let me first tell you i have never owned a new taurus gun because they can't be bought in mass where i live. i have owned three used ones, a pt111 which my duaghter still has and i have 2 85i revolvers. never had any problems with any of these. i can tell you this if they were legal to buy in mass i would definitely have more of them.

The only one I've ever heard folks talk about that hasn't broke is their 1911 clone. I know of two that own them, and they like them. Other than that, I've got nothing.

I've always liked the Taurus Lemon the best

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

Probably their revolvers, I bought three used and they are good but based on my own experiences the Semi autos are hit and miss, both of mine missed.....JJ

Look here: Taurus Quality?

I have owned a PT99 for 15 years. It is still my favorite range gun, Fires everything every time.

If it works for you,buy it.I have handled a few and I think there nice.I don't get on this forum often because of the bashing.Go to the Taurus forum and see what they say.You will get info from owners of the guns and not so much second hand information.I own a Taurus 689 .357 and love it.That's all I can comment on.

I have a Taurus model 44 .44 magnum 6.5" bbl. It's a great revolver. She's my Black Beauty.

My Taurus PT 92AF 9MM was the first 9mm on the range with my AL State Police Agency in 1987. It shot 100% scores w/HP ammo. We later went to Glock 17s-ADs were rampant! Went to Sig 45s-stops were better, AD-0-, politics-went toG22 40s. Scores dropped, ADs were down (thank God). Sold my Pt 92 to a DUI lawyer, I carry a SA 1911. I have a Taurus 45ACP revolver (1005 ok/22 auto-100% ok w/ right ammo. Taurus gets a bad rap from gun snobs. My partner, former SO SWAT member, wore out a SA 1911, 50K+ rds. They went to Kimbers and had to send them all back! POS! Recoil springs came out! Terrible service.So much for "cult guns". I am a multi-level retired LEO in SE USA/ FBI FA Insturctor-trained/ 5 decade shooter/reloader. Local PD hated the 9mm Beretta-went to 40s,Glock & Beretta. Note to self-clean and swat mags on SA 1911.

I think the reason it gets this way is because some of Taurus' guns work great, and some don't. It has nothing to do with the pistol type either, just a quality control issue I would say. I have had five Taurus products, only have one now, in the past and all but one has worked just fine.

Flat out the best was a model 689 6" .357 stainless.
It was as tight as any other wheel gun I've ever had and incrdeibly accurate.

Model 85 is nice.
Model 327 is working out great for the wife

PT 945 was reliable and accurate. Just hated the ergonomics. I'm a lefty.

AFS

I recently read that the Judge is the most succesful selling gun they have ever made.
That is why i was asking.
I just pased up a 6.5" judge for $349 - it was a special sell at our local Bass Pro Shop.
I got there on saturday and the special started on a Friday - they were all sold out and they told me the shop was a zoo all day long till they were all sold out. darn, missed it.

Originally Posted by hideit

I recently read that the Judge is the most succesful selling gun they have ever made...

Just because Taurus convinced a lot of people to buy a Judge, that doesn't make it an effective weapon. It's not.
I think that you're lucky that you missed out on wasting $349.00.

Taurus makes some interesting guns. I think that their engineering is pretty good. But their attention to assembly is pretty poor and that sabotages their best efforts.

So if you are lucky enough to get one of the "good ones" I think you will be fine. But you might find that you got one of the "bad ones" and you will be miserable.

In a lot of ways they remind me of Jaguars (more more likely MGs and Triumphs) of the late 70s. They were cars you could covet, but you really did not want to own one because of all the problems they had (bad assembly, bad electricals, etc.).

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

Just because Taurus convinced a lot of people to buy a Judge, that doesn't make it an effective weapon. It's not.
I think that you're lucky that you missed out on wasting $349.00.

So, do you feel the same way about the S&W version?

Originally Posted by berettatoter

So, do you feel the same way about the S&W version?

Not speaking for Steve but I'm in the same camp as he regarding the Judge and the Governor...

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

Just because Taurus convinced a lot of people to buy a Judge, that doesn't make it an effective weapon. It's not.
I think that you're lucky that you missed out on wasting $349.00.

Originally Posted by berettatoter

So, do you feel the same way about the S&W version?

Yup. In spades.

Originally Posted by VAMarine

Not speaking for Steve but I'm in the same camp as he regarding the Judge and the Governor...

...So that's at least two of us.

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

Yup. In spades.


...So that's at least two of us.

Well, if you are an assassin and your weapon of choice is a revolver, then the Govenor or the Judge is the way to go.

There are no ballistic telltales with the birdshot, and no spent casings. A shot up close to the throat would probably be leathal. But you have five chances to get the job done.

Alternatively I think it would be good on snakes. I used to rock climb at Red Rock Canyon (near Los Vegas) and I wish I had one with me when we were trekking to the climb. Lots of rattlers. (Small western rattlers; not like the big ones we get in the east.)

I think the judge is an acceptable weapon ONLY for distances less than 20 feet (apartment, condo, mobile homes)
A 410, 2.5", with 4 000 buck results in each buckshot having 200 ftlbs E. that is like getting hit with 4 38 specials 158 lead round nose that police used for many years

i forgot to mention that I think the S&W is also not worth much at all
I think any 410/45 should have a long barrel to get the powder to burn for more energy
a 2 and 3" or even 4" just isn't getting any energy that it is capable of
hey maybe a Buntline barrel is what is needed

i have read and heard on the TV gun shows that submachine guns, PDW weapons etc etc - heck even the Ruger Charger all have 10" barrels to get all the powder to burn.
10" is what it takes!
(that's what she said)

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

Yup. In spades.


...So that's at least two of us.

Three.

So why do you think these guns can't do the job of personal defense?

For a pretty complete answer, go to The Box o' Truth: The Box O' Truth #53 - The Taurus Judge, Revisited - Page 1

I am not convinced that a .410 load of any kind is an effective and certain fight stopper.
And if you want to use the .45 "Long" Colt round, why not buy a pistol that's dedicated to it. It'll be more efficient and effective than either the Judge or the Governor, and also more accurate.
It'll also be smaller, and maybe lighter too.

The Governor also accepts the .45 ACP, but that's pretty directly equivalent, ballistically, to .45 "Long" Colt.
And the semi-auto round is shorter yet, so it'd be even less accurate (due to the cylinder's long freebore).

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

For a pretty complete answer, go to The Box o' Truth: The Box O' Truth #53 - The Taurus Judge, Revisited - Page 1

I am not convinced that a .410 load of any kind is an effective and certain fight stopper.
And if you want to use the .45 "Long" Colt round, why not buy a pistol that's dedicated to it. It'll be more efficient and effective than either the Judge or the Governor, and also more accurate.
It'll also be smaller, and maybe lighter too.

The Governor also accepts the .45 ACP, but that's pretty directly equivalent, ballistically, to .45 "Long" Colt.
And the semi-auto round is shorter yet, so it'd be even less accurate (due to the cylinder's long freebore).

Well, I would not want either of these revolvers myself, but the concept seems pretty sound. I agree that the .410 is not a power house, but with a "buckshot" load up close, I would think it would put a hurtin' on the bad guy. I think the gun is not quite a shotgun and not quite a revolver. JMHO.