Taurus Reliability - Actual Numbers

[Nanuk]

That is why I just spent $700 on a Smith and Wesson.

[James K]

No one has ever said that ALL Taurus guns have problems. Most are fine and their owners have no problems. But Taurus fans cite those reports and then say they prove that Taurus has no problems and that reports of problems are lies. Nope. Unfortunately, no one (I doubt even Taurus) is really keeping track of the problems with those guns. There is no government agency that keeps records of problems or recalls in the firearms industry (and most of us wouldn't want to give our beloved government that kind of power), so sites like this are about the only way users with a problem can know if their trouble is an isolated fluke or something inherent in the design or material of the gun.

Jim

[Kreyzhorse]

I owned one Taurus, a new in box M85. It froze up solid between 200 to 250 rounds. After dealing with Taurus Customer Service, after getting the gun back I sold because I didn't trust it. That was my first and last Taurus.

In my book, and it's a small sample size, they have 100% fail rate. I own 3 Rugers, 3 S&W, 1 Walther, 1 Glock and 1 Springfield. I've never had a problem with any of those guns by comparison.

To me, it just makes sense to spend a little more money up front because you'll get a much better gun in the long run. If you buy a Taurus and have problems with it, it will likely cost much more than buying a better made gun would have in the first place.

[Justice06RR]

It reminds me of Apple. If you take a survey asking if people love their iPhone/iPod, you'll get nothing but five star glowing reviews, and people saying "DON'T BUY CHEAP IMITATIONS, GET WHAT YOU KNOW YOU WANT!" and such. But in reality, the things are no better at doing what they do than the competition. Personally, every iPod I've ever owned had issues, and all broke after a couple years (not due to abuse, I babied the things), and absolutely everyone I know that ever owned one had the same experience. Yet most people (not me) love them anyway and the hype produces glowing reviews no matter what, and people bash the competition basically because 'they aren't Apple.' Some see a product's popularity (and how much it costs) as an indication of how 'good' it is. I don't. I see some of that same behavior in the pro-S&W-anti-Taurus posters too.

I will echo what you posted here.

Having owned both Apple products and Taurus semiauto's, i'll put in my 2cents worth. I try to be unbiased with products that I've owned. So with that i've owned Smith and Wessons, Springfields, Keltecs, Taurus, etc.

The 2 Taurus pistols i've owned were more newer models (PT709 and 740). Both were good quality IMO and performed flawlessly without problems during the time I carried them. Better quality than Keltecs, and about close to Ruger or S&W for much less $$.

The Apple products I owned - an Iphone 3G and an Ipod 30Gig video - both were excellent products. But both also froze up on me a few times.

Granted we're comparing apples to oranges here, but that is my experience.

[Bamashooter]

I have had my 3rd gen. PT-145 for a few years now. I have 1000's of rounds downrange without one single issue. I guess Im in the 86. whatever percent who are satisfied with Taurus. Im curious as to what the top 5 most returned is. Taurus cant be all 5. Anyway it doesnt matter what the internet guru's think or say, my Taurus has been flawless. Who cares what joe schmoe from podunk thinks of a gun he has never owned.

[Skans]

I’ve owned 2 without a problem, guess that makes it 100% reliability: rolleyes:

Add my PT99 that had a huge problem and that brings reliability down to 66%. Yes, I actually owned it, fired it (factory Fiocchi 9mm), experienced a catastrophic failure with it, waited 6 months while a smith tried to get decent parts to fix it, and then dumped it.

One more thing, before someone bring up the "Lifetime Guaranty", I've got a few words to say about that.

1. Lifetime guaranties won't help you when you need your gun for self defense.

2. Lifetime guaranties should be renamed "Repair Avoidance Policies" because they are drafted by lawyers who want to give their company (like Taurus) complete discretion on whether or not they will repair a gun that experiences a problem. If the company doesn't like you, your problem, or your gun, they will just tell you to go pound sand.

3. Lifetime guaranties don't ensure that your replacement parts will be as good as the ones that came with the gun, or that they will even fit - my replacement part(s) was pure crap.

4. Some of y'all like Ruger. Ruger claims to guaranty their guns for life. That is until they simply decide to stop supporting the guns they made (ref. AC556) then you are SOL.

5. If Taurus went out of business tomorrow, which gun would you buy today: PT-92 or a Star Firestar 9mm? I have a Star Megastar - Star hasn't been around for over 20 years. My Megastar, and all other Firestars and Megastars that I've heard of don't need company support or lifetime guaranties, because they were made like tanks to begin with.

If you want to purchase a "Lifetime Guaranty", then go to Legal Zoom (form legal documents) and see if they have one that you like - probably will cost you less than $20. If you want to buy a gun that won't fail, then ignore the ten-cent guaranty that it comes with and BUY A GOOD QUALITY GUN!

[buckhorn]

13.28% failure out of the box, brand new? What's it gonna be after 200 rounds? 20% after 400 rounds 30%. I know they have a lifetime warranty, but what good is a gun sitting at the UPS depot when you need it? I have guns over 20 years old that have never malfunctioned.

[mes228]

I've owned several Taurus 1911's and they were good guns and very accurate. One came with a firing pin hole that was drilled too large and bulged primers into the hole a little. Taurus replaced the pistol free, but I admit it was slow ie 5-6 weeks I believe. All were reliable, AND VERY ACCURATE, out shot my Colt Gold Cup by quite a bit.

I've had several Taurus revolvers and Rossi revolvers by Taurus. All have been S&W copies from appearance. All functioned well, all were accurate. I shoot revolvers much less than pistols so can't speak to longevity. I have a Rossi now
I believe it's a Model 971 and looks similar to a Model 19 S&W. I really like the pistol in every respect, though I've shot it little. And then almost entirely with .38 Specials, not .357 Magnums. I keep it loaded with .357's in a pistol case just as a back up along side a FN Tactical .45 w/ Trijicon red dot.

[JerryM]

I have owned 2 M85 revolvers. One was fine when I sold it. The other misfired several times per box. I sent it back at least three times, sent it to a revolver specialist, and after over a year I finally got a new one from Taurus. I promptly sold it without ever taking it out of the box.

So the failure rate of guns is 50% for me. Need I say any more why I would not own one?

The additional cost of a S&W (I have four) is well worth it to me.
Jerry

[James K]

"Ruger claims to guaranty their guns for life."

Well, no, they don't. In fact they make no guarantee whatsoever. But they say that they "Ruger wishes to assure its customers of its continued interest in providing service to owners of Ruger firearms."

What does that mean? Not much at all. BUT, Ruger, without fanfare, does a great job of customer service that in effect is the same as a lifetime warranty.

JIm

[Cheapshooter]

My experience with Taurus reliability has been 100%. Of course I only own one, a Judge Public Defender Poly. I will have a second as soon as BPS gets in more PT-22 Polys which I have a rain check from their last add for. Also my son't Millennium Pro has been 100% reliable as well.

[Patrice]

Hhmmm....I hear lots of bad things about Taurus & Rossi products, especially as relates to their manufacturing quality control. However, I have access to 7 Taurus & Rossi products in pistols & revolvers. I've not had any more problems with any of these firearms than I've had with the Colts, Smith & Wessons, H&K's, FNH's, Glocks,Springfields et. al that I also have access to shooting. I guess I'm just lucky.--Patrice

[PT-92]

Like someone said earlier regarding the publication "Gun Tests," I too respect it and have read it now for almost thirty years (gosh I am getting older ). That being said, I do not agree with all of their findings (last month's shotgun review/rating, for example, I found flawed big-time). But the fact that they are not bought and paid for via advertisers and actually advise against purchasing products is simply unheard of in the publication industry and seemingly provides additional 'credibility' to their research (Big fan of Guns & Ammo but if I see them pander to Kimber or Ruger one more time I will . Both Kimber and Ruger make fabulous guns but they have obviously bought and paid for Guns&Ammo as there is a corrosponding endorsement every other page (print) or minute (TV).

Sorry for the rant/tangent but I have got to say I have had no problems with any of my Tauri (five total now). I will say, however, all of my guns are known for being among their more 'established' models like the 92, 24/7 G2 etc. and not the more 'cutting-edge' designs I have seen them market of late.

-Cheers

[10Ringmagic]

The only Taurus I have ever owned I bought new a couple of months ago, it is TCP 738 .380 blued. It seems to be a very decent little pocket rocket, I've only put a couple of boxes of hardball downrange with it so far, but it has gone bang every time.

[ms6852]

I've had the pistol for close to 30 years. A PT99 Taurus, goes bang every time and never a malfunction. Maybe I got lucky, regardless it was a lot of money back than and I trust it with my life.

[PT-92]

ms6852,

That model is indeed a wonderful gun both aesthetically speaking as well as functionality wise. It's the one Taurus model (92/99) that seems to have very few critics.

-Cheers

[xanadrew]

So, I went back to the store and after putting the Ruger and some Tauruses back in my hand, noticed that the action on the Taurus was considerably stiffer, and the parts slid around fairly roughly. I opened them up and put the Ruger LCR along side the Taurus 605 and I could visually see the difference in machining quality. In the Taurus, the ends of the cylinder and the face of the ejector were so rough I could see the tool marks and feel the ridges with my fingernail like I was scraping it on sandpaper. On the Ruger, everything was smooth and polished as it should be and the action was very smooth.

Between that and the ability to change the front sights, I bought the Ruger that day. I still might buy one of those Taurus Protectors some day when I have a little more expendable cash, though.

[Skans]

Ruger makes a good quality gun - you can't go wrong.

[whippoorwill]

The Ruger should work fine, although my only two firearms ever needing to be returned were from Ruger. Still, a fine brand!

OP, thanks for being objective in making your decision. That was the most reasonable post I've seen on Taurus. Although, it did mean that I had to hear the "regulars" telling their oft told tales.

[a7mmnut]

Same story: fluff and buff cheaper stuff, or shut it up and throw big bucks. My Models 431, 66, PT 22, and older 82 are reliable, accurate, and dependable. The same goes for Rugers, AR 15's, Stoegers, and most mil surp. stuff. -7-

[Kreyzhorse]

Ruger claims to guaranty their guns for life.

Actually, Ruger does not warranty their guns at all.

[Axelwik]

I've owned three Taurus guns - all purchased new. On one the cylinder locked up after only 75 rounds. The dealer took it back and I've been buying Rugers ever since.

So for me Taurus had a one-third failure rate.

[orionengnr]

Search is your friend....

[Tom Servo]

Actually, Ruger does not warranty their guns at all.

For liability reasons, no warranty is articulated. That said, I've yet to see a problem they haven't fixed for an owner.

[Ace_Breaker]

I've owned 3. Every one I owned broke, physically, not just a failure, broken. My first Taurus, a 85 stainless broke internally on the first day I owned it. I took it back to the shop and they replaced it. The second had a spring or something internal break and had to be sent back for repairs with less than 100 rounds through it. I sold it vowing never to get another. I finally decided to try one last time with a PT145, the latest generation. It had parts flying off on the first range visit. Accuracy and reliability were also very poor. Go ahead continue to try to save a buck Tauri lovers, you can have them. I just hope it works for you when you need it most. All that has been said and there are many who just don't seem to get the fact that they are a lower quality handgun. I've never had the same problems with Hk, Sig, Glock, CZ, and a few others. 3 strikes and Tauri is out. And here is a handclap for those who bought a substandard handgun and it seems to work for you flawlessly. Report back when you've put several thousand rounds through the gun and see how you feel about them.