Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns I rolled the dice...

...and ordered one of the Taurus model 85 .38 revolvers from PSA. They have the rebate deal going on them. Been wanting to get a snub .38 but not wanting to pay for a S&W or the SP101. We'll see, seems like some of them end up being reliable guns that guys have for decades.

Despite a lot of comments I am sure are coming to the contrary, I think you'll like the Taurus model 85 very much. In terms of fit and finish Taurus is matching S&W point for point and doing it at a lower price point. I recently picked up a model 605 .357 Magnum for just over $300 as compared to an S&W for twice the price.
I've owned a few "Tauri" over the years and have found them all to be reliable and durable. I started with a blued model 65 3" many years ago, then snagged a PT-111 that I still have that has been a 100% performer since new, plus my SS M65 4", and of course the sweet little M605 "snubbie" in .357 Magnum

I too have seen the Taurus rebate deals and I'm sitting here thinking about snagging one just because it's so inexpensive.

They are good guns...... once they're broken in. I've seen many that had rough/ gritty triggers & actions brand new out the box, but smoothed up considerably after a couple hundred rounds of firing.

I had one a few years back. It was not reliable when purchased but I sent it to Taurus and they had it back to me in 3 weeks tuned and ready to go. It came back with a report of what they found and fixed. It was accurate and reliable for as long as I carried it. Wish it was still here, actually...

"Fit and finish comparable to Smith and Wesson"?????

But purty won't make her shoot well. I have never heard of, let alone seen a Taurus revolver with a trigger and action which is comparable in any way to a S&W.

But that does not mean my Tracker is for sale.

Taurus made one revolver that I would buy and build handmade parts for, if that's what it takes to keep it running. The 450 series snubs were 5 shot 45 Colts, apparently discontinued when the Judge line became popular. Hard to find on the used market and often overpriced when you do.

A friend of mine has had a Taurus, snubnose, .38 since the 1990s. It's the blued version, with traditional wood grips. I've handled it, and like it. I don't believe it's ever given them a problem.

There's one in brand new condition at the pawn shop down the street. It was made many years ago, but the blue is perfect, as is the fit. I don't believe it's ever been fired. Action is as good as any S&W I've ever tested, and better than most S&W actions I've tested. Timing was perfect. Double action, smooth. Single action, light and crisp. I was sorely tempted to buy it at the bargain price they were asking. It was a four inch model, and looked almost exactly like an old Model 10 S&W. That's what I thought it was, in fact, till I got a closer look.

I got the 85, looks like decent little gun. It is pretty accurate with the stuff I had on hand, ringing steel at various distance out to 50 yds.

Had an issue tho. I was down to two rounds at the end of a box, put them in the cylinder to light them off, the cylinder would not rotate, I guess because of the off balanced load? I was shooting double action, so pulling the trigger advances the cylinder. It would start to move, then not advance to the full chamber. I had no issues when there were rounds in every hole. I could repeat the issue at home. Any ideas? Should I just send it back to customer service, or is that a crap shoot with Taurus?

My experience with taurus customer service was positive.

Actually the best service that i've experienced from any gun company.

Good news...