Taurus M85UL Vs. S&W Cheifs Special 3"

[Will Carry]

The test pistols were a Taurus M85 Ultra-light SS with Crimson Trace Grips and a Smith and Wesson model 36-1 with a 3" barrel.

M85: Bad points: Sloppy cylinder. The CT grips are kind of slippery.

Good points. It's light and the CT laser makes it more accurate.

S&W M-36-1. Bad points: No defects

Good points: It's tight and well made, with a 3" Barrel.

Test parameters: Pick up the pistol off the bench as fast as you can and with one hand fire 5 rounds at a target 12 feet away as fast as you can.

Results: Both pistols were fast on the target. Even though the S&W has a much lighter trigger, I didn't notice the difference. The Taurus put all five rounds in a 2.5 inch group. The Smith put 4 rounds in a 2 inch group but the first round was 4 inches high.

Conclusion: Without the Crimson Trace Grips the Taurus would have been out classed by the Smith. I like the narrow grips on the Smith over the Crimson Trace grips. I would rate them as equals today. But overall I like the Smith and Wesson simply because it doesn't need batteries. If you include the CT grips, the Taurus cost about the same as the Smith or at least comparable in price.