Taurus 431 Pt. 2

GerSan69 · Sep 19, 2015

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.

CajunBass · Sep 19, 2015

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.

GerSan69 · Sep 20, 2015

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...

kaaskop49 · Sep 20, 2015

GerSan69 said:
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...

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

Grayfox · Sep 20, 2015

Dadgum, I need to get me one of those.

GerSan69 · Sep 23, 2015

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.

steelslaver · Sep 27, 2015

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.

STCM(SW) · Sep 28, 2015

Mine is SS.
It's OK but my M696 is better.
I did change out the grips.
Much better for me.

CajunBass · Sep 28, 2015

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.

Taurus 431 Pt. 2

GerSan69

Member

Attachments

CajunBass

Member

GerSan69

Member

kaaskop49

Member

Grayfox

US Veteran

GerSan69

Member

Attachments

steelslaver

US Veteran

STCM(SW)

US Veteran

CajunBass

Member

Similar threads

Latest posts