Taurus Revolver Stigma

[Guillermo]

interesting how reputations work

Just like everyone, Taurus is building revolvers with injection molded parts so as to cut costs.

Since Taurus doesn't have a fine, well respected name to ride into the dirt their reputation suffers.

Add the fact that those lemons are oft not handled well by customer service.

So the people with reason to complain, complain loudly, hurting their reputation even more.

Depending on the model, Taurus is no better or worse than anything else. But you would never know it by reputation.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've had three really bad Taurus revolver experiences with guns I've shot personally, but were owned by two friends. I will never buy a Taurus product of any kind, or from any of their other companies like Rossi. I'm not sure if they own anything else. JMO and my own personal experience with their products.

 

[MMCSRET]

Have had great service from my first "T" gun, a Model 441. I am the 4th owner and the gun is 20 years old, I've had it 10 years. It is accurate, reliable and a pleasure to hand load and shoot. I average a thousand rounds a year thru it, so it has had well over 10,000 rds thru it. My second "T" gun is a 2010 Model 327B2 in 327 Federal magnum. I've put 1200 round thru it, works, looks, feels good. I have every reason to trust Taurus, they have never failed me, can't say the same for a couple other "quality" products from the good ole US of A.

 

[PapaG]

In general, and these are opinions formed through the ownership of about a dozen Tauruses and the sales/service of a couple hundred more:
A. The later small framed revolvers have given us more problems than any other brand...uniformly bad trigger pulls, poor locking bolt/cylinder fit, and some headspace issues..both 85s and 94s.
B. Most of the autos worked fine. Some of the Milleniums, not many, had feed issues.
C. Large Revolvers, Trackers, Raging stuff, seem to last a long time and have pretty good actions...my Tracker 17 is the most accurate revolver I've ever owned.
D. First Judges had vastly oversize chamber throats and leaded worse than anything in my 67 years of experience.
I own a couple. I'm keeping them. Most, however, I got rid of and replaced with Smiths, Rugers and Colts.

 

[Lee D]

my experience with Taurus is this: id MUCH sooner carry a revolver than one of their semi autos. now im basing this on guns i owned/shot over 8 years ago, so things might have changed.

 

[Frank V]

I would look at it on a gun by gun basis. I'd look it over carefully, check for timing, lockup, smoothness, how the crane fits the frame, & the other things we look for on any used or new gun.
I had a Taurus Tracker .44 Mag for a year or so & it was a good gun. I sold it because I really didn't like the ported bbl, & the Ribber stocks. It shot well & was accurate.
Frank

 

[skidder]

The problems with Taurus are evident in their negative feedback. Far more complaints than any other manufacturer. I'm not "bashing" just reporting the truth. They do make some descent firearms, but the "good to bad" ratio is way to high. The reason for this is their QC and CS. They don't stop the bad from going out the door! For this same reason the guns that are sent in don't get fixed. I've had two that went bad. I sent one in for repairs only to have it come back not fixed. There was no excuse for the condition of my gun when it arrived at my door step.

Again....I don't think it's their guns (the good ones), but their poor QC that lets the defects out the door! If they would stop letting defects slide past the front gates there would be a lot less of this so called "bashing".

 

[DesertFox]

Many Taurus semis and wheels over the years here for me. A 669 4" 357 Mag has been a sweet shooter ever since I got it. A 44 8 3/8" has bagged quite a few large 4 legged furries. A model 94 4" has a nice trigger after many, many firings and many, many gophers. A model 94 2" is my new snub practice gun and while the trigger was hellish at first, it is breaking in and slicking up nicely without replacing springs. A 856 Hy-Lite I just got has quickly become my favorite little lightweight pocket 6 shooter.

2 PT-22 I had came apart and Taurus CS replaced them with my requested Model 94 and Model 44. I have a PT92C that is rugged and reliable as were all the other 9mm models I used to have.

I've made use of CS at Taurus, S&W, Ruger, Marlin. Guns are machines that break or can be imperfect no matter whose name is on it.

 

[Ruger Redhawk]

My one and only experience with Taurus was a M85 Ultra lite. I believe that's what it was. I know it was a 38 spl snubbie. I bought it brand new for the wife as her carry gun. I took her to the range. She shot the cylinder full of rounds and handed it back to me. Then I noticed that on 3 of the chambers the cylinder would not lock. I had the hammer back and it would still rotate. I took it back to the dealer I got it from. He sent it to Taurus. It was back in a timely manor. I then traded it in on a S&W M637. For those of you that are happy with your Taurus's I'm happy for you. I will never buy another one.

 

[MCgunner]

Again....I don't think it's their guns (the good ones), but their poor QC that lets the defects out the door!

Yeah, I no that's not a problem at Smith and Wesson....</sarcasm>

 

[Guillermo]

that's not a problem at Smith and Wesson

I want everyone to note that I DIDN'T SAY IT!!!




McGunner is a smart guy and with an 1100 Kaw mill on his mower, he is done with the lawn and to the range faster than anyone

 

[no_agenda]

Owned a Taurus .357, never had any problems with it. But...once you feel the difference between a Taurus and a finely built S&W revolver...you can appreciate the quality that S&W has put into their guns.

 

[theicemanmpls]

I am not aware of one agency contract awarded to Taurus.

Taurus firearms make great range guns. If they fail, you simply put them back in the case, and go home. Throwing it in the river is an option.

Any make and model of firearm will fail. More so if not properly maintained.

I have shot, and handled several of the Taurus products. Some work great. To many of the others have issues.

My spouse wanted millennium 9mm in pink. It is a dandy pink gun that never gets fired. The fit and finish are a lower quality. The trigger pull is not the best. IMHO, it was a waste of hard earned money.

For duty, or ccw, I would not carry one.

 

[MMCSRET]

I have had phone and email dealings with several gun companies, most are very responsive, Taurus has been very good at answering my questions, responding with call backs etc. Most of the companies are good but currently I becoming very frustrated with the lack of responses and failure to follow thru from S&W. Right now I'd trade dealing with S&W once for 25 or so dealings with Taurus or any other gun company. Right now S&W is at the top of my "precarious position" list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guillermo]

I am not aware of one agency contract awarded to Taurus

Are you aware of Taurus competing for one?

 

[Byrd666]

Pukindog12

My experience with the Taurus revolver has been a very good one so far. I have a 66B4, a 7 rnd. .357 with a 4" barrel. So far, with about 500 r so rounds through it, it has been reliable and very accurate. Now that the double action is loosening up, it's almost perfect.

Now as far as the Taurus Customer Service goes, they are the worst in the industry. My opinion only. I've heard from various shops and shooters that they've gotten nothing but hassle after hassle dealing with them. I called one day to inquire about the history of my revolver, even knowing it has never been out of my possession, and the first words from them were, "You're not cleaning you gun enough." This was on more than one occasion. And I never did get my question answered.

 

[JimStC]

I really like my Judge. It is the first model 4410 which runs the 2.5" shells. Blued Ultra-Lite model.
I'd shoot it more if .410 ammo wasn't so expensive. Even with that said I have 300+ rounds with zero problems.
It is my truck gun loaded with 1/5 oz slugs.

 

[Haywood]

If you read enough of these Forums you will find problems with most any Gun. I have written this on so many of them I can't remember ware. I have worked in Gun Shops for more than Ten Years and have sent all makes and models of guns in for repairs. I personally have had to send a Smith & Wesson, Para Ordnance, and Taurus back for repair.
Taurus and Smith took care of me with no problems and quickly. It took Para a year but, they did give me a new Gun. So, take my info for what it is worth and go with your gut and buy what you like. Anything mechanical can break. I have had more good Guns than bad from Taurus.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I've handled quite a few NEW & USED Taurus revolvers over the past few years and every single one has the timing off. Pull back the hammer and hold it, squeeze trigger, let down hammer while holding back trigger and wiggle the cylinder.Do this for every cylinder and I guarantee that every notch will be looser then a Ruger or S&W that has had thousands of rounds through it and every notch will have a different amount of play. This is my experience, not a "he said" or "I heard it from this guy who knows a guy".

 

[old4x4]

I bought a brand new Model 444 Ultralight in .44 Mag and didn't shoot it right away. When I did shoot it, I noticed the barrel had a slight twist and that the sight was, therefore cocked. I had my local gunshop send it back and in 2 weekss it came exactly the same. No change. They agreed with me that nothing had been done and back it went. It came back with the problem fixed after a nasty call from both me and the local shop. The day it came back fixed, I traded the piece of sh1t in. I never brought it home. Poor manufacturing and poor customer service.
On the other hand, I have a couple of their revolvers, that, while great for plinking, do not function well enough to trust my life with.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Nakanokalronin
I've handled quite a few NEW & USED Taurus revolvers over the past few years and every single one has the timing off. Pull back the hammer and hold it, squeeze trigger, let down hammer while holding back trigger and wiggle the cylinder.Do this for every cylinder and I guarantee that every notch will be looser then a Ruger or S&W that has had thousands of rounds through it and every notch will have a different amount of play. This is my experience, not a "he said" or "I heard it from this guy who knows a guy".

Timing off or looser fit? Big difference. I do agree you with that T's aren't generally as tight as a S&W or Ruger. Nevermind Colts.

 

[coolluke01]

Taurus Stigma. I thought that was a name of a new revolver they were coming out with. It would be fitting.
I have owned a taurus tracker and I had nothing but problems with it. I sent it back several times and never had a good experience with their customer service.

Not worth the risk as far as I'm concerned.

 

[KevininPa]

I had two

Now I have one. Bought a blued 605 that is fantastic. Liked it so much that I bought a stainless one. Not so fantastic, went to Taurus CS not just once but twice. And before someone says it, yes, I checked it out before putting my money down even though it was brand new. Would I buy another one? Probably a used one that I could shoot first, in a FTF private deal. Actually looking for a 94 or a Charter Pathfinder snub for cheap .22 snub practice. I can't afford a Smith .22, even used. It seems like Taurus can produce a good gun (like my blued 605. That's a gem!), they just can't seem to do it consistently. Makes you wonder, is it the workers or the machinery? Maybe my SS 605 was made during Rio-Carnival, kinda like how we joke about products made on Mondays and Fridays! Who knows. Just my two cents.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

Timing off or looser fit? Big difference. I do agree you with that T's aren't generally as tight as a S&W or Ruger. Nevermind Colts.

Timing is off. I've seen lead shavings on the cones of a few Taurus revolvers NIB. They don't know how to time a revolver correctly nor do they know how to be consistent in the lock up.

 

[coolluke01]

Timing was the problem I had with mine. It was shaving lead so bad I couldn't shoot it. Stuck a piece of lead in my brother in law 30' behind me! Not a safe gun. Sent it back 3 times and it never was fixed. Sold it to someone with more patience than me. He sent it back and I never heard about it after that.