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Old February 4, 2013, 06:57 PM   #26
old bear
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I’ve owned a Taurus 617 2 ½”, (a clone of the S&W 681) about three years now. During this time I’ve put 2,500 rounds of assorted 38 special +P, +P+, and .357 magnum ammo though it, and it’s still working just fine. It’s as accurate as I am in both double and single action.

The only problem I had was after sitting untouched for almost a year the factory lube froze up and came close to locking the damn thing up. Pulled the side plate gave it a good cleaning and re lubed and it’s now working just fine.
Apparently Taurus makes quality components but their final assembly, fit, and Q.C. department is lacking

Taurus makes two different styles of handguns. One type is a decent value serviceable weapon that will normal care give years of service. The second type is one that may never function properly no matter how many trips it gets back to the factory service center.

I will happily keep the one Taurus I have, but I will not gamble with another.
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Old February 4, 2013, 07:18 PM   #27
orionengnr
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I had a nicely functioning 441 (and my friend still owns it) so I am not a hater. However, it was obvious why it was half the price of the S&W 696 I had at the same time (and those have since become ridiculously priced). I have fired others, and seen others yet, that were...hmmm...not so good.
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I'm well aware of the Taurus warranty. Are we not all aware of their turn-around time and there propensity for refusing to pay for the shipping?
And I have read more than one (far, far more) examples where the firearm was returned with the same problem as it was sent in with. So not only do you get to play warrantee lotto, you get to pay for each trip...

Last edited by orionengnr; February 4, 2013 at 09:15 PM.
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Old February 5, 2013, 09:04 PM   #28
Nanuk
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What really makes me mad is when I find a Taurus revolver that has a smooth trigger, tight cylinder, it feels just as good as any Smith & Wesson or Ruger that I've ever owned.
You must not have owned any nice Smith and Wesson's if the action was as nice a Ruger or gasp a Taurus?
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Old February 6, 2013, 11:41 PM   #29
Mr. Whimsy
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I have had 4 taurus handguns and a Rossi (made by Taurus) 92.

One was an absolute gem that I never should have gotten rid of - their little 4-inch Kit Gun .22 revolver. Heavy, though, as if made of lead.

Another, a stainless .357, was a good gun but not quite as accurate as I liked, so I sold it. Wish I still had it.

And the rest had one problem or another. Got my money back on the Rossi 92, which wouldn't actually chamber a round. The other 2 handguns went back to Taurus.

The .44 special six-incher broke it's hammer after a surprisingly low number of rounds. Took them a while but they fixed it and I quickly sold it, fearing something else was about to go wrong. I wish I still had it.

And then there was the Beretta knock-off in .40 which went back to them multiple times but was never, ever fixed. It's problems were so simple that any local gunsmith could've fixed them, but Taurus just kept the gun forever each time and did absolutely nothing to the gun itself. So my "warranty" involved the gun getting a nice Brazilian vacation on my dime and Taurus whispering sweet nothings into my ear. And the pistol was so close to being perfect.

All of these guns had one thing in common - they could have been fantastic firearms if only Taurus just gave them 5 more minutes of Q.C. before they went out the factory door. It was heartbreaking how close they came to functioning perfectly, but just didn't because of some piddly little flaw that Taurus couldn't get a handle on.

Since owning them I've looked at many in shops, some of which were non-functioning new out-of-the-box revolvers. That took me aback. I've literally never discovered any other brand so rife with lemons. Rumor has it that a third of them have to go back before ever being fired and I believe it.

I am not at all a hater. In fact I am a big fan of Taurus. They are sort of like that super-nice creative genius brother-in-law who also happens to be a hopeless alcoholic. When he's good, he's great. But when he's on a tear, he can't do anything but defile himself. He oughtta be able to straighten up, but just never can seem to for very long. And it's a damned shame because you know he's better than that. But at some point, the tragedy of it is so taxing that you just avoid him and hope to not get sucked into his self-created problems again.

I have mixed feelings about Taurus. They have mastered every aspect of firearms making, but just can't produce an individual example that includes all of them. And success eludes them for absolutely no freaking reason that I know, unless they simply have no QC whatsoever and have made you, the purchaser, the "beta tester".

I constantly see some gun or another of theirs that I want. But I remind myself of how crappy it feels to have to futz with their asinine little issues - and the money magically finds its way right back in my wallet.

Last edited by Mr. Whimsy; February 6, 2013 at 11:47 PM.
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Old February 7, 2013, 01:30 AM   #30
Baylorattorney
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Taurus makes good guns. Rossi does too. They ain't as good as smith and wesson or as rugged as Ruger but they come close enough considering the price. I am only talking about the revolvers and have no experience with their semis - I buy Beretta. That's not to say they aren't on par, but I got a feeling they aren't. I'm currently shooting the Rossi Circuit Judge and am happy with it.
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Old February 7, 2013, 04:35 AM   #31
alaskabushman
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Taurus sounds a lot like Obama...either you love 'em or you hate 'em, there isnt much middle ground.

I have a Mod 65 and it goes bang when I pull the trigger. so I guess that makes me a lover.
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