They are all stainless, but none of them are blue. I like the matte finish of the Taurus Tracker 627. Unless I am convinced otherwise, I plan on ordering it tomorrow. Not thrilled about the ribber grips, but I can always change those, perhaps to some wooden grips with finger grooves.

 

Replacing the grips might increase the felt recoil. Thats one of the good features that is mentioned in every comment about it.

 

Yeah, I know. I'll see how it feels first then may change them.

 

This is also why I suggested the S&W 386 XL Hunter or the Taurus 66B6. Both are blued, which I thought was your preference. People poo-poo Taurus guns because they are made in Brazil and use a lot of injected molding metal parts. Lifetime warranty, I don't think you can go wrong.

 

I know TI...they talk about the injected molded parts like it's so terrible....but Ruger was one of the pioneers in that area and everyone calls them sturdy and reliable. Taurus (and I believe Ruger as well) make all their own parts...no subs except for maybe grips?. When I was in the Navy...the Seals that were attached to us visited the Taurus factory to see what they offered, when we stopped in Sao Paulo. They said it was very modern...and this was in about 1985.

btw....though they don't advertise it (I don't think) almost every manufacturer will do repairs for free for almost anything that isn't obvious abuse.

 

From the Taurus adds I have read, not only do they make their own parts but they make the machines that make their parts. So, they keep everything in house. I do not own a Taurus firearm, but have handled many, and I would not hesitate to get one if they fit the bill.

 

My preference is matte stainless, but I'm ok with satin stainless too. I've narrowed it down to the Tracker 627 and the Ruger GP100. I like the Tracker's styling, 7-shot capacity, and light weight (28.8 oz) but the Ruger is a nice solid gun and has a better reputation for quality. 40 oz may be a bit heavy though.

 

Ruger has been in the US longer than Taurus...though Taurus has been around since the 40's...just not in the US.

The GP100 is one of their oldest and most solid guns.

Remember...all those weights they list are empty. I don't know how much the rounds will increase it...but I imagine the difference will be less once both are fully loaded.

Personally...I'd prob go with the Taurus and use the saved funds for ammo and range time.

 

Cost difference between the GP100 and Taurus 627 is less than $100, so I'm leaning towards the Ruger unless someone convinces me otherwise. I've also heard the porting makes the Taurus significantly louder, dirties the barrel, and increases muzzle flash. Those things combined with Taurus's tainted reputation are another reason Ruger seems like the better choice in my opinion. And the Ruger apparently has less parts which means less to go wrong, and I've read that it can be fully disassembled without any tools. Do most revolvers require special tools for disassembly for cleaning, etc?

 

Well...the porting will definitely increase noise. Muzzle flash in your sightline...probably...but not a big issue during the day. I shot my 586 at dusk one time when I was home in OH...and OMG. You never noticed most times at a range or during the day...but that was an eye opener. They now sell low flash ammo that is just as powerful as what I shot back in the day.

As to dirty barrel? Thats not a big deal...plenty of chemicals or even wipes will clean that right up.

Tools? I imagine a basic gunsmith screwdriver set and some allen wrenches will take almost any of them apart. You shouldn't need to do that at all in most cases...well...maybe every couple of years if you shoot it a lot. I believe the trigger group on the Ruger might be removable or at least accessible after you take the grips off...not sure.

I'd really like to know where you got the info on the Taurus tainted reputation. Never heard anything like that.

 

Nearly every review I have read or viewed (you tube) has had at least one or two negative things to say about Taurus. People have had to return their revolvers multiple times to have things repaired, complain about the milling quality, etc. Don't get me wrong, my first preference has been to go with the Taurus, but I will be extremely pissed if I have problems with it and have to send it back to the manufacturer for repairs. If someone could give me some background as to what problems they have had and what they have done to mitigate these problems, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Well...I had a PT92...that worked just fine...it just never fit my hand worth a crap and I wasn't a fan of the DA/SA trigger. That was when the military was starting to switch to the 9mm Beretta...so I figured I'd get a head start.

I have a PT22 that I messed up by dry firing (broke the firing pin)....sent it off UPS had it back in a week. No charge.

I swear I had a revolver as well...but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. I got rid of a lot of my revolvers about 7-8 yrs ago...and only kept my .22's.

 

Ruger just came out with a new model of the GP100 called the GP101. Has some nice upgrades so it might be worth a look. When I was looking for a wheel gun it was between the GP100 and the S&W 686. Found a 686 ported for about $425. Couldn't get my wallet out fast enough!

 

I have a Taurus Judge which I think is part of their tracker line. Mine is an ultra lite model and has the ribbed rubber grips which I really like. The first time I picked it up it put a smile on my face. It fits my hand perfectly and points naturally. The cylinder, when newer, bound up after firing some cheap imported shot shells. Much of it seemed to be ammunition related since it does not happen with main US manufactured shells and it has gotten better the more I use the gun.

It's been a few months since I've shot my dad's Ruger GP100 (I called and confirmed which it was) and I don't recall it putting the smile on my face like the Taurus but they are so different I don't know if you can draw a comparison. The trigger on the Ruger is nice with a crisp let off and moderate pull in SA and like all revolvers the DA pull is long and hard but noticeably smoother than my Taurus in DA. It's a very solid gun and I don't know anyone that has ever had issue with it.

 

I don't see a GP101 advertised on the Ruger website. Perhaps you mean the SP101? If so, that gun is considerably smaller. I like/need the larger frame. I think I'll give the Tracker 627 a try. I'll let you all know in a couple weeks how it shoots. Thanks for all the feedback.

 

...crap, I just noticed the model 66 on the Taurus website. I like it too. It looks similar to the Tracker, but doesn't have a ported barrel. It is 10 oz. heavier (38 oz compared to 28 oz Tracker), which may be a good thing. Also, it is about $80 cheaper and comes with the grips that I like (rubber with finger grooves). Any comments?

 

It's (model 66) a more traditional 6 shot instead of the 7 in the Tracker which makes it a bit wider and I think the extra weight will help tame the recoil. My Judge is the lightweight aluminum frame model at 22oz and my hand definitely knows it when shooting higher powered ammunition.

 

Spec sheet says the 66 is a 7-shot. Is 38 oz. considered heavy? Too heavy to carry around when backpacking? The Tracker is listed as a compact frame and the 66 as a medium frame, which looks a little more proportional, based on the picture at least. Are there any disadvantages to a gun being a 7-shot? For example, are the chamber walls inside the wheel thinner thus making them weaker or is this not a concern?

 

I must have gotten the specs confused. I don't think 38oz is too heavy for target shooting but I would not want to carry it backpacking. That's over three pounds for something you will probably never need.

Also consider the type of holster you will need and where/how it will attach to your pack. It needs to be somewhere on the front for quick access but you don't want it hanging down where it can hit your legs and it should be as unobtrusive as possible. It does not look too friendly when you meet other hikers and you've got a cannon strapped to you. I carry a black compact 9mm semi-auto in a black nylon holster on my weak side. Usually on the waist strap but sometimes on my weak side chest strap. The black nylon blends in well with the straps on my pack and with my left arm down it blocks it mostly from view so you don't scare people.

 

PD may have been thinking of the S&W model 66 (which I don't think they make anymore, now it's a 67). I know thats what I thought...missed the "on the Taurus website" part.

S&W made most of the L frame models into 7 shooters I believe, but the K frame (slightly smaller) are still 6 shots. I see they still have some L frames in 6...which adds a bit of weight.

 

I just called my local dealer to order the Tracker 627, but the price he gave me was a few dollars more than the .44 mag version, which they quoted me via an email last week ($574 for .357, $570 for .44). Do you think the price is the same because the .357 mag is more popular, or should I shop around some more?

 

Every maker may discount something that isn't selling as well as they would like. Even a few dollars may sway some people.

Order the .357....you'll never know til you have it in your hand.

 

In the past month I've seen ammunition prices start to rise. I don't know if it's the economy in general or the presidential race but I would not wait too long to order your gun. There was a huge rush on guns & ammo when President Obama was elected. If a candidate who is not pro gun looks to have a chance in the election you may see another run on guns & ammo with a resulting rise in prices.

 

The price doesn't bother me. I'm simply wondering why they would be charging the same price for the .44 mag as the .357 mag when I've seen the .357 mag advertised for much less (< $500).

 

Well....taxes, transfer fees etc may affect it.

I see on Gunsamerica the same one for $485 incl shipping. Transfer fee not mentioned. Your dealer may add quite a bit to get his profit.

Your dealer could also be taking list and reducing it by whatever.

I'm all for supporting local dealers....but 10% markup is plenty if the business is run right. If they can't work around that...might be time to find another dealer.

 

I've also noticed other guns being different prices for different calibers. The one that really sticks in my mind is the Beretta CX-4 which was about $50 more for the .40 S&W and .45 ACP chamberings than in 9mm. In that case it seemed like a case of what the market will bear since now they all seem to be priced about the same.

 

That makes sense though, charging more for a higher caliber, but they are asking the same price for the .357 as they are for the .44. If a 10% markup is typical, then it should be around $530. $570 isn't bad, but I'm going to see if I can get it for less. If not, I'll be purchasing the gun tomorrow regardless.

 

Just shot my .357 Taurus Tracker for the first time over the Thanksgiving break, and boy is this a fun handgun to shoot! I shot both .38 special and .357 mag rounds and the recoil was not nearly as bad as I anticipated. It is actually comparable to my Kahr CW9. This wheelgun is extremely accurate. I got a little ambitious and started firing off rounds at a quick pace alternating between two metal targets at 20 yards and I hit them 6 out of 7 times on my first try. I felt like a pro shooting this thing! I highly recommend this revolver to anyone looking for a fun and economical gun to shoot.

 

You waited from March until November to shoot this thing!! You've GOT to be kidding. Patience is a virtue, but who wants to be too virtuous?:NO NO NO: Our gun shop has an open field with a bank behind it. Mine would have been shot within minutes of purchase.
Glad you got it and it handles well. That's the main thing.

 

Haha, yeah it's been a while. It's hard to find spare time these days with a 1-year old around, but I'm going to try and get out more often. I enjoy outdoor ranges, and the nearest one is 45 minutes away.

 

The space to have my own firing ranges was a big factor in choosing where we live now. I really enjoy being able to walk out the back door and practice whenever the mood hits.

 

Congrats on your new baby!

 

Yeah, that's always been my goal; to have enough land I can shoot on my own property.