I am not real familiar with revolvers at all. I shoot Glock but got intrigued by a Taurus m380 ultra light revolver in .380. I had read over and over about that revolver heavy trigger on the order of 14#. Well I found a used one in a consignment shop. So when I dry fired at shop I commented “that doesn’t seem like a heavy pull” The dealer got trigger weights tester. Four pulls indicated 4.5# or 4.45. My question- safety concern or not? I have read many times over hard pull is one positive for reholstering revolvers. I can drop the deal since I just filled 4473 and haven’t put money on it. Any help here?
Trigger weight safety
- Thread starter vicvan901
- Start date
Aguila Blanca
Staff
You must have been testing it in single action mode, because I'm pretty certain that Taurus has never EVER made a revolver with a sub-5-pound trigger in double action mode. Probably never made one that was under 10 pounds in double action mode.
IMHO, 4-1/2 pounds is plenty safe for single action. I carry 1911s, and I try to tune all my triggers for 4-1/2 to 5 pounds (and 1911s are ALL single action).
I have two Taurus revolvers, one in .22LR and the other in .327 Federal Magnum. The double action pull weights for both are well over 10 pounds.
IMHO, 4-1/2 pounds is plenty safe for single action. I carry 1911s, and I try to tune all my triggers for 4-1/2 to 5 pounds (and 1911s are ALL single action).
I have two Taurus revolvers, one in .22LR and the other in .327 Federal Magnum. The double action pull weights for both are well over 10 pounds.
I would pass on that gun, for several reasons, a couple of which are my personal likes/dislikes, but the others are, I think, valid for everyone...
I was not familiar with that specific model and had to look it up, and I see it described as a double action only revolver, 5 shot, using moon clips.
Since you are "not real familiar with revolvers at all", a bit of background is needed so we're all on the same page with our terms.
Double Action refers to the gun's trigger, doing two things when pulled. It cocks the hammer, and then releases the hammer firing the gun. Two things, cock AND release.
A Single Action trigger only does one thing, release the hammer. Some folks get confused by the fact that nearly all DA revolvers can be fired two ways, either in single action mode (where YOU cock the hammer) or double action mode (where the trigger cocks the hammer).
A Double Action Only (DAO) revolver is the exception to this, it does not have a single action mode. So it can only be used DA.
The long and heavy DA trigger pull (and it should be "heavy", not "hard") compared to a typical SA trigger pull is due to the mechanical leverage needed to cock the hammer against the tension of the hammer spring.
This also happens to function as a safety feature, but is NOT a safety. The length and weight of the DA trigger pull reduces the likelihood of an accidental/negligent discharge, but does NOT prevent it.
A DA only revolver with a trigger pull of 4.5lbs significantly reduces the safety margin of the gun. It is not necessarily unsafe, but it is absolutely less safe than the same gun with a heavier DA pull. (less accident resistant)
Next point is .380acp revolver...why?? unless you already have a .380 semi and want to use the same ammo, I don't see the point. The same gun is listed as offered in .38 Special, which, is superior to the .380acp in many ways. (wider selection of bullet types and weights and more energy, even from a snubnose), and .38 Special doesn't need moon clips to eject. Clips have their own downsides, too...
Next point,...Taurus...
Foreign company with a spotty reputation for quality. Taurus has made some good guns. They also have a reputation for putting out a lot of guns with issues, enough more than other makers to get that reputation. Can't say it is deserved, and won't say its not, but there's a reason people came up with the phrase "friends don't let friends buy Taurus"...
Seriously, if you get a good one, you got a good one, but it SEEMS to be a flip a coin thing if you get a good one, or not. (I don't think its actually that bad, but it happens enough that they got that reputation)
(this is my personal opinion, feel free to disagree)
Specific to the gun you are looking at, and its light (4.5lb) DA trigger pull, my opinion is, something is wrong with the gun. Good gunsmiths doing quality work can get a DA trigger pull down to 10-12bs pull weight (and smmoooth). Sometimes, even into the 8-10lb range. NOBODY takes them down to 4-5lbs, and I guarantee it didn't come that way from the factory.
SOMEBODY has altered the gun, and doing that usually involved changes to the springs and other parts that often result in unreliable ignition. easiest way to lighten the DA pull is to lighten the mainspring, and that can result in "click" when you need "bang".
A defensive handgun needs to be 100% reliable, and too light a spring isn't reliable. Unless the gunshop has a range and allows you to test fire the gun, there's no way to tell if it is reliable until after you buy it.
Also, who ever modified the gun could have altered the hammer and trigger engagement surfaces, and this can lead to trouble, because doing it wrong is easy. Generally the engagement surfaces are surface hardened (for durability) and stoning and polishing them too much can break through that to the "softer" metal underneath, which can wear rapidly and result in malfunction. Again, a BAD idea for a defensive handgun.
So, unless you're looking for a "project" gun, one that might require replacement of springs and major internal parts, before it will work right. I'd pass on that one.
I could be wrong, the gun MIGHT be ok, ...BUT...the ultra light DA trigger isn't a normal thing, which makes it suspect. Its your money, and your call, but if I did buy such a thing, I'd test it EXTENSIVELY before I'd trust my life to it.
If its cheap, there's probably a reason...
I was not familiar with that specific model and had to look it up, and I see it described as a double action only revolver, 5 shot, using moon clips.
Since you are "not real familiar with revolvers at all", a bit of background is needed so we're all on the same page with our terms.
Double Action refers to the gun's trigger, doing two things when pulled. It cocks the hammer, and then releases the hammer firing the gun. Two things, cock AND release.
A Single Action trigger only does one thing, release the hammer. Some folks get confused by the fact that nearly all DA revolvers can be fired two ways, either in single action mode (where YOU cock the hammer) or double action mode (where the trigger cocks the hammer).
A Double Action Only (DAO) revolver is the exception to this, it does not have a single action mode. So it can only be used DA.
The long and heavy DA trigger pull (and it should be "heavy", not "hard") compared to a typical SA trigger pull is due to the mechanical leverage needed to cock the hammer against the tension of the hammer spring.
This also happens to function as a safety feature, but is NOT a safety. The length and weight of the DA trigger pull reduces the likelihood of an accidental/negligent discharge, but does NOT prevent it.
A DA only revolver with a trigger pull of 4.5lbs significantly reduces the safety margin of the gun. It is not necessarily unsafe, but it is absolutely less safe than the same gun with a heavier DA pull. (less accident resistant)
Next point is .380acp revolver...why?? unless you already have a .380 semi and want to use the same ammo, I don't see the point. The same gun is listed as offered in .38 Special, which, is superior to the .380acp in many ways. (wider selection of bullet types and weights and more energy, even from a snubnose), and .38 Special doesn't need moon clips to eject. Clips have their own downsides, too...
Next point,...Taurus...
Foreign company with a spotty reputation for quality. Taurus has made some good guns. They also have a reputation for putting out a lot of guns with issues, enough more than other makers to get that reputation. Can't say it is deserved, and won't say its not, but there's a reason people came up with the phrase "friends don't let friends buy Taurus"...
Seriously, if you get a good one, you got a good one, but it SEEMS to be a flip a coin thing if you get a good one, or not. (I don't think its actually that bad, but it happens enough that they got that reputation)
(this is my personal opinion, feel free to disagree)
Specific to the gun you are looking at, and its light (4.5lb) DA trigger pull, my opinion is, something is wrong with the gun. Good gunsmiths doing quality work can get a DA trigger pull down to 10-12bs pull weight (and smmoooth). Sometimes, even into the 8-10lb range. NOBODY takes them down to 4-5lbs, and I guarantee it didn't come that way from the factory.
SOMEBODY has altered the gun, and doing that usually involved changes to the springs and other parts that often result in unreliable ignition. easiest way to lighten the DA pull is to lighten the mainspring, and that can result in "click" when you need "bang".
A defensive handgun needs to be 100% reliable, and too light a spring isn't reliable. Unless the gunshop has a range and allows you to test fire the gun, there's no way to tell if it is reliable until after you buy it.
Also, who ever modified the gun could have altered the hammer and trigger engagement surfaces, and this can lead to trouble, because doing it wrong is easy. Generally the engagement surfaces are surface hardened (for durability) and stoning and polishing them too much can break through that to the "softer" metal underneath, which can wear rapidly and result in malfunction. Again, a BAD idea for a defensive handgun.
So, unless you're looking for a "project" gun, one that might require replacement of springs and major internal parts, before it will work right. I'd pass on that one.
I could be wrong, the gun MIGHT be ok, ...BUT...the ultra light DA trigger isn't a normal thing, which makes it suspect. Its your money, and your call, but if I did buy such a thing, I'd test it EXTENSIVELY before I'd trust my life to it.
If its cheap, there's probably a reason...
Aguila Blanca
Staff
44 AMP did what I should have done -- looked up the actual model. I remember the shop at my range having one of these in the display case a number of years ago, but I didn't remember that it was DAO.
I have now looked up several reviews of the M380, and they all described the trigger pull as "heavy," "stout", or "insane." So either the one with the 4.5-pound trigger has been altered to be probably unsafe, or the spurless hammer has been replaced with a conventional hammer to allow firing in single action mode. Either way, it's probably best to avoid this pistol unless it has been checked over carefully by a qualified pistolsmith.
I have now looked up several reviews of the M380, and they all described the trigger pull as "heavy," "stout", or "insane." So either the one with the 4.5-pound trigger has been altered to be probably unsafe, or the spurless hammer has been replaced with a conventional hammer to allow firing in single action mode. Either way, it's probably best to avoid this pistol unless it has been checked over carefully by a qualified pistolsmith.
Super Sneaky Steve
New member
A new hammer spring and trigger return spring will cost you $15.
Don't let that stop you from buying it. Their factory springs are color coded removing the grips may give you an idea of it's the stock spring or not.
Don't let that stop you from buying it. Their factory springs are color coded removing the grips may give you an idea of it's the stock spring or not.
Springs are cheap, other parts, and the skill to fit them correctly are more expensive.
Personally, I see no point to buying even a cheap gun that has obviously been tinkered with, hoping a simple spring swap will fix it. Maybe that's all it will take, but maybe it will need an unknown amount of work, and cost in parts, labor AND possibly shipping, before it's good to go and be reliably serviceable.
Especially if the gun isn't still covered by warranty.
A $300 (or whatever) gun that costs me $150 in parts, labor and shipping (and time!) to get fixed isn't a $300 gun anymore. They money saved by a low purchase price could be wiped out, and tis not impossible it will wind up costing you even more than you saved. Not something you can know, until after you buy it.
Unless the gun is something rare, or somehow otherwise special to you, personally, why bother??
Your money, your time, your call, but I wouldn't bother with it.
Personally, I see no point to buying even a cheap gun that has obviously been tinkered with, hoping a simple spring swap will fix it. Maybe that's all it will take, but maybe it will need an unknown amount of work, and cost in parts, labor AND possibly shipping, before it's good to go and be reliably serviceable.
Especially if the gun isn't still covered by warranty.
A $300 (or whatever) gun that costs me $150 in parts, labor and shipping (and time!) to get fixed isn't a $300 gun anymore. They money saved by a low purchase price could be wiped out, and tis not impossible it will wind up costing you even more than you saved. Not something you can know, until after you buy it.
Unless the gun is something rare, or somehow otherwise special to you, personally, why bother??
Your money, your time, your call, but I wouldn't bother with it.