Economy guns

[Kruel J]

Sir, I own probably more Taurus handguns than most people own handguns of all platforms and brands. I've had 13 in my collection at some point.

One of my first handguns was a Taurus PT140 circa late 1990s. Garbage. Trip back to Taurus failed to fix it. Overall, I haven't even shot most of them, but about 35% of those I've owned have been junk or returned under recall. Or sold off with disclosures.

FYI, Taurus had a recall of 9 or 10 models across the spectrum and generally screwed over owners, and getting a refund or replacement under recall was a consumer's headache.

The company is suffering and their prices are basically down to disposable junk gun levels at sub $200. Which doesn't provide much room for profit margins in the supply chain. They've gutted customer service, quality control, and their own warranty because of being overwhelmed with returns and recalls.

Taurus is crap. If someone gets a "good" one more power to them. But I agree 100% with the above statement.

 

[CLT65]

I have had limited experience with Taurus. I have a TCP that had functionality issues but was able to fix it. A friend had one that had a cracked frame rail; Taurus replaced it under warranty, but he never trusted it after that.

Taurus now owns Heritage, makers of the Rough Rider. I bought one just for kicks, and loved it, until the barrel came loose after a couple months. Brand new gun and I had to send it back on my own dime. They put on a new barrel, but it came back with the cylinder face rubbing on the barrel breech! Not only rubbing, but riding. There was a visible gap between the front cylinder bearing surface and the frame where it should be riding.

I installed an endshake bearing that I had for S&W revolvers, and that tightened it up where it should be, but I couldn't believe they let it leave the shop like that. The darn thing is surprisingly accurate, though.

 

[leadcounsel]

I have had limited experience with Taurus. I have a TCP that had functionality issues but was able to fix it. A friend had one that had a cracked frame rail; Taurus replaced it under warranty, but he never trusted it after that.

Taurus now owns Heritage, makers of the Rough Rider. I bought one just for kicks, and loved it, until the barrel came loose after a couple months. Brand new gun and I had to send it back on my own dime. They put on a new barrel, but it came back with the cylinder face rubbing on the barrel breech! Not only rubbing, but riding. There was a visible gap between the front cylinder bearing surface and the frame where it should be riding.

I installed an endshake bearing that I had for S&W revolvers, and that tightened it up where it should be, but I couldn't believe they let it leave the shop like that. The darn thing is surprisingly accurate, though.

Taurus also now owns Rossi. Surprise surprise, now a major recall on Rossis. The company just plain makes junk. If you get a good one, you're lucky. I'd figure you have about a coin toss of a chance of a lemon, and then good luck dealing with customer service or returns... prepare for a crummy experience.

Best off saving your $200, and putting it down on a $300-400 known quality used (or new) gun. So many good models to pick from it's a buyers' dream right now.

 

[shybladder]

I don't get it..I've owned high points, I've owned other non popular brands as well.. you squeeze the trigger and it goes BANG!! What's bad and what's good about that?

 

[CLT65]

I don't get it..I've owned high points, I've owned other non popular brands as well.. you squeeze the trigger and it goes BANG!! What's bad and what's good about that?

Nothing at all, until you get a bad one.

Even then, a single bad one that the manufacturer takes care of can be excused. Poor service, poor repairs, or one bad one after another, and you tend to get bitter and hate the brand. I think that's mostly the deal with Taurus. For High Point I think it's mostly just because they're ugly and cheap.

For some people it's a personal reaction based on experience, for others it's a gun snob thing. I don't hate High-Points, but never had one. I don't hate Kel-Tec, because I have only ever owned one and it works fine. Based on reputation I'd be very hesitant to buy another. Same with Taurus. For Rough Rider, I got a bad taste based on durability and service. I'd never take a chance on another.

 

[Spitpatch]

Taurus Millenium showed up on my porch a while back and I fed it so it stuck around for awhile. With great skepticism I grabbed a ziploc out of my ammo cabinet marked, "9mm Various", and stepped outside to the 25yd target. Was real careful to sort thru and find a magazine worth of matching rounds, and not only did it digest them without a hitch, the accuracy was good enough to smack a cottontail's head every single time.

So I grabbed a handful of "Pot-purri" outta the bag. (Mind you, some of this was ancient vintage, military, german, conical bullets, etc. etc.). 50 rounds and never ever missed a beat. Was gonna keep the cheap little bustard around. My Taurus prejudice was altered significantly.

Then a pretty girl came along looking for a carry gun. With quality new ammo she smacks Pepsi cans over and over again at 25yds.

On a recommendation from a gunshop owner (admittedly with a profit in mind) I bought a Stevens 555 Over-Under 20ga. (Turkish, I believe).

Took it Pheasant hunting alongside a couple guys with Merkels. After they'd missed a few birds and I'd been more fortunate, I offered to trade straight across. They both politely declined but asked to examine and then marveled at my cheap shotgun. One of 'em bought one in .410.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

I would still buy a Ruger over Taurus.

 

[BPOR11]

Everyone has those brands that they won't touch, while others like them.
We all know that you get what you pay for generally speaking, but sometimes there is a place for an economical gun.

After having over 800 bucks worth of work gear stolen recently, It reminded me of one reason why I take my bersa with me instead of my Sig 1911. It's been proven reliable and if it needs to be used, it's a last resort close up scenario.

 

[Alexx1401]

Sigh.

I don't get it..I've owned high points, I've owned other non popular brands as well.. you squeeze the trigger and it goes BANG!! What's bad and what's good about that?

High Point and Kel-Tec have a "following" of people who just hate them. Some it's hard to say exactly why. To me really does not matter as I don't own a piece of either Co.. I do own a few KT's and have had a few that I sold. All worked as they were supposed to. The HP pistols are the definition of ugly. Never owned one but if it was a choice of no gun or one of those? I would gladly have one. For as long as it took to get the cash to buy something better. Those rifles of theirs are impressive for what you pay. Of course they have some downsides, biggest being the proprietary mags. Again the price point is what drives the sales. When they were $150 and looked like the prop guns from Planet of the Apes I damn near bought one a few times just for the price. So for those who want one, I don't care. They work and many video's guys take one and try to break it. They will put one through stuff that is amazing to see while they still work. I am still not buying one but I don't see them going out of business for lack of sales no matter what anyone thinks of them.

 

[Alexx1401]

Everyone has those brands that they won't touch, while others like them.
We all know that you get what you pay for generally speaking, but sometimes there is a place for an economical gun.

After having over 800 bucks worth of work gear stolen recently, It reminded me of one reason why I take my bersa with me instead of my Sig 1911. It's been proven reliable and if it needs to be used, it's a last resort close up scenario.

I had a Davis .380 like that for years. Place I lived we could not get CC law. We could carry in glove box. So after making sure it worked that pistol went there. figured if it got stolen I would miss it FAR less than something I paid 5 times as much for. When I moved back here it sat in safe. Finally someone with little money and wanting something paid me more than I paid for it new. It served its purpose for me.

 

[E4mafia]

If i am going economy id go with Canik ONE series, Stoeger STR 9 or Walther CREED, or even really a M&P Shield.

 

[Alexx1401]

If i am going economy id go with Canik ONE series, Stoeger STR 9 or Walther CREED.

Those Canik 9s temp me every time I see one. I "need" another full size 9 like I need another slice of pie but, damn they are nice for the price. Couple times I have been close to buying one just because of the price. Guy I know bought one for home and to play. He loves the damn thing.

 

[E4mafia]

Those Canik 9s temp me every time I see one. I "need" another full size 9 like I need another slice of pie but, damn they are nice for the price. Couple times I have been close to buying one just because of the price. Guy I know bought one for home and to play. He loves the damn thing.

They're good. I had one but traded it away cuz i cannot stand that long slide release. Though the new Canik ONE has a standard slide release button instead.

 

[oremike]

I'll agree that there are reasonably priced decent guns out there. I have a couple that do their jobs just fine. My CVA 45-70 and Charter arms bulldog come to mind. I also have a couple GI type 1911's one made in Turkey and one made in the Philippines that shoot good as well. While these are good, durable and reliable at least for me firearms, they lack lets call them refinements like fit and finish, grips, sights, polished trigger groups, ect. Notice I said the above are good shooters. My Rugers, Smiths, Sigs, Springfields, and Savages are great shooters.

 

[wewaits]

I keep thinking about getting a Henry Repeating Arms , Single shot rifle in .30-30...
Nice to see a "economy gun" , that ain't got a lot of plastic on it.

At one time I owed a pre-war Savage 219 in .30-30 it shot like a house afire and was easy to carry....I'm thinking the Henry would be a good replacement for it.
Andy

I just ordered one in .357 Magnum, it's all wood and steel and relatively nice wood at that, no frills but the one I've held was really well put together, not as cheap as the old H&R single shots used to be but much better fit and finish, the 45-70 is tempting as well.

 

[terdog]

Sir, I own probably more Taurus handguns than most people own handguns of all platforms and brands. I've had 13 in my collection at some point.

One of my first handguns was a Taurus PT140 circa late 1990s. Garbage. Trip back to Taurus failed to fix it. Overall, I haven't even shot most of them, but about 35% of those I've owned have been junk or returned under recall. Or sold off with disclosures. And the only reason I've kept the 65% I've kept is they are clones of guns which Taurus probably got right (2 PT92s, a few SW revolver clones, and a couple of the "better" Taurus older semi-auto designs that seem of decent quality - and the resale is zilch on this brand so no point in selling for a few bucks).

FYI, Taurus had a recall of 9 or 10 models across the spectrum and generally screwed over owners, and getting a refund or replacement under recall was a consumer's headache.

The company is suffering and their prices are basically down to disposable junk gun levels at sub $200. Which doesn't provide much room for profit margins in the supply chain. They've gutted customer service, quality control, and their own warranty because of being overwhelmed with returns and recalls.

Sir, I can appreciate your experience. BUT, it seems as though it has been awhile, and nothing of the newer management group?

I have mentioned my experiences with their newer designs, which you don't seem to have any time with.
I completely agree with your comments on the older manufacture date units. The QC was poor and the management didn't seem to care.

I don't get anything from Taurus. But I can appreciate a decent gun for a great price and the Taurus models that I'm referring to fit that bill.

Seems like when the magazines do reports, and the gun gurus on YOUTUBE all give them glowing remarks, well, there just might be something to it.

 

[terdog]

I'll add that Taurus was arguably responsible for 1 of the biggest segments in the PD market.

The JUDGE.

I bought a used 1 for my GF before we lived together. It too did its job, with zero issues.
Theres been a few sold. And they have a good reputation. So good, that S&W had to copy them.

Everyone has an opinion and I'm not trying to persuade anyone.

I'm just someone who has some experience with the newer designs and they have never failed me or mine.

 

[Grumpa]

About the only thing Taurus makes that I'm interested in is this beast.

 

[terdog]

Any plans of getting it soon?

I looked at them. Had a GP100 right next to it.

I liked the Taurus, but the Ruger has an audible "click" when you transition to the single stage point from double that I really like.
Makes it easier to shoot DA, as you know when your staged.

Plus, the GF has the std GP100, so I got the MC GP100.
That way she can't cry foul when I out shoot her!

 

[CamoDeafie]

I'd like to see more PCCs in the "affordable" zone...as in priced right between Hi Point and entry level 5.56 AR15s.

Pipe dream I know lol.

And they don't need to be "as ugly"or unique as the Hi Points are...

Honestly I can't see why an AR pistol caliber cannot be priced below that of an economic 5.56 AR.... especially for a blowback type?