Taurus Revolvers: Reliability

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  • gregkl

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    Apr 8, 2012
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    I also can't speak to the new ones but I had an older model, a 85CH. I slicked up the action and it was a pretty nice little revolver.

    I sold it though because it would lock up occasionally. Little did I know at the time that it was operator error. I was simply short stroking the trigger creating a non-existent problem.

    Though I don't have interest in snubby .38's anymore, I kinda wish I had kept it. Being all steel, it was more forgiving to shoot than the 642 I had for a minute.
     
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    I have a blued 6" 44 special. A 441 I believe. It actually has a very nice blued finish shoots great and never failed. It is a older model from the 80s i think
    Not current production. But for what its worth its great. Paid 399 used if I remember. It would be a 1000 if it were a Smith
     

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    BehindBlueI's

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    +1. IMO Taurus makes quality revolvers at a great price. Since they used to be owned by the same parent company, it's a nice way to get "Smith and Wesson Revolver quality" at a bargain price point. Maybe not quite the "fit and finish", but I suspect they used all the S&W technology / machining and kept doing so when the two companies parted ways.

    They've not been owned by the same outfit for 50 years, give or take a few months. They may very well still be using 50 year old machining tools and technology, but you are certainly not getting S&W quality.
     

    04FXSTS

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    Bought a model 415 back in 2003, 2 1/2" ported barrel 5 shot 41Mag. Grips were comfortable but would grab your cover garment and hold on. The ported barrel was very accurate for me so that was nice. Would not stay in time, all of a sudden you could hardly pull trigger or pull back the hammer. It went to a local gunsmith once and back to factory twice. No more Taurus for me. Jim.
     

    xwing

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    They've not been owned by the same outfit for 50 years, give or take a few months. They may very well still be using 50 year old machining tools and technology, but you are certainly not getting S&W quality.

    I know they split in the 1970s. But I don't think revolver technology has changed much in 50 years. I've had my Taurus for 20 years and never had any problem with it. I have a Smith & Wesson revolver also, and really can't tell any quality difference between them.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    I know they split in the 1970s. But I don't think revolver technology has changed much in 50 years. I've had my Taurus for 20 years and never had any problem with it. I have a Smith & Wesson revolver also, and really can't tell any quality difference between them.

    Durability wise, they will wear out faster than Ruger or S&W. The vast majority of people will not shoot any given gun enough to wear anything out. If your yearly round count is in the hundreds, not a problem for you, especially if you're not running hotter loads.

    Years is irrelevant. They don't fall apart sitting there, generally. Start running thousands of rounds through it, running it hard enough to get hot, you'll start seeing durability differences. I don't know how well you shoot, but shooting a Taurus and a Ruger or S&W back to back my groups have consistently been 50-70% smaller with a similar Ruger or S&W using the same ammunition.

    Many users will never see a difference because they don't shoot enough or in a style to reach those differences. That does not mean they don't exist, it's just irrelevant to them. Similar to the AR threads. A S&W M&P Sport is not the same quality as any of the $1500+ models. Few people shoot well enough or have high enough round counts to get to those differences, though, and are well served with the M&P Sport at 1/3 the price. That does not mean they are the same, though.
     

    Twangbanger

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    I know they split in the 1970s. But I don't think revolver technology has changed much in 50 years. I've had my Taurus for 20 years and never had any problem with it. I have a Smith & Wesson revolver also, and really can't tell any quality difference between them.
    It's not a matter of "revolver technology." It's about the amount of care and fitting that goes into them. Autos are more of a "manufactured" item, but revolvers do have a bit of "blacksmithing" needed to get them to work right on final assembly. S&W's blacksmithing is better than Taurus' blacksmithing. It has nothing to do with technology. It's time put in by the people handling them. It's just not there on the Taurus product, if the intended customer is anyone other than the light, occasional user.

    My dad has a PT92 auto which is as good as a Beretta (because it basically is one) and an older steel-frame 85 snubby which is superb. I love the snubby. But I haven't shot the crap out of it, either. I've had bad experiences with a 90s vintage 6" .357 losing pieces while I was shooting it, so it isn't a new problem. I want to love them for the price. But I just know better. They are good plinkers, but if you do anything like shooting matches, don't be surprised if you have to get your squad members down on hands and knees with you looking for parts in the grass/gravel.
     
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    Dingleberry

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    Buddy brought out a brand new S&W 642 a few weekends ago and it fired fine through a few cylinders full. After the 4th reload it was a locked up trigger. No idea what happened but was blown away because J frames usually have Glock reliability.
    He's sending it in but nothing man made is perfect.
     

    Twangbanger

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    Buddy brought out a brand new S&W 642 a few weekends ago and it fired fine through a few cylinders full. After the 4th reload it was a locked up trigger. No idea what happened but was blown away because J frames usually have Glock reliability.
    He's sending it in but nothing man made is perfect.
    Sending guns back to S&W is not uncommon. I've done it a couple times. Their revolvers are high-quality, but it's still a "blacksmith shop" when it comes to final assembly. S&W J-frames do not have Glock reliability. They're good guns, but not reliable to the level of being able to run/abuse them heavily with "no care" and keep ticking.
     

    DadSmith

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    I've been told the older Taurus revolvers were better built. My model 44 (30 years old) has been excellent. I use to have the exact rd count on it but lost it when I lost my other information. I know it's well over 2k rds and still shooting well. It's gotten a little looser since it was new. My gunsmith said it's nothing to worry about at this point just normal wear and tear.
    She now sports a RDS for hunting purposes because my eyes aren't what they use to be.

    20220219_142511.jpg
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    BehindBlueI's

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    Sending guns back to S&W is not uncommon.

    This, especially in recent years. And Ruger puts out some duds. The absolutely most problematic revolver out of the box I've ever owned was a Redhawk. I had to have a gunsmith install a longer firing pin and deburr some of the guts. I have no doubt that now it will outlive me, because I rapidly got tired of "Redhawk only" loads before the gun did. It's fun to have a hand full of thunder a couple of times, but the poison is in the dose and you can only high five that sledge hammer so many times. Once running, I've never shot a Ruger to death. You can, but the gun will be the cheapest part of that experience.

    But it's a numbers game as everyone puts out duds but not at the same rate. If I had to buy a new revolver to go shoot to save my life with this evening untested, I'd buy a new production Colt or Ruger, then S&W, then Taurus/Rossi, then maybe consider a bayonet charge. I don't know enough about Kimber's revolvers to know where to place them on the scale.

    S&W J-frames do not have Glock reliability. They're good guns, but not reliable to the level of being able to run/abuse them heavily with "no care" and keep ticking.

    Also this. As a rule of thumb, revolvers tolerate neglect better than magazine fed pistols, but magazine fed pistols tolerate higher round counts in compressed amounts of time without needing a quick maintenance session better. My GP100WC is a great example of a great shooter but with tolerances that are tight enough getting an unburnt powder flake or three under the extractor star requires addressing sooner rather than later.
     

    DadSmith

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    This, especially in recent years. And Ruger puts out some duds. The absolutely most problematic revolver out of the box I've ever owned was a Redhawk. I had to have a gunsmith install a longer firing pin and deburr some of the guts. I have no doubt that now it will outlive me, because I rapidly got tired of "Redhawk only" loads before the gun did. It's fun to have a hand full of thunder a couple of times, but the poison is in the dose and you can only high five that sledge hammer so many times. Once running, I've never shot a Ruger to death. You can, but the gun will be the cheapest part of that experience.

    But it's a numbers game as everyone puts out duds but not at the same rate. If I had to buy a new revolver to go shoot to save my life with this evening untested, I'd buy a new production Colt or Ruger, then S&W, then Taurus/Rossi, then maybe consider a bayonet charge. I don't know enough about Kimber's revolvers to know where to place them on the scale.



    Also this. As a rule of thumb, revolvers tolerate neglect better than magazine fed pistols, but magazine fed pistols tolerate higher round counts in compressed amounts of time without needing a quick maintenance session better. My GP100WC is a great example of a great shooter but with tolerances that are tight enough getting an unburnt powder flake or three under the extractor star requires addressing sooner rather than later.
    Have you tried the Super Blackhawk revolvers? They seen to be well built. I'd like to get one in 45colt.
     

    snapping turtle

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    Current production I would not know but what I know of Brazilian made import revolvers.

    Brazil has some very strange import laws that would make Donald Trump smile. Want to sell it in Brazil make it in Brazil.

    Imports of say a Microsoft Xbox more than double the cost from import tax. If you travel then you send them back via the mail/ups/fedex and hope they get through customs.

    In the late 1970’s the police and military had a need for side arms and rifles. Thus Taurus and Rossi were born. Rossi did purchase smith and Wesson model 60 and model 66 production line lock stock and barrel from smith during a dash change and moved the whole line down to Brazil with smith engineer's providing line setup in Brazil.

    Interarms contacted Rossi and Taurus about helping them import back into the United States.(police and military contractor are nice to start up a open market for your wares is always welcome) So Rossi smith interarms import marking are the smith copies made on the smith machines for sure. My 1980’s M971 Rossi and my 1970’s Smith model 66 2 1/2 inch are identical. Taurus I know less about because I purchased the Rossi versions.

    Taurus purchased Rossi years ago.

    I purchased a Rossi model 60 copy and the m971 at the Indy1500 around 1986 for 300 for the pair. I already purchased the same models from smith. My thoughts were the smiths were carry guns and the Rossi were truck /glove box guns.

    Now the Rossi M971 has been my carry weapon since 1989 when a six shot carry is all I think I will need. Thousands and thousands of rounds of 38 have been shot and some 357 mag. (Touch off a 357 mag in a 2 inch barrel and you can not see for 12 seconds afterwards)

    The smith copies are in the safe. The Rossi model 60 copy was sold to a friend who begged for years to buy it. The finally made me an offer that not only paid for the pair but gave me cash for ammo.


    First photo is the import mark to look for.
    Second is the whole deal after minimum 2k rounds.
     

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    Bosbar

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    Jul 10, 2008
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    I had a 8 shot 22, (941?)
    Would fire 2 cylinders and then lock up.
    Took it back to the LGS and traded it for a Ruger Mark lll.
    Have since then, bought 2 more Ruger 22's.
    No more Taurus!
     

    Squid556

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    Feb 26, 2022
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    I’ve seen many sell through my LGS. However, 2 years ago a customer did bring back a 44 magnum Taurus that wouldn’t lock the cylinder prior to hammer drop. Not wanting to grenade it, brings it to us, we send it back.

    Taurus finished work, sends it to us, customer takes it out and shoots it, problem comes back! Not wanting to grenade it a second time, we send it back.

    The story gets hazy from there but I know he is still sore about it and I don’t think they took very good care of him.

    By and large they are alright I suppose. Would rather buy an American Charter Arms (or better yet a Smith) before I got a Brazilian Taurus. Just my 2 cents from watching them come and go over the years.
     

    04FXSTS

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    Not actually a problem but something that shows the level of quality. If I open the cylinder on any of my S&W or Rugers and watch the flutes while spinning the cylinder they are totally even. The Taurus I had you could watch the ends of the flutes go back and forth. So the flutes were not cut the same length, nothing that would effect function but still sloppy machining and quality control. Jim.
     

    Pepi

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    Buddy brought out a brand new S&W 642 a few weekends ago and it fired fine through a few cylinders full. After the 4th reload it was a locked up trigger. No idea what happened but was blown away because J frames usually have Glock reliability.
    He's sending it in but nothing man made is perfect.
    I carry a S&W airweight. Mine, brand new did this. I was so pissed off. I know how to repair guns so I took it apart. I found aluminum shavings inside the gun. I wrote S&W about this and they didn't even bother to write or call me back. Now, the gun works perfectly.
     
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