decided on a wheel gun

[CMJeepster 2,777]

What Pizza Bob said.

[Stonecoldchavez 92]

I have a 686 Plus. Love it. Can't go wrong with the S&W revolver. 

[myhatinthering 462]

Where do we out a request in here for local dealers?

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

4 hours ago, myhatinthering said:

Where do we out a request in here for local dealers?

Look at the top of this page at the blue menu bar. Midway across is a tab that says "Gun Price Requests"

[Ray Ray 3,566]

I will second what @GRIZ said.  Although I don't like Taurus semi autos, and their quality control is lacking, their revolvers are pretty good in fact.   I own Rugers, Colts and S&Ws.  But I've owned a few of their revolvers as well.  They went bang, which is all it really needs to do.

[JimB1 554]

On 10/28/2017 at 7:05 PM, Ray Ray said:

I will second what @GRIZ said.  Although I don't like Taurus semi autos, and their quality control is lacking, their revolvers are pretty good in fact.   I own Rugers, Colts and S&Ws.  But I've owned a few of their revolvers as well.  They went bang, which is all it really needs to do.

I need to find some more Taurus revolver owners, a sample of one is not really indicative of the line apparently   I am thinking about the Taurus beretta 92 clone and that seems to get good reviews too. 

-Jim

[Bully 749]

I had a Taurus revolver.  After less than 50 rounds it went out of time so badly that it had to go back to Taurus.  I won't ever buy one again.  

I have several Smiths.  I also have a Ruger.  Had an Anaconda.  I've shot my buddy's King Cobra.  I like the Smith's and Rugers over the Colt's as shooters simply because there are parts for them and smith's to work on them should something go wrong.  If you're a collector and can swing it, the Colt's are hard to beat at this time.  

[GRIZ 3,369]

4 hours ago, JimB1 said:

I need to find some more Taurus revolver owners, a sample of one is not really indicative of the line apparently   I am thinking about the Taurus beretta 92 clone and that seems to get good reviews too. 

-Jim

Well you have two.  Ray Ray and Griz.  I have Taurus revolvers spanning the period 1988-2014.  I've carried all of them as a SD gun so I guess that speaks for what I think of reliability.  I did buy a new one that had timing issues. A call to Taurus, sent to them with their free UPS label, and two weeks solved that.  I've also seen dozens of Smiths that had issues from new.

The only other issue I've had with a Taurus revolver is the rear sight mounting screw got loose (after 10 years and thousands of magnums) and the rear sight came off.  I've seen this happen with Smiths too.  I had to pay for the shipping  (Taurus pays the shipping only for the first year) but got it back in two weeks.

I have a Taurus PT99AF (adjustable sight version of the 92) I carried as a duty gun for 5 or 6 years.  The rear sight leaf broke after 10 years or so.  Keep in mind this can on all adjustable sight guns when they get banged around as a duty gun does.  Once again, got it back in 2 weeks.  Other than that they gun still runs fine with maybe 20,000 rounds through it.

I lost a spring while cleaning a Taurus revolver.  My fault not their's.  A call to Taurus and they sent me one free a few days later.

That's the extent of my Taurus problems.  When you've seen maybe a few thousand guns go by you over the years you're going to find some problems with all of them.  I've never seen any problems with a new Glock or Ruger.

I've seen flame cutting issues on every Smith K frame 357 and most Colt 357s that have shot magnums regularly.  I had a 1970s Smith Model 19 I bought new where it was so bad I got rid of the gun.  That gun had less than 1000 magnums through it.  I've never seen flame cutting on a Ruger or Taurus 357.

Many condemn Taurus.  I can't believe I'm the luckiest Taurus owner in the world.  If Taurus was so bad they would have been out of business long ago.

Taurus revolvers don't have as nice a triggers as Smiths or Rugers out of the box but they smooth out in use.  I've never felt the need to get an action job or swap out springs.

Just my experience.

 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

10 hours ago, Bully said:

I had a Taurus revolver.  After less than 50 rounds it went out of time so badly that it had to go back to Taurus.  I won't ever buy one again.  

I have several Smiths.  I also have a Ruger.  Had an Anaconda.  I've shot my buddy's King Cobra.  I like the Smith's and Rugers over the Colt's as shooters simply because there are parts for them and smith's to work on them should something go wrong.  If you're a collector and can swing it, the Colt's are hard to beat at this time.  

It can happen to any revolver.  I sent my Ruger LCRx back to them 2 months ago because it was flame cutting horribly and it was dangerous to shoot.  My Taurus 85, Public Defender and 605?  All went bang.

[djg0770 481]

18 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

 I sent my Ruger LCRx back to them 2 months ago because it was flame cutting horribly and it was dangerous to shoot. 

pics?

[Ray Ray 3,566]

6 hours ago, djg0770 said:

pics?

 

[Stonecoldchavez 92]

GRIZ-

Excuse my ignorance, but what does "flame cutting" mean? 

[GRIZ 3,369]

1 hour ago, Stonecoldchavez said:

GRIZ-

Excuse my ignorance, but what does "flame cutting" mean? 

Flame cutting is when the flame or pressure or hot gases released in the barrel/cylinder gap in a revolver actually cut a groove in the top strap. It produces a fine line, actually cuts into the top strap right over the barrel/cylinder gap.

Early 1900s Colts had a dimple cut into the top strap to alleviate this.  This does nothing to  alleviate it IMO. It just conceals the issue and the top strap comes from the factory weaker at that point.  There are alloy frame revolvers that have a steel shield in the top strap where flame cutting would occur.  More on that later.

It is most common with magnum (357,41, and 44) and all those super magnums out there (454, 480, 500).  Now I'm not that familiar with those super magnums.   Flame cutting is very common on S&W K frame 357s.  It usually reaches a point and stops.  Every S&W K frame 357 that has shot some magnums has it that I've ever seen.  Most Colts, including Pythons have it.   I have never seen it on a Taurus.  The only Ruger I've seen it on was a Blackhawk in 357 Maximum.  Never on any other frame style or caliber Ruger.  Not saying it doesn't happen just saying I've never seen it.  I've seen a lot of revolvers in my time.

When a revolver "kabooms" usually the cylinder blows up then the front (barrel end) of the top strap.  It seems to me anything that weakens the top strap, even if it only goes so far, is not a good idea.

The tighter the barrel/cylinder gap the more pronounced it gets.  Like I said it usually reaches a point and stops.  I had a "pinned and recessed" (I think people make too much of that) Smith Model 19 I bought new in 1974 and used mostly for PPC competition and shot mostly wadcutters.  I did put less than 1000 magnums through it and the flame cutting looked like someone had run a hacksaw through the barrel/cylinder gap.  You could see the flame cutting looking at the side of the top strap. That's after about 5 or 6 years.  No lifetime warranty then.  I got rid of it.

While it's kind of an accepted thing with 357s my attitude is its avoidable with proper design.  I don't mean just putting extra steel there.

Alloy frame revolvers? I said I'd get back to them.  As I said I've seen that extra piece if steel that's supposed to prevent or minimize flame cutting with +P 38s.  I've also seen people get alloy Smith J frames  converted to 9mm parabellum.   A friend has a steel J frame Smith that came from the factory as a 9mm.  Looks and runs fine.  However converting an alloy frame designed for 20,000 psi (38 spl) to take a 35,000 psi (9mm) cartridge seems like not too good an idea in my book.  People who've had this done say the gun runs fine.  I'd like them to let me know how the gun is running after 8-10,000 rounds like my 70s vintage Model 60 that has had zero parts replaced and timing is fine.  That's at least 250 rds a year of +P for qualification for 30 years plus a few thousand more.  No flame cutting either.

I don't carry +P in a J frame anymore.  I carry factory wadcutters.  Once you've put an entry and exit hole in the target any extra power just wasted energy and goes downrange.  You can put that entry and exit in a target with a wadcutter.

I realize I more than answered your question but as a truly great man told me once "knowledge is not power".

The only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

@GRIZ, the flames shooting out the sides of the cylinder were blinding.   I sent it back to Ruger and they replaced EVERYTHING except the frame and grips.  New cylinder, cylinder crane, forcing cone, and a few other parts.  Shoots fine now, although I've only shot 100 rounds after her major surgery.

Great post by the way.   

[myhatinthering 462]

Thanks for the explanation!!

[9X19 125]

On 10/25/2017 at 0:16 PM, alec.mc said:

Smith 686

Ruger Gp100

Colt /Taurus 

and in that order. 

 

Spend the extra $ for the Smith

 

Colt does not belong anywhere near Taurus. 

Colt

Smith & Wesson

Dan Wesson 

Ruger

....than maybe Taurus

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Just now, 9X19 said:

Colt does not belong anywhere near Taurus. 

Colt

Smith & Wesson

Dan Wesson 

Ruger

....than maybe Taurus

No, @alec.mc had it right.  Colt guns are not as good as Rugers or S&Ws.  

[Golf battery 1,223]

On 11/1/2017 at 3:38 PM, Ray Ray said:

@GRIZ, the flames shooting out the sides of the cylinder were blinding.   I sent it back to Ruger and they replaced EVERYTHING except the frame and grips.  New cylinder, cylinder crane, forcing cone, and a few other parts.  Shoots fine now, although I've only shot 100 rounds after her major surgery.

Great post by the way.   

S&w 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Just now, Golf battery said:

S&w 

What?

[tony357 386]

I have Taurus 608 357 mag have never had any issues. in alot of spects it has nicer machining than my 686 smith i have posted that hear before with pics..

I also have Taurus PT58 380 sweet little gun i have had that for 20 years or so.

purchased both used.

Also have two Taurus 1911's in 38 super. no issues with either one shot the non tactical in  USPSA..

[myhatinthering 462]

Thx everyone

Went with 686plus in 6" and could be happier.  spent the past weekend putting about 400 38/357 through it.  absolutely love this handgun, very accurate, surprisingly soft shooting and just feels Great in your hand.

 

 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

6 minutes ago, myhatinthering said:

Thx everyone

Went with 686plus in 6" and could be happier.  spent the past weekend putting about 400 38/357 through it.  absolutely love this handgun, very accurate, surprisingly soft shooting and just feels Great in your hand.

 

 

Nothing like lighting off 357 out of a 6 inch barrel, that bullet is moving.

[SW9racer 262]

Who has found some good hot 357 factory loads?  I am finding the days of the USA Whitebox 110gr jhp of yesteryear loads are few and far between. Lots of anemic loads today. 

[myhatinthering 462]

18 minutes ago, Ray Ray said:

Nothing like lighting off 357 out of a 6 inch barrel, that bullet is moving.

No doubt!!!  definitely feel the pop of 357 vs. 38

[Parker 213]

Flame-cutting? 

 

There's a reason the scandium-framed S&W 327 has a special shield to prevent cutting of the topstrap: 

[myhatinthering 462]

I'm going to change the grips however, get something nice