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09-19-2015, 01:44 PM
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Taurus 431 Pt. 2
Well, you can't just stop at one. You always gotta have a backup. You can't just have one gun in a caliber. Ya got two hands, so....
Well, which excuse is a good one, I don't know. But I went ahead and hit the "Buy it now" on another .44 Special. Another Taurus 431, this time in blue, with a 2.5" barrel and a round butt. It's 90-95% with a couple handling scratches, and the action is smooth if a tad heavy. It definitely wasn't fired much. The serial number comes back to 1994 manufacture. This vintage/series seems to be a good one for Taurus, because the fit and finish is, IMHO, excellent.
Last edited by GerSan69; 09-19-2015 at 01:45 PM.
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09-19-2015, 03:58 PM
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Congratulations. My LGS had a 4" one, with adjustable sights in the case a couple of weeks ago. I came close to putting some money down on it, but I already had a Model 13 on layaway.
It was gone a couple of days later.
I agree on the finish. Mine was made in 1993 and looks great.
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09-20-2015, 11:59 AM
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These smaller .44s seem to be popular. Makes you wonder if the 696 should have remained in the catalog.
The prices on these seem to be holding steady in the low to mid $400's. IMHO that's because of the relatively good quality of these 20-something year old firearms.
I'm done buying, at least for now. Of course, if an adjustable sight model were to come along...
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09-20-2015, 01:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GerSan69
These smaller .44s seem to be popular. Makes you wonder if the 696 should have remained in the catalog.
The prices on these seem to be holding steady in the low to mid $400's. IMHO that's because of the relatively good quality of these 20-something year old firearms.
I'm done buying, at least for now. Of course, if an adjustable sight model were to come along...
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Great posts! Actually, it makes me wonder if S&W should have dupe'd the 431 and produced a 5-shot .44 Spl gun in a K-frame, rather than in an L-frame.
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
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09-20-2015, 08:00 PM
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Dadgum, I need to get me one of those. 
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09-23-2015, 07:07 PM
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Looked around for some original grips.... found them on eBay. $10 plus shipping!
Not a 100% perfect fit but perfect condition. And Taurus seems to have done a pretty good woodworking job, too.
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09-27-2015, 10:32 PM
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I have a 431, a CA Bulldog and a 696 S&W. While the Smith does have a better trigger and adjustable sights, I do as well shooting my standard carry gun practice session with the 431. Got to love small big bore 5 shooters.
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09-28-2015, 12:31 AM
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Mine is SS.
It's OK but my M696 is better.
I did change out the grips.
Much better for me.
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09-28-2015, 06:37 AM
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Not a 431, I've already got one of those, but last week my dealer had a Taurus 65, fixed sight 357 Magnum in the display case, tagged at less than $400.00. It was one of the ones from this same time period, with the nice blue and rounded wood grips. Pretty gun.
I was tempted...really tempted...but I'd just bought a Model 13-3 so I just couldn't justify in my mind another fixed sight 357.
I'm glad it was gone the next time I went in.
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