Taurus 82: worth it?

[9Mary7]

I have a 605 3" that has been flawless for the 4 years I've had it. Bought new due to the great trigger in it. Factory got this one right.
Don't know what the others are like but mine is great.

 

[h2ohhh]

I only own 1 Taurus and it’s a great and reliable shooter. That’s no surprise as this PT 100 was manufactured in a factory bought from Beretta in Brazil when Beretta had the contract for police and Brazil’s military. It’s a clone of the Beretta 92 or 96 in this case being a .40. Taurus had Beretta’s tooling, plans (expired patent) and even employees. They actually improved the 96 by moving the safety off the Slide and added a decocker. Mine was built in 1994 and has been flawless. Because of Taurus’ reputation you can find one hundreds less than the 96.

 

[CajunBass]

I'm a sucker for a Taurus revolver for some reason. Or used to be. I've owned a few dozen in everything from 22 to 44 Magnum. Never had a problem with one, but I admit that I only fired one extensively. That one, conviently enough was a Model 82, the second revolver I ever purchased. The gun store dealer told me "It's not a S&W." No kidding? The almost half price difference didn't give me a clue.

He was right. The finish wasn't as nice. The wood grips looked like they'd been hacked out of a 2X4 by a man on the job for the first day. But the gun shot. I don't know how many of my Lee Loader 38 Wadcutters I put through that gun before some other bright shiny thing caught my eye and I sold it to a guy at work, but it was a bunch of them. Good little gun. I never had a Model 10 I thought was any better. Better looking, a better trigger...maybe...but as a gun, really no better.

 

[Terry G]

I have several of their revolvers in .22. .38 Special. and .357 Magnum. I can't fault any of them. The .38 was bought as a C&R gun for some absurd low price and was received in very good shape. It's obviously a copy of a S&W. I doubt it was fired much.

 

[davidrv]

I have not posted often on this forum, but I find the information valuable.

I have a "few" Smith and Wesson revolvers from mid-60's pinned barrels through most recent purchase was a 986. I also have owned 3 model 52's over the years. I am very happy with my S&Ws.

Last year I purchased a Taurus 327, because I wanted a revolver that would shoot the .32 S&W Longs that I also use for Precision Pistol in a Hammerli. This new Taurus was an excellent little revolver at a good price. Solid timing and lockup, trigger is a little heavier than my Smiths. Earlier this year I bought a used Taurus 608 - 8 shot .357 that was made in 1995. With a little polishing and some Wolfe springs, it's trigger is almost as good as my better Smiths. Now if I could only find a competition holster for it!

Thanks for all of the information presented here.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Hello;

I have a question on Taurus 82s. Are they clones of the Model 10 and are they worth a try?

No

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

… It's obviously a copy of a S&W. I doubt it was fired much.

In my day (1970s) if you need a gun that was going to be used to investigate a suspicious noise and was just going to be in a nightstand usually. You got whatever was affordable / inexpensive.

But if you were going to shoot with some regularity you got a S&W or a Colt. JMHO

 

[Tex1001]

I hae a pair of 431s (3" 44spl) and a 441 (4")that have been great.
I also have a pair of 94s (4", 6", LR) that required machining new
firing pins for both. Taurus was absolutely no help with the 94s.
Refused to send parts. Gave me a turnaround time of 18 months.
Both 94s purchased from a dealer at a gun show Nov. 2008 for
$118 each (The price should have been a clue).
All of them work very well for me,, but I don't recommend them
to anyone.

 

[rockquarry]

Maybe many of you don't trade or sell guns with any frequency. I don't anymore but used to. If you plan on keeping your Taurus guns forever, then what I say doesn't matter. I found out long ago that many "lesser" (use a different word here if you can think of a better one) guns are hard to get rid of in comparison with more "desirable" (again use a different word if you see fit) ones and they don't bring much when you do dispose of them. But, they cost less to begin with, the only advantage I see to buying such guns.

Consider spending a little more initially to get the best you can find. If you do lots of shooting, say 25,000 to 50,000 rounds in a number of years or a lifetime of shooting, I suspect the more expensive and more desirable guns will hold up much better. Few of us know how much we shoot because it's not a fun thing to keep up with, so our estimates may be poor ones, but I know I shoot quite a bit.

Nothing wrong with Colt and S&W revolvers. I'm shooting some of these I bought new forty or fifty years ago and they continue to work well.

Along the same lines, remember Tasco scopes? I had a mess of them in the '70s and '80s. Most worked very well, but you almost had d to give them away to get rid of them. I finally succeeded and learned a valuable lesson in the process.

 

[Major 2]

Spend a little more and get an S&W; likely worth it in several ways in the long run.

Well, both sides of the Yeahs and nays, you probably know little more than you did when you posted...

ME > I did buy a Smith J frame 642PC very happy I did....
the following month in May of 24, I traded a NIB Pietta 36 Navy (to a Cowboy Action shooter) for a 605 NIB
I quite satisfied with it, and the trade as well.
So, the 642 is an EDC and the Taurus has served as my get home emergency bag.

 

[rockquarry]

Well, both sides of the Yeahs and nays, you probably know little more than you did when you posted...

ME > I did buy a Smith J frame 642PC very happy I did....
the following month in May of 24, I traded a NIB Pietta 36 Navy (to a Cowboy Action shooter) for a 605 NIB
I quite satisfied with it, and the trade as well.
So, the 642 is an EDC and the Taurus has served as my get home emergency bag.

I don't understand your response, but I've never claimed to be smart in any post.

 

[Terry G]

I was sold on Taurus guns until I ran into the TH 45. The TX22 is probably one of the best, if not the best .22 in it's class. Too much hit and miss. CZ and S&W are my handguns of choice for carry.

 

[CajunBass]

Maybe many of you don't trade or sell guns with any frequency. I don't anymore but used to. If you plan on keeping your Taurus guns forever, then what I say doesn't matter. I found out long ago that many "lesser" (use a different word here if you can think of a better one) guns are hard to get rid of in comparison with more "desirable" (again use a different word if you see fit) ones and they don't bring much when you do dispose of them. But, they cost less to begin with, the only advantage I see to buying such guns.

That's exactly the opposite of my experience. I do buy, sell, and trade a LOT...or I used to. I don't even know how many guns I've owned over the years, but it's been a lot of them. A fair number were Taurus revolvers, almost all purchased used. You're right. Conventional wisdom says they'd be hard to sell, and not bring very much. On the other hand they don't cost as much.

However, I never had any trouble selling a Taurus, and the price I got was releative to what I paid. Did I lose a little? Most of the time, but then I usually lost a little with the more expensive brands too. I've never been able to buy low/sell high.

 

[crasig]

Ordinarily I avoid Taurus products (just because)... But I found this little 5 shot pocket .357 NOS, NIB, at my local pawn shop - they almost paid ME to take it - the rubber grips had gone sticky (I prefer WOOD anyway). I was surprised to learn that when IT was made, TAURUS & S&W were owned by the same holding company - WHICH COULD EXPLAIN THE CASE HARDENED TRIGGER + IDENTICAL DIMENSIONS BETWEEN THE S&W model 49 & TAURUS model 651.
Its as if they exchanged plans. I wouldn't have bought it IF it couldn't be cocked & fired single action.
TURNS OUT - I REALLY LIKE THE LITTLE "HUMPY" GEM.

 

[Malkovich]

I don't understand your response, but I've never claimed to be smart in any post.

Absolutely brilliant

 

[Malkovich]

I'm a sucker for a Taurus revolver for some reason. Or used to be. I've owned a few dozen in everything from 22 to 44 Magnum. Never had a problem with one, but I admit that I only fired one extensively. That one, conviently enough was a Model 82, the second revolver I ever purchased. The gun store dealer told me "It's not a S&W." No kidding? The almost half price difference didn't give me a clue.

He was right. The finish wasn't as nice. The wood grips looked like they'd been hacked out of a 2X4 by a man on the job for the first day. But the gun shot. I don't know how many of my Lee Loader 38 Wadcutters I put through that gun before some other bright shiny thing caught my eye and I sold it to a guy at work, but it was a bunch of them. Good little gun. I never had a Model 10 I thought was any better. Better looking, a better trigger...maybe...but as a gun, really no better.

The venerable smiths, both classic carry revolvers. Both might be for sale

 

[EricandSuebee]

I've owned a couple taurus guns over the years, never once had an issue new or used, maybe I was lucky or just didn't buy them when they were having the issues, I'm hoping to score a deal on a taurus 82 will hopefully see once I'm back from vacation if its still available to purchase.

 

[KenTheHunter]

Have 2 Taurus handguns. A G2c 9mm and a Model 85 2" .38 (not the lightweight version). The G2c has feed issues initially, was sent back to Taurus, and is now very reliable. No issues with the 85. Neither are as well finished nor as pleasant to shoot as my older S&W or Colts. But for the money they are well worth it.

As to having to return the G2c to Taurus to get it working right, plenty of examples on this forum of having to do the same thing for current production Smiths. My take - you get what you pay for with Taurus, you get a bit less than you pay for with a current Smith.

I have owned a Taurus 85 CH, a 856 and a 942, 22 LR. All Taurus revolvers that I have handled and shot, including the ones mentioned, had, in my view, terrible triggers. Very heavy, especially in DA ! The 942, had frequent misfires in the beginning, but after taking it apart and cleaning it it’s no longer misfiring !

 

[h2ohhh]

Ordinarily I avoid Taurus products (just because)... But I found this little 5 shot pocket .357 NOS, NIB, at my local pawn shop - they almost paid ME to take it - the rubber grips had gone sticky (I prefer WOOD anyway). I was surprised to learn that when IT was made, TAURUS & S&W were owned by the same holding company - WHICH COULD EXPLAIN THE CASE HARDENED TRIGGER + IDENTICAL DIMENSIONS BETWEEN THE S&W model 49 & TAURUS model 651.
Its as if they exchanged plans. I wouldn't have bought it IF it couldn't be cocked & fired single action.
TURNS OUT - I REALLY LIKE THE LITTLE "HUMPY" GEM.

I’ve got the Smith Model 38 J frame very similar to both of those. Going to run a few errands and slip it in the front pocket.

 

[Nick43]

Ordinarily I avoid Taurus products (just because)... But I found this little 5 shot pocket .357 NOS, NIB, at my local pawn shop - they almost paid ME to take it - the rubber grips had gone sticky (I prefer WOOD anyway). I was surprised to learn that when IT was made, TAURUS & S&W were owned by the same holding company - WHICH COULD EXPLAIN THE CASE HARDENED TRIGGER + IDENTICAL DIMENSIONS BETWEEN THE S&W model 49 & TAURUS model 651.
Its as if they exchanged plans. I wouldn't have bought it IF it couldn't be cocked & fired single action.
TURNS OUT - I REALLY LIKE THE LITTLE "HUMPY" GEM.

I have the Titanium version of the 651. Great gun but my ears ring for 2 days after shooting .357's and the recoil is so ferocious that it's hard to keep it on-target. Finally decided to either stop shooting it or upgrade my earmuffs.