The 6 Best Taurus Revolvers

The 6 Best Taurus Revolvers

There are a bunch of Taurus revolvers, but what are the greatest hits? What are the go-to models that you should look at first?

Here are 6 to get you started. These Taurus revolvers fit most needs that one might have in a wheel gun, from home defense to handgun hunting to woods guns to concealed carry and as many points in between as possible.

You'll find new definition for "shooting the bull"!

Newest Of Taurus Revolvers: Taurus Defender 856

The Taurus Defender 856, new for 2020, is an ideal concealed carry revolver. It's a compact medium-frame, slightly larger than the typical snubnose revolver with a round butt for easier concealment.

It's a CCW revolver, so the bells and whistles are few. Six rounds of .38 Special, a top strap notch rear sight, but Taurus does add an AmeriGlo night sight to the front. Barrel length is 3 inches, which is a good balance between easy concealment and terminal performance as even .38 Special +P - which the gun is rated for - isn't a stellar performer when fired from a sub-2-inch tube.

Multiple finishes are available, but in the broad strokes it's a simple gun with some smart touches, which makes it a fantastic choice of CCW revolver.

A Packable .357 Magnum Taurus Revolver: Tracker 627

For the .357 Magnum fans out there, the Taurus Tracker 627 is definitely the model to look at for what they used to call a "packin' gun." Stout enough to take and dish out magnum loads, but compact and light enough for wearing it not to be pure misery, as it's a medium-frame gun.

The Tracker 627 has a seven-shot cylinder, which can be loaded with .357 Magnum or .38 Special. The top strap is a little thicker than some other Taurus revolvers, so it's a bit better suited to the full house loads. The rear sight is an adjustable target sight, but unlike some other Taurus revolvers the front sight is pinned, which means you could swap it for a fiber optic or other sight if so desired, and the barrel is ported for easier shooting.

There are two available barrel lengths, as you have your choice of 6.5 inches or 4 inches, with the latter to likely be the better pick for carrying.

Taurus 692 3-Inch: The Compact Magnum Of Taurus Revolvers

Some people want a .357 Magnum for concealed carry, and the Taurus revolver to get for that purpose is the Taurus 692 3-inch model. The 692 is part of the Tracker series, with the same almost-full underlug barrel shroud and barrel porting for easier shooting.

Just like the 627, the 692 holds seven rounds of .357 Magnum and .38 Special, but has a party piece in that the gun comes with swappable cylinders, with the second cylinder being machined for use with moon clips and thus with 9mm ammunition.

While there is a 2.5-inch barrel version, the barrel is unported and - sorry, but this is just true - there is a known correlation between barrel length and terminal performance when it comes to .357 Magnum and .38 Special. If you're going to pack a compact wheelgun, a 3-inch tube is the better choice.

Taurus 44: An Affordable Taurus Revolver In .44 Mag

If you wanted to get a Taurus revolver in .44 Magnum that was a bit more budget friendly than some of their other offerings - and certainly more so than some other brands - the Taurus 44 is the model to look for.

The 44 MAG model has a ported barrel, with the ports on top of the barrel, and a pinned front sight that can be swapped for a fiber optic or other front sight of your choice, and an adjustable target rear. The grip is basically the same rubber grip as their Raging series, just with the red palmswell, which is quite comfortable. You have your choice of an 8.37-, 6.5- and 4-inch barrel.

We would suggest this model over the Tracker 44 Magnums, due to having an extra 10 oz or so of steel in the frame. If you've ever shot a .44 Magnum before...you know why that's important.

Taurus Raging Bull 454: A Taurus Revolver For When You're Done Kidding Around

The Taurus Raging Bull 454 is one serious hogleg. All models come with a five-shot straight cylinder and chamber .454 Casull, which means you can also shoot .45 Colt and .45 AutoRim. Select your choice of 5-inch, 6.5-inch, 8.37-inch or 2.25-inch barrels.

All models feature Taurus' Raging grips, which fill the hand nicely to help absorb some of the stern recoil. All models have a pinned fiber optic front sight, and all but the 2.25-inch model have an adjustable rear sight. (That model has a dog-ear top strap fixed sight.) The Tracker series full shroud is included, along with barrel porting to tame the muzzle rise.

Granted, this is the top of Taurus' line, so they don't come cheap. But if you want the utmost in firepower...this is the Taurus revolver to get.

Taurus 605: Snubby Taurus Revolver Gets A Makeover

If you don't know, the Taurus 605 is the old with a makeover. If you didn't know about it, the Taurus 85 was a simple 5-shot snubby revolver in .38 Special. The 605 is more or less the same in the broad strokes, with some additions and subtractions that make it a little better.

The basics are much the same - 5 shots of .38 Special, front blade sight and top strap notch for the rear, rubber grip and a 2-inch barrel. However, the 605 adds a longer ejector rod shroud, the same shape as the Tracker series, which is the facelift part.

Everything you need, nothing you don't, black oxide or stainless finish, and MSRP is around $400.