problems that I don't think they can fix. I believe my gun was a victim of tolerance "buildup" problems.

Jerry
 
I have a Model 85 ULT (ported) which is a fantastic gun. Compared to my S&W 337 AirLite Ti, the ULT is slightly larger and about 2.5 oz. heavier. But that Taurus DA trigger--smooth as silk--better than the S&W.

I did buy a Wolff reduced power spring kit for my S&W. It brought it's DA pull down from about 12 lbs. to 8 lbs. The S&W is a lot smoother now, but still not as smooth as the 85 ULT. Taurus 85 revolvers are great little guns. Good choice.:cool:
 
I recently bought an M85 UL with a bobbed hammer and was extremely pleased with the weapon. Trigger pull is smooth and the bobbed hammer really helps when drawing the weapon from a pocket.

I took her out shooting today and shot a box of Speer Gold Dot 125gr+P JHP's. Aiming at the targets head I placed 10 rounds in the head at 25 feet. (I only used the head because the rest of the target was already filled with holes). A much more pleasant surprise than the dismal accuracy my old Kel Tec P32 gave me at half the distance.

I guess the only change that I will make will to be to put smooth grips on the weapon. The soft rubber grips are great for shooting but tend to hang up in my pocket when I draw.

Good SHooting
RED
 
Taurus and Gun Tests

I've had a Taurus Mod 85 for at least ten years now. Mine is a stainless 3". I love it! I did a bit of rounding on some of the sharper edges with a fine file and emory cloth (ain't stainless great? - no refinishing necessary!) I also rounded the sharp square corners of the hammer spur so it doesn't dig in when carried IWB (mine was made before the CH option was available). The trigger was a bit heavy and gritty when I bought it. First gave it a good cleaning, including the internals. Better already. After firing a couple hundred rounds it improved markedly, and after I put in a lighter mainspring and trigger return spring, it feels like a well-tuned S&W trigger, in fact it is almost too light now. I may put the original mainspring back in to make the DA pull heavier now. I've never had any light hammer hits failing to ignite a primer, but I'd hate to have a U/D under a stress situation.

Gun Tests Magazine

I used to subscribe to Gun Tests for a number of years. They're too hung up on 'tool marks'. If the gun functions good and the exterior surfaces are flawless, they'll still 'ding' it for having tool marks on the internals. What's up with that? Fit and fuction were good, but they still give it a 'thumbs down'? :rolleyes:

Another peeve with Gun Tests is that they rate the very subjective area of 'feel'. Again, what's up with that? 'The grips were too small'. So? get bigger ones. 'The gun didn't point well' Again, that has more to do with grip angle or grip hold on the gun than anything else. 'Too muzzle heavy'. Sometimes being muzzle heavy is a good thing. And come to think of it, that is more of a preference sort of thing anyway. My hands are not the same as your hands. My hold isn't the same as your hold. My preferences are not the same as your preferences.

I'm more of a functionality guy. If the test gun falls apart during testing, fine, then say so. There are a number of junk guns out there that I wouldn't bother hitting with a ten pound sledgehammer. Then there are the megabuck semi-custom raceguns that are finicky too. I want mine to go BANG every time I pull the trigger.

Accuracy? as long as it falls within accepted accuracy expectations for its intended use, fine. If a snubby gets 2-1/4" groups and another 2-1/2 inch at 25 feet, is that really an accuracy edge of the gun? Probably not worth mentioning. Hits point of aim? Well, as long is it is inline vertically, it should be ok, but if it is off more than 4" at intended ranges, then you've got a problem. Otherwise, either file the sight or play with loads, or, heaven forbid, know where your gun puts your load! Lets get real here!
 
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