Taurus M94 22 revolver

[scrapcan]

I bought the above blued 4 inch 9 shot revolver for a plinker/trainer for my wife and I about a year ago. I have to tell you it has the worst trigger pull of any revolver I have owned.

I pulled it down last night and started to polish and clean. There is a bit of work to do on that front. I may also have to try to use the wolff springs even though not recommended for the 94/941

Also I hate that action lock turn bolt in the back of the hammer. Anyone remove it and replace with a turned filler piece?

Anyone else wish to share comments or experience with this little revolter.

[Trapshooter]

ManleyJT,

I have one I bought for my wife. Same story, she could barely fire it in DA. I spent about a week of evenings after work with Arkansas stones, 600 grit sand paper, and similar tools to get rid of sharp edges, and burrs. I tried the Wolf springs too. They're OK for single action, but sometimes fails to fire on double action (usually works with a second strike). I think it would be better to get a factory weight hammer spring (or 2), and start cutting off coils until a nice trigger is achieved or unacceptable reliability occurs (that's what the second factory spring is for!)

Trapshooter

[Poygan]

A friend bought a new model 94 a year ago. It didn't fire reliably from the start. Finally decided to send it back to the factory (at his expense). About six weeks later, it was returned with a list of things they supposedly did to it but it still had the same reliability problem. He traded it in shortly thereafter.

[MtGun44]

My experience working a few Taurii for friends has firmly convinced me
to avoid the brand. :(

Bill

[scrapcan]

MtGun44 has got my sentiments stated to a T. After working on this thing for two evenings, it is just about usable if it is reliable. I would gladly spend the extra for an old smith at this point. But I have this one in hand and have to make the best of it.

[scrapcan]

Trapshooter,

I hear what you are saying. Everyone I have heard form said the same thing about the wolff small frame springs. I will get a few extra OEM springs on the way from Taurus, if they have them. The originals are both broke. I am still using them.

I have clipped the original springs and will most likely have to take a bit more if it remains reliable. (broken springs are hard to do anything with by the way.

A couple of question as you have been where I am at.

Did you have issues getting the firing pin our of the frame?

How does it come out once you get the keeper pin out?

How do you get the cylinder off of the crane? I have the extractor out, but cannot seem to get cylinder to release. There is a lot of grit in there that needs to be cleaned out.

How did you smooth up the milling marks in the frame where the lock work goes? I have all the other parts smoothed/polished without taking too much material, but not sure how to deal with that machining mess.

Thanks for all the help and counseling

[Trapshooter]

Manleyjt,

It was a while ago, I had to get the gun out of the safe and take it apart again to refresh the memory. Mine is an older stainless gun. When I first started, you could almost cut yourself on some of the burrs. Stainless is tough to machine, and since it didn't cost as much as a Smith 617, I was willing to cut them some slack.

Since I was only working on improving the trigger, I didn't take the cylinder / crane assembly apart on mine. I just did the "dunk in mineral spirits, wiggle anything that moves then blow it out" routine. Repeat as required, then re-lube.

Use a piece of wire through the firing pin hole to push the firing pin out the back once the retaining pin is removed. The firing pin on mine hangs up on the spring, but it comes right out with a little push from the front.

I have some hardened rods with rounded ends that I used to burnish as much of the roughness as I could, then I hit the remaining high places with small hard Arkansas stones where I could get the stones in. Where the stone couldn't fit I used a chunk of metal rod or bar wrapped with some 600 grit wet or dry and light oil (WD40 or sewing machine oil). Taurus doesn't have the raised boss around the hammer pivot like a Smith, so you don't have to watch out for that.

If you have the manual, there is sort of a drawing on page 17 which may be useful, if not see

http://www.taurususa.com/pdf/manual_revolver.pdf

All in all, it's not a bad little plinking piece for the price. I hope you and the wife enjoy it when you are done.

Trapshooter

[Trapshooter]

Manleyjt,

It was a while ago, I had to get the gun out of the safe and take it apart again to refresh the memory. Mine is an older stainless gun. When I first started, you could almost cut yourself on some of the burrs. Stainless is tough to machine, and since it didn't cost as much as a Smith 617, I was willing to cut them some slack.

Since I was only working on improving the trigger, I didn't take the cylinder / crane assembly apart on mine. I just did the "dunk in mineral spirits, wiggle anything that moves then blow it out" routine. Repeat as required, then re-lube.

Use a piece of wire through the firing pin hole to push the firing pin out the back once the retaining pin is removed. The firing pin on mine hangs up on the spring, but it comes right out with a little push from the front.

I have some hardened rods with rounded ends that I used to burnish as much of the roughness as I could, then I hit the remaining high places with small hard Arkansas stones where I could get the stones in. Where the stone couldn't fit I used a chunk of metal rod or bar wrapped with some 600 grit wet or dry and light oil (WD40 or sewing machine oil). Taurus doesn't have the raised boss around the hammer pivot like a Smith, so you don't have to watch out for that.

If you have the manual, there is sort of a drawing on page 17 which may be useful, if not see

http://www.taurususa.com/pdf/manual_revolver.pdf

All in all, it's not a bad little plinking piece for the price. I hope you and the wife enjoy it when you are done.

Trapshooter

[scrapcan]

Trapshooter,

I have done exactly what you just stated. The firing pin on mine seems to have a large burr that prevents it from coming out. I may have to make a small jack screw to force the pin out. I want to have spares at hand first though.

I put it all back together after spending aobut 5 hours smoothing the rough spots. I clipped 1 coil off of each spring and it seems much better. I need to get it to the range before I go much further with springs. It is still plenty stiff.

I have all the manuals and used the exploed diagram extensively. It is nice to know there are holes in the rods to help hold the sprigns in place for reassembly. I had read several books on taurus revolvers and all say they are a pain to get the hand and sideplate together. I did that part with out an issue. Now if I could only get the cylinder and the firing pin apart. As I can still feel grit after bathing the cylinder/crane assembly down with diesel and aprts cleaner.

I think it willb e a nice plinker once I get it smoothed up.

[Thin Man]

manleyjt,
Taurus frames do not have a lot of spare support material around the fire pin hole (at the rear of the frame where the fire pin and spring enter the frame). You may find that the frame is peened closed over the rear of the fire pin due to the fall of the hammer, thereby locking the pin and spring in their channel. Start with a very thin, very sharp knife point to trim material away from the fire pin hole, and do this slowly. Check often for the pin to move farther toward the rear (with pressure from the front) until you can remove the pin and spring. Once these are out of the frame, open the fire pin hole entry point very slightly to allow the pin to enter and exit without resistance. Good luck.
Thin Man

[scrapcan]

Thin Man,

Thanks for the help. I am sure the problem is peening by the transfer bar. I was not sure if the FP was staked in or not, you have answered that.

[Dave64]

Could someone do a video on utube showing how to disassemble and resemble a taurus 94 revolver.

[Molly]

From bitter experience with this revolver (bought new), I sent it back for repairs twice. The first time, it was returned with no detectable repair work at all. The second time it was returned, the cylinder was literally smashed sideways at the front and was visibly quite out of allignment with the barrel. I took it apart, fixed it myself, and gave the bloody thing away. I will own no more Taurus firearms.

[Gee_Wizz01]

Here is a good guide for the Taurus M85. The M94 uses the same procedures.http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/smithing/22219-taurus-revolver-disassembly-pictorial-guide.html.

I took mine apart and stoned all the rough parts and it helped quite a bit. The single action pull breaks clean at about 4lbs, the double action pull is still quite heavy, but I have no problem hitting clearing the steel plate rack at 25 yds. I have ordered a couple of spare springs, as I don't want work on the springs until I have some spares.


Good Luck

G

[scrapcan]

Gee Wizz01,

If you actually get springs from TaurusUSA please let me know. Everytime I call I am told they are out of stock. I removed the clipped stock springs mentioned above and replaced with wolfe model 85 springs. Still needs work, but I can only stand to work on it for brief periods as it just makes me mad.

[EMC45]

I had a firing pin return spring in my 85 fail (cracked in half) and I used some random treated coil spring stock to repair it. Worked fine! I wrote up on it last year. I have a bunch of gun junk...mmmm...errr....parts to pick over.

[Gee_Wizz01]

Manleyjt;
Now you have me worried. I had an order form from a previous order and just mailed it in about 2 weeks ago. My card hasn't been charged yet, so it may be a while. Did the Wolff springs work? Wolff says they may be unreliable in a 94, but several people said they work okay in their 94.

G