Is Taurus a Good Brand for Revolvers

[Alex Clayton]

I'm thinking about picking up a Taurus 856 Executive Grade 38 Special when at the store this weekend. I've heard Taurus is a pretty hit or miss brand, perhaps more so at the lower tier end of things, but I think that was mostly with pistols. How is their reputation with revolvers?

View attachment 1196839

The brand draws a LOT of hate on the net. Personally I have owned so many over my time that I can't readily remember them all. So far all of them have worked fine. They sell a ton of the damn things so of course some problems slip past the QC and get out. So the majority that just work no one hears about. Those who happen to get a problem of course are the ones that tend to make noise. People who buy have have to have realistic expectations though. The price is far cheaper than some "higher end" models so you can't expect them to be nearly as smooth as a gun you pay many times as much for. Chances are real good it will just work though.

 

[DustyRusty]

I watched NRA Rifleman TV one day. It was such a glowing review of the company & the new and improved manufacturing facility. Great example of a puff piece.
Like they say, your milage may vary. I'm not hearing about accuracy here. Are they?

 

[Y-T71]

This is the first Taurus thread I've ever responded to.
I've stayed out if them because I've personally only owned 1 Taurus product, a late '80's PT92 9mm that was as good as any other firearm I've ever owned, no revolvers.

In the early '90's a friend had a new stainless 669VR (I think, memory is a little fuzzy)

It wasn't particularly accurate but the real problem he had was he had to use a pair of vice grips to pull spent brass out: light .38spl all the way up to full magnums.

Sample of one, so not much help.

My take on Taurus these days is (speaking from a strictly personal perspective) I'm lucky in that I own many firearms that I am familiar with and they have had their reliability vetted over many years so, I wouldn't be purchasing a Taurus as my only firearm; if I would be unlucky to get one with problems, I have others to fall back on while I decided a course of action (fix it, trade/ sell it, try another model etc)

If buying a firearm to be my only one, I would probably make a serious attempt to save more money to purchase a S&W, Ruger, Colt...(not that these brands can't have their share of issues also)

Having said this, I would like to have a stainless steel, 4" .44mag revolver just to play around with.

I have a couple of S&W 629's but they're 6" and I can't currently justify the cost of another S&W so, a Taurus is definitely an option for me.

Just my opinion, worth what you paid

 

[mavs]

Hope you don't depend on it to save your life, your wife or your kids. There is enough bad mojo on this thread to keep me from buying this thing if I had to depend on it. But, that's up to you I guess.

 

[Targa]

I think they are good revolvers. I plan on buying one in .500 S&W if I can ever find one.

 

[Bill_in_TR]

As an over a decade long (former) Taurus fan and verbose defender, I cannot recommend them. A Ruger SP101 isn't much more expensive than the Taurus Executive, but it's a much better revolver built by a company with a much better track record and reputation. The newer 856 revolvers are hit or miss reported by TaurusArmed forum members who actually own them. I started a thread about whether I should trade my Taurus 85 for the new 856 before I wanted the extra round and pinned front sight. The overwhelming response was NOT to do it, and the reasons why were with various on going issue they've personally had AND customer service horror stories.

When they were $200 and S&W and Ruger where $500-$800, it was worth the gamble for me. In the $450-$500 range, I rather put a $650 NIB Ruger on layaway or save $150 more to buy it outright. It will be worth it in the long run and grand scheme. It will also retain it's resale and trade value unlike a used Taurus will.

Well a few months back I went into a local gun shop looking for a 357 revolver. This particular shop had two that interested me, a Taurus Model 65 and a Ruger SP101. I handled and dry fired them both. The Ruger trigger was heavier and grittier. I could barely cock the hammer for a single action pull. The Taurus was lighter, smoother and I had no trouble cocking it. I went into the shop with no prejudices. I own a Redhawk with a really sweet trigger. I bought the Taurus and I am very happy with it.

Just one man's experience with two individual guns. I personally would never buy any gun I couldn't put my hands on first.

 

[OS/N]

I bought my son a 4" Tracker 627 in 357mag a few years ago - an L frame 7 shooter. It is a good size and weight for a magnum.

I was impressed with the action, the throat sizes, and a correctly installed forcing cone.

The factory grip was not so nice but after putting on a quality wood combat grip everything fell in line. Personally I do not care for the vents in the barrel but my son thinks they are cool (I'd rather have another 25fps and a true 4" barrel). If it were mine I'd tig weld the vents shut. Fast follow up shots shouldn't be needed with a magnum.

Stock web photo -

 

[LV Gun]

I'm thinking about picking up a Taurus 856 Executive Grade 38 Special when at the store this weekend. I've heard Taurus is a pretty hit or miss brand, perhaps more so at the lower tier end of things, but I think that was mostly with pistols. How is their reputation with revolvers?

View attachment 1196839

At one point they were at the lower end but that is not the case anymore I have 1 of them yet a Raging Bull in 44 magnum it is my second one in 44 magnum. I shot the first one to its death. One day it would not cock called Taurus they sent me a pre paid return label Several days later I get a email from them telling me to call Customer Service. The person I talk to tells me they can’t fix it I ask now what , he proceeds to tell me they will replace it with a new one since they are honoring the Lifetime warranty on them . He asks me if this LGS is close to me and I tell him yes they are 3 days later I get a call from my LGS they have my new gun I cannot say enough good about Taurus. I also have Ruger and S&W revolvers but would not hesitate to buy another Taurus.

 

[Biblethumpncop]

I owned a 3" stainless 431 in .44spl and it had a nicer action/trigger than my friends 696 Smith. He thought so too. I never should have sold it, but I did.

I own a 761 in 32 magnum and it is very nice. I bought my daughter a 856 defender and she likes it, so do I. I carry a 856 as my edc. I put a different rebound spring in it, a new front sight and modified a set of Herrett J-frame grips to fit it.

I own a Colt Diamondback, a custom S&W 3" model 10, a 3" S&W model 31-1 for my wife, and other older Smiths. I have no issues with my Taurus revolvers. I have owned several Charter Arms, new and old. I like the Taurus better than the newer C.A. guns I had. I think they are similar in fit & finish to the older Stratford C.A.'s I owned (Bulldogs & Undercover).

Enjoy your revolver journey and make up your own mind.

 

[TTv2]

Taurus lately has been punching above its MSRP. I would certainly buy an Executive 856 over a NiB SP101.

Most of the negative things you'll see said about the brand is from years, if not decades ago. Taurus has improved since then.

 

[.38 Special]

As to the accuracy question, I have never had one that was especially good or bad. I am sure both extremes exist, but mine were extremely average.

I did once spend an afternoon with a PT92 - the Beretta copy - which had been given a no-holds-barred action and accuracy job, and it was startlingly good. The SA trigger was nearly perfect, and the gun was more accurate than I could prove, even though I was at the very peak of my game at the time. It was one of the best guns I have ever fired, so I would say the bones are there if nothing else.

 

[Miami_JBT]

The Executive Grade is just a sales gimmick. Revolver Guys reviewed the gun. They said the grips sucked to the point that they interfered with reloading and ejecting, plus, that the gun internally is the same as every other Taurus. Also, they weren't at all pleased with the sights.

I was disappointed that the 856 Executive Grade’s grips blocked me from using a round body speedloader to reload the gun, and really frustrated that they blocked clean extraction of spent cases. On the flip side, I liked the feel of the symmetric thumb shelves on the grips and also appreciated how the proud left panel kept my thumb knuckle from getting banged up on the thumb piece. The grips did a good job of allowing me to control the gun during recoil, but they were such a problem during loading and unloading that I rate them a “fail,” on this gun. They will definitely have to be altered or replaced to make this gun a practical choice. Fortunately, that’s not hard, but it shouldn’t be necessary on the company’s premiere offering.

The Taurus 856 Executive Grade – RevolverGuy.Com

revolverguy.com

Get a Rossi RP63 for less money. It has the same finish, but is in .357 Magnum, and costs less.

 

[luzyfuerza]

I have a bobbed 856 that doesn't consistently rotate the cylinder when the trigger is pulled quickly. And when the cylinder is partially loaded.

It needs to go back for repairs.

But, it is just as accurate as my S&W 442 and LCR with a variety of ammo. See: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/sd-ammo-tests-through-442-lcr-and-856.924179/

I have a TX-22 that is excellent in just about every way. And had an 85CH 35 years ago that hung up on its first cylinder.

I agree with others' comments here: examine them carefully before you buy, but don't be surprised if they fail at some point.

I've never had a Taurus that I would rely on for serious social work.

 

[Show Me]

I'm thinking about picking up a Taurus 856 Executive Grade 38 Special when at the store this weekend. I've heard Taurus is a pretty hit or miss brand, perhaps more so at the lower tier end of things, but I think that was mostly with pistols. How is their reputation with revolvers?

View attachment 1196839

They sell a lot.

 

[Show Me]

I have a bobbed 856 that doesn't consistently rotate the cylinder when the trigger is pulled quickly. And when the cylinder is partially loaded.

It needs to go back for repairs.

But, it is just as accurate as my S&W 442 and LCR with a variety of ammo. See: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/sd-ammo-tests-through-442-lcr-and-856.924179/

I have a TX-22 that is excellent in just about every way. And had an 85CH 35 years ago that hung up on its first cylinder.

I agree with others' comments here: examine them carefully before you buy, but don't be surprised if they fail at some point.

I've never had a Taurus that I would rely on for serious social work.

Unlike some others you tested. I like tests

 

[Styx]

Well a few months back I went into a local gun shop looking for a 357 revolver. This particular shop had two that interested me, a Taurus Model 65 and a Ruger SP101. I handled and dry fired them both. The Ruger trigger was heavier and grittier. I could barely cock the hammer for a single action pull. The Taurus was lighter, smoother and I had no trouble cocking it. I went into the shop with no prejudices. I own a Redhawk with a really sweet trigger. I bought the Taurus and I am very happy with it.

Just one man's experience with two individual guns. I personally would never buy any gun I couldn't put my hands on first.

Trigger can easily be improved especially with all of the aftermarket support for Ruger and Smith. The QC, warranty service, availability of spare parts, build quality, and resale/trade-in value will favor Ruger.

Taurus lately has been punching above its MSRP. I would certainly buy an Executive 856 over a NiB SP101.

Most of the negative things you'll see said about the brand is from years, if not decades ago. Taurus has improved since then.

No, it's from recently. I'm objective. I'm not a fanboy of any one manufacturer. If you check my post history, I have gone back and forth with other Taurus haters on this forum and others. I've been a member of TaurusArmed.com for a decade now. I've owned 8 Taurus firearms in the last decade, and inquired and researched about others I was interested in. I can't say that I would recommend them to anyone knowing what I know now at this time.

TaurusArmed and social media is full with people who only had good experience with their examples, defended Taurus against naysayers, and then years later learned their lesson when they got a lemon and had to deal with Taurus CS. I take what people who are snobs or who are holding a decade old grudge against Taurus with a grain of salt. What I'm personally basing my opinion on is current information.

 

[Styx]

Get a Rossi RP63 for less money. It has the same finish, but is in .357 Magnum, and costs less.

Rossi aka Taurus only has a one year warranty for the orginal buyer, limited aftermarket support, and good luck finding factory replacement or repair parts. There are no free rides as far as price is concerned. Pay more now for better value, or save money now, and pay more in the long run. You might get lucky and never ever wear out parts or have and problems, or you might not. It's a game of Russian Roulette. I prefer to invest more now just for the peice of mind and security for the duration of my ownership.

Yes, after only one year of ownership for the orginal owner, you have to pay shipping to then, for repair parts, labor, and return shipping if anything goes wrong. Most spare parts are unobtainium, so you can't fix it yourself. This was explictly pointed out to a member on TaurusArmed who contacted Taurus/Rossi.

 

[fxvr5]

It's a game of Russian Brazilian Roulette.

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

 

[Old Dog]

Hope you don't depend on it to save your life, your wife or your kids. There is enough bad mojo on this thread to keep me from buying this thing if I had to depend on it. But, that's up to you I guess.

Following this thread with amusement.

Was waiting for the first guy who would make a second negative post in the thread. How do you really feel, mate?

Most of the negative things you'll see said about the brand is from years, if not decades ago.

I'm gonna go with decades.

I've owned only three Taurus revolvers, a 1990s SS M85, another '90s M82 and a early '00s M94. Worst was the 94 with a mediocre trigger, but the 85 and the 82 were very serviceable and worthy. The 85 in particular was nicely finished and a great shooter. Taurus' ever-expending line of autos in the late '90s and early '00s, as well as an abysmal CS reputation back then, put the company in the #1 most-hated gun company on the internet. I did have an awful Taurus semi-auto (PT-908) but have gone through a couple superb PT-92s and actually liked my PT-145 Millenium a lot (10 plus 1 rounds of .45 ACP) even though the trigger was awfully long and sproingy.

While there's a lot of stuff the company makes I have no interest in, I'm not gonna bash a company based on its old internet reputation or what Uncle Joe's buddy said about his sample of one, or what Joe Bob down at Chuckie's Gas'n'Guns tells all the coffeedrinkers in his sop about 'em.

Taurus threads are quite entertaining these days, just all over the map, for sure. In conclusion, I'd buy a new Taurus revolver if the fancy struck me. The Executive Grade guns look pretty nice, too.

 

[jstert]

Hope you don't depend on it to save your life, your wife or your kids. There is enough bad mojo on this thread to keep me from buying this thing if I had to depend on it. But, that's up to you I guess.

my first gen steel taurus 85 snubbie did help save my life when we ended up driving down the wrong street in a 1987 riot. well, i admit that the other passenger’s swearing and pointing a ruger mini14 out the jeep cherokee’s side window right into some angry faces helped alot. him charging that rifle was the loudest sound on earth at that moment. my quietly unholstered 85 didn’t have exact same effect, though the face of the guy staring into the barrel literally turned from coal black to ashen gray in a split second. the guys with the rocks and machetes unmobbed the car enough for a curb jump and we, or rather they, got away before any shooting.

i bought this taurus 85 gently used in 1985. it was my only firearm for 25 years because of my successive officially antigun locations. i added a second gen used taurus 85 in 2015 and a new taurus 856 in 2020, both steel snubbies. the 856 is my current bedside piece. my nongunner sister is dead nuts happy with her first gen, used, concealed hammer, steel taurus 85 snubbie. all have replacement pachmayr or hogue grips. my m.d. brother, who buys just about anything that he likes, happily carries a new taurus 856. all are fine, though the first gen models seem the best made.

 

[ms6852]

I don't know about the revolvers or any present day firearms of the Taurus. I know that when I was a private in the army I wanted a Beretta but could not afford it. Instead I bought the Taurus 92FS and in 40 years it has not failed me. The reason I never followed up with a Taurus revolver was because I than had to the opportunity to buy a Smith & Wesson 686 or a Colt Python, I chose the 686, trigger was much better.

It wasn't until a few years later I bought another Taurus gun the hunter with a 12" barrel. Again I've never had issues but snobs will be snobs and I own S&W and Colts. Get what you like, just be aware of the QC before buying it, I understand they are not as good as 40 years ago.

 

[Tallball]

I've had at least a dozen Taurus revolvers. One was a lemon and I wasn't pleased with the customer service. The rest of them have been fine. Lots of times they have stiff triggers, but new springs will generally fix that.

My preferred pocket revolvers happen to be a Smith and a Ruger, but my preferred HD revolver happens to be a Taurus.

FWIW, the 856 is just a slightly modified version of the Model 85 that they started making 40 years ago.

This little 9mm version of that same small-framed revolver is my current favorite practice piece.

Taurus 905.jpg

• Tallball
• Oct 9, 2023

 

[Miami_JBT]

Rossi aka Taurus only has a one year warranty for the orginal buyer, limited aftermarket support, and good luck finding factory replacement or repair parts. There are no free rides as far as price is concerned. Pay more now for better value, or save money now, and pay more in the long run. You might get lucky and never ever wear out parts or have and problems, or you might not. It's a game of Russian Roulette. I prefer to invest more now just for the peice of mind and security for the duration of my ownership.

Yes, after only one year of ownership for the orginal owner, you have to pay shipping to then, for repair parts, labor, and return shipping if anything goes wrong. Most spare parts are unobtainium, so you can't fix it yourself. This was explictly pointed out to a member on TaurusArmed who contacted Taurus/Rossi.

View attachment 1196987

Welcome to reality, a number of firearms are like that. You think Century Arms will warranty my Zastava M90NP?

Heck, Ruger told me they aren't even servicing Security Sixes anymore.

HK told me to poud sand with my SLB 2000.

S&W can't service my SW9F. They have no parts.

 

[P89DCSS]

Conversations like this one remind how nice it is to be being able to work on Ruger SP/GP/SRH revolvers. The SP with gritty trigger that OP tested probably need a flush and lube and it'll be much better. I give all my Ruger DA revolvers a fluff and buff trigger job and softer springs. That makes the trigger really nice. All the horror stories of bad machining and bad timing are something Ruger fixes. Good luck getting Taurus to fix issues. As for the older Six Series Ruger DA revolvers, they went out of production 40 years ago.....

OP, skip the Taurus, you won't regret owning an SP.

 

[357 Terms]

Last year my LGS had a 3in 856 in the sales case.
Tritium front sight with orange outline.
Light, 6 shots, good barrel length.
I've had bad experiences with Taurus from years back, hadn't touched one since.
So I asked to see it, I started messing with the trigger DA then SA.
Seemed ok.
I started staging the trigger slowly in DA, right after the cylinder stop engaged, with a little more trigger pressure the hammer would drop.... halfway.
I was able to replicate this several times for the sales clerk.
....he put it back in the case.