Thoughts on taurus model 65 357 mag

[robs609 2]

Does anyone own this gun. I'm thinking about it for my next purchase . I love the price at 330 at buds but how is the quality compared to a smith.

Thank you

[tony357 386]

should not have any problems, taurus revolvers are good guns..

[GRIZ 3,369]

I have two 669 Taurus revolvers the adj sight version of the 65, a blued 4" made in 1988 and a stainless 6" made in 1992. The 6" I bought used from a friend. It was his only handgun for several years and he said he at least 10,000 rds through it (mostly 38s) and he never had any problems with it. I put at least 5000 magnums (mostly 125 gr) and a lot more 38s (mostly +P or +P+)through the 4". The only problem I had was about 10 years ago when I was banging off magnums and the rear sight mounting screw came loose and the rear sight flew off into the grass. Taurus replaced it at no cost other than shipping with about a 2 week turnaround. Taurus triggers are not as smooth as a S&W or Ruger but nothing you can't work with. I like to compare my Taurus experience with a S&W Model 19 I bought in 74 or 75 that suffered severely from flamecutting and going out of time after not more than 2000 rds of magnums. Am I saying Taurus is better than S&W? No I'm saying my Taurus is better than that Smith I had. I also have a Taurus 85 since 1988 with no problems and lots of rounds out of it.

 

Do I trust the Taurus? That's what I've been carrying lately so that should answer the question.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Taurus that met one of my real or made up needs.

[robs609 2]

I have two 669 Taurus revolvers the adj sight version of the 65, a blued 4" made in 1988 and a stainless 6" made in 1992. The 6" I bought used from a friend. It was his only handgun for several years and he said he at least 10,000 rds through it (mostly 38s) and he never had any problems with it. I put at least 5000 magnums (mostly 125 gr) and a lot more 38s (mostly +P or +P+)through the 4". The only problem I had was about 10 years ago when I was banging off magnums and the rear sight mounting screw came loose and the rear sight flew off into the grass. Taurus replaced it at no cost other than shipping with about a 2 week turnaround. Taurus triggers are not as smooth as a S&W or Ruger but nothing you can't work with. I like to compare my Taurus experience with a S&W Model 19 I bought in 74 or 75 that suffered severely from flamecutting and going out of time after not more than 2000 rds of magnums. Am I saying Taurus is better than S&W? No I'm saying my Taurus is better than that Smith I had. I also have a Taurus 85 since 1988 with no problems and lots of rounds out of it.

 

Do I trust the Taurus? That's what I've been carrying lately so that should answer the question.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Taurus that met one of my real or made up needs.

 

That answers my question. Thanks!

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

Personally, I think that S&W makes a better revolver b/c of the machining and choice of parts and higher quality control. There is a reason why Taurus sells their products at a lower price. You get what you pay for after its all said and done.

 

Does anyone own this gun. I'm thinking about it for my next purchase . I love the price at 330 at buds but how is the quality compared to a smith.

Thank you

[tony357 386]

Personally, I think that S&W makes a better revolver b/c of the machining and choice of parts and higher quality control. There is a reason why Taurus sells their products at a lower price. You get what you pay for after its all said and done.

 

What part of the taurus is not machined as well as the S&W ?

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

The Taurus has alot more MIM parts on it then the S&W. They are weaker and cheaper then forged or steel parts. They have a greater tendency to break down in the long run. Many custom revolver gunsmiths will not work with Taurus as a base model for a customer b/c they are more trouble then they are worth to get them to an acceptable level by their standards. I also think the overall fit and finish of the S&W is just nicer but that is subjective. If your Taurus breaks down they will fix it for you but the wait can be pretty long. S&W customer service is much better if you have a problem.

 

What part of the taurus is not machined as well as the S&W ?

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

What part of the taurus is not machined as well as the S&W ?

 

 

If you save your magazines (the printed kind) find a copy of The American Rifleman where the Taurus Judge was tested. The article occupies the center spread of the magazine. On those two center-spread pages is a gigantic blow-up of the rear of the open cylinder - the rachet on the extractor star looked like it was machined using a rabid beaver. Tool-marks doesn't even begin to cover what that looked like. Totally turned me off to Taurus. There is no question that S&W's are of better quality and have better maching. That may not affect the functionality of the Taurus whatsoever, on the other hand...

 

Lots of people have them, lots of people swear by them. Some swear at them - that's what makes this a great country, you have a choice. Me? I choose S&W over Taurus everytime, but that's just me. YMMV.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I own a Model 85 along with a Judge Public Defender and both are great guns. I bought my mom a 605 (blued 357 snubbie) and that thing is a great little magnum. I have no qualms about using my M85 for home defense as it is set up ready to go. And I plan on carrying the baby Judge when my CC papers come in. That's how I roll, so take that with a grain of salt.

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

Ok...Not to start a bashing tread on Taurus but if you buy a good one then you are in good shape, you will be a happy camper. If you buy a lemon then it will take a long time for Taurus to fix it for you. Their customer service is the worst! Just roll the dice and hope you get a good one. I know a few friends that have bought bad ones and they have sworn off Taurus forever.

 

With that being said, I know people who have bought lemon S&W revolvers and S&W fixed whatever problem they had, to the best of their ability in a short period of time. I would rather have S&W in my corner for that reason alone.

 

Last thing, the resale value of Taurus is not very good. Not alot of people want to buy these firearms used. There is a reason for that...think about it. S&W has a pretty good resale value.

 

If you want a good quality revolver that has stood the test of time but want to save a little money then I would buy a Ruger.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

If you want a good quality revolver that has stood the test of time but want to save a little money then I would buy a Ruger.

 

Good post bro, especially this part!

[tony357 386]

It is funny, the only revolver i had trouble with twice was my S&W 686 none with my taurus or rugers..

I also read in an article that mim parts are harder than forged or machined making it difficult to work with..Read this over on 1911.org since springfield also uses mim parts on their 1911's..

I also have 2 taurus 1911's that work flawlessly and are extremley accurate.

[Dan 177]

Here's a photo of my Taurus Tracker .357 ' s ejector rotation star.

 

You can tell it is rough around the edges compared to what you find on a more refined (and expensive) revolver. Cosmetically , the rest of the gun is really nice.

 

With Taurus, you will get a good looking and functional firearm. It won't be the best, but I'm sure it will be a good value for the $$. That's ultimately what it comes down to. The best at its price-point. I have 3 Taurii, with no problems on any of them. It seems from the sum of experiences it is more of a crap shoot if you get a good or bad one. If you are looking for a good revolver at a great price, are prepared for a RMA if you get a lemon, and don't mind a lack of spit and polish on some parts.. Taurus revolvers are something to consider IMO.

 

Identify your budget, look at all the options available to you, and go from there.

 

[GRIZ 3,369]

the resale value of Taurus is not very good.

 

That's really relative. My 4" 669 is in excellent condition and I don't think I'd have any problem selling it for $200. I only paid $85 for it when a Smith Model 19 would have cost me over $200 at the time. The Taurus warranty is transferable forever. If you bought a 20 year old S&W, you bought a 20 year old S&W. S&W's lifetime warranty is only for the original owner and that's only over the past 10-15 years.

 

If you want a good quality revolver that has stood the test of time but want to save a little money then I would buy a Ruger.

 

I was addressing the OP's question but I feel Ruger has them all beat. No idea what Ruger customer service is like with revolvers as I've never had one break. That's with 8 or 9 owned over the years.

 

There are S&Ws I own and like but way too many people bad mouth Taurus with no personal experience, they all have had "friends" who had horrible experiences. Maybe so, but Taurus is an excellent value for the price you pay.

 

Many custom revolver gunsmiths will not work with Taurus as a base model for a customer b/c they are more trouble then they are worth to get them to an acceptable level by their standards

 

I can remember back in the 50s and 60s if you brought your Volkswagen to most shops they would refuse to work on a foreign car. I will agree you're better off getting a S&W if you feel you need all kinds of custom work. If a "working" revolver is what you're looking for a Taurus will fulfill your requirements. A gun you spend more money on doesn't mean you will shoot better or defend you better.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

And the battle begins, Smith vs Taurus vs Ruger

 

All good points here guys.

 

My father has more Ruger revolvers than I can count so they'll always be my favorite. But Taurus has built a name for themselves with many options in barrel lengths, chambers, finishes, calibers and just plain old coolness. Ruger has kept it simple so what you see is what you get. S&W has some really nice guns but they are waaaay too expensive for the average shooter.

[BullzeyeNJ 104]

Yeah, I dont care if the Taurus lifetime warranty is transferable forever if their customer service is practically non-existent then what would it matter? Its an empty promise of nothing. Yes, the S&W warranty is non-transferable but with the two issues I had with two different S&W revolvers that I purchased used, S&W fixed the revolvers free of charge even though I was not the original owner. Both revolvers were returned to me within a 3 week period to my doorstep cleaned and polished. Thats called great customer service and people with a bad Taurus can only dream of such things. Again, I have not had personal experience with Taurus customer service but my friends' experiences that they shared with me were enough to keep the Taurus company from getting my business.

 

the resale value of Taurus is not very good.

 

That's really relative. My 4" 669 is in excellent condition and I don't think I'd have any problem selling it for $200. I only paid $85 for it when a Smith Model 19 would have cost me over $200 at the time. The Taurus warranty is transferable forever. If you bought a 20 year old S&W, you bought a 20 year old S&W. S&W's lifetime warranty is only for the original owner and that's only over the past 10-15 years.

 

If you want a good quality revolver that has stood the test of time but want to save a little money then I would buy a Ruger.

 

I was addressing the OP's question but I feel Ruger has them all beat. No idea what Ruger customer service is like with revolvers as I've never had one break. That's with 8 or 9 owned over the years.

 

There are S&Ws I own and like but way too many people bad mouth Taurus with no personal experience, they all have had "friends" who had horrible experiences. Maybe so, but Taurus is an excellent value for the price you pay.

 

Many custom revolver gunsmiths will not work with Taurus as a base model for a customer b/c they are more trouble then they are worth to get them to an acceptable level by their standards

 

I can remember back in the 50s and 60s if you brought your Volkswagen to most shops they would refuse to work on a foreign car. I will agree you're better off getting a S&W if you feel you need all kinds of custom work. If a "working" revolver is what you're looking for a Taurus will fulfill your requirements. A gun you spend more money on doesn't mean you will shoot better or defend you better.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

Colt King Cobra ftw! My best .357 purchase ever... costs a bit less than a comparable new S&W (if you can find it), and it's built like a brick shithouse.