Taurus Tracker, muzzle flash issues?

T

thercman

Inactive
Hey everyone!

I am considering a Taurus Tracker in .357 with a 4" barrel for my wife. However I am concerned with potential muzzle flash issues at night. (think home invasion etc) Has anyone fired one at night? Do ports create more of an issue vs a non ported revolver? I know they produce a lot of flash anyway. Someone at the gun shop mentioned it so I thought I would ask around. With that said I am also looking at the Taurus model 617, .357 with a 2" barrel... If you have one or used either what are your thoughts?
 
Porting does create a problem !! I remember when porting was first becoming popular and a cop friend had his 357 ported .He was very happy until one night he fired in the dark - he sold it immediately !:eek:
But muzzle flash has nothing to do with the make of the gun !! It's a powder problem primarily. Made worse by shorter barrels, higher pressure loads [357 vs 38 spec] Newer powders have more supression of muzzle blast and flash through powder additives.
Check different powders ,use longer barrels ,6" instead of 4", use 38 spec +P instead of 357.
 
Thanks! I really like the idea of a 4" barrel to help prevent muzzle flip for my wife in a home defense scenario. (it would be loaded with .38 +p for her) A secondary use for this will be to carry while camping with .357 loads. My 1911 in .45cal is probably less than ideal against larger wildlife. :rolleyes: I may just go with the 2" then. Again, it's primary use is to protect my wife. I am also trying to buy new and keep the price down. So S&W is out.. :-)
 
Taurus makes .357 magnums without the porting.

check out the Model 66. 4" barrel, 7 round cylinder. Its one of their medium frame series. There is also the Model 65, they have both in stainless and black.
http://www.taurususa.com/gun-selector-results.cfm?series=MF2&toggle=

You will get less muzzle flash out of a longer barrel. .357 magnum at night is going to spit fire at night ported or not.

I do own a tracker by the way but its the smallest caliber tracker in .17 HMR. I found the ribber grips that come on the tracker series less than great and I replaced them. The grips on their medium frames seem a lot better than the ribber grips.
 
Thanks Alex! Some people on another forum were hammering Taurus Tracker for quality issues. They were saying they needed to send them back to the factory for repair right out of the box! It was more than one person saying that too. Should I be concerned about purchasing a Taurus? Sorry, I only own a Para 1911. Basically I am not an enthusiast per say, so I do not follow all the brands to know what is and is not "good".
 
I have never had any problems with mine, it seems really solid. I have only put a few hundred rounds through it but I have had no malfunctions and the gun shoots accurately. It was purchased used.

I think that Taurus sells a lot of guns, and occasionally one gets through quality control that shouldn't have and then a frustrated person rants on the internet. For every one person that has a problem there are a hundred or a thousand people content enough to not go rant about it on the internet.

If you do get one and something seems to be wrong with it, their guns carry a warranty for the life of the gun. You get it sent to Florida and they say they will fix it. I think that the odds are good that it will function reliably.
 
I've got a taurus 66 with ports and a 615 no ports. The 66 has a 6 inch barrel and lights up the dark real fast, real bad if using slow powders. My 615 is not ported and is one sweet gun, fires 7 rounds, very accurate and never a problem since new, the 66 was bought new and never a problem with it also. I've got 10 taurus guns and only had a problem with one, a rossi that I sent back, got it back in 7 days and have put 4,000 rounds thru it since. On a new gun, they pay the shipping and give instant service for the first year. Charlie
 
thercman said:
Taurus Tracker, muzzle flash issues?
Hey everyone!

I am considering a Taurus Tracker in .357 with a 4" barrel for my wife. However I am concerned with potential muzzle flash issues at night. (think home invasion etc) Has anyone fired one at night? Do ports create more of an issue vs a non ported revolver? I know they produce a lot of flash anyway. Someone at the gun shop mentioned it so I thought I would ask around. With that said I am also looking at the Taurus model 617, .357 with a 2" barrel... If you have one or used either what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
You are going to get a hell of a lot of muzzle flash with any 357 Magnum ammunition in a ported revolver. If the gun is to be used for home defense & range only; get a Taurus Mdl 66 4" or 6" unported 357 Magnum. For both home defense and concealed carry; the 2¼" barrel 617 would be the more appropriate choice IMHO. Regardless of which gun you get, load it with 38 special ammunition if for home defense; lower recoil and far, far, far, less noise than ANY 357 Magnum ammunition.
 
I've got two ported Taurus revolvers. Tracker 44 and M44.

The M44 has accounted for several deer. In low light, there's a bit of flash, but it's not knock-your-eyes out blinding, and I'm using Unique powder which is known for a fair amount of flash.

I've shot the Tracker 44 on dim ranges and the flash isn't anything that distracts me. It certainly wouldn't deter me from using it for home protection.

Mine was great, right out of the box. Purchased it not very long ago. All I did was adjust the rear sight slightly to the right (as I have to on most guns -- it's not them, it's me...) and it has been a great, fun gun.

Good luck!
 
I've got the titanium .357 and I've nevr had any problems with it. I've heard the negetive feedback but mine has always worked fine. I've got maybe 120 round through it. About 1/3 were .357 and the rest were 38. I bought it to take hiking. I live in East TN and do some overnight hiking in and around the Smokies. It's light and powerful enough for black bears, wild dogs, and who knows what when your 20 miles from civilization with no cell phone reception...

IMG_1317_zps82dc53da.jpg
 
Like the man said a 357 burns slower powder to achieve muzzle velocity and even through a 6" barrel it fails to burn all the power. Just look on the ground at the ranges after firing a box and you will see a lot of unburned powder on the ground or bench. A 357 in a 3 or 2" barrel is a waste as far as performance goes and a sure fire way to lose your night vision for some time if you really need to defend yourself in the dark.

Secondly and that is nobody should be carrying a defense pistol/revolver with re-loads or their own loads. In the house perhaps but not in carry. If you should have to defend yourself and even if all your ducks are in a row custom loaded ammo is like giving the DA a free pass to paint you as somebody who was more interested in doing harm than protecting. In lethal force situations you want to be A-1 squeaky clean citizen only trying to protect yourself, your family and property. You may prevail in court but at what cost — all your savings and money cause the DA thought he could sell you to a jury as a something evil or predatory. It's just is not worth the risk and honestly really does not accomplish much if anything that good factory loads will give you.

I recall Mas Ayoob in his training sessions drilling this into everybody. DO NOT USE RELOADS IN YOUR CARRY GUN. Then he proceeded to read courtroom testimony during X-exams where even police officers with their own off-duty carry guns were getting crucified. Enough said
 
Really?

Are they really being crucified - everywhere and all day long - over reloads?

I see this all the time on here, and am not trying to argue with you as this is your opinion. I will only add that Mas Ayoob is only one man and where his loyalties lie as a gunwriter are unknown to me. Who's to say that he doesn't receive a check in the mail from an ammunition manufacturer every time he writes about the dread horrors of NOT USING FACTORY AMMO (!!!!!)

A questionable shooting might dredge up foolishness like reload use... but if it's a justifiable shooting, how would it matter whether you used a .22 or an Abrams tank?

The other factor is region. Here in WV, people reload and I don't think anyone is getting crucified in court over it because it's common and familiar. OTOH if you live in a big Eastern metropolis, your jury pool is going to be different and more ignorant on gun-related matters.

Just my opinion and it's worth what you paid for it... but IMHO there is a lot of paranoia over extremely unlikely scenarious on the Internet. Maybe it's just me but I can't get my panties in a bunch over stuff like this anymore.

Life's too short to worry about what an opposing attorney might think of me. There's no law anywhere against it, so good luck if they try.
 
Mr. Whimsey


Of course people are not being crucified over reloads every day. You missed the point which was that there are many jurisdictions ( WV probably is not one thank God ) where incidents involving a self defense shooting are never as clear cut as you may think. You and I can set here and say ‘ it was self defense and justifiable ‘ but isn’t that up to the DA to decide most of the time and aren't DA’s political in nature and voted into office most places ? So which ever way the political wind is blowing an aggressive DA with an eye for office can play hell with the man who just rolled his own and did so hoping for maximum tissue damage for instance. You can do that with your hunting ammo where a we need good penetration and retained weight to break bone and score on vitals but you sure in the hell don’t tell that to a jury when they ask you why you used that bullet ?

My point is, and this is not just Ayoob’s who I mentioned only because most shooters have heard of him, that there is no percentage is using your own loads in a carry gun on the street or away from your home or business. That factory ammo will do the job and frankly will always fire if the gun is functional. With factory ammo you reduce the chances of a squib due to a reloading error. Yes Ayoob sells but so what, these forums are full of hand me down info from Keith, Jordan, Skelton and on and on. I really doubt Ayoob is getting a kick back from Federal for recommending you carry six or ten rounds of their ammo.

And I am not some guy who is new to loading. My room contains two Stars, two Hollywoods and three Lymans and dies for close to forty cartridges. I load and load for competition and hunting performance but mostly anymore for groups.

I don’t think we disagree on this really I am just the type who kind of falls on the conservative be careful side when it come to self defense and all the hype out their on the subject. I gotta tell you I grew up in Idaho and always heard you could shoot somebody if they tried to steal your stuff or if you shot em make sure you drag em back into the house. No doubt this probably still works for those lucky enough to live in WV or other rural areas but the populations are metropolitan and that is the biggest problem we gun owners have —the cities are writing the rules.

Regards
 
Blast and recoil issues are way overblown. You are not going to be blinded by the flash. I have participated in many night qualifications and the muzzle blast lights up your target nicely if using a magnum.
 
Garbler, thank you for responding. We basically agree.

Your way of thinking avoids the most trouble, that's for sure. However, I will only add this: not all factory ammo is created equally, and people gotta test their carry ammo thoroughly. I have on my shelf a box of UMC .40 HP's that jam every gun I shoot them in, including Glock and Beretta. I have no idea if it's limited to this box.

As for the gunwriters, their points are valid. But OTOH I remember the Marshall/Sanow Goat Tests that I used to take as gospel until the Internet came along. Now I'm not even sure they actually took place, and have become fairly skeptical regarding gun writers altogether. Guess I've bought too many guns that didn't live up to their reputations in print.
 
I had a total titanium Tracker in 357mag as a trail gun for years. Trigger was just o.k. It was extremely light to carry. I sold it because it was ridiculously loud with the muzzle break. I don't care for muzzle breaks for this reason. Muzzle flash was never a issue.
 
Taurus tracker

I have a Taurus Tracker in 45 ACP and 44 MAG both have 4 inch barrells, and I have had them for nearly 10 years and over 4000s rounds through the 45 and not so many through the 44. They have proven reliable and and accurate especially the 45 and I would not hesatate to use the 45 in any life or death situation. I really enjoy shooting the 45 Tracker and the 5 shot Moon Clips is very handy and fast. Taurus made a big mistake in stopping to make the Tracker in 45 ACP. I have a number of Taurus products and I feel that the Tracker is one of thier best.

V/R
J. Budd
 
I am considering a Taurus Tracker in .357 with a 4" barrel for my wife.

Thanks! I really like the idea of a 4" barrel to help prevent muzzle flip for my wife in a home defense scenario. (it would be loaded with .38 +p for her)
Click to expand...

A 4" .357 loaded with .38 Special? She won't need porting. (IMHO, YMMV, Insert Standard Disclaimer Here.)

Seriously, I don't think recoil or muzzle flip is going to be a problem with that setup if you eschew porting.
 
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