Windicator versus Taurus

[Murgatroy]

I gave my mother a Jennings .380 several years ago when I took the family shotgun from her. As she has gotten older, her health has failed and a 12ga coach gun was no longer ideal for home protection.

I feel kinda bad about this, as the gun was a piece of... well, you all know what a Jennings is.

I have been thinking about picking up a better gun for her, and because of her health and frailty I have been leaning toward a revolver.

I went to Gander Mountain this evening, after seeing their ad in the paper. They have a Windicator .357 Mag for $250 after a mail in rebate. They have an aluminum frame Taurus for $100 more, but it is in .38 Special (no +P) only.

Is the Windicator decent enough at that price? The frame is heavier, which makes me think the recoil would be easier for her handle.

Opinions?

[DaveTN]

opinions?

I wouldn’t buy my Mom a Windicator or a Taurus. I would buy her a Smith & Wesson revolver but I would make sure she could manage the trigger pull first. At $350 you are near the price of a good used S&W K-frame.

[Karnage]

Check these out

Smith & Wesson Model 64 38spl, 4 Inch, Stainless, Round butt, Good to very good condition

[Guest hoss6175]

The ruger LCR is sweet little gun light weight not much kick and only about 5 pounds of trigger pull

[Guest 85rx-7gsl-se]

You said she is frail and therefore you want a revolver instead of a semi-auto (I assume because of the ease of loading and not needing to pull the slide to chamber a round) yet then you consider getting her a .357 Magnum? Seems like a .38 would be most she would need.

[Murgatroy]

And she can shoot .38SPL out of the .357Mag, also meaning if I ever got the gun back for some reason, I could shoot .357 Mag out of it as well.

It is all about versatility.

[DaveTN]

And she can shoot .38SPL out of the .357Mag, also meaning if I ever got the gun back for some reason, I could shoot .357 Mag out of it as well.

It is all about versatility.

It’s also all about money. The Model 64’s, 15’s etc, that are .38 only are going to be much cheaper than .357Mag. A Model 64 in .357 Mag will be a Model 65 and a Model 15 in .357Mag will be a Model 19. You probably won’t find those in the price range you want to be in.

[Murgatroy]

Check these out

Smith & Wesson Model 64 38spl, 4 Inch, Stainless, Round butt, Good to very good condition

It’s also all about money. The Model 64’s, 15’s etc, that are .38 only are going to be much cheaper than .357Mag. A Model 64 in .357 Mag will be a Model 65 and a Model 15 in .357Mag will be a Model 19. You probably won’t find those in the price range you want to be in.

Very valid points, and the quality is going to be much better as well.

This might be an option.

I don't know why, but I have always had a hard time with .38SPL chambered firearms, when there is the option of a .357Mag which will offer more versatility. This might be something I have to get over in this situation.

[DaveTN]

I don't know why, but I have always had a hard time with .38SPL chambered firearms, when there is the option of a .357Mag which will offer more versatility. This might be something I have to get over in this situation.

There is no quality difference between a model 64/65 or 15/19; they are the same gun. But there will be a price difference in the used market because of demand. Everyone wants .357 even if they only shoot .38’s. If you want both the versatility and the quality; pay for it.

.357Mag is the most popular round ever made in a revolver for home defense or as a duty weapon. That’s why you can pick up some of these .38’s cheaper.

However…. This is your Moms life you are talking about. Would you not want to get her the best quality you can afford? Who cares what will happen to the gun after she dies or can’t use it?

[Bassoneer]

I strongly advise AGAINST the purchase of a Windicator for any reason. I did, and I'm talking from my own first hand and personal experience...I didn't get through one box of shells before it froze up. The one I had was not safe. I would like to tell you more about it if you want to go off-line...it was purchased at the same store you're talking about and sold back to them at a huge loss. My experience was absolutely un-real.

Now on the other hand, I recently purchased a like-new Model 82 Taurus .38+P revolver, blued with 4" barrel for $250 at Austin's Tennessee Firearms in Oak Ridge and gave to my 76-year-old mother and 80-year-old dad. They love it. I would strongly recommend getting them something reasonable like that - it is simple and it works. I would never consider a Windicator for anybody. Not even as a paperweight.

Good luck, B

[TNWNGR]

Most of us would be very content with a used Ruger Security Six, GP100 or S&W K frame variant in fixed or adjustable sight .38 Spl/.357Mag revolvers. This doesn’t mean that any of these would be ideal for your Mother. You might consider asking her what she’d like first and discuss it fully with her before doing anything else. One of the most ideal firearms for home defense I’ve encountered if the Mossberg pump action .410 shotguns. It’s lightweight, has low recoil and is intuitively easy to shoot. It’s also more powerful than any of the fine revolvers I’ve already mentioned.

[strickj]

Never heard of Winicator. Have plenty of experience with Taurus revolvers though. They're durn good guns....inspite of what DaveTN says(he only recommends S&W).

As for what would be good for your mother; I gave mine an NEF 12G to use at home. She loved it and felt very comfortable holding it and pulling the hammer back and pulling the trigger. She was pretty weak and fragile as well.

She was able to hold it with both hands very easily and the operation was very safe )she was not a gun person). I was 100% confident in her with that gun.

The heavy recoil was of no concern to me as she would only be shooting it at a boogie man.

I also let her play around some with my Taurus 851. Our intention here was to let her pocket carry it when away from the house.

She liked it as aswell and was comfortable holding it. Pulling the trigger required use of both hands and a bit of strain but it could be done.

I always told myself(and her) if she ever HAD to use it she probably wouldn't even notice the trigger....but I was still fearful in the back of my mind that she wouldn't have been able to, yaknow.

My advise is to give her something that she is comfortable holding and operating and do not worry about the recoil. You mother having a bruised butt from falling after shooting a shotgun is better then her not being able to pull a trigger.

If she is comfortable and is able to use a revolver, then great! If not, a simple shottie may just be your answer.

Just 2cents from someone who was there just a few short months ago.

Edited October 25, 2010 by strickj

[Murgatroy]

I just worry about her with a shotgun. She is versed in firearm use. She doesn't like them, but she doesn't like to be without them.

She has my Remington Nylon 66 right now, well, it is communal property to be more precise, it was hers, she gave it to my wife, but we gave it back to her, since she has had it for a long time and it is the gun she is most comfortable with.

I have tried and tried to convince her that she needs something a little more potent than a .22LR. However, I think I may be barking up the wrong tree. At least it is something she knows how to use and will use.

I just don't feel comfortable with her having a .22LR for HD. Which is why I gave her the Jennings. At least one shot of .380 is better than one shot of .22LR, right?

For years our go to gun was a 20" Rossi Coach gun. I have it in my closet now. It is a hoss. I just didn't feel it was right for her to use. With her size and health, I have a feeling it would do as much damage to her as an intruder.

I don't know. I may just be over thinking it, and feeling a little bit of guilt leaving her with a Jennings. She doesn't even have it anymore.

I was just pondering the idea of grabbing her something decent.

Honestly, after thinking and looking, the Smiths from JG may be a decent investment for her.

[SonnyCrockett]

YouTube - Taurus Model 85: Alternative Five Shooter

I bought an T85.......worked great for me

[Guest Jamie]

Rumor to the contrary, Taurus makes some very good revolvers.

I've owned several, and all preformed well... except for the .22 who's lock design precluded doing anything to make the DA trigger pull lighter without getting light hammer strikes... But that's another matter.

I've only ever seen one "Windicator" though, and it was an old one that was taken off a fellow during a traffic stop. It was so pathetic that neither I nor the other officer felt justified in charging him with carrying a weapon without a permit.

Sorry, but only cap guns should be made out of pot metal, and that's exactly what the frame of the Windicator looked like it was made of....

So if it comes down to one or the other, take the Taurus and don't look back.

[dralarms]

Buy her a judge. Not a public defender judge, but the straight judge. Tigger pull anit bad, and 5 shots of 410 SD ammo will do the job. The public defender version has an awful trigger pull, that's why I said to get the regular one.

And if you ever end up with it back, it shoots 45LC as well.

[graycrait]

After working on quite a few DA revolvers of different brands I only recommend Ruger or S&W. One of the problems I have seen in half dozen Taurus of late is the cylinder stop slots are poorly machined and allow the revolver to freewheel backwards because that part of the slot on the cylinder is not deep enough or sharp enough. Those spurless security company turn-in S&W MDL64s that you see in stores from time to time for less than 300.00 are good deals.

[Steelharp]

I gave my mother a Jennings .380

Where's the love? Did she beat you as a kid??

[Guest Ae-35]

Which is worse, a taurus or a charter? A friend is left-handed, said he was buying a charter arms " southpaw", I asked him to reconsider. Oh yeah.. 500th post!!!

[Guest FiddleDog]

I gotta agree with Jamie. There is nothing wrong with a Taurus Wheel gun. Have you considered a 410 pump action? That may help. With the right load, they'll work just fine for her.

[Murgatroy]

I took her out today and let her handle a slew of guns. We tried some Taurus .38SPLs, a S&W Airweight, a Taurus 709, a Ruger SR9 and a S&W Sigma SW9VE.

I told her that price wise, since she has to buy the ammo, I would prefer her to have either a .38SPL, or a 9mm. Those were what we looked at, and she liked the ammo prices as well.

It was touch and go for a while, she couldn't work the double action on the revolvers, she couldn't work the slide on the Taurus or the Ruger, then she picked up the Sigma. I was starting to worry I was gonna have to drop more money and get her a Glock, she likes my 19 and has shot it a lot. The Sigma made her happy. She could work the slide, and she liked the way it felt.

Taking her with me to let her pick out her own gun was the right move. She even said she wanted the extra mags with it. So much for my rebate. I bought her 200 rounds of some CCI Blazer and 16 rounds of some Rem Golden Saber I have.

We took it and shot the stuffing out of it. She is a fair shot with it at 20yds. And thankfully she likes it, and she will use it.

So for anyone else questioning what to get for your elderly mother, save yourselves the headache and just take her with you and let her choose her own gun.

[Kevo]

Awesome job:)