Is Taurus a respected / Quality Brand?

Rinaldo · September 5, 2006, 01:06 AM

I am in the market for a concealed carry revolver and was looking towards either the colts or the S&W s. Taurus makes a copy similar to the S&W

I was also in the market for a 1911 and was going to get a Springfield Loaded model or a Kimber. Taurus is now making a 1911. When did Taurus become a quality brand? Do they churn out quality with the likes of S&W ?

I'm curious, Name means nothing to me, I bought a Honda Civic because I liked the way it drove and it is dependable while I could easily afford a car 10 X the price. I am interested in hearing your opinions. I'm a firm beleiver in buying the best with the least amount of money. I own a sig 229 and it's a joy. I'd like to get the 1911 for some competitive shooting.

Bill DeShivs · September 5, 2006, 01:20 AM

Taurus guns are fine quality. Some don't like them because the trigger action is not as smooth as a S&W. Any decent gunsmith can fix this very economically.

oldbillthundercheif · September 5, 2006, 01:30 AM

I have no problem with Taurus, they make good guns. They are not known, however, for making pistols suited for competition. I have not shot their 1911, so I can't say anything deffinate about it one way or the other, but if you are looking for a competition piece you might want to go with a known quantity.

Mosin44az · September 5, 2006, 01:31 AM

You can Search for Taurus here and get maybe hundreds of pages to look at, to gauge its reputation.

Taurus 1911, I am not aware that it is out in great quantity, certainly it has not been out long so no track record. From the articles it sounds appealing, they put alot of effort into it. I would guess it would match the quality of the Springfield, which is also made in Brazil. I am thinking of getting one as a toy. Kimber's reputation has declined drastically over the past couple of years because of their poor external extractor design.

I do not know the Taurus it is the best choice for competition because it has no track record, especially for durability over thousands of rounds. Since competition is not a life-and-death situation, you may want to give it a try, it certainly sounds like the price will be good.

Taurus as a whole, in my experience, does not match the top brands on overall quality and durability. For a CCW defensive revolver I would go with Smith and Wesson (just leave the gun lock alone, my gunsmith tells me, and it won't cause a problem), or Ruger if weight is not a factor for you.

You can afford a car 10 times the price of a Civic? Why don't you buy several different 1911s then, and see which one you like.....

Niantician · September 5, 2006, 03:29 AM

They have come a long way. The pt24/7 was 2005 handgun of the year. I own a pt145 and love it. My s&w is now collecting dust.

Qwiks draw · September 5, 2006, 03:46 AM

Taurus threads have abounded by the score here.Have you done search for the particular make or model? Check the threads on the other handgun sections here.There are always several Taurus postings going on. Experience with the 1911 version I have none. I have older Taurus revolvers made in the middle to late 1980s and these have not failed me yet in any department.Models 66,65,and 85CH are the revolvers.My PT111Millenium/pro is a so called pocket pistol in 9mm.Luger that holds 12 in the magazine.This was bought only a short time ago.It is about the same size as a Glock 26.It maybe a little trimmer than the Glock in the grip area.It has a light crisp trigger.3inch barreled pistols take a little getting used to.Recoil is more noticeable than with bigger pistols but to me it isn't a problem.This is a subjective area.The prices are very good for guns of the Taurus line.I have other makes and models of pistols icluding Rugers and Makarovs.Since I'm a budget sort of shooter I get what I need when I can.Can't tell you which is best because I don't know all your needs.Some opinions to come will be naysayers.Some will have good reason to say so because any company has some slip through that should not. These people will hopefully back up their claims.Users of Taurus products shall be checking in shortly so it is time to turn this over to them.Good luck.

TexasCop · September 5, 2006, 08:18 AM

Taurus makes a good product, if you are looking for something dependable and cost effective. If you are looking for something to collect or to customize with trigger jobs, grips, engraving, custom finishes etc. I'd get an S&W or Ruger

rick_reno · September 5, 2006, 08:41 AM

I think they had a bad reputation when they first came out - having never owned one I don't know if that was related to rumor or fact. Today, the samples I've seen and shot have been excellent.

Rinaldo · September 5, 2006, 10:06 AM

Thank you for your time.
I did perform a search I tried weeding through 40 threads but most were "what do you carry" type threads that did not provide me with adequate information.

I beleive I will go with the S&W for Carry options. I may give the 1911 Taurus a try. I will post back with my opinion once I've had some time to test it on some targets.

Wildalaska · September 5, 2006, 11:44 AM

Taurus is for folks who cant afford (or refuse to spend) a few $$ more for better.

WildgoaheadflamemeAlaska

Te Anau · September 5, 2006, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Taurus is for folks who cant afford (or refuse to spend) a few $$ more for better.

Or twice as much.Taurus makes a good product,so does their sister company Rossi.

Action_Can_Do · September 5, 2006, 12:26 PM

I love my Taurus handguns. But I love my S&W Model 29 too.

Metaloy Industries · September 5, 2006, 12:35 PM

Another way to go is to get the Taurus revolver for carry and install a duty spring kit. Less $$ than the gunsmith and it will reduce the pull noticeably but still remain safe.

john in jax · September 5, 2006, 12:41 PM

Rinaldo, a topic similar to this came up a couple/few weeks ago - - you might try a search for some additional info.

For what it is worth I like Taurus semi-autos, but in most instances I don't care for Taurus revolvers - - and I DON'T think a Taurus revolver would be a good choice as a CCW.

Puppy · September 5, 2006, 12:51 PM

I used to bemoan & belittle Taurus products, but like'em or not, over the last 10 years Taurus has become a major player in the commercial firearms marketplace.

Personally I think Taurus is probably the number one innovator with regards to the number of new product lines they have introduced/produced & most of which are pretty damn good in my opinion.

Taurus also stands solidly behind their products, so much so that they have a life-time warranty on their products, something that used to be unheard of, but thanks to Taurus alot of other firearm manufacturers have been forced to follow suit thus even "non-Taurus shooters" have greatly benifieted from Taurus's success.

You wont hear me belittle or bemoan Taurus anymore.

TxPhantom · September 5, 2006, 12:53 PM

Jeff Quin does a revue of the PT1911 at www.gunblast.com or
go directly to http://www.gunblast.com/Taurus-PT1911.htm

His revue is very positive.

Puppy · September 5, 2006, 12:54 PM

Oh snap, just caught this comment from John in Jax: "and I DON'T think a Taurus revolver would be a good choice as a CCW."

Sorry John but I have to disagree, Taurus M85UL's are probably some of the best snubbies I have ever had the pleasure of owning.

Wildalaska · September 5, 2006, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Taurus also stands solidly behind their products, so much so that they have a life-time warranty on their products

Takes forever to get service too. One of the worst IMHO, surpassed only by Betertta in patheticness

WildrealcrankytodayAlaska

**Mike Irwin** · September 5, 2006, 02:50 PM

"Taurus is for folks who cant afford (or refuse to spend) a few $$ more for better."

Gee, that can be said for just about anything.

But, if we're to take it to its logical conclusion, we'd end up at Korth.

"Why'd you buy a Korth revolver?"

"Well, because I couldn't find anything more expensive!"

"Wouldn't a Taurus or Colt or Ruger have worked?"

"Of course they would have, but they wouldn't have been nearly as expensive!"

AmesJainchill · September 5, 2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Personally I think Taurus is probably the number one innovator with regards to the number of new product lines they have introduced/produced & most of which are pretty damn good in my opinion.

7-shot .357 snubnoses, a .500 Magnum snubnose, an 8-shot .357...Raging Thirty...a .32 Magnum 6-shot snub...I think they do a lot of nifty stuf with revolvers that other companies don't do.

Wildalaska · September 5, 2006, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Gee, that can be said for just about anything.

True, Id rather have a Mercedes ML20 thatn a Ford escape. Its better and more expensive. I just cant afford it.

WildnowdonttwistymemikeAlaska

mtnbkr · September 5, 2006, 03:11 PM

The last few Taurus revolvers I've fondled had better triggers than the similar S&W versions (mainly speaking of the snubbie 38s and 357s). I've only owned one Taurus revolver, a M94 22lr. I bought it used at a gunshow, not noticing some minor problems. I sent it back to Taurus, who replaced the gun within a month. That's a much shorter turnaround than I got with Kahr and my faulty K9 (took several months there).

Last Nov, I bought one of the RSR M37s right as they hit the market. That same night, I fondled a Taurus 38special. It had a better trigger than any of the three M37s in the store at that time. I stuck with the M37 because I had asked the store to order one for me. I'm not sure I'll do that again for a "user". Next time, the S&W will have to be something not duplicated by Taurus or a vintage model.

Quote:

I think they do a lot of nifty stuf with revolvers that other companies don't do.

Yup. I think they do fill more niches than other manufacturers.

Chris

FirstFreedom · September 5, 2006, 04:00 PM

Quality, yes, most of the time (not always; there are lemons).

Respected, no. Lots of gun snobs around.

Mike I. is right. But the crappy turnaround time on warranty service IS something to be considered, particularly since they do have their share (or perhaps more than their fair share) of lemons.

gunmetal · September 5, 2006, 04:09 PM

There are so many threads like this, you could spend a lifetime reading and participating in every single one. However, since I'm bored and stumbled upon this one, I'll post the same here as I've posted in a few others over the last few months.

I would love to see Taurus succeed, and for their firearms to improve in quality (as I think they have been)... but it will be a long time before I buy another one.

I have a PT-145 MilPRO and an 85 2" snubbie.

Had several issues w/ the 145 (feed problems; walking frame pin; collisions between mags and feed ramp). Sent it in, and they do seem to have fixed the frame pin problem by replacing the grip frame. The feed problems, the jury's still out on (need to put more rds thru it). But their "fix" for the collisions was to polish the feed ramp. This is no fix, it's just a "buff out the damage." Yes, the parts are still colliding with one another.

The revolver: sent it in as well because the timing was slightly off. When I got it back, they had replaced the cylinder, center pin, and hammer, and "adjusted" the hand. Well, I don't understand why they replaced all those parts, and the hand adjustment didn't seem to do anything, because it is STILL out of time.

Also, some of the parts (takedown pin, safety lever, slide stop) on the auto are made of something that seems to me to be very fragile. I would not like to see what would happen if I were to drop the pistol onto something hard and have it land on any of these parts.

I think their quality right now is still hit-or-miss. I love the revolver, and there are some things I love about the PT-145, but it just seems to me that their repairs dept. is completely incompetent.

See this thread for another littany of what seems to be CS/repairs incompetence:

http://www.tacapp.com/?p=53

At this point I wish I'd never bought either of these.

razorburn · September 5, 2006, 06:13 PM

I was in the same position. I could care less whether the products I buy were made in america or not. Honestly, I think that stopped being a badge of quality many years ago, and honestly after some experiences with american autos, the label "made in usa" actually gives me pause to suspect the quality of the product now. Perhaps made in Germany or the like can still be considered a sign of quality but I digress. I also do not care about reputation among forumites, I just want something that works. To do this the way I believed to be best and most likely to get me objective results, first, I decided to disregard the opinions of vendors. They are biased and known to shamelessly pimp whatever they have for sale. I also disregard those who do not have first hand experience owning one, since I didn't want to come to a conclusion based on rumor, or gun snobbery and heresy. I already know what their forum rep is and dont need it restated. I also disregard the opinions of those with older guns, as I understand they were more poorly made back then. I tallied up the experiences over the last few years available archived for this website and found the vast majority of people who had first hand experiences with a modern taurus had positive experiences, some liking them better than their smiths or rugers. CS does not seem so bad, there are many positive experiences with them and negatives don't appear disproportionate to the other major makes. I have not heard anything material or factual against them, so I bought one sight unseen. It's been very accurate and reliable, although I wish I had not purchased such a large gun.

September 5, 2006, 01:06 AM	#1
Rinaldo Member Join Date: September 1, 2006 Posts: 30	Is Taurus a respected / Quality Brand? I am in the market for a concealed carry revolver and was looking towards either the colts or the S&W s. Taurus makes a copy similar to the S&W I was also in the market for a 1911 and was going to get a Springfield Loaded model or a Kimber. Taurus is now making a 1911. When did Taurus become a quality brand? Do they churn out quality with the likes of S&W ? I'm curious, Name means nothing to me, I bought a Honda Civic because I liked the way it drove and it is dependable while I could easily afford a car 10 X the price. I am interested in hearing your opinions. I'm a firm beleiver in buying the best with the least amount of money. I own a sig 229 and it's a joy. I'd like to get the 1911 for some competitive shooting.

September 5, 2006, 03:29 AM	#5
Niantician Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 2005 Location: Ct. Posts: 546	They have come a long way. The pt24/7 was 2005 handgun of the year. I own a pt145 and love it. My s&w is now collecting dust. __________________ There are many things in life that are out of my control. Recoil isn't one of them.

September 5, 2006, 12:35 PM	#13
Metaloy Industries Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 179	Another way to go is to get the Taurus revolver for carry and install a duty spring kit. Less $$ than the gunsmith and it will reduce the pull noticeably but still remain safe. __________________ Chris Peters Metaloy Industries, Inc. www.originalmetaloy.com The 'Original' Hard Chrome finish TactiKote finish Visit the Metaloy Blog http://metaloyindustries.typepad.com/

September 5, 2006, 12:41 PM	#14
john in jax Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2005 Posts: 1,177	Rinaldo, a topic similar to this came up a couple/few weeks ago - - you might try a search for some additional info. For what it is worth I like Taurus semi-autos, but in most instances I don't care for Taurus revolvers - - and I DON'T think a Taurus revolver would be a good choice as a CCW. __________________ America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. Claire Wolfe

September 5, 2006, 12:53 PM	#16
TxPhantom Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2006 Location: Frisco, Texas Posts: 300	PT1911 Article Jeff Quin does a revue of the PT1911 at www.gunblast.com or go directly to http://www.gunblast.com/Taurus-PT1911.htm His revue is very positive. __________________ NRA,TSRA Texas CHL Holder Member of VRWC (Vast Right Wing Conspiracy) USA OUT OF THE UN- LET THEM APPLAUDE THAT!

September 5, 2006, 01:20 AM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,982	Taurus guns are fine quality. Some don't like them because the trigger action is not as smooth as a S&W. Any decent gunsmith can fix this very economically.

September 5, 2006, 01:30 AM	#3
oldbillthundercheif Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,450	I have no problem with Taurus, they make good guns. They are not known, however, for making pistols suited for competition. I have not shot their 1911, so I can't say anything deffinate about it one way or the other, but if you are looking for a competition piece you might want to go with a known quantity.

September 5, 2006, 01:31 AM	#4
Mosin44az Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2006 Posts: 2,585	You can Search for Taurus here and get maybe hundreds of pages to look at, to gauge its reputation. Taurus 1911, I am not aware that it is out in great quantity, certainly it has not been out long so no track record. From the articles it sounds appealing, they put alot of effort into it. I would guess it would match the quality of the Springfield, which is also made in Brazil. I am thinking of getting one as a toy. Kimber's reputation has declined drastically over the past couple of years because of their poor external extractor design. I do not know the Taurus it is the best choice for competition because it has no track record, especially for durability over thousands of rounds. Since competition is not a life-and-death situation, you may want to give it a try, it certainly sounds like the price will be good. Taurus as a whole, in my experience, does not match the top brands on overall quality and durability. For a CCW defensive revolver I would go with Smith and Wesson (just leave the gun lock alone, my gunsmith tells me, and it won't cause a problem), or Ruger if weight is not a factor for you. You can afford a car 10 times the price of a Civic? Why don't you buy several different 1911s then, and see which one you like.....

September 5, 2006, 03:46 AM	#6
Qwiks draw Junior member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Posts: 879	Taurus threads have abounded by the score here.Have you done search for the particular make or model? Check the threads on the other handgun sections here.There are always several Taurus postings going on. Experience with the 1911 version I have none. I have older Taurus revolvers made in the middle to late 1980s and these have not failed me yet in any department.Models 66,65,and 85CH are the revolvers.My PT111Millenium/pro is a so called pocket pistol in 9mm.Luger that holds 12 in the magazine.This was bought only a short time ago.It is about the same size as a Glock 26.It maybe a little trimmer than the Glock in the grip area.It has a light crisp trigger.3inch barreled pistols take a little getting used to.Recoil is more noticeable than with bigger pistols but to me it isn't a problem.This is a subjective area.The prices are very good for guns of the Taurus line.I have other makes and models of pistols icluding Rugers and Makarovs.Since I'm a budget sort of shooter I get what I need when I can.Can't tell you which is best because I don't know all your needs.Some opinions to come will be naysayers.Some will have good reason to say so because any company has some slip through that should not. These people will hopefully back up their claims.Users of Taurus products shall be checking in shortly so it is time to turn this over to them.Good luck.

September 5, 2006, 08:18 AM	#7
TexasCop Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2006 Posts: 396	Taurus makes a good product, if you are looking for something dependable and cost effective. If you are looking for something to collect or to customize with trigger jobs, grips, engraving, custom finishes etc. I'd get an S&W or Ruger

September 5, 2006, 08:41 AM	#8
rick_reno Junior member Join Date: May 28, 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 917	I think they had a bad reputation when they first came out - having never owned one I don't know if that was related to rumor or fact. Today, the samples I've seen and shot have been excellent.

September 5, 2006, 10:06 AM	#9
Rinaldo Member Join Date: September 1, 2006 Posts: 30	Thank you for your time. I did perform a search I tried weeding through 40 threads but most were "what do you carry" type threads that did not provide me with adequate information. I beleive I will go with the S&W for Carry options. I may give the 1911 Taurus a try. I will post back with my opinion once I've had some time to test it on some targets.

September 5, 2006, 11:44 AM	#10
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	Taurus is for folks who cant afford (or refuse to spend) a few $$ more for better. WildgoaheadflamemeAlaska

September 5, 2006, 12:26 PM	#12
Action_Can_Do Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Posts: 227	I love my Taurus handguns. But I love my S&W Model 29 too.

September 5, 2006, 12:51 PM	#15
Puppy Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2005 Posts: 265	I used to bemoan & belittle Taurus products, but like'em or not, over the last 10 years Taurus has become a major player in the commercial firearms marketplace. Personally I think Taurus is probably the number one innovator with regards to the number of new product lines they have introduced/produced & most of which are pretty damn good in my opinion. Taurus also stands solidly behind their products, so much so that they have a life-time warranty on their products, something that used to be unheard of, but thanks to Taurus alot of other firearm manufacturers have been forced to follow suit thus even "non-Taurus shooters" have greatly benifieted from Taurus's success. You wont hear me belittle or bemoan Taurus anymore.

September 5, 2006, 12:54 PM	#17
Puppy Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2005 Posts: 265	Oh snap, just caught this comment from John in Jax: "and I DON'T think a Taurus revolver would be a good choice as a CCW." Sorry John but I have to disagree, Taurus M85UL's are probably some of the best snubbies I have ever had the pleasure of owning.

September 5, 2006, 02:50 PM	#19
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,383	"Taurus is for folks who cant afford (or refuse to spend) a few $$ more for better." Gee, that can be said for just about anything. But, if we're to take it to its logical conclusion, we'd end up at Korth. "Why'd you buy a Korth revolver?" "Well, because I couldn't find anything more expensive!" "Wouldn't a Taurus or Colt or Ruger have worked?" "Of course they would have, but they wouldn't have been nearly as expensive!" __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 5, 2006, 04:00 PM	#23
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Quality, yes, most of the time (not always; there are lemons). Respected, no. Lots of gun snobs around. Mike I. is right. But the crappy turnaround time on warranty service IS something to be considered, particularly since they do have their share (or perhaps more than their fair share) of lemons.

September 5, 2006, 04:09 PM	#24
gunmetal Member Join Date: February 6, 2006 Posts: 67	There are so many threads like this, you could spend a lifetime reading and participating in every single one. However, since I'm bored and stumbled upon this one, I'll post the same here as I've posted in a few others over the last few months. I would love to see Taurus succeed, and for their firearms to improve in quality (as I think they have been)... but it will be a long time before I buy another one. I have a PT-145 MilPRO and an 85 2" snubbie. Had several issues w/ the 145 (feed problems; walking frame pin; collisions between mags and feed ramp). Sent it in, and they do seem to have fixed the frame pin problem by replacing the grip frame. The feed problems, the jury's still out on (need to put more rds thru it). But their "fix" for the collisions was to polish the feed ramp. This is no fix, it's just a "buff out the damage." Yes, the parts are still colliding with one another. The revolver: sent it in as well because the timing was slightly off. When I got it back, they had replaced the cylinder, center pin, and hammer, and "adjusted" the hand. Well, I don't understand why they replaced all those parts, and the hand adjustment didn't seem to do anything, because it is STILL out of time. Also, some of the parts (takedown pin, safety lever, slide stop) on the auto are made of something that seems to me to be very fragile. I would not like to see what would happen if I were to drop the pistol onto something hard and have it land on any of these parts. I think their quality right now is still hit-or-miss. I love the revolver, and there are some things I love about the PT-145, but it just seems to me that their repairs dept. is completely incompetent. See this thread for another littany of what seems to be CS/repairs incompetence: http://www.tacapp.com/?p=53 At this point I wish I'd never bought either of these.

September 5, 2006, 06:13 PM	#25
razorburn Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2006 Posts: 260	I was in the same position. I could care less whether the products I buy were made in america or not. Honestly, I think that stopped being a badge of quality many years ago, and honestly after some experiences with american autos, the label "made in usa" actually gives me pause to suspect the quality of the product now. Perhaps made in Germany or the like can still be considered a sign of quality but I digress. I also do not care about reputation among forumites, I just want something that works. To do this the way I believed to be best and most likely to get me objective results, first, I decided to disregard the opinions of vendors. They are biased and known to shamelessly pimp whatever they have for sale. I also disregard those who do not have first hand experience owning one, since I didn't want to come to a conclusion based on rumor, or gun snobbery and heresy. I already know what their forum rep is and dont need it restated. I also disregard the opinions of those with older guns, as I understand they were more poorly made back then. I tallied up the experiences over the last few years available archived for this website and found the vast majority of people who had first hand experiences with a modern taurus had positive experiences, some liking them better than their smiths or rugers. CS does not seem so bad, there are many positive experiences with them and negatives don't appear disproportionate to the other major makes. I have not heard anything material or factual against them, so I bought one sight unseen. It's been very accurate and reliable, although I wish I had not purchased such a large gun.