Taurus 651 .357 Magnum - Thoughts/Suggestions

[dkd83]

I have considered purchasing a revolver for pocket carry for sometime and I believe the Taurus 651 in .357 fits the bill nicely. I have not handled one of these yet but have researched these, Charter Arms, and S&W on the web and in several forums.

The S&Ws are too pricey for me and i like the "look" of the Taurus line (again not 'in the real' except for Phantom6's pocket BUG). Anyone have some good comments for a cherry wheel gunner?

[Guest GregRN]

I'm definitely curious to hear the opinions on this. I am also investigating snub revolvers. I personally am a little turned off by Taurus' locking mechanism. I wish someone would chime in on Charter's trigger. Is it smooth, or can it be tweaked if necesary? I know S&W is a little pricey, but if that is the only worthwhile direction, it may be worth it. How about Rossi? Are they any good? And what of the recoil on light weight revolvers? Whatever I would buy would also require the ability to be handled by my Wife (she loves to shoot).

[Guest Mugster]

There was a time when i would not have bought a taurus, but i believe them to be of good quality now. If i was looking for a small one, I might look at these:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdView?model=5720&return=Y

The taurus price tag is hard to beat though.

[Guest Mugster]

Recoil is pretty subjective. I don't own anything less than 36 ounces or under a 5" barrel because i just don't like to shoot it. If your life is in danger and you need to carry a concealed weapon, I wouldn't worry about the recoil. I mean, its not a requirement that the gun is a joy to shoot. Its a requirement that you can handle the recoil and hit with it at close range, and thats it. I'd probably stick with a milder .38 load with a 160-180gr lead fn bullet, although a 125gr jhp is what most would choose, I'm guessing.

[creeky]

I had a Taurus 17 years ago. Kept it for about three years.

Blue, 5 shot .38, hammerless. It was light, and fun to shoot.

Carried it everywhere. Finish was great on it. Everyone told me

not to get a "Taurus" back then. They had just had the "Liftime warrenty"

thing going on for a couple of years. Everone I showed it to was impressed

with the quality.

Sold it, and I regreted it ever since. I'll own another one, one day.

I just have other things infront of it.

I would only assume that the quality is either the same or has

even gotten better. (Just my two cents.)

[molonlabetn]

...I wish someone would chime in on Charter's trigger. Is it smooth, or can it be tweaked if necesary?

I have a well-used Charter Undercover .38spl on my night-stand... it has a better trigger than any snubnose revolver I have handled from S&W, Ruger, and Taurus. I'm not sure if it's just mine that is so good, but it's impressive for something that cost $80.

My calibrated finger tells me that the DA pull is around 10lb, and the SA pull is around 3lb... both very smooth. It would make an impressive plinker if it had a longer barrel and better sights.

[Guest drod]

I will never own another Taurus. I bought .38 snub several years ago. The tolerance on the cylinder was off. Loaded rounds would bind against the frame keeping the cyliner from rotating. The gun was useless. I sent it back to Taurus. They "fixed" it and returned it to me. They went too far in correcting the cylinder. The firing pin would not even reach the primers. The gun was still useless. I traded it and bought a S&W 642. I have never looked back. You get what you pay for. What good is a lifetime warranty when you need the firearm to defend your life. I guess the brevity of the life reduces the cost of a lifetime warranty. Save up or borrow money and get a Smith.

[Guest looneeetunes]

i held one of these in my hand nib yesterday. the action was really strong in the hammer and trigger. i would prefer a smith i think. maybe you could put some wolf springs in, but i would rather have the smith and not have to work on it. smith is a little more investment, but value in the end on a used gun would be higher as well i think. i like taurus dont get me wrong but i prefer their semi's. even this taurus i got for my wife is a little stronger than i like, but it is a rim fire so i probably wont replace the hammer spring for fear of reliability issues (but if i find one of those j frame kit guns i will probably get that for her as well)

[Mike.357]

I was talking to a guy (another customer) at a gunshop about .357 revolvers once. He said buy a S&W if you plan to resell it later, a Taurus if money is tight or a Ruger if you plan to keep it forever.

[Guest Mugster]

Ruger makes a darn good revolver and they are built to last a lifetime.

My buddy who is a revolver aficionado says the smith safety locks are really bad and its a well known problem that they can malfunction and cause the gun not to fire. Ruger is evidently shipping with locks now too from what I understand. I haven't heard anything one way or the other on the ruger locking system.

[The Rabbi]

Rugers are nice but hardly pocket guns.

I have made my comments on Taurus customer service. All of the wholesalers I have spoken with have pretty much the same experience.

That said, they build a decent enough product at a good price.

As for .357mag snub, I wouldn't do it. I have never seen the utility of something like that. The extra force mostly goes out of the barrel as flash and noise. Imagine lighting one off in your car. A .38spc with the right loading will do anything the .357 will do at a reduced price with greater controlability.

The new Charter Arms (actually Charter 2000) are little like the old ones from the '70s. The last Bulldog I got I sent back to the wholesaler because the fit and finish were so crappy.

I did get a Rossi in .357 in and thought it was pretty decent. Ditto the Armscorp .38 in 2" barrel.

[HanSolo]

I actually own a Ruger SP101 .357 Mag. I bought because I was told it was a good pocket gun. I think if you wear MC Hammer pants it might work, but other than that it has not worked out well for me that way. I actually ended up buying a .380 kel-tec for my pocket gun. But I kept the Ruger because I loved it and still carry it in jackets with deep pockets or cargo shorts.

My wife has a S&W .38 special and she loves it. It is very light and I have always been pleased with the way it shoots.

[Guest Mugster]

That brings a whole new meaning to "hammertime".

[wareagle]

I've owned 3 Taurus revolvers (66, 86, 605). They were all awesome. I presently carry a 605 (2" .357snub). Its a handful with full power .357mag rounds.

I'd recommend the double action Taurus or Ruger.

I'd avoid rossi and charter. They seem to have a lower build quality and I've seen timing issues.

[Guest db99wj]

I've owned 3 Taurus revolvers (66, 86, 605). They were all awesome. I presently carry a 605 (2" .357snub). Its a handful with full power .357mag rounds.

I'd recommend the double action Taurus or Ruger.

I'd avoid rossi and charter. They seem to have a lower build quality and I've seen timing issues.

I have a Rossi .38 snub that I bought the week I turned 21 (14 years ago) that has never had a problem. It is quite accurate as well.

[HanSolo]

I do not know a lot about the rossi, but i do know everyone i have talked to said stay away from the charter.

Also, everyone I know that carries a .357 has ended up with the ruger sp101 snub. But for carry I have been happier carrying my xd subcompact .40 and the ruger stays in the glove box.

[Guest db99wj]

My Rossi is a on the bedside table, in the console, stick in a pocket while going to get the mail type gun. it is small, but heavy IMO, I don't like trying to conceal it. I am considering selling it, I won't get much, I'm guessing under a $100 and getting a P3AT. Then again, I might not sell it, and keep it on my nightstand. I hate getting rid of things..

[HanSolo]

If you are getting less than 100 and it shoots, it is usually worth keeping. I just bought a P3AT and so far I am pretty happy with it.