TAURUS

[budd]

Does TAURUS have a custom shop??
I know this sound odd, since many believe Taurus is a below average quality firearm, but I find them well made and reliable with a good customer service (better and more knowlegable than some American companies), and will honor their warrenty on all there firearms.
I would like a TRACKER with a 3 in barrel in .45 Colt on a stainless steel frame.
That would suit me just fine.

V/R
J.Budd

[chaim]

They do not. They may be able to do some modifications if you asked, don't know, you'd have to ask

There are smiths who work on Taurus so you may be able to have something done custom in the aftermarket. I would love the gun you are talking about, but I don't see Taurus doing it any time soon. Maybe check with some of the gunsmiths who do work on Taurus and see if they can modify the barrel and cylinder of a .44mag Tracker. Though, even if it can be done, I doubt it would be worth the expense. I think they did the Tracker for a couple years in .45LC so if you could find one you would just have to cut down the barrel (good luck finding one though). The 450 is a 2" .45LC on the same frame as the Tracker, but they discontinued it about 5 years ago and they have become very hard to find on the used market. You may be happy with the 2" if you find one, or you may be able to have the 4" or 6" barrel from a .45ACP Tracker (they made them a few years) put on the 450 and then trimmed to 3". That last option is also probably more trouble and expense than it is worth.

My more realistic and cost effective solutions:
-Get a 450 if I find it and live with the 2" barrel.
-Keep an eye out for a nice 3" Taurus 431 in .44Spl (similar in power to the .45LC).
-Get a .44mag Tracker, shoot it with .44spl or downloaded .44mag handloads. Consider having it cut to 3".

[Winchester_73]

but I find them well made and reliable with a good customer service (better and more knowlegable than some American companies), and will honor their warrenty on all there firearms.

It might be time to buy a lottery ticket!

[lee n. field]

Does TAURUS have a custom shop??

They did at one time. I recall seeing an article in Handloader about a Taurus custom shop PPC revolver, from the early '90s.

I do not believe they do now.

The folks at Taurusarmed.net could tell you better than I.

I would like a TRACKER with a 3 in barrel in .45 Colt on a stainless steel frame.
That would suit me just fine.

And a round butt with Uncle Mike's combat grip. The ultimate snub.

[Wild-Bill]

Two words explain a lot. PRODUCT LIABILITY.
Reason for lifetime warranty.
Reason they pay for shipping.
Reason they don't sell restricted parts.
Reason for no custom shop.
All in place to minimize PL.
IMO

[g.willikers]

Taurus can make some good ones.
About the time frame mentioned, the early 90s, gunsmiths who specialized in competition grade revolvers often started with a Taurus, just as readily as a S&W.
There were quite a few in our local action pistol matches, back when revolvers still were popular.

[spanishjames]

Sounds like the perfect opportunity for someone to start up a Taurus Custom Shop.

[Wild-Bill]

Then a Taurus lawyer will probably be calling you... The year is 2013.

[budd]

Gentilmen
I have good luck with Taurus products and Rugers. I have bad luck some times with S&W and Remington and in the 70's I bought a Charter Arms Bull Dog brandnew and it was out of time and I felt lead pepper my every time I fired it and Charter Arms refused to repair or replace the pistol. I currently have 2 Traurus Trackers, one 44 Mag and other is a 45 ACP and both have 4 inch barrels. While both are very nice and reliable and have shot several thousand round through them with out a single major or minor problem, I just think a 45 Colt would be better chambering and I feel a 3 inch barrel would be a better better choice for a carry over a 4 inch. I know 1 inch isn't much of difference but I like the shorter barrel, it makes sitting a little easier and better sight picture and balance over the snub nose revolver, but really I like the feel and balance just like a S&W mod 12 round butt with a 3 inch barrel they made a long while back. The .45 Colt chambering I find is better choice and more versitile than either the 44 Mag and 45ACP, in my opinion.

I would like to thank all who answered my onping Question.

V/R
J.Budd

[chaim]

Like you I have had good luck with Taurus products. I have or have had 3 Taurus revolvers, one auto, and a post-Taurus ownership Rossi. After over 2K rounds and untold dry firing (without snap caps for most of it), I need to have my auto's firing pin replaced, and the Rossi (non-Taurus design, but Taurus manufacture) has one brand of .357 magnum ammo that it doesn't like. Not perfect (but just ask about my experience with Ruger, and heck, my beloved S&W 65LS hasn't been perfect), but not a bad track record. I am sold on their products.

I also agree with you that I'd prefer a .45LC over a .44mag or .44spl. I love my S&W 625MG in .45LC, and I have a nice holster for it, but aside from winter when I am wearing several layers (both a sweater and a coat to hide it) it is just too big for CCW. It is also heavy for all day carry. I would love the gun you are describing for CCW and camping. Heck, I'd love the 2" Taurus 450 or a 4" Tracker in .45LC. Though, a 3" medium framed revolver is about perfect for a personal defense gun (I will never part with my 3" S&W 65LS).

Unfortunately, Taurus discontinued both the 450 and the .45LC Tracker to make room on the assembly line for the Judge series (and presumably to minimize competing with themselves). I do hope they bring them back since both guns are nearly impossible to find used, and when you do, they aren't cheap. Again, maybe you can have a smith convert your .44mag Tracker to .45LC and cut the barrel to 3" (or use another .44mag if you want to keep your .44mag as it is).

[pete2]

Don't waste your money on one.

[budd]

I know that there are some here on the forum that hav had bad luck with Taurus products, and some just like to bash Taurus FOR JUST BECAUSE.

I have always found Taurus above average firearms with a competative price for the average person that lives on a tight budget. They have a good customer service and a good warrenty policies that Taurus will honor. They are not the best but far from the worst. The Taurus firearms will shoot and with above accuracy and with reliability. They are the Merwin & Hulbert pistols of the 19th century in the 20th & 21 centuries.

I hope everyone will understand this.

I have 3 Taurus semi-autos and 4 Taurus revolvers, I know they are not Rugers (which I have 6 Ruger revolvers)
and they are not S&W of which I have 3, because S&W are pricing themselves out of the market (sorry to say that but it is true) and becoming unafordable. A Taurus will not out shoot my Colt Python, or operate as smoothly or as accurately. But Taurus is what it is, a good, accurate, honest, basic firearm at an afordable price.

V/R
J.Budd

[Wild-Bill]

I agree with you Budd.
I have a Taurus M94. Recently I put a set of wood grips on it. It is my favorite one of my favorites. I would consider another Taurus depending on what I want and what I want to pay.
It is not for someone else to decide how you "waste" your money. You can "waste" money on an expensive firearm, paying twice what you could on a less expensive one that does exactly the same thing, shoots a bullet.
I recently bought a Heritage 9 shot 22/mag with fiber sights for $300. I could have bought a Ruger Single ten, the same type gun, for $620. I am happy with the RR as it is doing what I wanted it to, and I have $320 left over. That's for me to "waste" somewhere else or on something else.

[wayne51]

what Budd said.

[LarryFlew]

Ditto, the one problem I had with one was taken care of quickly.

One of the things people don't often consider is the volume to guns they have out there. IE if you have 5 times as many out there as anyone else you probably have 5 times the problems and people only see the 5 times the problems when the percentage of problems is the same or lower than other mfgs.

[PT-92]

TAURUS
I know that there are some here on the forum that hav had bad luck with Taurus products, and some just like to bash Taurus FOR JUST BECAUSE.

I have always found Taurus above average firearms with a competative price for the average person that lives on a tight budget. They have a good customer service and a good warrenty policies that Taurus will honor. They are not the best but far from the worst. The Taurus firearms will shoot and with above accuracy and with reliability. They are the Merwin & Hulbert pistols of the 19th century in the 20th & 21 centuries.

I hope everyone will understand this.

I have 3 Taurus semi-autos and 4 Taurus revolvers, I know they are not Rugers (which I have 6 Ruger revolvers)
and they are not S&W of which I have 3, because S&W are pricing themselves out of the market (sorry to say that but it is true) and becoming unafordable. A Taurus will not out shoot my Colt Python, or operate as smoothly or as accurately. But Taurus is what it is, a good, accurate, honest, basic firearm at an afordable price.

V/R
J.Budd
Last edited by budd; Yesterday at 03:55 PM.

Very well put.

I agree in terms of S&W pricing. I was in the market last month for a nice .22lr revolver (6'' barrel) for target/plinking. I would much have preferred the Smith Model 17 or 617 but $800+ for a .22lr...? I mean, for those that can afford it, more power to them and I am certain they will have a FINE piece of machinery. However, I do not have those kind of funds available for handguns so after much research I decided on the Taurus 990--granted it's early yet (only a dozen or so boxes of bulk .22lr fired) but it's been quite nice indeed. BTW, I'm not 'revolver guy' so to speak so I really can't speak to other models...

Contrast that with semis whereby I have lots (many Taurus, Smith and Rugers) and I can safely say all of my Semis (including the Tauri) have run quite nicely and on par with one another.

[Winchester_73]

I would much have preferred the Smith Model 17 or 617 but $800+ for a .22lr...

I understand what you mean about $800 being expensive in general, as in a fair amount of money, but remember, the caliber itself does not change how much workmanship goes into any gun by any manufacturer. In other words, a well made 22, such as a 617, should not be much cheaper than a 357 magnum from the same company. The same thing is true for 22 rifles. I can't tell you how much grief I was given for buying a Winchester high grade tribute legacy 9422 by friends of mine for $1000. They would say "but its only a 22" which actually means very little when you're pricing a quality firearm. If the company places the same great materials and does all of the checks and balances the same, it will be near the same amount of money. And just like if you're talking 357s, a cheaply made one sacrifices certain traits to become cheaper, and a cheaply made 22 sacrifices certain attributes just the same.

If you want to say an $800 22 is not worth it to you, that's one thing, but there is no appropriate set amount to spend on a given caliber, its all a matter of how much quality you want for your money.

[David Bachelder]

I have a Taurus PT709 Slim in 9mm. Trigger aint so great, but the pistol shoots fine. Good looking pistol too. I shoot a lot of cast lead bullets out of it. No leading.

[PT-92]

Winchester 73,

I agree--The old expression "if money were no object" rings true in firearms as well as anything else (kinda like the 'top shelf liquor' vs. the rest if you will--they'll both 'get you there' but one sure goes down a lot easier...).

[Venom1956]

I would say people who by taurus products typically are first time buyers or had a budget. Not saying they don't have appeal otherwise. (The fact I dislike them is irrelevant)

Now people who send guns to get custom work done are usually neither of those. Secondly alot of smiths don't work on them because either a. quality of internals or b. PITA of getting parts from Taurus.

Doesn't seem like a recipe for success.

[dalegribble]

custom firearms don't interest me much. i did happen on a 4" model 44 taurus in 44 mag. it is a very nice and very handy sized 44 mag revolver, it is ported and has "ribber" hand grips. the combination of these features make it a fine handgun and i enjoy it more than my 7 1/2" ruger redhawk. the taurus is more comfortable to shoot and is as accurate as the ruger. if you can find a similar model in 45 lc i think you would enjoy it. the 4" barrel makes a world of difference in the comfort of carrying it around and it matches the accuracy of the longe 7 1/2" ruger.

[LynnTX]

I have a Model 65 Taurus 357 revolver with 4" barrel that was made in the early 80's in stainless steel. I haven't fired as much high volume as many, but the gun has been flawless since I bought it new for less than $300 (1980's dollars).

I certainly can't speak for other people, but that was probably the best "bargain" firearm I ever purchased. It's still one of the most accurate shooting revolvers I have ever owned. I am rather fond of it.

The other closest bargain was probably my Chinese SKS infantry rifle I purchased NIB for about $90, but that is another story altogether.

[budd]

Thanks Guys for all the input. Sorry I have been busy. I like all Firearms, unless they are really bad news. The Taurus revolvers and semi-autos that I have all serve we well and great fun when at the range. I have many high quality brand-name pistols and revolvers (Colts, Rugers, Kahr, S&W, Sigs, and Taurus) I also have Bersa, Keltech, and I do enjoy them all. But my Taurus 99,and 92 and both of my Taurus Trackers are the ones I shoot the most and enjoy the most.

V/R
J.Budd

[S&W-Keeper]

I gave my daughter a model 605 that I bought around '94,that was supposed to have been run through their custom shop. I believe it said it on the box.It had been tuned and ported,and is bright stainless. It is a slick little revolver.

[JerryM]

I wouldn't spend any money to get custom work on a Taurus. My personal experience with their revolvers is that they are like shooting dice to get a good one. To me they are not worth the trouble even though their CS is good, However, they were never able to fix one of mine, and correct the misfires with any ammo including premium factory.

Jerry