Talk me out of an older polished Taurus

[brokeasajoke]

This is the message I try to pass on to friends when they ask me about buying a Taurus.

Their business is built on planned obsolescence.
They don't sell spare parts, so even what would be a simple fix is not. If the gun is discontinued, it's without factory support. At that point, it's basically a "metal discount coupon", if you send it back to the company.
For all intent and purpose, a Taurus is no different, really, than all the other cheap, disposable products that you buy, use, and toss.

For $975 or $9.75, I don't want one. Too much junk cluttering up the house as it is!

So they sell you a new one at what's probably their cost and never lose any money? Well that's just pitiful customer service. Things happen make it right. Takes a while lot of shooting to wear out a revolver. I've never put that many through one but one would expect available repair parts when it happens.

[FergusonTO35]

I stick with the products Taurus has been making for decades, the .38 and .357 revolvers and the G2/G3 which are descended from the Millenium Pro. Otherwise, fuhgedaboutit.

[jdgabbard]

No way would I spend that amount on a Taurus....

Now, I personally like the one Taurus I have. An Model 85 Ultralight from about 15-20 years ago. It's compact, lightweight, fairly accurate (as accurate as I can be with such a light small gun with a short barrel). I wouldn't trust it with super heavy +P loads, but it works well enough as a belly gun when I want something light. But I bought it for something like $275, and think it's probably worth about the same new in today's market.

I feel basically the same way about Rossi Revolvers. I think they may be made by the same folks, or possibly were made by the same... Either way, I had a 357mag snub nose from them back in the early 2000s that I REALLY liked. I ended up trading it on something else, but wish I would have kept it. I think I paid about $350-400 for it, and it was all steel with a very nice blue finish. Handled well, and shot well. That said, we've all got those guns we wish we would have held onto, so I won't get further off topic.

Point I guess I'm trying to make is, guns are only worth what they're worth. Sure some people might value a particular gun at more. But when you can buy a better brand at the cost of just a little more, by settle for a budget brand?

[tigweldit]

I've had good luck with Taurus. I put over 100,000 rounds through a PT99. Never a glitch. My Raging Bull .454 has approximately 2,500 full power loads through it. Great accuracy and no problems.

[castmiester]

Back in 09, I bought my first handgun, a M66 Taurus. At the time the shop I bought it from stopped selling Taurus. The one I bought was the last one. After some research I called and asked him about issues with Taurus. He said, too many were sent back, but the revolvers are ok. Based on the model 19 Smith, how could they go wrong ? I haven't shot it alot, and haven't had any issues other than things I am working to improve. Is it necessary for home/self defense, no but I play with accuracy. It's more then shooting, it's pursuit of the mechanics, handloading etc.....

[brokeasajoke]

I have a $275 gift certificate to the gun shop. I guess I could use it to buy his over priced powder. I've been waiting for him to get a used Dillon 550 but haven't seen one go through in a while as he trades a lot on used items.

[Arkansas Paul]

I'm not opposed to owning a Taurus, in fact I do have one.
But no way on God's green earth I'm spending a grand on one.

[sukivel]

It's not the gun it's the $975 for a Taurus. Yes it's .454 yes is the polished but...

You already realize that’s too much…


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[sukivel]

I'm not opposed to owning a Taurus, in fact I do have one.
But no way on God's green earth I'm spending a grand on one.

Exactly…


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[FergusonTO35]

I like Taurus as a good low cost gun in a common caliber that usually works quite well. The gun in question definitely does not have the first two characteristics and may not have the third either. A lot of folks like the sub-200.00 Sccy pistols we sell at work, and they seem to be acceptable for what they cost and their intended use. But that doesn't mean that Sccy is ready to, or even should, come out with a Colt Python competitor or even police duty pistol for that matter. They would be in way over their head if they did so, and I think Taurus has done this with many of their non-core product line offerings.

[Finster101]

Never owned a Taurus. Not planning on owning one either, especially for a grand.

[brokeasajoke]

I like Taurus as a good low cost gun in a common caliber that usually works quite well. The gun in question definitely does not have the first two characteristics and may not have the third either. A lot of folks like the sub-200.00 Sccy pistols we sell at work, and they seem to be acceptable for what they cost and their intended use. But that doesn't mean that Sccy is ready to, or even should, come out with a Colt Python competitor or even police duty pistol for that matter. They would be in way over their head if they did so, and I think Taurus has done this with many of their non-core product line offerings.

Maybe that's the reason it is there and maybe there is another reason. How long has Taurus been making the current sand blasted type finish vs the polished?

[castmiester]

I'm not opposed to owning a Taurus, in fact I do have one.
But no way on God's green earth I'm spending a grand on one.

I hear that ! Sad part is I paid 400 buck 15 years ago and now it more than doubled for the same gun, and I'm sure the QC has gone down considerably.

[FergusonTO35]

I hear that ! Sad part is I paid 400 buck 15 years ago and now it more than doubled for the same gun, and I'm sure the QC has gone down considerably.

I've owned several late model Taurus guns and they were all good to go, currently have a 2023 856 revolver and like it very much. None of mine have been worse than S&W or Ruger from the same era. Now, my Taurus products have all been .38 Special revolvers and subcompact 9mm pistols, which are Taurus' best products and they have been making them for decades.

[FergusonTO35]

Maybe that's the reason it is there and maybe there is another reason. How long has Taurus been making the current sand blasted type finish vs the polished?

I remember the matte finished guns being available in the early 2000's, maybe before. Taurus also used to have a blued finish that was sort of between matte and gloss that I really liked. Taurus has quite often offered both matte and polished finishes at the same time.

[MT Gianni]

It is still a Taurus, If you buy a new one you have a return policy and a warranty. With used you don't have that. Out of the 77 Taurus 454 on Gunbroker there is only one more expensive than the price quoted and that by $10.

[brokeasajoke]

It is still a Taurus, If you buy a new one you have a return policy and a warranty. With used you don't have that. Out of the 77 Taurus 454 on Gunbroker there is only one more expensive than the price quoted and that by $10.

Most of them I see are those shrouded variations. While nothing wrong with them, they just aren't something I'm interested in.

[TNsailorman]

local guy is advertising a Taurus Tracker in .44 magnum for $500.00. james

[brokeasajoke]

local guy is advertising a Taurus .44 magnum for $500.00.

I pickrd up a Taurus 44 8 3/8 new for $670 last year plus the sight mount and Burris sight.

[brokeasajoke]

Well someone bought it, not me though.he does have a gp100 in 327fed 2" barrel maybe. I might price it.