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My first handgun was a Taurus .357. Never had a problem and traded it within a few years. That was almost 25 years ago and had no knowledge since. They do style themselves after Smith and Wesson revolvers and Beretta 9's.... buyer beware in anything (Walther P22 is a good example....great name....uneven product).
I own three Tauruses (Tauri?). First is a stainless steel M85 (.38 snub) purchased in 1992. Next is a PT111 compact, DAO 9mm purchased in 2001. Last is a M85 variant, an "ultralite" 851SSUL with a shrouded hammer, similar to the S&W Bodyguard, purchased in 2003.
Starting with the snubs: The M85 has probably 2000 rounds through it by now. It began life as a fill-in for the 1911 which was getting tweaked for a couple of months, then was carried regularly when the big gun wasn't practical to carry. Never, ever had a problem with this gun. When I moved west, I left it with a friend so I had a gun available for return trips. My friend has two safes full of guns, including three S&W snubs. When he and his wife took a Michael deBethencourt snub course 2 winters ago, the S&W 340 fell apart in his wife's hands, and the M85 completed the 2-day course admirably.
The lightweight snub similarly has had zero problems from Day One. When I bought it, I was on a mission to purchase a shrouded-hammer or internal-hammer lightweight snub, and I looked at 3 S&W models and the 851 at the gun store that day. Among other things I did, I closed my eyes and worked the trigger on each gun. That day, in that store, that lowly Taurus had a better trigger than 3 competing S&W models, and it was about 30% cheaper to boot, so that's the one I bought. This gun gets maybe 200 rounds a year through it, but it's light, reliable, carries easily in a pocket holster, and has a windage-adjustable rear sight. I'd bet my life on it, but as a lightweight it's not a fun gun for recreation. Carried lots, shot little.
Last is the PT911. This became the primary carry gun for about 5 years because of its compact size and 10+1 capacity. It's been shot a lot (5000+ rounds) and its finish has suffered from holster wear and warm-weather sweat. It had a problem once; a serious problem, in that I went to shoot it and I got more clicks than bangs. It was promptly returned to Taurus for warranty service, and I got the gun back about 3-4 weeks after I shipped it, all better. It's had better than 1500 rounds through it since that service with no hiccups. The trigger is a long DA, not as bad as the early 3-digit S&W autos, but long. With some practice you can learn how to stage the trigger just short of the break, which will return the best accuracy the gun is capable of.
So, 3 Tauri, 3 pretty reliable guns, fairly satisfactory customer service. The disclaimer? The newest gun is 8+ years old, and the one factory pit stop happened about 4 years ago. Thus I can't speak to current Taurus quality or CS practices, but I've been quite satisfied with their guns. Based on MY experience, I would not dismiss a Taurus gun out of hand. Mine are solid working guns, they just aren't heirlooms.
I have a Taurus Judge that I purchased for my wife. She was not thrilled using a shotgun so the Judge fit her need. We've shot 200 rounds and it has not had any problems. Even the 45 long colt is easily controlled. Can not speak to their semi's
Yeppers! It's a hit or miss proposition - much more so than other makers. I've had more negative experience than positive with Taurus and I probably won't buy another one. If I find a great (I mean steal) deal, I might buy one to hand over when "they" knock on my door to confiscate firearms....Quote:
Originally Posted by bmcgilvray
Here's my $0.02:
I have absolutely zero experience with Taurus firearms, I don't plan to ever have any experience with them, nor do I ever plan on buying one.
Why?
If I'm going to trust my life to a handgun, I don't want one which has a negative thread posted about it once or twice a week. Also, there isn't anything that a Taurus firearm can do that my Glocks and HKs can't do better. Taurus is one of the last places I'd look for a "combat" handgun.
Your mileage may vary, and I hope that your experiences with Taurus are positive. :wave:
I acquired a Taurus SS Snubby 605 from their custom shop. Ported barrel, smooth trigger, and upgraded grips. I shot 38s until a year and a half ago where I shoot 357. Works well for me. No timing issues. No problems with workmanship. In fact, I traded a Ruger SP101 snubby, instead.
Revolvers I have tried aside from mine are more than capable.
The semiautos have been nothing but problems.
Lifetime NRA Member
17+1, cocked & locked, made in 1987 and still going strong. Taurus may have issues with some of their polymer guns, but the PT92 series is not among them. I have three PT92's and a PT917CS and have never had an issue with any of them. Owned a PT99 and PT101 that were flawless through a bunch of rounds.....alas, I no longer own those. They were keepers. :mad:
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The only Taurus experience I have is the 24/7 9mm. I got it back in 2004 when they first came out. It has probably had somewhere around 3-4 thousand rounds through it and I have never had a malfunction. I carried it for a few years until I decided to go to the .40 cal. The only thing I can say negative about it is it's a pain to find extra mags. I had to order them from Taurus because no one carries them. I would carry it tomorrow and not feel like it wouldn't function when I needed it to.
Well, I have had 3 Tauri - PT99 bought in the mid '80s, PT145 Pro bought in 2007 (I think) and a PT709 slim bought and sold in 2011. None of them failed to operate properly . I have put several thousand rounds through the PT99 and about 3K rounds through the PT145 Pro. I carry the PT145 Pro as much, if not more than, anything else I own.
The PT709 was a buy from a friend who was having $$ problems. I shot a few hundred rounds through it, did not like the way it fit my hand and sold it. The gun worked fine, but I did not prefer it.
In addition to my Tauri, I have Smiths, Rugers, Glocks and a few others. I would buy a Taurus if it fit my needs. The PT99 - I was young and it was affordable. The PT145 Pro is (concept wise - so we don't get the haters knickers in a knot) about the perfect CC gun. Shoots .45 ACP (10+1) and conceals like a dream with the proper holster.
I have never had a Taurus but I have read on the internet that they are all bad. Also have a friend of my uncles aunts sister who has shot a Taurus that didn't work right. Not sure what was wrong with it but I will never buy one. Besides everything on the internet is true. I have a big airsoft collection and I know guns.
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you either have a great sense of humor, or you're totally whacked. You made me laugh. Thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by rogertc1
I have purchased a new Taurus PT740 Slim, only two hundred rounds, but so far so good, I will give a review of the gun after 1000 rounds and am convnced if it is a keeper or not. Definatly love the size and feel of the gun, very accurate, and easy to handle. kinda suprising for a small 40 cal.
I have had 2 Taurus's a PT709 that currently has 4000 problem free rounds through it and a TCP738 that had about 250 problem free rounds through it before I sold it. I have heard and read on the internet that glocks have kabooms so I will not purchase one. I also have a sister, that has a co-worker, that has a friend, that has a pastor, that has a cousin, that has a boyfriend, that talked to a gas station attendant, that spoke with a customer, that has a mother that shot a glock and it went Kaboom on her. She is OK, but her gun was destroyed. Therefore I will not by a glock..........just kidding :tongue: , actually I plan on one day purchasing a glock 20SF to add to my collection. God Bless :smile:
:hitwithrock:just about as good as a Taurus!
I had a Taurus .44 spl snubby, maybe 18-20 years ago, that I sold because I had more guns than dollars at the time. It's one of the guns I've always regretted getting rid of. Didn't have bajillions of rounds through it, was big and heavy for a snubby and only held 5 rounds, but I feel a slight pang of remorse every time I think of that gun. I just liked it, it worked when I pulled the trigger and fit my hand well. I would buy another one (revolver), but I'd have to look it over closely after reading some of the responses in this thread...and...as was mentioned by someone else, if I could get an old S&W for the price of a new Taurus, I'd go that route, unless the S&W was just mangy beyond belief.
