Honest opinions on Taurus Tracker 44 stainless

[yotatrd4x4]

Ok I may be able to pick up a Tracker 4inch stainless in 44 for $350 so I'm wondering if its worth it? I had a buddy who had a 6 inch and he shot the **** out of it with no issues. I read tons online about how horribly the are but take most of it with a grain of salt as probably half of the folks have never owned or even shot one. I don't like the porting but I see them new online for $475 to $500 and this one is like new and has 150 rds of ammo to go with it. I handload of course so no crazy max loads just mid range stuff with a 250 gr semi wadcutter plainbase. I really look forward to hearing from folks who have one or had one.

[jh45gun]

I know a lot of folks have made bad comments about Taurus they seem to be a gun that folks love or hate. Just like Henry was a few years ago until the folks started posting how good they are then the naysayers kinda shut up. I hear the same arguments about Hi Points. Folks either love them or hate them but like all internet chatter some folks bash guns with no knowledge of them. Now that is not to say that there has been any bad Taurus guns out there I am sure their have been. BUT every gun company out there has made bad guns once in a while. Look at all the Ruger lovers here yet there are more than a few of us that have had bad luck with them too. In fact I do not even own one anymore and I have had more than a few in my life time. I have a friend that has a judge and loves it. I have a Model 85 with the Aluminum frame for a carry gun and love it. It is accurate and dependable. If you feel it is a good deal and the gun is in good shape go for it. You cannot believe every thing you read on the web. If I did I would not own a Henry 22 Mag which I love or my Taurus 85 or the Hi point which was a good gun but I preferred a 1911 so I sold the Hi Point cheap to a friend so he could have a pistol he could afford. I would not be afraid to buy it.

[Dan Cash]

Having shot friends Tarus handguns and having provided CCDW training for people shooting Tarus revolvers it is my humble opinion that there are vastly superior things in which to invest $350.00.

[KCSO]

How do you give an opinion on something as variable as a Taurus. I ordered 3 Taurus Tarackers in 44 for some customers. One customer was very happy and two of the guns got sent back, one twice. When they are good they are very good and when they are bad...

I have a Taurus 1911 in 38 super that is one of the best guns I ever had and a 9mm pocket gun that new wouldn't go off twice in a row.

I have had the same luck with the Taurus single action guns that they finally discontinued. One would be good and the next two would have to go back.

I personally wouldn't buy a Taurus unless I could hold it in my hands and preferably shoot it.

[jh45gun]

Dan, Blanket statement elaborate, you make a comment but do not elaborate why.

[Trey45]

One of my good friends had a 5 shot Tracker in 44 mag. The plunger spring broke on it when he had less than 100 rounds through it. Taurus would not send him a spring, they made him pay to ship it to them for them to replace the spring. He got it back and it went out of time shortly after, he had to pay to ship it back again. When he got it back he didn't shoot it, he used it as a trade in towards a S&W.

[tek4260]

Well I had one of those tracker 44's. I knew better. Damn I knew better, but it is a cute little 5 shot 4" with adjustable sights. I got a pattern at 25 yards with both 240's and 300's(5 shots each) and sold it before it broke, which would have probably occurred within a box knowing Taurus revos.

The only reason 1/2 of Taurus revolvers are sent back is because the other half aren't shot and languish in a dresser drawer to be used as a suicide special or some such criminal activity later down the road.

[Dan Cash]

Dan, Blanket statement elaborate, you make a comment but do not elaborate why.

Others have provided the specific comments for me. Big failure I have seen is bad springs and indifferent fitting. Cylinders unlock on firing and rotate, double action trigger pull beyond the ability of a medium size woman, gaps between side plate and frame to let in dirt. While some may be good, they are not anything that I would spend money on when I have several Colts and 20+ Smiths and have had a couple Rugers, none of which, through normal use, had to be returned for warranty or other repair.

[yotatrd4x4]

Ok thanks for the info I have held it and shot it. It had 10 rounds total thru it. 5 of which I fired and had no problems. I didn't look that close at it. It's a friends gun and he got a xd45 that he thinks is better than a 44 for bears. I disagree with that but the xd is prob better since it will work when the Taurus may not. I think I will let it float on by and not risk it. I had a redhawk that the barrel flew off of when firing regular old loads but ruger paid shipping and sent me a new gun with no guff at all so I know they do or at least had a good warranty. I have since sold it for close to what I paid a few years back and got a stainless 4 5/8 blackhawk 45 colt that I love. Anyway thanks fellers I am gonna just tell him no thanks I'm sure someone else will buy it but it won't be me. Too many ifs or maybes in these opinions.

[jh45gun]

All I can say is my Model 85 is more accurate than I expected a snub nose to be and it has given me zero problems. Maybe they had a bad run of trackers? My friend just traded off a long barreled 22 Taurus at a gun show and the dealer did not flinch at all with the trade.

[Moonie]

We have had no issues with my sons 44 tracker 5 shot with ported 2 1/2" barrel.

[Mooseman]

After having Many Taurus guns come in for repair that failed within one box of shells and seeing the Rough machining inside and all the soft parts, I Refuse to own a Taurus or to depend on one to save my life.
Taurus made me wait 9 months for parts, and that's Buffalo chips in my book. I had people send the guns back for repair and 3-4 months later get the gun back still not fixed or working properly.
Poor metallurgy /heat treating seems to be the norm on the internal parts.
The one with the best reports and reliability seems to be the Raging Bull , but it wont do anything more than My Ruger will.

Yep...I AM a Taurus Hater ! (Rossi has gone downhill too since being bought by Taurus it seems.)

[Guesser]

I have the little brother, 41, 4" SS Tracker. It is rapidly becoming my favorite 41 Magnum. I have a Ruger, a Smiff and a T/C. The Tracker is accurate, reliable, pleasant to shoot and guaranteed forever. I've only had it since June and have put nothing but my cast hand loads thru it. My first ported revolver and cleanup after shooting 200 cast thru it is a little more of a chore due to the porting.
The single biggest factor that made my decision to buy it was my 1992 Taurus Model 441, SS, 6". The 441 is the 4rth nicest revolver I own, the first 3 are Colt Officers Model 38's. So I guess that makes 3 colts and 2 Taurus as my top favorites from the stable of nearly 40 revolvers.
Buy it!!!! it is under warrantee, and will be forever. DUH!!!!!!!!

[NoZombies]

I don't have the Taurus tracker. I DO own taurus revolvers though. One of the taurus revolvers I own is probably in the top 5 most accurate handguns I have ever owned. (And that is truly saying something) It has been shot. A lot. I estimate that I have put 20K+ rounds through it since acquiring it used. I have seen no appreciable increase in wear.

That said. I also recently received a NIB Rossi revolver (made by taurus) in a bulk trade that I am not fond of. The machining is poor, and the sights are so ill-fitted, that when I elevate the rear sight, it twists to the side. I will send it back to them for repair, but don't expect much satisfaction.

As a result of my widely varying experience with taurus firearms, I prefer to buy them in person. I can usually see any potential problems, and walk away if it concerns me.

[x101airborne]

I had a Taurus Tracker in 4 inch 44 mag blue. I shot the crud out of it. I wore it out 3 times and it was always made right at my shipping expense, but I didnt feel bad about that. My last straw was when I was coyote hunting. A large sow walked up on me at about 30 yards. I decided to use the 44 and BANG! I lost about 40 percent of my hearing. Auditory exclusion principal does not apply to a ported 44 mag. The weapon worked well, but I will probably never own a ported pistol again. My vote is to the negative.

[429421Cowboy]

I actually just came in from shooting with my brothers and a few classmates, which eventually lead to shooting my good friends Taurus 4 inch .44 again. I can honestly say that is does not seem to be a bad gun in any way mechanically that i have seen after several hundred rounds of our PB reloads. There are little things i don't like such as the grips (skinny enough to make shooting almost painful, and too thick to get a good grip on) and the sights which are not very deep. But the one thing that makes me truely HATE that gun is the ports. Like a ice pick in the eardrums without plugs, or a kick in the chest with them! Also the often poor accuracy with cast, as well as the fouling issue from porting is enough to make me say NO. I carry my Ruger daily and shoot it at varmits and critters, as well as hunting where i need to take one or two shots without going deaf.
For the money new, i will always put money in a US company's pocket over Taurus. I am not a hater, in fact i have never ran across a bad one, but i hear enough warnings about them and have had such good luck with Rugers i will spends close to the same or a bit more and buy American. Just my 2 cents, i don't think you'll miss it too bad!

[jmsj]

429421,
When I was young like you, I too would touch off a few shots, run equipment and power tools quite regularly w/o hearing protection. Now that I'm near to 50 I have serious hearing loss in one ear and a decent amount of loss in the other. I also almost always have a high pitched whistle/ringing noise in my ears. Now on windy days the sound of the wind in my ears is bothersome and sometimes painful after long periods of time. Any kind of white noise makes it hard to hear conversation or the TV.
I'm not trying to lecture you, heck I still do all those things sometimes, though not often. I know all to well when you're prowling cattle that it is easier to snap off a quick shot at a coyote, rattlesnake or bobcat than it is to look for ear protectors and put them on before shooting. I just thought I'd let you know what is waiting for you down the road.
Good luck, jmsj

[kbstenberg]

Yotatrd. I had one factory new never shot or taken out of the factory case. I got to replace a 441 that had a problem that couldn't be fixed. I already had the gun traded before I got it. Long story! As soon as I took the tracker out of the shipping container I knew something was wrong. The cylinder wouldn't lock up when the hammer was pulled into the firing position. When I tried to dry fire the gun in double action same thing. Cylinder wouldn't lock into position. You could literally spin the cylinder. I will never again buy Taurus.
kevin

[rintinglen]

I have one, My brother has one. We have both shot ours a fair bit with nary a problem. For 350 I'd buy it, if I hadn't already got one. They are loud, they kick hard with stout loads, and they are not as accurate as a 629 4 Inch. I would not choose one for Silhouette shooting or for extensive firing with heavy loads. But they are comparitively light, and as a trail gun, I think they are dandies. He carries his as a CCW.
My experience with Taurus revolvers has been uniformly good. I have seen scores of them over the years being shot at the range and do not recall ever seeing one that failed to fire. I can not say the same thing about their Autos. I would not buy one of those unless I could shoot it first.

[429421Cowboy]

Well, right after my friend got done shooting with us Sunday he decided to trade his Taurus.
Got a Winchester 12 guage pump, a spotting scope with tripod and window mount, a set of the long Harris bipods that can be used sitting down and $35 store credit at our LGS. The owner was going to give him $390 trade in value for it and it has been very well used, and has screwdriver tracks across the sideplate from someone adjusting the rear sight. I would say a price of $350 you were offered to buy on a better conditon gun was pretty good one!

jmsj; I have an older brother that is already an example to me of what happens when you don't protect your ears. 15 years of rangemaster duties in the millitary have left him functionally deaf due to his choice to not wear ear protection. That has been enough to het me to carry a set of gel earplugs with me constantly at work because i never know if i will be running a chainsaw, gas feed auger, generator, grinding hay whatever may come along!

[gwpercle]

I purchased a Taurus model 455 in 2005 . It is 45 acp , 5 shot , stainless steel ,2 inch , ported bbl , fixed sight.s. Shoot it a lot , carry it a lot , have had zero problems or complaints. It's compact and powerful and is now my most carried and shot 45acp. I like it a lot and will not let it get away.

Some people get lemons , they make a lot of noise about it...which they should because companies need to know about problems . But not every Taurus firearm is a problem. I also own a Taurus 9 mm semi-auto and have had not one problem in the 12 years I've owned it.

$ 350 sounds like a good price, I vote go for it .

gary

[jh45gun]

I purchased a Taurus model 455 in 2005 . It is 45 acp , 5 shot , stainless steel ,2 inch , ported bbl , fixed sight.s. Shoot it a lot , carry it a lot , have had zero problems or complaints. It's compact and powerful and is now my most carried and shot 45acp. I like it a lot and will not let it get away.

Some people get lemons , they make a lot of noise about it...which they should because companies need to know about problems . But not every Taurus firearm is a problem. I also own a Taurus 9 mm semi-auto and have had not one problem in the 12 years I've owned it.

$ 350 sounds like a good price, I vote go for it .

gary



One thing I found out about the internet is some folks love to bash a brand of gun and it takes off on the internet. Some guns have enough fans that if you bash them folks think your nuts or so not know what your talking about. Take Ruger, you mention you got a bad Ruger on this forum folks brand you a heretic almost when it comes to guns and cannot believe you got a bad one. Others have and know and agree with you but not the numbers that feel Ruger is never a bad choice. Some here said they would never buy a Taurus again unless they could shoot it. Well I feel the same way about Rugers. Your right Gary any brand can have a lemon. Most gun companies have great customer service and will make things right.

[km101]

I have owned and shot several Taurus firearms in the past, and foun them to be good guns. No problems with any of the 5 guns I have owned. I have had more problems with my Colts and Springfields than I have with Taurus! (I'll get some hate mail about that! :) ) If it is in as good shape as you describe, Go For It!

[helice]

This is an interesting post. I have 3 Taurus arms and have had uniform funtion from each. I came to toe conclusion that they were well executed. I have long desired their 5 shot 44 Special. It seems that the old adage is true:
It's not what you expect, It's what you inspect.
Thanks for the input from all of you.

[tek4260]

I should have prefaced my remarks with a bit of background. My dealer sold many of them, probably around 200 to 300. I would bet that I have been into nearly 100 of them. Many times it was poor machining and trash leftover causing the latch to stick or the hand to jump the ratchet. But even after cleaning and dehorning the internals, they still weren't "right". It is simply a poor, cheap design with tiny little springs. If they were going to copy Smith, the least they could have done is copied more closely.

Then there was the one with the fired case enclosed, yet the cylinder had no chambers. Only the pilot holes.