WHICH .357? Taurus?

N

NINEX19

New member
I am going to get myself a .357 magnum within a week. My question is about which maker. In my limited research, I think I have decided on a Taurus. The other two I was looking at were a Ruger and an S&W. This will be my first revolver.

From your experience, is there any reason why I should bypass the Taurus and go for any other one. The Taurus model 65 I can get NIB for $260.00. and it has that lifetime warrenty. Right now they are offering subscriptions or renewals to the NRA with every gun sold. Not that that is going to make or break the deal, but it is a nice plus.
 
I have a 605 CH in SS. I LOVE this gun. I've owned it about a month and (between myself and my son) have put about 800 rounds thru it. With Hydra Shocks it's a handfull, but fun:D. With .38's you can shoot it all day. Got mine NIB for $300, I would recommend it highly.
 
What is the intended purpose of this gun? Is there any reason you are leaning toward the Taurus? What will your budget allow? I have revolvers from Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger and one Taurus. Taurus still has some quality control issues, not that the other manufacturers don't. Most manufacturers will stand behind their products if there is a problem, so the life time warranty is not that big of a selling item.
 
The only trouble with Taurus is that their resale value is a lot less than a S&W or Ruger. I've kept a Model 65 next to my bed for a number of years (& I own a number of S&Ws and Rugers).
 
Love my Tracker. Won my first Plate match with it the other week and I paid much less then the other shooters. Taurus Revolvers really are right up there with ruger and S&W though each has it strong points. Rugers are built like tanks and S&W has.....well it has history. Nothing wrong with a Taurus. I say go for it.
 
The 357 will be mostly used for a range gun and possibly bedside gun. This is just a last second purchase. I am on a limited budget because of the Kahr I will also be purchasing this month. The $260 price tag is what caught my attention.

I always have the option of saving up for the S&W, Colt, or Ruger.
 
Go for the gusto....
Pre 1982 S&W 4" Model 19.
Under $300 quite doable and will be a joy to your grandkids.

Sam.....patience, and carry cash.
 
I would suggest saving your money and buying a good, used Ruger GP-100, Smith 19/66 or Smith 586/686. Of these, the Ruger and 586/686 will withstand Magnum loads the longest. If you are planning to carry the gun, then go with the 19/66.
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Taurus revolvers.

I've had a mod 85 ch for 10 years and its still as good as new.

I've just purchased a 4' stainless 65 and it shoots great. The only other gun I considered was the 686, but could not find one used in good shape.Besides I love new guns, and Taurus customer service is great and They feel very much like Smiths.

Get youre Taurus and relax. If it feels comfortable to you then dont let other peoples bias affect youre decision.

A friend has had a Taurus PT 92 for many years with no probs.

Whats wrong with a good price for a good gun? nothing I say.
 
I've never owned a Taurus,

but I have examined two Taurus model 605's recently.
If I was in the market for a Taurus .357 magnum, this
would probably be the one I would choose.:cool: :D :)

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Did you actually type that Ala Dan?:confused: When I was in te market for a snubby 357, I chose the Ruger SP-101. While I disagree with a lot of stuff in Gun Test magazine, their snubby reports were very interesting. As far as a full sized revolver, if $260 is in your price range, look around for a used S&W or Ruger.
 
Yes, Rob96 I actually typed that; but look closely at the
second sentence, "If I was in the market for a Taurus
.357 magnum". LOL:D I just happen not to be in the
market!:( :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
in good conscience,i would highly recommend the ruger gp100. i have had taurus,S&W, ruger,dan wesson and colt revolvers. minor problems with S&W,taurus, dan wesson and colt revolvers prevent me from recommending them above the ruger.
under heavy recoil or the simple span of time,both taurus and S&W revolvers can unwind/unscrew the ejector rod enough to bind the cylinder. i've experienced this on the S&W 629 classic 5",and the taurus 669(whatever the full lug,vented topstrap revolver is called ) 6". in fairness,the taurus was used,but the two guns are very similar in construction in this area.i also had a S&W 686 that never had this problem.
the colt king cobra 4" simply spit more lead than bullet,and the trgger was the worst of all DA revolvers;colt was in a stink at the time.
both me and a friend bought dan wessons at the same time. both had serious timing/cylinder lock problems out of the box. i had a 357 maximum,and he had a 445.-he had his repaired,but it still required some care when shooting. i took mine back.
i've had a redhawk,a super redhawk,and now a SRH 454. two close friends of mine have gp100's. the redhawk had a light trigger which would fail to ignite the primer time to time.otherwise these have been the best behaving revolvers i have shot.they are very ergonomic as well.
 
Taurus guns are a paradox on TFL and alot of other places. IMO, they make good guns. Recently I had a J frame, a CIA and an SP to play with and shoot for a while. All were 357 chambered snubbies.
I ended up keeping the SP...because its solid and easily shoots as well as the others..plus I had it worked over by a local smith and its everybit as nice as a J frame now...better in some regards.

You can get a Taurus and love the gun alot. You can also keep an eye out for a clean used SP Ruger....I see them in the mid to high $200's around here from time to time...just a thought.

Get what you like and you can afford...and enjoy it.
Shoot well
 
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