Taurus has an established tradition of producing quality handguns at an affordable price. I owned a Taurus Model 66 .357 Magnum in the 1980’s that was a perfect example. It had a satin nickel finish and four-inch barrel, and I paid two hundred bucks for it. A close copy of the S&W revolver bearing the same numeric designation, it was a well-made and serviceable gun. Being a chronically budget-challenged young cop, I sold it to finance something else.
That was my sole experience with Taurus revolvers until recently. I tested the 856 TORO model here last year and it proved to be a reliable, accurate revolver. The size and features of the 856 impressed me–even without the optic-bearing bonus of the TORO.
The Small Bulls
The 856 came to be at a time when revolvers were largely being ignored by the masses. In the six years since, it’s fair to say the 856 has helped jumpstart the carry revolver renaissance.
Like earlier Taurus revolvers, the 856 functions like an S&W. Taurus and S&W were both owned by Bangor Punta in the 1970’s and the companies shared production methods and developments. Taurus’ Model 85 was basically a J-frame clone, but it earned a decent reputation of its own during its 30-plus year production.
Towards the end of that run, Taurus made some big changes to its bread-and-butter small revolver. Engineers expanded the Model 85’s cylinder diameter to 1.41”–just enough to safely house six rounds of +P pressure .38 Special ammunition. The frame’s cylinder window was enlarged correspondingly to accommodate the bigger cylinder. The resulting gun stepped out of the shadow cast by the J-frame and was unveiled in 2018 as the Model 856.
In 2019, Taurus introduced an Ultra Lite version of the 856 with an aluminum frame. They followed up with a 3” version, the “Defender”, with both steel and aluminum frames in 2020. There has been some misinformation published about the weights of the 856 Models. The 2” steel gun weighs 22 ounces while the longer, 3″ steel Defender weighs 23.5 ounces. The Ultra Lite models weigh 16 ounces and 17.5 ounces respectively. The 856 was a good choice for the first “Executive Grade” series gun in 2021, and the optics ready TORO Model in 2023.
If you compare the external dimensions of the 856 to those of J- and K-frame S&W’s, you’ll get an idea of the space it occupies.
Living With The 856
The 856 retains most of the J-frames’ “ease of carry” attributes but gains the handling advantages of a K-frame revolver. The expansion of the cylinder window and the larger cylinder makes the 856 easier for most people to manipulate. Comparing the 856 to a D-frame Colt Detective Special is accurate. Spending time with an 856 makes one understand why so many folks swear by those old Colts.
I carried the stainless steel 856 TORO daily in a prototype appendix holster from Harry’s Holsters through an unusually hot summer last year. With a stiff belt, the Monocle holster hid well and was comfortable to wear with the 3” barreled gun.
A trip to California caused me to select a lighter five shot snub for the commercial flight. That choice reduced the capacity and capability of my primary gun, causing me some angst. A last-minute TSA check that resulted in my luggage not making the trip home didn’t help. The gun I’d taken would’ve cost about 850.00 to replace if lost or stolen. Thankfully, the suitcase and gun showed up intact the following day. Reflecting on the journey, an alloy-framed 856, sans optic, would likely have solved the issues I created by subbing an LCR for the TORO. I carried the smaller gun in a similar AIWB rig under clothing that would’ve hidden the slightly larger gun.
Ultra-Lites
Perusing Taurus’ website gave lots of options. The 2” UL with a concealed hammer piqued my interest as a lean primary that could do double duty as a “New York Reload” gun. I emailed Caleb Giddings from Taurus and he advised he’d get one headed my way. XS Sights had started making its standard dot front sight for the 856 so I contacted them in anticipation of the Taurus’ arrival. Most 856 models have the front sight secured with a roll pin, making them easy to replace. Soon after, the 856 UL arrived at my FFL. It was a handsome two tone, with a dark gray frame and barrel (it now shows as the Tungsten colored frame on the website). The cylinder, extractor rod, trigger and hammer, thumb piece, and sideplate screws were black. While admiring the compact hammer, I recalled that it wasn’t supposed to have one. The front sight was also integral with the barrel–it was going to be tricky to install the XS front sight.
I contacted Giddings and he told me he sent the only 2” UL available. Not wanting to look the T&E gift horse in the mouth, I gave the little revolver a closer look. The barrel was a true 2 inches, the extractor rod fully enclosed in the barrel’s underlug. Opening the cylinder proved the smooth function of the thumb piece. The extractor rod was a slightly shorter version of the 3” TORO that I was used to. Same user- friendly tip, same plunger lock in the yoke. The sights were basic but well-shaped with a square notch rear and ramp front. Running the trigger double action revealed a decent action. Not light, but smooth and manageable. The gun shipped with the same compact rubber grips that came on the TORO. It weighed 15.9 ounces empty on my scale. Noticeably lighter than a steel 856, but not crazy titanium/scandium light. The initial impression given was pure Taurus: a no frills but very functional compact revolver- all business.
Shots Fired
Shooting the gun was straightforward. The sights directed 125-130 grain bullets a bit low at 10 yards. The first +P round fired was Speer’s 135 grain GDHP; it struck ½” low and grouped well. Recoil was quite manageable in the lightweight gun. Various 148 grain wadcutters hit dead on at 10 yards. Underwood’s 150 grain hard cast wadcutters grouped tightly just above point of aim, as did some 158 grain RNFP handloads.
Underwood’s 158 grain +P SWCHP GC shot to the sights but was just a bit too spicy for a 16-ounce gun. A stash of Winchester 158 grain LRN were magic in the Taurus–easy shooting and tiny groups right where the sights were held. Cool. The rubber grips kept the web of my hand away from the metal backstrap and prevented recoil from becoming problematic. Shooting Hard Wired Tactical’s “Super Snubby Test” with the Winchester LRN kept all rounds in the black of a B-8, but picking up the small gray sights slowed me down a bit.
Back home, I cleaned the UL and painted the front sight white, then orange. That made a big difference in acquiring the sights quickly. Next range day I shot Gila Hayes’ 5X5 drill cold: 5 times. The Taurus cleaned it and made time with Atlanta Arms wadcutters. I ran a box of the Winchester LRN at IPSC silhouettes from 3-20 yards and the little gun just shot. The extractor rod is shorter by .235” than that of the 3” 856. I was careful to use good technique because of its reduced length–it extracted and ejected 100% of the 190 rounds fired on the two trips. The 2” UL thrives with a diet of standard velocity ammunition for practice, save the +P stuff for carry.
The 3” Defender Ultra-Lite
The 2” UL’s solid performance compelled me to order a 3” 856 UL Defender to test the XS sight. A warning–this sort of gun buying logic may not stand up to spousal approval. That said, the Defender cost less than $400.00, tax and all. It was matte black; The finish of the steel barrel and cylinder matched the aluminum frame well. The Defender wore open backstrap Hogue rubber grips with finger grooves that were a tad longer than the factory grips. It came with the Ameriglo front sight as standard equipment; A square post with an orange painted face and tritium dot. It weighed 17.36 ounces empty on my scale.
Opening the cylinder revealed the thumb piece actuation was stiff. Pressing the trigger revealed a stout double action pull, much heavier than the 856’s I had handled to that point. I broke out the snap caps and began the consumer-level break in. In my experience, some time spent dryfiring a new D/A revolver will usually smooth out a rough trigger noticeably. This one made me earn it. My first handgun was an H&R model 903 .22 revolver. It took a livestock scale to measure the D/A trigger on that gun- it was terrible! I had to work hard to make good hits with it, but it taught me to run a trigger and it made me a better handgun shot. The Colt Huntsman I eventually traded the H&R for felt like a tuned Bullseye gun in comparison.
The 3” UL shot well despite the heavy trigger. Utilizing a standard sight picture, 120-125 grain bullets struck vertically to point of aim at 10 yards. 130’s and 135’s began to creep a little high of the aim point. The black rear sight and orange Ameriglo front gave a good sight picture; I disregarded the tritium dot and concentrated on the shape of the sights. The dot sits in the center of the front sight for reference in close engagements in poor light. I put the chronograph and B-8’s away and shot a pile of 130 grain FMJ through the Defender offhand. The heavy trigger was less of an impediment to this type of shooting, and I left the range pleased with the progress made.
I cleaned the Defender and scoured and lubed its guts. The stiff cylinder release had worked itself out and the trigger pull felt a little better. I tapped the Ameriglo front sight out with a small roll pin punch and installed the XS Standard Dot. The sight dropped in perfectly, the pin fit the hole correctly and went back in without issue. The sight was snug and secure with no gaps in fitment. Hats off to XS for their excellent work on dimensions. If this isn’t done right, it can cause hours of consternation and foul language by the end user. XS did it right. Raising the gun to eye level confirmed that the sight was “old guy” friendly. I confess to worrying about a consistent sight picture with the round topped front sight in the square rear notch. After messing with it a bit, I found that the bottom of the tritium sphere naturally settled on top of the rear sight notch and gave a repeatable reference.
Back at the range, the Defender now sent 135-158 grain bullets to the point of aim with the XS front sight. I needn’t have worried about its’ shape affecting pinpoint accuracy–it was more than adequate for 7-yard headshots and 25-yard body shots, and was fast to pick up. Sending likely carry loads over the chronograph gave pleasing results. Underwood’s wadcutter made the cut, with Speer’s 135 grain Gold Dot backing it up by virtue of its rounded ogive for surer reloads. Afterwards, I put 200 wadcutters through the Defender under the guise of “trigger improvement”–it was thoroughly enjoyable and the wadcutters hit to point of aim with the XS sight. Another cleaning and 340 rounds logged; The trigger pull began feeling acceptable.
Living With The Defender UL
The Defender proved to be no trouble to carry. When my wife inquired about birthday wants, I handed her the coupon Taurus had included in the box with the UL. It granted 30 bucks off Viridian laser grips and made them an amazing buy at 109 dollars. The grips arrived the day before departing for a deer hunt. Installing them revealed good fit and function and they felt great in my hand. They covered the backstrap with cushiony rubber and were just a touch longer than the Hogues.
The Defender rode in the Monocle enroute to deer camp with a .45 Colt Mountain Gun riding shotgun. On opening day, The Mountain Gun was packed in a chest rig. The second morning I awoke with a compromised back after sleeping all wrong. I decided the Defender loaded with Underwood wadcutters carried AIWB and a few strips of Speer GDHP pocketed would be advantageous. A hard cast 150 grain wadcutter at 930 fps would handle most scenarios I might need a handgun for in the NM woods.
The Defender was picked for primary duty on a road trip to California soon after. It rode in my britches the entire journey through some extremely long days in the saddle. Carried AIWB, the 856 hit the sweet spot in the compromise between “enough gun” and comfort and concealability. I’ve tried to carry a K-frame thusly, but struggle to manage it all day. As much as I love my Model 65 3”, it’s too big and heavy at this stage of my life. A 2” Model 12 is better, but its at the outside margin for all day comfort.
With a quality holster like Harry’s Monocle or Phlster’s City Special, The UL Defender carries AIWB as well as a 2” J-frame for me. It has the requisite “organic” shape that makes revolvers hide well on the body. The six-shot capacity and the additional velocity garnered by the 3” barrel satisfies my cowardly subconscious.
Ultra-Lite Gear
The 856 has been around long enough to secure a decent level of support gear from the market. There are ample IWB and OWB holster choices by many reputable makers.
There isn’t an 856 specific speedloader currently manufactured, but several available for similarly sized cylinders will work. The grips used will impact compatibility. I’ve tried loaders made for Colt D-frames, Smith K-frames, and the Kimber K6.
Of these, I’ve had the best luck with the Speed Beez and the 5 Star for the Kimber K6. The HKS DS works well except with the Viridian Laser Grips, Safariland’s K-Frame Comp II does good with the Hogues and factory branded rubber grips. Indexing two rounds into the charge holes situated between about 8 and 10 o’clock from outboard gives the highest chance for success.
The UL Solution
The 856 UL isn’t the handgun you’d choose to have class “A” engraved, or carry for admiration at the barbeque. Its role is as a life-saving tool that you can carry everyday based on its size and weight. It’s made to be sweated on, used, gotten dirty. A dependable carry gun at a price much less than its contemporaries. For what you pay for most of its competitors, you can buy two 856’s. Lots of hardcore Colt folk carry Agents, but practice with Detective Specials to spare wear on the aluminum guns (and their hands). The same can be done with alloy and steel 856’s, but the Taurus guns are less expensive, +P rated, and replaceable. The old Colts and S&W Model 12’s are getting hard to come by–I’m hesitant to trust a 1974 Vintage Model 12 to the airlines. If an 856 gets lost or stolen, or seized as evidence, it’s not the end of the world–buy another one.
To my knowledge, the 856 UL Defender is the only alloy-framed, six-shot, 3”-barreled, .38 currently produced.1If you favor a revolver for waistband EDC, it’s a solid choice that merits serious consideration. The two-inch 856 UL is also a strong candidate for a carry gun. It can be hidden deeper than a Defender or carried as a second gun. The 856 in .38 Special is a modern, practical evolution to the classic carry guns of the past.
*****
Endnotes:
1.) I salute Taurus for their judicious application of common sense when it comes to the 856’s chambering. There are those that clamor for .357 Magnums in guns this size and weight. Taurus will sell them a .357, but it will only hold five rounds and there is no “UL” Model 605- with good reason.
2.) The stocks featured on the 856’s with the Tyler T-Grip in the “retro” photos are from the TALO Edition Model 905 Taurus 9mm revolver. They are appropriately called “classic” grips and gave the 856 the “old school” look desired. Thank you TALO for the cool design and thanks to Taurus’ Alejandro Delgado for running down a set for me to use.
So…can can those of us who don’t know anyone at Taurus buy those “classic” grips somewhere?
Hey BC, Thats a good question. Those grips are on the TALO edition of the 905 and are not an item you can currently buy on Taurus website store. It might be worth a call to Taurus customer service. Who knows, sometimes demand drives supply?
For which model? I have wood grips for the PT-92 and Model 66.
Some good arguments here for someone to acquire a Taurus 856, especially when it’s about half the price of the comparable American-made stuff.
And regarding the latter, American gun manufacturers really do need more competition to improve the design, quality and pricing of their goods. In my experience, for quite a few years our domestic firearms companies have been offering lesser grade merchandise with little to no quality control for exorbitant prices that keep escalating.
Thanks, Spencer- Taurus is certainly giving a good set of features for the price. As you point out, their product is good competition and should make some other manufacturers step up their game. Let’s hope!
Really great review Sir! In my early cop days, I had a Taurus ultralight snub with a shaved hammer. I dont recall the model but I relied on it as a back-up and a travel piece when I had to fly. I too sold it to finance something else and I am ashamed to say, my S&W snobbery has prevented me from re-exploring a Taurus option. Your review has planted a seed now, and I am going to have to see what my local shops have in the way of Taurus wheelguns. Thank you again for sharing your experience and knowledge with us!
Thanks, Mark. My S&W snobbery kept me from looking at Taurus for a long time, too. Current Taurus design innovation and QC combined with the extra round in the cylinder made me take a chance. I have been well pleased with the little guns, and I’m glad I could pass on the experience I’ve had with them.
Hello Kevin,
I am glad that you are having good results with the Taurus 856 platform. I never gave Taurus a good look, sticking with S&W and Ruger. Your review of the 856 TORO got me thinking it might be a good replacement for my S&W model 60-10, and the positive review of the Ultra-Lite has me leaning harder in that direction. My old eyes could use some help. I tried a big dot sight on one of my revolvers and it helped for close in work but still couldn’t see the sight clearly without my glasses, which I don’t always wear. An optical sight and an extra round would be a big upgrade in a revolver roughly the same weight and dimensions as the 60-10. The TORO would be a very versatile rig loaded with Underwood 158 +P SWCHP, and Underwood 158 +P Keith Hard Cast when venturing afield. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into these reviews.
Hey Derek, I have had good results with them, and you’re right, the 6th round the Taurus offers is big. You make a very good point about the benefits of the red dot as our eyes age. I can still get by with iron sights in bright sunlight, but shooting at indoor ranges reminds me how much help a red dot can be. My glasses are now officially “old guy issue” with transitional bi-focal lenses. I rarely wear contact lenses these days, but when I do (and lose the bifocals from the glasses) I simply cannot focus on pistol sights. The red dot is almost mandatory if I want to hit anything at any distance. I applaud your Underwood ammo choices, especially in the steel frame of the TORO. I avoid them in the Ultra-Lite because of the stout recoil, but you maximize the potential of the .38 Special for defense and dark woods with those two rounds. I’m grateful you appreciate my efforts- thank you Sir!
Kevin, it appears Taurus has locked on to you as their point person for in depth reviews – something which you do a very good job at. Much appreciated. Paid gun rag (and U-toob) reviews are essentially meaningless. You manage to point out strengths and advantages along with weaknesses and disadvantages, along with what accessories work. The result is quality work.
Taurus guns are all marked ‘Made In Brazil’, yet they have a sizeable operation in Bainbridge, Georgia, and are so marked. I would be curious as to how much of the gun is fabricated in Brazil versus what is actually manufactured in Georgia. ( Maybe they invite me to make that 260 mile Jeeptrip to Bainbridge and find out ?? )
Either way, it is good that Taurus seems to be upping their quality game with interesting innovations. They also seem to be getting the message about engineering the guns for +P rounds . . . in a defensive situation, that little added umph might just be the ticket in many cases to get a hollowpoint to open up just a tad better, and punch a bit deeper.
As you described, the trigger mechanism in any new revolver can be very stiff, and even gritty, which in nearly every case can easily be taken care of with a small hard felt polish wheel and some jeweler’s rouge to the appropriate contact points, followed by appropriate lubrication. I suspect that to keep the price point low, Taurus focuses more on external rather than internal finish work.
I’m sure it doesn’t take much arm twisting to have manufacturers send you guns to shake down and evaluate . . . 🙂
Thanks, S. Bond. My experiences with Taurus revolvers have been mostly positive and I’m pleased to share them. The features of these guns indicate that the folks with input actually shoot and carry revolvers. That in itself is worth a lot these days. I think they should invite you to jump in the jeep and go find out! The 856 size is just right for .38+P, one of its biggest “Pros”, as you point out, good sir. +P stuff with heavy bullets like that Underwood 158 were just a bit much for continual use, but (in my case at least) that’s more of an operator limitation than metallurgic one. I think you are spot on with the benefit of parts polishing, and why Taurus doesn’t do it on every gun that leaves the plant. The trigger on my Defender UL (I think it must have been a Monday morning or Friday afternoon build) was rough, but lube and “dry fire polish” have made it better. It’s completely serviceable now.
Oh, you have no idea how difficult it is for these companies (and Mike) to convince me to shoot their stuff. It’s a huge sacrifice for me to dedicate the time and… I can’t even type anymore with a straight face- You’re exactly right! 🙂
Great review! I own two Taurus revolvers, an 856UL and a 856ULCH. They are both great revolvers. The 856UL does headboard duty. Premium Gun Grips makes a service style grip I use on the 856ULCH with an aluminum T- grip from Robertson Trading Post (eBay). Any J frame grip adapter will fit an 856.
That’s a good bit of info about the J-frame adapter compatibility. Thanks David!
Thanks, David! I’m glad you mentioned Premium Gun Grips. I had wondered if they would work with a T-grip, good to have that clarification. BC, if you’re reading this, the Premium grips would be a good substitute if you can’t get the TALO grips from Taurus. Yup, I pulled the Tyler T-grip off of a J frame .22 Mag I own to use on the Defender for those pictures. I’ve been fooling around with a Taurus 327 with a concealed hammer, I really like the DA trigger pull on the CH DAO guns.
I read it. I liked premium’s website and I have a j frame grip adaptor looking for a home.
I feel like Taurus has really knocked it out of the park with the “upgrade” of the 85 to the 856. In MY OPINION, I feel that Taurus’s small-frame revolvers are much more interesting these days than S&W’s J-Frames. I was originally interested in getting one of the new Lipsey’s J-Frames in .32 H&R, but I actually think I’ll stick with my Taurus.
I no longer have an 856, as I fell in love with the 327 model and was no longer inclined to carry a .38 snub. I like my Taurus 327 very much, and I plan on acquiring the 327 Defender TORO at some point in the future to compliment it.
I really like the factory rubber boot grip on Taurus’s small-frame revolvers. Not only can I get all my digits on it, but it does an excellent job of taming recoil. On my 327, it’s particularly noticeable with .327 Federal Magnum loads. I would be interesting in trying the Viridian laser grip on the 327 Defender when the time comes.
How would you compare felt recoil on the Viridian grip compared to the factory boot grip?
Hey Axel,
I agree with your assessment of the factory Taurus grip. There is just enough of it there to get a good grip on it with my hand. It comes up high enough on the backstrap to absorb recoil and its concealment is top shelf. The Viridian is longer at the bottom but ends about the same point at the top of the backstrap. The material is a bit softer than the factory rubber grip, but you do have to deal with the hard rubber laser port on the right side of the grip, resting under the back of your trigger finger. I would give a slight edge to the Viridians, but your mileage may vary based on your hand size.
Kevin, I really enjoyed your in depth examination of the 3″ Taurus 856 Ultra Lite. The front night sight, coupled with the rear fixed sight keeps the prospect of hanging up on clothing to a minimum, a real plus in my experience. I really like the 3″ barrel and six round capacity.
I will strongly consider supporting Taurus since they are now located in Bainbridge, Georgia. I’ve never used laser grips but that Viridian offer of $109 really sweetens the deal!
Thanks again for a terrific review.
Thank you, Opa. The UL Defender is a great carry gun for all the reasons you mentioned. The Viridian laser grips feel really good in my hand and are a good add on a defensive gun. The 856 is sure worth a hard look!
Just FYI, I recall Taurus had a model 856 (small frame 6 shot snub), 15-ish hears ago. it didn’t last long
I’m up to 3 now. All steel. I’ve had minimal problems, that I’ve been able to resolve myself. I wanted to get a ultralight with spurless hammer to replace my steel 2″, but the only distributor my FFL dealt with that had them won’t ship to this stupid state. 🙁 .
I’m interested in the XS sight. Do we get the classic blade in the notch sight picture with that, where you want to see a little light on either side of the front blade? Or is it too wide for that?
Hey Lee, On the 3″ gun, there is light on either side of the front, but precious little. I have to have the right background to see any daylight with it. As my eyeballs age, the big green dot works better despite that lack of daylight. It impedes me less than I thought it would for precision work and it’s fast to pick up for close stuff.
Kevin another home run. Your reviews are amazing.
I don’t know if S&W snobbery is the right term though. I would tend to refer to it as brand loyalty tainted by settling into comfort zones.
Change is one of the hardest things in life no matter what it is.
Some folks buy Fords, some Chevrolets, some Toyotas. Maybe because your Father and or your Gandfather always did.
I think we have all seen really smart folks with common sense follow one political path that might be a threat to every thing they hold dear. When asked why, the answer is usually because my family has always voted that party.
Today’s world is vastly different and changing by the second.
Some change is for the good and some is for evil.
I know a lot of old retired folks like me tend to cling to things that have worked for us in the past. Things as diverse as cars, clothes, toothpaste, guns,food and a million other things.
It is good to have things that are new and improved but if I have found something that works for me then chances are very strong that I will continue my attachment to these old things ,viewing with pleasure new generations forming attachments to new things that work for them.
Rambling switch off.
God bless all in this house and keep you and yours safe.
Tony
Thank you kindly, Tony. I think you’re right about brand loyalty as opposed to snobbery. Maybe more so than everyday items and even vehicles, we establish a loyalty to a certain firearm manufacturer that we have rode the river with and come out okay. I think it was Justin that made a point about brand loyalty in the early days of these pages that really made me think about it, kind of along the same lines that you described smart folks and politics. We spend a good amount of ink here hoping and wishing that S&W will bring back such and such revolver, for instance. We carry the old ones and gripe about the shortcomings of the new ones. Sure, some things they do are “new and improved”, but at what point do they listen to their loyal customers? I’m thankful that Lipsey’s pitched the UC Revolver project to S&W, and that guys like Andrew Gore were in place to listen. That is the first revolver project from S&W that we collectively had cause to rejoice about in quite a while. Let’s hope that is a sign of better times ahead, because it seems like S&W has killed a lot more practical revolvers than they have introduced in the past 20 years. Off the top of my head: ALL of the Night Guards, all of the Mountain Guns, the 632 Pro Series and 632 Power Port in .327 Federal Mag, the 646 L frame .40, All .45 ACP revolvers (unless you count the Governor) are gone. If you look at the Bodyguard revolver, it started from basically a clean slate. Why not bump up the cylinder size a little and give us a Robocop version of the Model 12? Or a six shot one that falls in between the J & K frame size, like an 856? I’m pretty sure that revolvers don’t make the money for S&W like polymer autos do, but sometimes I feel like we are the group that carry the torch for S&W, and what we think should matter. If- we are expected to remain loyal. My S&W logo tattoo is burning as I write this! I applaud companies like Taurus and Kimber for stepping up and filling the gap. Heck, Colt is expanding their revolver line like crazy even! I have rambled way more than you, my friend.
I heartily agree with your points, Kevin, concerning customers’ brand loyalty which applies to just about any manufacturer and its products, not just firearms.
An example is Colt. Several decades ago, Colt was often selling handguns–and thumbing its nose at customer complaints–that were so sloppily built that they should have been tossed into a recycling bin. And yet plenty of people continued to buy and kvetch about them! Eventually though, the loyalty waned and customers transitioned to buying from other gun companies who made better stuff, like S&W and Ruger. At least at that time.
Even the late gun writer par excellence Mike Venturino observed how arrogant and disdainful Colt representatives were of him and outsiders way back when. It took a long time but it appears that Colt finally canned their out-of-touch corporate donkeys, really upped their quality standards and brought back improved revolvers that people begged for such as the Python and the Anaconda.
It sure looks like to me that S&W is on the same self-destructive path that Colt took many years ago and suffered for it. Perhaps “Smith” will fire its dodgy leadership that appears to be solely motivated by profit and replace them with real revolver guys who understand what loyal customers want.
Hey Spencer,
It makes me cringe to think that folks formerly at Colt did that to Mike Venturino. I’m glad they seem to be on a more enlightened path. Let’s hope that, like ViejoLobo mentions below, that the UC project makes a big enough splash that S&W takes note. A former LE rep for S&W who’s a good friend used to tell me that big ships turn slowly. Maybe the UC Revolver will be the tugboat!
The UCs are a hopeful sign. Not calling for a return to “the gun of the month,” just thoughtful consideration of consumer demand.
That said, I want my blankety-blank +P M12 now! And if Smith needs to be reminded of what a K frame 2″ should look like, I’d be happy to send ’em an old Gil Hebard catalog.
Gents, all I can say re: S&W is that we do have some receptive ears to our pleas, these days, and I know the UC’s success caught the attention of management. I’m hopeful that we’ll see additional projects like that in the near future. Stay tuned for more.
856 ULCH on my LEOSA retired the pre-’66 Cobras that I carried for backup.
Modified Tillander grips, Ameriglo front sight, stoned off some sharp edges.
I’d go with stainless next time for corrosion resistance.
P.S.: Nice “Bullitt” Easter egg.
ViejoLobo, good call on your LEOSA carry gun. It’s a worthy stunt double for that 66 Cobra, its +P rated and easier to replace if you have to use it or if its damaged or lost.
Thank you for noticing my Bullitt tribute!!! 🙂
Kevin,
Thanks for the review. As soon as I saw the title I needed to read through it because I have an 856 Defender TORO sitting here. Aside from the weight, I assumed they would be the same. A complaint to the webmaster of the site; you guys need some kind of menu listing all the previous articles. The only way I know of to find something is to scroll backwards, one page at a time, hoping to find something. I didn’t know you have a review of the 856 TORO until you mentioned it in this review.
I have three Taurus revolvers all purchased this year; a 2 inch 327, the 3 inch 856 Defender Toro, and a 2.5 inch 44 Mag Tracker. (The 44 is only going to be fed 44 Special, the 44 Mag would be too much fun for me.) On all three of these guns the triggers are very smooth but heavy. Right now the 856 has a Wolf hammer return spring in it and I think its helped a bit. The other two have the factory springs in them. With dry fire the 327 is getting a little lighter. I think the 44 is good to go just the way it came from the factory.
Although more recently Taurus’ reputation has suffered, I recall them having a good revolver reputation in the late 70s and early 80’s when I worked for a Burglar Alarm Security company. I never owned any then but with the supposed turn around I was willing to give them a try. So far so good. I have made use of their warranty and turn around time was about 3 weeks.
I’m only an hour’s drive from the GA facility. I had asked if I could just drop the gun off. They told me no, I’d need to ship it to them. They said gov’t regulations require them to be a secure facility, therefore I would not be able to get in.
Hey Billmc, glad you got something out of it and thanks for the info you offered up. I’m sure Mike will consider your “index” request and implement something if he can. I’ve found that search line works pretty well, like if you type in “Taurus” it will give you articles in descending order of times mentioned. You are well outfitted with Taurus revolvers and Im pleased to see that the current batch is giving you good service!
Thanks Kevin. Yes, Bill, the best way for now is to use the Search bar in the upper right corner, and type in what you’re looking for. I add searchable “tags” to every post to help make them easy to find via the Search function. As an example, if you look at the top left of this article, near the author’s name, you’ll see the assigned tags of “.38 Special, Snubby, Taurus”—searching for any of those will return a list of articles to choose from.
I agree an Index would be neat, and I’ll look into what it would take to create one. I’m no computer genius, so I’m not promising anything!
I stumbled on to two sets of Byron’s boot grips for a Taurus 85 that fit the 856. I can’t find out much about them. Byron’s are really nice rubber boot grips, like Uncle Mike’s but styled different. Wish I could post a photo. They are my favorite Taurus grip. The square butt medium frame are sometimes easier to find than small frame round butt.
Hey David, I had not heard of Byron’s. I’ll keep an eye out for them, thanks for giving them a shout out!
David, I hadn’t heard of the Vintage Industries Byron’s grips until you mentioned them. I see they’re no longer in production, but you can find some here and there on the auction site—as you said, the supply for Medium frames looks better than the supply for small frames.
While looking around on the auction site, I also discovered another new brand to me—-MBT Grips. It looks like these are currently in production, with both SB and RB profiles available, and many colors, too. Material is described as “high resistance polymer.” They look like they’d be worth a try.
nice indepth review, thank you! i have three lovely taurus 38sp revolvers. a gently used, beautiful, gen1, stainless steel m85 was my only firearm during a 25 year career that moved us to various antigun locales. a totally reliable tackdriver, it had to come out once with serious intent. it has too much sentimental value to be an edc now, which is a more recent m85. lastly my bedside piece is a new m856. all of them have pachmayr or hogue replacement grips, all are loaded with “target” wadcutters or ball ammo, k.i.s.s. the two newer models with rollpin oem grips are my only complaint: all revolver oem grips should have screws only!
I agree about the roll pins, jstert. I’d prefer screws to secure the grips, too. Glad to hear your Tauri have been so good to you!