Taurus 856 3” barrel 38 special +p

[lincen]

Found one on GunBroker at a reasonable price and the very next day my local “go to” gun store had one at an even better price. Have not shot either one but hope to next week or weekend. Very impressed with the quality for the money ! I have about $440 in the first one and bought the other one local for $350 out the door. Really like three inch barrel revolvers. Both came with the rubber grip but had this factory wood grip on an 856 ultra-light and switched them out.

 

[Goju]

I recently started looking at these, and would like to hear others feedback. You sure did well on cost!

 

[Tallball]

Steel or aluminum frames?

I've had some good Model 85's, and wouldn't mind adding an extra round.

 

[wcwhitey]

Some nice features on those revolvers, the front sight is really nice. Please let us know how they shoot. It’s a nice option. I have owned two Tauri both late 80’s the Pt92 and an 85. Both were good.

 

[lincen]

Both of these have the stainless steel frame and barrel.

 

[Riomouse911]

I read a review on them a little while back (Gun Tests, maybe?) and the review was very positive. If I didn’t already own a handful of J-frame sized revolvers I would give them a serious look.

When you get a chance to shoot them let us know your impressions of the wood VS synthetic grip and how the guns shoot for you .

Stay safe.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

We have one out on loan that was bought rather accidentally some time ago.

Orderd an 85 for a task and when the 856 came in its stead I was so pleased with it that we took that too.

Nothing but satisfied and it's had many hundreds of rounds through it. Accurate enough to not be wasting my wadcutter reloads too.

Ours is shinier though. More like brushed stainless.

Todd.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve got a 2” Stainless 856. It’s easily as good as a Smith or Colt.
Out of the box, it shoots POA/POI at 25yds with a 148gr wadcutter or standard velocity 158gr load.
Trigger is good enough that I’m not going to touch it. (Saying a LOT, as All my Rugers, Charters, Smiths, etc have had the actions/triggers worked over.)
It’s even better than the Colt Detective Special or Cobras I’ve shot.

 

[Triggernosis]

If anyone comes across an ultra lite version of one of these, I'm looking for one.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I’ve got a 2” Stainless 856. It’s easily as good as a Smith or Colt.
Out of the box, it shoots POA/POI at 25yds with a 148gr wadcutter or standard velocity 158gr load.
Trigger is good enough that I’m not going to touch it. (Saying a LOT, as All my Rugers, Charters, Smiths, etc have had the actions/triggers worked over.)
It’s even better than the Colt Detective Special or Cobras I’ve shot.

My experience was similar.

When I got the wrong gun as I noted above, I was so impressed by the action of the 856 that I kept it and kept the order for the 85 open.

Later, when I looked inside the pistol, I found it to be at least the second factory-new Taurus that we've had which exhibited old-school assembly and attention to detail internally. There was even a bit of finish-machining that presented as a decent example of *machine-turning*.

And the weight of the all-stainless was wonderfully confidence-inspiring.

What a deal it was.

Todd.

 

[12Bravo20]

I know I enjoy my blued 85 with the 3" ported barrel. I also bought a matte black 942 last year to go with the 85. My personal preference is for the wood grips that came on the 85 without any finger grooves. I ended up getting another set of grips for the 942 so it matches.

 

[Slamfire]

Great pistol!

Mine is just about the size of a Detective Special. Great little 38 snubbie

 

[GooseGestapo]

Exactly the size of a Det. Spl. They use the same size speed loaders. I have three...
(Speed loaders...)

 

[Don Van Winkle]

I fell at the LGS and being severly injured from my military time, I was out the door for <$300.00 for my wife's gun. It went for $749.99 and this was the way the owner of the LGS took care of me after I fell. I will always be a customer of his store. I also looked under the hood of my 856 when I got home, and was amazed at the clean look of the inside. No maachine marks or sharp edges. Now I learned from Mike at Goons Guns to fill the void in the frame of my 1858 Remington BP gun inside with Mobile 1 grease. I did this somewhat to my Taurus 856 Defender and when I found where metal meets metal, I put grease there and it slicked the movements perfectly. I am a fierce proponant of Mobile 1 grease. I only have to clean the bore and cylinder. BP can not get where the grease is.

 

[ECVMatt]

I am very interested in a range report. I love 3" revolvers and these have some great features.

 

[12Bravo20]

I can't talk about the new 856 3" guns. But my 20 year old Model 85 with it's 3" ported barrel does well. The sights on it are regulated for 158Gr bullets at 25 yards.

 

[Don Van Winkle]

Well, I just couldn't get used to the ss finish on my 856 so I went and did it. I blackened the whole frame and cylinder. What I left alone were the trigger, hammer and cylinder release. Everyone likes it and I think it looks much better. Anyone who cares to, let me know what you think. Don

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

View attachment 1075303 Well, I just couldn't get used to the ss finish on my 856 so I went and did it. I blackened the whole frame and cylinder. What I left alone were the trigger, hammer and cylinder release. Everyone likes it and I think it looks much better. Anyone who cares to, let me know what you think. Don

Looks good to me.

 

[whisler]

Me too.

 

[SteadyD]

Please give us a trigger comparison to the usual suspects!

 

[Don Van Winkle]

New photo. Just finished up with Mobile 1inside the voids in the frame. The hammer is much slicker now.

 

[Pat Riot]

View attachment 1075303 Well, I just couldn't get used to the ss finish on my 856 so I went and did it. I blackened the whole frame and cylinder. What I left alone were the trigger, hammer and cylinder release. Everyone likes it and I think it looks much better. Anyone who cares to, let me know what you think. Don

It looks really nice. What coating did you use?

 

[Pat Riot]

Last year I was looking at 856’s at a gunsmith shop near me. They sell new guns. I was waiting for one of the guys to retrieve a gun they were working on for me. I overheard a counter guy tell a perspective buyer “We have sold a bunch of these Taurus 856’s since they came out. We haven’t had one come back for any reason.”
I do not own an 856 and have no plans to buy one any time soon but I consider what the guy at the gunsmith shop said to be a very good endorsement of these revolvers.

 

[ECVMatt]

Last year I was looking at 856’s at a gunsmith shop near me. They sell new guns. I was waiting for one of the guys to retrieve a gun they were working on for me. I overheard a counter guy tell a perspective buyer “We have sold a bunch of these Taurus 856’s since they came out. We haven’t had one come back for any reason.”
I do not own an 856 and have no plans to buy one any time soon but I consider what the guy at the gunsmith shop said to be a very good endorsement of these revolvers.

Hey Pat, do you mind telling me which store stocks them in SoCal? I would like to take a look at them. Thanks!

 

[Don Van Winkle]

It looks really nice. What coating did you use?

I bought a spray coating that works on ss and after I put a green weenie to it, I sprayed it all over and it turned black. The photo is darker but everyone at home says it looks like a well used, worn gun. Just the look I was going for. 8 oz. SSB Presto Black Patina for Stainless Steel, Birchwood Technologies is what I bought. Worked great and I can darken it more if I need to.