What’s wrong with the finish of this Taurus 85UL?

I

Ignacio49

New member
This 85UL is for sale in my country (not the U.S.). It is supposed to be as new, but its finish is far from be as good as new.
Barrel and cylinder are perfect, but the frame shows some areas with faulty finish, as shown in the pics. What could be the causes of these defects?

Thanks for your help.

00.jpg


01.jpg


02.jpg


04.jpg


05.jpg


06.jpg
 
Is that stainless or nickle?

Body salt can cause corrosion.

Maybe the frame was not throughly cleaned or polished after drop forging and surface corrosion occurred between fitting stations.
 
Is that stainless or nickle?
Click to expand...

That's an Ultralite, so I think it's aluminum.

Taurus' normal matte finish looks better than that -- finer and more even.

There's also a turn ring, and an aftermarket grip (looks like Pachmayr (which is a plus)). I don't think this thing is new.

This 85UL is for sale in my country (not the U.S.).
Click to expand...

But the verbiage on the side says Miami, FL, which means Taurus, USA. How did it end up wherever you are? Another thing that makes me think it's not new.

BTW, look at the first, second and fourth pics. Notice the hole that the grip only half covers. That's there to aid in taking off the sideplate without damage. Remove the sideplate screws, then run a cleaning rod through that hole and tap tap tap gently to help ease the side plate off.

It's curious that the grip doesn't properly cover that hole. Is it the correct grip? Is it correctly mounted to the gun? Unfortunately I don't have a Pachmayr grip anymore for my Taurus snub, that I could check how that fits and if it normally covers that hole.

Oh, and on top of all that, the cylinder latch is the old style.

Check the hammer to see if it has Taurus' hammer mounted internal lock? Anything that came out of Taurus USA for the last few years would have that.
 
Last edited:
When I saw it my first thought was that someone had tried to make it look like stainless steel by using a chemical stripper to remove the blue finish and the stripper had etched the alloy frame.
You can check the serial number at this link and it will tell you how old it is and the model number will indicate if it really is stainless or blue. If it is stainless, then I agree with Old Bear, bad casting.
http://www.taurususa.com/find-model.cfm

Note: You must click the "search" button at that link. "Enter" key won't make it search.
 
It is a Taurus 85 UL. Aluminum frame, with stainless steel cylinder and barrel.

Taurus USA says it was made in 2002. It has Taurus' hammer mounted internal lock

Grip is Pachmayr (put it just to compare with the original), made for S&W J frames, that's why it doesn't cover the hole.

I was afraid that bad casting could be the cause of the problems ... Too bad cause I like the light weight and the looks, although I haven't fired it yet... and won't do it - thanks old bear
 
Last edited:
I did a little g00gle-ing to see if sweat could cause effects like what is pictured there.

Maybe. Here are two different threads with pics of S&W Airweight snubs that started to look nasty from sweat.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241718

http://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?60462-Taking-Care-of-Aluminum-J-Frame-AirLite-after-Exercising

Would I buy the gun pictured? Maybe, but I'd want to look it over very closely, and would pay nothing close to "as new" price. The chewed up screw on the cylinder latch is a sign of maybe a history of amateur gunsmithing inflicted.
 
I take it-this is the only one you seen in a while to be considering it? What country? Maybe wait for another one?

Maybe in the shipping to your country it wasn't oiled well and the finish is flaking off?

But if it is "NEW" like you say, why the broken/not fitting grips and where is Taurus factory grips. Does your country have weird import law where the grip has to be made in x country? :confused:
 
A Friend of mine has higher than normal acidic skin oils. Blued guns would eventually rub off if he sweated a lot while handling them. He would normally shoot and work using gloves (while on duty). He eventually had to buy a stainless steel firearm.

But nothing like that.
 
There are a number of areas of concern there.

Starting with picture #1:

a. The cylinder latch screw is messed up. This means that an improper screwdriver was used, and the slot suffered damage as a result. A hallmark of sloppy work.

b. (POTENTIAL MAJOR PROBLEM) Picture #2: Note the dissimilar finish on the metal of the frame and the cylinder. This is an indication that the cylinder might, at some point, have been replaced.

c. (All pictures) There is extensive pitting on that frame. This appears to have been cleaned up, then painted over or plated.

d. Picture #3: Take a look at the sideplate. You'll notice that it appears to be mismatched with the frame--there is a visual difference in the fit of the sideplate to the frame. This is possibly a replacement sideplate.

e. Picture #4: Note the discoloration. This is indication of a serious problem with corrosion.

Finally, note the blurring of the rollmarks and stamps. This means that some metal refinishing was done with little regard for the outward finish.

Personally, I would avoid this revolver like the plague. There are too many things visibly wrong with it--who knows what the inside looks like?

Don't buy it.
 
Powderman, I mostly agree with you, except for b.

I don't know of any revolvers that use aluminum cylinders; so, the metals had better not be the same between frame and cylinder on this Ultralite.

Edit: even given same color coating, aluminum and steel parts tend to look different.
 
Personally, I would avoid this revolver like the plague. There are too many things visibly wrong with it--who knows what the inside looks like?

Don't buy it.
Click to expand...
Probably explode on first shot. :rolleyes:

Disagree on B, because my S&W J frame cylinder is different color than my frame.

The cylinder+barrel are the same coating/color SS, while the finish on the frame/grip area is different. I image the Barrel/Cylinder have a better finish to hold up against firing/wiping down that area more so with cleaners.
 
Ref some comments concerning grips and dissimilar colors, please read my second post:
"It is a Taurus 85 UL. Aluminum frame, with stainless steel cylinder and barrel.
Taurus USA says it was made in 2002. It has Taurus' hammer mounted internal lock. Grip is Pachmayr (put it just to compare with the original), made for S&W J frames, that's why it doesn't cover the hole."

By the way, I am not sure if frame is aluminum alloy or just aluminum.

lee n. field: difficult to say by just looking at the pics, but the damage from sweat shown in the threads seem to me to be different from what I see in "my" 85 - mine looks more like a finish problem, except last two pics that show a different type of damage - probably aluminum oxide.

This gun has been stored for 9-10 years. Maybe humidity caused the problems.
 
b. (POTENTIAL MAJOR PROBLEM) Picture #2: Note the dissimilar finish on the metal of the frame and the cylinder. This is an indication that the cylinder might, at some point, have been replaced.
Click to expand...

Actually, that isn't likely a problem. On light weight revolvers, like the S&W Airweights, the frame is different material than the cylinder and barrel. The frame is aluminum and the cylinder and barrel is steel. As a result, the gun does have a two tone appearance.

Otherwise, I agree, stay away. It looks used but if it is new, even for Taurus that gun looks bad.
 
It is a cobbled together nightmare designed for a quick sale to an unknowledgeable buyer.

Even criminals in America have nicer guns than this.

Don't buy it.
 
Along with the ugly finish, turn line and bad casting, "Bubba" has taken a screwdriver to that gun. Just look at the screw on the Cylinder release. If the action appeared to work on that gun, I'd pay about $80 for it.
 
Some of the marks near the hammer / side plate look like what happens when you put too much force on something you are wire brushing. I suspect maybe it has been wire brushed or otherwise messed with to remove or restore finish?

I agree stay away. Far away given it's an aluminum frame. You can do many things to steel or stainless that are either fixable, or ugly but harmless as to strength. Alloy is a whole other ball of wax as to messing up the material properties or setting it up for it to oxidize away quickly if someone really messed up the finish.
 
a. The cylinder latch screw is messed up. This means that an improper screwdriver was used, and the slot suffered damage as a result. A hallmark of sloppy work.
I disagree with part of your statement.
I have a 445 that had never been dissembled when I bought it and the screw looked much like that one.
From the factory
 
a. The cylinder latch screw is messed up. This means that an improper screwdriver was used, and the slot suffered damage as a result. A hallmark of sloppy work.
I disagree with part of your statement.
I have a 445 that had never been dissembled when I bought it and the screw looked much like that one.
From the factory
Click to expand...

Factory or not, the screw was messed up with the screwdriver slipped, apparently in the act of tightening from the divot marks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top