Soliciting opinions on a Taurus mod 66

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've been wanting a decent revolver and ran across one of

these critters. A friend has one and it looks to be good as new.

Adjustable rear sight, stainless, 4" barrel, wood grips.

If I'd rather, it would have a 44 magnum, but opportunity seems

to knock at wierd times.

A penny for your thoughts on the Taurus.

[hipower]

Good, solid revolver. I have a 44 mag and a 2" 38. Both have performed flawlessly for me. In spite of the negativity sometimes associated withTaurus products, I don't think you'd make a bad buy if it's in good condition and a good price for you.

Someone else may advise otherwise. JMHO.

[JAB]

I have one with a 4 inch barrel and rubber grips that I picked up used last year. When I bought it, I thought it was maybe a year or two old but then became curious when reading about them online (unless I read wrong, the newer models are seven shot revolvers while mine is a six shot.) After checking the serial number lookup on Taurus' site, turns out mine was built in 1986.

I wanted a revolver with at least a four inch barrel so I could legally use it for hunting backup. .357 may well be my favorite caliber and I already had a snubbie so chambered. However, I was originally looking for a .44 Mag, too, because I also wanted to carry it when trout fishing in case of a (admittedly highly unlikely) bad encounter with a bear. After considering the price of .44 Mag ammo, the actual likelihood of ever needing to defend against a bear and the likelihood that a heavy .357 load would deal with one of the small black bears in this area (that is, if I actually got a shot off and got a good hit - without which a .44 wouldn't do any better), I opted for the Taurus 66, instead.

Mine shoots pretty nice with .38 Special, .38 +P and .357 loads. It is heavy enough that the weight plus the rubber grips absorb a lot of the recoil of even 158 grain .357 loads. With .357 ammo it is loud, of course, but not hard on my hands (then, again, I can run a full box of 125 grain .357 loads through my Rossi snub with my hands being none the worse for wear.) I also bought a box of Buffalo Bore ammo loaded with 180 grain lead hardcast bullets to carry for the just-in-case bear scenario. The recoil of the 66 is noticeably harder with those but still not unmanageable or unbearable. I don't know what a steady diet of those 180 grain loads would do to the 66 (although they are supposed to be a 'standard pressure' .357 load) but I probably won't put more than a box (20 rounds) or two through it the whole time I have it and it should handle that just fine. I don't worry about wearing it out with 125 to 158 grain loads.

I am no expert on trigger pull but I think that the 66 may well have the best DA trigger pull of any handgun I own - better than any of my DA pistols or revolvers. The pull of the Taurus is somewhat long but really smooth. Of course, I bought it used so a previous owner may have had a trigger job done for all I know.

Problems I have had:

1. When I first got it, ejecting the spent brass was difficult, especially when firing .357 loads (.38 was difficult but not as bad.) Ejecting was hard enough that I reconsidered trusting it for any defensive use. Eventually, I noticed that when I turned the revolver with the muzzle pointing straight up, five of the spent casings would pretty much fall out on their own so I knew it was one chamber. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, at first, but noticed that the brass coming from that chamber would always have a hairline scratch down the length of the case. I finally found a tiny burr - smaller than a grain of sand - at the mouth of that chamber. I buffed that off with some fine grit sandpaper in just a few seconds and now ejection is smooth and fast. I suspect that problem is the reason a revolver that was nearly 25 years old looked almost unfired - the previous owner(s) hadn't taken the time to figure out the problem.

2. The ejection rod periodically works loose and can make opening and closing the cylinder a little 'sticky'. Screwing the rod down tight fixes the problem and one of these days I will put a little loctite on it.

In all, I like, trust and shoot mine well enough that, loaded with .38 +P ammo (because I don't want the flash and blast of full-on .357 in an enclosed space if I have to use it), I am currently getting it out at night to use as my bedside gun. The only 'hesitation' I would have in recommending one is that Taurus' quality has apparently gone up and down over the years. My 66 seems to have been built more or less during an 'up' period.

Edited January 25, 2011 by JAB

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Thank you both very much. The one I am looking at is identical to the picture, except

for the wood grips. .357 mag.

I'm trading one of my Glocks to a real good friend and even if I got burned on the deal,

he's done me so many favors it wouldn't bother me. This one's a six rounder also, and

the trigger was the first thing I noticed about it. I had an old Taurus .38 snub nose years

ago and it was a good pistol, too, just needed a good tearing down and cleaning.

I'll get this one and maybe, one of these days, get my cannon. Thanks again:D

[323ssplt]

The one and only Taurus revolver I ever had was a great gun. I bought a used M85 a few years ago and it had a great trigger and shot like a dream, for a snub. Wish I still had it, but I loaned it to my mother-in-law and she ended up having it stolen out of her car.

Many people derride Taurus, and it's true that they do put out a greater than average number of lemons, but they always fix or replace them.

As to an even swap for a Glock, you might be a little on the shy side on this trade, but if you are cool wih it, as you say you are because he has been good to you, then by all means, be happy and shoot it often.

[Guest 10mm4me]

My limited experience with Taurus has led me to these universally accepted conclusions:

1. Buy a Smith and Wesson

2. Buy a used Colt

3. Buy a Ruger

I'm not just bashing. I have purchased two Taurus guns in my lifetime and both failed me drastically in under 1,000rds. It may not happen to you but it sure ain't gonna happen to me again. My Colt's, Kimber's, Glock's, Ruger's, Smith's, they have never not gone bang or locked up like a bank vault after hours.

[graycrait]

Back in the early 90's in Fayetteville, NC at Jim's I purchased two Taurus revolvers, a 66 and I think the other was a 441 (.44 spl fixed sight I believe.) In a fit of madness some years later I traded both. They both worked as well as any Smith my friends or I had had or had. Fast forward some years. I would not buy a new Taurus revolver, although a good deal on an 85 could be looked as a possibility. I had a problem with light strikes with the one I had but I have friends who have had good luck with them. I think the older Taurus large and medium frame revolvers were made out of better materials with better cutting tools than the newer large Taurus revolvers. I've seen a number of newer Taurus revolvers that have terrible cylinder stop notch cuts, some allow the cylinder to free wheel backwards when the cylinder isn't supposed to. My local FFL will not stock Taurus revolvers any longer. I've done quite a few action jobs on revolvers, mostly S&W & Rugers and if a friend has a problem with a Taurus other than needing new springs or somthing I tell them to send it in to warranty service and wait up to umpteen months, then see if they fixed the problem when you get it back.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Well, I didn't say anything about an even swap, but

that's not a concern.

Appreciate the comments.

[BryanP]

I used to own a 6" stainless 66. It functioned well enough. I sold it off after I ran across a good deal on a used 4" GP100.

Now that I think about it, I've owned 3 Taurus revolvers over the years. They were inexpensive and they worked fine. As finances allowed I replaced each with a nice Ruger or Smith, but when money was tight I felt well served by those old Taurus guns.

[Will Carry]

If the price was good it might be OK. I know people who own Taurus 44 magnums and love them. I used to own a model 85 UL. It is the only revolver I have ever owned that wood jam or fail to lock up. The center pin on the cylinder would get stuck "in" and would not pop out to lock against the frame, making the pistol useless. I could not trust it enough to carry or use for self defense. I sold it and bought a used S&W model 36, made in 1977. This revolver is a masterpiece. It's cylinder is tighter after 30 sum years than my Taurus was out of the box.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I let a good Model 37(?) 44mag Smith get away and have regretted it ever since. One beautiful gun.

One of these days I'll find another.