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Old May 22, 2013, 12:16 AM   #1
Cards_fan
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Taurus Quality

I know this topic has been discussed in depth in various threads but I thought I would share my experience. Being a Smith and Wesson fan and knowing Taurus's reputation and quality control issues I have always stayed from their products. However about six months ago a friend of mine was looking to sell a Taurus 941. Being as he was in need of the cash and was offering it at a price I couldn't pass up I took it off his hands. While I will agree the action is not as crisp or smooth as it could be it has served as a great knock around gun. I have put countless rounds through it with zero problems despite my not babying it as much as my Smiths. It even got me out of a pinch when a rabid dog got around the house and I couldn't get to anything else in time. I agree that it may not be the Cadillac of revolvers and I won't be using it as a regular carry gun but I think Taurus is nothing to scoff at either. Perhaps it's just hit or miss with their products but I must say it has far surpassed my expectations. Maybe some of you who have more experience with them can share your experiences as well.
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Old May 22, 2013, 12:28 AM   #2
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Perhaps it's just hit or miss with their products
You hit the nail on the head.
I'm two for two in the negative. If there is a winning ticket? Don't let me buy your lottery ticket. I'm also in the negative on their so called "warranty".
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Old May 22, 2013, 10:01 AM   #3
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taurus USA magnun....

I purchased a new in box Taurus Protector Ti snub in 2004. The side of the Ti barrel stated .357 MAGNUN.
So much for the QC inspectors at the Taurus plant.
It shot okay & was very lightweight. I used a Desantis Nemnesis rig to carry it.
In 2005/early 2006 I owned a 82 nickeled .38spl revolver that was terrible. The cylinder constantly got stuck. I needed the Taurus revolver for armed security work and didn't want to rely on it in a critical incident.
I later traded it for a K frame S&W model 19 4" .357magnum.
I went to a big gun show last weekend & saw a new Taurus model .44magnum Tracker snub. It had rear sights milled into the back part & was extremely light. I could see shooting mostly .44spl loads out of the revolver. The sale price was around $800.00.
Do any forum members know if Taurus is selling that model as a limited run or is it a regular option in the Tracker series. I didn't see the .44magnum snub in the 2013 catalog.

Clyde F
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Old May 22, 2013, 10:06 AM   #4
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i can't imagine any Taurus firearm selling for $800.
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Old May 22, 2013, 10:30 AM   #5
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First off, I've never seen anyone showing off a Taurus that they thought was a classic or beautiful gun or anything. They seem to be intended for starter guns or knockaround guns. That said, their lower price means, all else being equal, you have more to spend on custom work and ammo. A tuned-up Taurus can be "good enough" and cost less than a S&W. It's all in what you're looking for.

Interesting article about Taurus here: http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...-its-mouth-is/

Seems Taurus is pulling a Domino's Pizza and just admitting they used to suck, but are fixing it.
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Old May 22, 2013, 12:12 PM   #6
temmi
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Perhaps it's just hit or miss with their products
You hit the nail on the head.
...
The best 357 I ever shot was a Taurus

But

I have heard about bad ones...

Never actually seen one

Snake
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Old May 22, 2013, 01:45 PM   #7
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The are either Top Notch or Bottom Rung with nothing in between them.
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Old May 22, 2013, 02:04 PM   #8
James K
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"Hit and miss." If you can handle the guns, check out the one you want, and know EXACTLY what you are doing, you can get a fine Taurus.

But if you were to pick the next one in the case....

For some time Taurus has been pushing the "we have improved" line, and fine if that is true. But having good customer service is only part of the battle. The ideal would be to have NO customer service because nothing ever goes wrong. That is not realistic, but if production and QC don't improve, even those 21 people will be swamped by complaints.

Jim
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Old May 22, 2013, 05:59 PM   #9
chiefr
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A local dealer was showing a potential buyer a NIB Taurus 357 and when he opened the cylinder, the latch broke off.
At the range last week a guy was shooting a Taurus Beretta 92 clone and the ejector spring broke.
Fortunate to know a dealer that sells quite a number of Taurus. He makes it clear that if there are problems with the gun to contact Taurus. He also tells buyers that if there is problems, Taurus can usually get them to work but it make take two or more trips.
Seem both good and bad with Taurus.
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Old May 22, 2013, 07:06 PM   #10
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true Taurus stories.....

My good friend in Pittsburgh PA had major problems with a 4" barrel model 82.
He used Taurus USA lifetime warranty & the company sent him a new unfired 4" barrel .357magnum 66 K frame(stainless).

As stated the Taurus QC is now hit or miss.
Taurus should offer the $$$ back if a US customer is not happy.

ClydeFrog
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Old May 22, 2013, 09:55 PM   #11
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My brother in law has a Taurus has racked up quite a few frequent flier miles, being sent back and forth for repairs. A doctor I work with has one on his ccw permit, shoots frequently at the range and has never once had a problem.

I don't think I'd trust my life to one, though.
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Old May 22, 2013, 10:49 PM   #12
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I have a tracker in .357 ( 7 shot) I love the damn thing. Hate the grips, I think the "ribber" grips are stupid, and would prefer wood. But the weapon itself is fantastic. I also have the Judge. Cant go wrong there.

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Old May 22, 2013, 11:03 PM   #13
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I have 2 Taurus handguns. One is a PT-145 I have been carrying for over 5yrs. The other is a poly protector 38spl+p I carry when I wear shorts or dressed casual. I wouldn't be carrying Taurus guns if they weren't reliable. Some folks bash them in spite of never owning one. The gun counter commando's say they are trash so they must be right.
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Old May 23, 2013, 05:20 AM   #14
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I've owned four Taurus revolvers. Never had a problem with any of them. The first one, back in the 80's might have been luck. I knew nothing about them, but then I didn't know much about Smith & Wesson back then either.

The other three were "calculated risks" shall we say. I knew enough about guns in general, and revolvers in particular to check them out before I purchased them, all used. One of them, a Model 66, seven shot, was one of the prettiest 357's I've ever owned. Man that thing had a nice finish.

Their newer guns don't interest me at all. Flat, slab sided barrels with slots, and ribs and such just don't do much for me.
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Old May 23, 2013, 06:49 AM   #15
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I've owned one Taurus. It was an M85 that I bought nib about 8 years ago. After freezing up solid after 250 rounds and dealing with the legendary Taurus customer service, it was my first, and last, Taurus.

It shot well when it was working but they are just too hit or miss and in my experience, their customer service was simply not engaged in actually providing quality service.

I'll spend the extra money for a better product from companies that actually back their guns. A lifetime warranty doesn't actually have any weight unless you are willing to back it up.
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Old May 23, 2013, 07:02 AM   #16
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As a gun enthusiast (and Taurus 85 owner), I would find these posts about how Tauruses are/have problems, if the cause of the problem would be posted. For example, broken mainspring, ejector rod unscrewed, split forcing cone, etc. "froze up", "stopped working", etc., reveal little/nothing about the "quality". More precise information please!
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Old May 23, 2013, 08:19 AM   #17
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Funny thing about Taurus. I have always been told, "those are junk guns" , "warranty is crap and a pain to use" , "inaccurate, unreliable, and full of cheap parts that will always break, everything a gun shouldn't be." , "Bad gaps, and you can see machining marks!"

My experience however has been very different. My first gun was a model 82 38 special. I learned to shoot on this gun. The DA trigger was heavy, and just horrible. The Single action trigger was pretty good. But over thousands and thousands of rounds, it never lost accuracy, and always fired great. The only issue was after lord knows how many shots, I had a firing pin break. I took it to a smith, he replaced it, and handed it back in a week and said, free of charge, Taurus paid your bill. To this date, that is the only problem I have had with a Taurus.

Now I do not want to come across like I am a one gun guy. After I sold the 82, I picked up a stainless 689 6" Taurus 357. It is wonderful. DA and SA are smooth and crisp. Fantastic accuracy. NEVER had a problem with anything loosening up, cylinders getting stuck, or anything else. It is only fed 357 rounds too, not light 38's, so it does take a beating. Lockup is tight, no erosion on the top strap, and the forcing cone cleans up nicely. Wonderful revolver.

So my luck has been with the revolvers. Well, I also have a TCP the little 380 that has never once missed a beat even on el cheap-o ammo. But my favorites, and I mean the two I will never get rid of: PT100 with a PT92 slide, and a PT1911. The PT1911 is great. Never missed a beat, and never jammed or had any other failure on all kinds of cheap or expensive ammo. Very accurate too.

My crown jewel is the PT100 though. All stainless, nicely polished, a real looker. But when shooting the strong recoiling .40 gets old, I press a button, flip a switch, slide off the .40 upper, and slide on a 9x19 upper, flip a switch, change a mag, and start shooting cheaper 9mm's. Same trigger, less recoil, same accuracy. When that gets old, swap on the Caspian .22LR upper and keep going with 22LR. I have been researching and it looks like uppers for a PT58 will work too for a 380 option, and 357 sig barrels are readily available. So on one platform, I can have 22, 9mm, 380, 357 Sig, and .40 s&w. All with the same trigger assembly. Through all kinds of junk ammo, good ammo, flat nose, round nose, lead, jacketed, hollow points, and the new hollows I call Cavern points because the hole is so darn big, I have never had any failure with this gun, with any of the different uppers used that was not ammo related (cheap bulk Remington rimfires don't always go bang).

Do I recommend Taurus to everyone? No. Same way I don't recommend Chevy's or Fords to everyone. There are lemons, I have just been lucky enough to never get one. However with all of them I own, it seems strange that with all the complaints, I have never had an issue. I think they are worth the look. If you like them, they are reasonable, but I think people are overly critical of them and LOVE hearing about the problems to validate their own opinions.

It seems to me most people look at their gun brand like their chosen automotive brand or religion. No matter what you say to a smith and Wesson revolver guy he will never consider anything else. Just like Ford driver will never drive Chevy's or Dodges. Too bad really. All of them make some damn nice trucks, but all of them produce a lemon from time to time (that is why there are warranties).

Guns are mechanical tools just like cars. If you want the best gun, or the best car, buy the one that does not have a parts department because they never break.
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Old May 23, 2013, 08:31 AM   #18
DBLAction454
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I don't spend my money on hit or miss products.


You get what you pay for (99% of the time) in gun world.

I can see the benefits for having a "knock-around" gun but seeing the issues some friends have dealt with when owning a Taurus and reading them here (always a with a grain of salt) I can't justify spending that money, even the low price, on junk. I'd rather spend it on ammo and run my quality weapons and be a better shooter

Seeing the words "Taurus" and "Quality" together kind of made me laugh

Last edited by DBLAction454; May 23, 2013 at 08:39 AM.
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Old May 23, 2013, 08:34 AM   #19
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I bought a Taurus .38 spl 4" barrel back in the late 70's. It was rough but shot good, I think I paid $75. for it FTF. I also had a Mod 85CH. Traded it. It also was a good pistol. I've had one of the 9mm's. Not a big fan of 9mm. Sold it. I've looked at several of the newer models at some gunshops and have not been impressed with the triggers. Seem a bit rough. I recently purchased an older 5 shot, 3" barrel, fixed sight, round butt, 44 spl. (Don't know the model number) It is the best Taurus I've owned. Action is smooth as silk and hits well with 44 spl SilverTips. (middle top row)
I'd say that the comment about "Hit or Miss" is accurate.
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Old May 24, 2013, 01:41 PM   #20
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The only Taurus that I can give an opinion on is my Ultra Lite 44 Special, model 445 with a 2 inch barrel. I have had this gun for about 2 years now and have had no problems at all. So far about 500 rounds thru it and it keeps on going strong. Not to much of a fan of the rubber grips, but they do the job. While it's not in the same category as my Smith model 29-10 with a 2 and 1/2 inch barrel, it also cost way less. I walked out the door with it for under $400 and that included 50 rounds of 44 special. All said, its a keeper.
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Old May 24, 2013, 04:35 PM   #21
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Quote:
I don't spend my money on hit or miss products.
You get what you pay for (99% of the time) in gun world.
My new Colt Commander came with too weak of a recoil spring (caused stoppage), firing pin spring (causing firing pin stop to drop down on firing, tyeing up the gun), and grips that looked like a shop project from an insane asylum. My wife got a new Colt Commander that had a burr on the barrel in the ejection port that kept the deputy sheriff who was trying to inspect it, from opening the action. I Got a new blue, 8 and 3/8 barreled S&W that had a burr on the firing pin bushing that kept the cylinder from turning after firing it. I got new S&W revolver that had to have the hammer bushings shimmed because the hammer was hitting/rubbing on the frame when fired.
And no, I did not pay extra for those features, so I disagree that it is a matter of, "...getting what you pay for...". Colt and S&W must be hit or miss.
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Old May 25, 2013, 01:14 AM   #22
DBLAction454
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Re: Taurus Quality

Quote:
Originally Posted by dahermit View Post
My new Colt Commander came with too weak of a recoil spring (caused stoppage), firing pin spring (causing firing pin stop to drop down on firing, tyeing up the gun), and grips that looked like a shop project from an insane asylum. My wife got a new Colt Commander that had a burr on the barrel in the ejection port that kept the deputy sheriff who was trying to inspect it, from opening the action. I Got a new blue, 8 and 3/8 barreled S&W that had a burr on the firing pin bushing that kept the cylinder from turning after firing it. I got new S&W revolver that had to have the hammer bushings shimmed because the hammer was hitting/rubbing on the frame when fired.
And no, I did not pay extra for those features, so I disagree that it is a matter of, "...getting what you pay for...". Colt and S&W must be hit or miss.
So you went out and bought some Bersas and Taurus instead?

I never said that paying more was a guarantee to zero defects. But AS A WHOLE you cannot tell me Taurus makes a product on the same level as S&W and Colt. Period.

And who knows if those guns you purchased were used or how many guns your purchase. The more you buy the more chances are that you've have some type of issue or stoppage.
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Old May 25, 2013, 01:31 AM   #23
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The only Taurus I can give an opinion on is my Tracker .17 HMR with 6.5" barrel.

I hated the ribber grips that came on it. A pair of Hogue Monogrips remedied this. The revolver has functioned flawlessly over the 8 months I have owned it. Feels like its build really solid. I can't think of anything negative to say about it. I have not had any reason to have contact with their customer service to have much opinion on that.
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Old May 25, 2013, 03:08 AM   #24
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This sounds a little like an AA speech, but I confess I have owned FOURTEEN Tauruses, and still have one--a PT1911 that my gunsmith fixed after its hammer and thumb safety broke after 300 rounds, then tuned into a rather accurate and smooth 1911 that has given no trouble since and can't be sold without taking a huge beating....I had my gunsmith do the repairs, replacing the broken ones with quality aftermarket parts rather than waiting 8 weeks for Taurus to put the same crappy replacement parts back in.....

My own view is that a number of manufacturers are slipping in terms of QC these days, including Ruger, Smith and Wesson, and SIG. Not sure they have slipped to Taurus' traditional level, but they are not that much better any more.

The difference is that Ruger and Smith provide exceptional service if you find you have problems with your new gun. They pay for shipping BOTH ways, and the turnaround time is very fast. Smith's turnaround is a week, and they have FedEx pick it up at your house and deliver it back to the local Fed Ex, and pay both ways no questions asked.

My current understanding is that Taurus makes YOU pay the rather high price of shipping to them, and that their turnaround time is generally several weeks rather than the very fast Ruger or Smith time. If this has changed, I would like to know, because this is a major argument against buying a Taurus--you lose much of your cost savings on purchase each time you have to ship to the factory, and waiting weeks for what may be your only gun would be very frustrating. One reason I would never recommend a Taurus to anyone as their only gun...

My favorite is actually the M85 series (I have owned SIX), and if you know a local gunsmith like I do, who will work on Taurus revolvers, 1911s, and Beretta-type pistols, you can have him do the work if need be, rather than waiting endlessly for Taurus to MAYBE fix your piece. This is one approach to the Taurus conundrum, if you find one of these types of guns to be appealing to you.

These days I would only buy a Taurus my gunsmith would be willing to work on. If you get one of the more modern ones, it might be good, and you'd be happy. If you are unlucky, you are in for an unpleasant experience, unless their service has dramatically improved.
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Old May 25, 2013, 05:58 AM   #25
dahermit
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Quote:
So you went out and bought some Bersas and Taurus instead?
Bought one Taurus, a M85 in stainless steel. It is my primary carry gun.

Quote:
I never said that paying more was a guarantee to zero defects.
But, were you not implying that by evoking the platitude: "...you get what you pay for..."?

Quote:
But AS A WHOLE you cannot tell me Taurus makes a product on the same level as S&W and Colt. Period.
Based on what? Anecdotal evidence or do you have the metal-working and engineering knowledge to give credibility to your opinion? Can you give examples of personal experiance?

Quote:
And who knows if those guns you purchased were used or how many guns your purchase.
They were new, many guns over the years. The faults I stated were from factory new guns.

Quote:
The more you buy the more chances are that you've have some type of issue or stoppage.
There were other problems with S&W and Colt (factory new) guns that I did not mention. Addendum: A (new) Series 70 (collet bushing), Colt Government .45 that did not have the proper bend in the extractor so that it malfunction frequently. (took me awhile to figure that one out inasmuch as there was no INTERNET then). In short, for most of my life I only bought mostly new S&W and Colt guns and they (along with later purchases), all had some fault that had to be corrected. According to your logic, I should have paid more to insure quality. Or, I could have done what I did...study metal processing, machining, and study the internals and workings of firearms so that I could contend with the lack of workmanship (S&W revovers...rough bosses, lateral play in hammers, burrs, etc.), or Colt's lack of quality control (weak springs, extractor profile incorrect, etc.). However, I can find no mechanical fault or any issue with my Taurus 85...I must have paid too much.

Last edited by dahermit; May 25, 2013 at 06:03 AM.
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