Gunsmith to work on Taurus?

[Bob79]

I keep looking into getting a Taurus 817 (or maybe a 617) because Ruger and Smith just don't make a gun w/ this capacity that is this compact/light. I've never owned a Taurus, and have read they can be hit or miss in their quality.

I know if I get one and like it, I'll want to have an action job done, trigger polished, and hammer bobbed. I use Clark Custom Guns (CCG) and they won't work on a Taurus, the lady told me I should just get a Ruger or Smith (which I already have both).

Does anyone know of a Decent Gunsmith who will work on a Taurus? Are they really that bad on the inside that gunsmiths don't want to work on them, and if they are couldn't a gunsmith replace some of the "bad" internals with better ones?

Sorry, I just don't know very much about gunsmithing, but I appreciate info on this.

 

[Rangie]

You would think this could be a cool niche for some smith especialy with Taurus's wide variety of revolver offerings. There might be a reason they're staying away.

 

[Old Fuff]

While earlier Taurus revolvers left a lot to be desired the ones currently being made have been improved a lot.

I think you will find that the trigger face is polished when it comes out of the box. You might be able to order it with a bobbed hammer, or purchase one as used in the .38 model. Last but not least you can bob the one that comes in the gun. Dry fire the gun about 800 to 1000 times (with the plactic insert in the back of the cylinder to give the firing pin something to impact on) and the action will smooth right out.

Why don't custom gunsmiths get involved? I suspect it's because they specialize in other makes and models, and don't want to get involved with the new kid on the block. This worries me not at all. I didn't bother to do anything to the last two I got except dry-fire them a bit, and then detail strip, clean and lubricate them. For this I didn't need a gunsmith.

Edited to remove reference to .22 R.F.

 

[denfoote]

The last I heard, Taurus DID have a custom shop.
However, this information is several years old!!
You might call them and ask!!

 

[Old Fuff]

I think they discontinued their custom shop, but the repair department might do some simple work, like bob a hammer.

They also might recommend custom 'smiths that do work on their products.

 

[Bob79]

I did speak to the folks at Taurus and they said they dont' have their custom shop anymore.

I did stop by Gander Mountain this morning, and they had some Taurus revolvers there, but of course not the ones I'm interested in. :banghead:

However I looked at a couple of their 5-shot .38 models, I think the model 85's? They seemed pretty good, lock up was tight, and the overall quaility looked good. I did notice they all had some amount of light tooling or rough spots on the finish. So now I know what people mean when they comment on their "inferior fit & finish" you hear about sometimes.

That minor stuff didn't really bother me, considering the lower Taurus price, and me intending to use it as a "working gun". The salesman said hes sold plenty of Taurus guns, and has yet to hear a customer complain about one. I was also lucky enough to speak to one of their 10 in house Gunsmiths who has been with them for about 15 years. He said although they are a little different internally, he hasn't seen any come through that he'd call bad compared to the other gun makers. He also said they would have no problem doing an action job (about $80), bob the hammer, and polish/radius the trigger.

So I think I might just give Taurus a try, and Old Fuff I know the triggers are fairly smooth. To tell you the truth I didn't care one bit about the feel of any trigger surface until I got back the first revolver I sent to CCG, and they automatically polish the trigger with an action job. And I love it, can't really see myself owning a revolver without it.

 

[denfoote]

You might try these guys.

One of their smiths, Ward Norem by name, has been my "family gunsmith" for years.

I had him work on my first Taurus M605 (yes Virginia I actually had seller's remorse over a Taurus and bought another). He put a red insert on it, but he works on anything. He's a decent "General Practice" gunsmith. His "custom" speciality is the BHP.


http://www.magnumguns.com/

 

[GrantCunningham]

Perhaps I can give you some insight.

I experimented with the idea of custom Taurus revolvers about a year ago; in fact, I went to the trouble of purchasing a couple (both on the Tracker size frame) and then building them into custom guns.

From where I sit, the Taurus guns are simply too variable in terms of quality to make doing extensive work worthwhile. For instance, the DA trigger pulls in these frames show not only the expected roughness, but an inconsistently that is annoying. Their pull starts out at one weight, increases noticeably in the middle of the pull, then drops before the sear breaks. This is a geometry issue, and there are lots of things in the action that contribute, but the bottom line is that it can't be fixed.

That isn't all - even when the action has been smoothed and balanced as much as possible, successive pulls produce different results. Even going to the extent of removing the existing hammer pivots, machining and fitting new ones, shimming, and all the other tricks make little difference.

Now, it must be understood that 99 out of 100 people who might try that trigger would think that it's awesome. But it has to please ME, and I'm awfully picky. If I'm to put my name on the job it has to be top notch, every time, and a Taurus simply can't be made to achieve that level of performance - at least, in my estimation.

Finally, even if it could be done, when finished you'd still have a Taurus. That's not an insult, but an admission that it will never have the reputation or resale value that a S&W, Colt, or even Ruger has. It's like putting gold wheels on a Yugo - at the end of the day, it's still a Yugo that no one wants. In fact, you'd probably get laughed at for putting gold wheels on it!

Just MHO, you understand. Also, it's worth noting that I kept one of the guns - a .44 Special - for myself. Frankly, it ain't a Smith but it's a whole lot better than a Charter Arms.

 

[Old Fuff]

DA trigger pulls in these frames show not only the expected roughness, but an inconsistently that is annoying. Their pull starts out at one weight, increases noticeably in the middle of the pull, then drops before the sear breaks. This is a geometry issue, and there are lots of things in the action that contribute, but the bottom line is that it can't be fixed.

The older pre-war Smith & Wesson's did the same, and the feature was much admired. Because of the leaf mainspring the double-action trigger pull would increase from zero to about 13 pounds during the first three-quarters of the stroke, and then drop back to about 10 when the hammer was released.

Going further back to the late 19th century, S&W advertised that when using their "Safety Hammerless" model the user could expect the trigger pull to decrease just before the hammer let off, and so at that point align their sights.

I have been picky too - for over 50 years, and I haven't found any material disadvantages of the Taurus pull over other being made today. Admittedly the ones found on guns made during the Depression Years and just after World War Two by S&W were, and remain, in a class by themselves.

The trigger pulls on Taurus revolvers, along with they're current competitors, seem to improve with use, and regardless of who the maker is, it helps to flush out the lockwork and then relubricate everything in sight.

 

[TimboKhan]

sigh... another good post hijacked by Taurus haters...

 

[orangeninja]

For what it's worth I have been picky in what type of pistol I will carry. Suffice to say I only trust Sig, Glock and CZ. However recently I have purchased and fired a Taurus 650 CIA and love it. I plan on getting another. As for wheel guns I've had a Ruger that rocked (GP100) and a Colt King Cobra that scared the bejeezuz out of me in single action, (can we say hair trigger) and a S&W from the 70's that lock up tight as a drum and a S&W from the 80's that the trigger wasn't any better than a modern Taurus.

Personally I think the Taurus is the best thing going in a defensive revolver today. I would say Ruger, but the SP101 is no J frame my friend.

 

[Big Gay Al]

I currently own three Taurus pistols, two 9mm semi-autos, and a 617B .357 magnum. I've owned 5 Taurus pistols. Of those five, only one ever gave me a problem, and to be honest, I didn't really take the time to get my problem resolved, as I didn't care for the way the gun recoiled. It was a .40S&W pistol, and I just didn't like. Personal preference on that one, not, any real quality problem as far as I'm concerned.

The other Taurus I had that I sold, I needed the money at the time.

I've seldom seen any other make that is as reliable as Taurus pistols have been that I have. I've had my PT-92 for going on 14 years. During that time it has never failed to operate. It has never jammed, never failed to feed, and has fired every type of 9mm ammo I've put through it.

I am confident that the 617B will do the same thing, as I am sure the PT-911 that I have will also.

In my personal opinion, all you Taurus haters can just go away. And if you don't like Taurus products, good! That's just more for me!

 

[innerpiece9]

THANK YOU old fuff! For factualizing what many of us think just cant put into actual examples...

My close friend, private instructor, USN SEAL, shot my Taurus.. he had one a week later
He may not be a "gunsmith" by terms.. but 10 yrs in.. he knows a thing or 2 about firearms....... His Taurus took the place of his Sig for carry...

we both plan to get a .45 from the 24/7 line.

Taurus is GRADE A material in my experience. Its too bad their custom shop isnt open.

Alot of gunsmiths dont advertise every single job they are able to do. so calling around often will yeild you better results than browsing ad's...

ip9

 

[Big Gay Al]

I'm hoping to get the PT-1911, IF it ever comes out!