S&W vs. Taurus

TheSilentOne

I have heard that Smith's are better, but are they twice as good as a Taurus, as the price indicates. I want to get a .38 stainless revolver. The Taurus I like is $320, and a similar Smith is almost $600.

fordsix

smith hands down you get what you pay for

11b6r

quote:you get what you pay for

That about sums it up.

sinder_83

Just ask yourself this, "Would you rather buy a Mustang for $15,000, or would you rather buy the same Mustang with leather seats for $30,000." Go with the Taurus, Smith and Wesson's are like Harley Davidson's, you are pretty much paying for the name. Harley Davidson's are over priced pieces of junk.

blackhawk45

Cadillac,Versus Yugo.

brier-49

Taurus has a lifetime warrantee, unfotunately you will need it. A gun in the mail going back and forth for repairs is useless. Buy the Smith.

jimdeere

quote:Originally posted by sinder_83
Just ask yourself this, "Would you rather buy a Mustang for $15,000, or would you rather buy the same Mustang with leather seats for $30,000." Go with the Taurus, Smith and Wesson's are like Harley Davidson's, you are pretty much paying for the name. Harley Davidson's are over priced pieces of junk.

Just curious, how many Smith and Wessons have you owned? How many Harley Davidsons?
I can't really comment on Taurus, as I've never owned one. I do, however, own 4 Smith and Wessons at the present and have owned several over the years. Every one performed flawlessly.
Oh, I've also owned two new-at-the-time Harley Davidsons, and looking at the third.

11BravoCrunchie

I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!!

sinder_83

I have owned only one Harley, a 2002 Fat Boy, brand new at the time, the engine kept blowing. Luckily, Harley let me return the bike, and I went out and bought a Honda. A buddy of mine has three of their bikes and is always having to replace parts. I have had a S&W 642, the cylinder blew apart using +p loads. Smith and Wesson wouldn't let me return it because they told me I shouldn't have been using +p rounds, even though it has them listed on the barrel.

The Ultimate Infidel

I dun know what everyone else is yellin about, but when a grenadier starts yellin, its time to start running. [:D]

mogley98

Taurus

44caliberkid

I have owned S&W's and Taurus's (and 3 Harley Davidson's). My only experiance with Taurus is large frame 44's and 454's, and I've never had a problem with them. I've mostly heard of trouble with small frame Taurus, like the 5 shot 38's. Most of my Smith's have been great, 3 N frames and a couple K frames, however I had one 686 (L frame) that was crap, went to the Smith service center and they did nothing, now it's someone else's problem. I'd look for a good deal on a used Smith.

drobs

Do a search here or any other gun board on Taurus.

Friends don't let friends buy Taurus -- Junk.

rhythm_guy

I think I read that all Taurus models are rated for +p ammo. Never had the first issue with my PT92SPL, at a little more than half the price of a Beretta. Maybe that's not fair since the PT92 used to BE the Beretta. I have no experience with their revolvers.

1911a1-fan

there is a reason why Taurus is a clone of smith, looks the same but is not even close

Colt Super

Smith.

Used, if money is the problem. Better than a new Taurus or Ruger.

Doug

Horse Plains Drifter

quote:Originally posted by fordsix
smith hands down you get what you pay for
Yup.

CHEVELLE427

unlike most i have both [:)], and i also like both unlike most [^],

i have had the same problem's out my smith's
as i have Taurus [^]

(none)[:D]

deal is everything now days, [:p]
if i found a deal on a smith that is the one i would buy first
if not i would get the one i can afford at the moment.
yes you might get a bad one but everything man made will let you down sooner then later, car, boat, computer (my 2 just crashed), or gun. at least with Taurus there is a warranty for life[:D]
guns below i have had anywhere from 30 years to 3 months,
smiths i have are.
mod 10-3
629-3
629-4
29-4
1006
Taurus are,
941 22mag
444 ultra light 44mag
pt1911
pt92 (DAD CARRIES IT AS AN AUX LEO)
he had a glock didn't like it at all[:0]
CIA 850 ultra light
pt145
pt111
as the list shows most all are heavy hitters,
I'm not bragging on some 22 i have never had any trouble out of, these guns do get
shot/a lot.
if any were to fail i would think it will be the 444 ultra light in 44mag, that SOB has some recoil to it[:p],
so far so good
so for me i have had great luck with them and all but 4 were used guns when i got them,[;)]

Don McManus

I own both, and have never had a problem with either.

Smith and Wesson manufactures in the U.S.A. Taurus manufactures in Brazil. The extra money you spend with S&W keeps an American Craftsman and his family fed. The extra money you spend with S&W keeps the American Firearms industry alive. I will never buy another Taurus.

If you care about the US and want a reliable pistol, buy a Smith.

If you care about yourself and want a reliable pistol, buy a Taurus.

pietro75

quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!!


LOUD NOISES!

TrupoBPT

I have a two Smith autos and a snub nose. The revolver is a nice little gun, but the autos feel like they are going to come apart in my hand. They are the most expensive and the worst quality I have heard and well I dont want to argue, but I am not an expert.

Colt Super

Smith autos, except for early 39s, have never been candidates for my acquisition ambitions.

"acquisition ambitions" Nice turn of phrase.

If you wish to use it, there will be no charge.

I am a magnanimous ignoramus.

Doug

gunpaq

Own both S&W and Taurus pistols and revolvers.

No problem ever with the Taurus models but had to send two of my Smiths back for warranty work.

Overall the S&W, I feel, is of better quality from my experience but you won't go wrong saving a few hundred dollars buying a new manufacture Taurus.

ruger41

I've owned S&W's and Taurus revolvers and never a hiccup out of either. At some point in time gun manufacturers stopped being skilled craftsmen who put out works of art and became high output assembly line gun makers. Nothing wrong with that I guess as times do change but I personally don't feel the guns S&W or any other maker put out these days can hold a candle to the fit and finish of the pre 1960 guns nor do these new guns hold their value as much as the old stuff--if that were the case then you wouldn't see Colt Pythons or S&W Registered Magnums going for as much as they do.

Locust Fork

They are both good guns.....but you can find them cheaper if you look around for a used one. The Taurus has a lifetime warranty and I have never had a problem with their .38s. The Smith will hold it's value better.....but only if you keep it "like new" and hold onto the box [:D]

D@D

Here is a picture of my first and last Taurus which blew up on me when I was shooting it (it was only a year old[:(!]). Customer service said it'll be 3-5 weeks before they look at it. So I should hear back from them in June hopefully.

xstuntman

Everyone locally only wants to sell Airweights (only steel for me, thank you) and Taurus seems to have issues so I picked up a Rossi. Although made by Taurus they're built on a different line and don't seem to suffer the catastrophic failure like the Taurus line do. I paid $259 for blued with the stainless version around $299. Let the bashing begin[:D] X

mstrblaster

Go Taurus!! I recently purchased a Taurus ultra lite for the wife. It is a good shooter. I thought I'd go with a high dollar Smith and Wesson ultra lite for myself. (they are both 38's). The Smith won't hit the side of a barn from the inside. I have sent it back to them twice for repair/replace. They just send it back to me saying they adjusted it. It still won't hit anywhere near a bulls eye at 10 yds. I'm going to sell it to the first sucker that comes by. And I will NEVER buy another Smith & Wesson.

redfishbob

Get yourself a charter arms.

RtWngExtrmst

I guess everyone has forgiven Smith for playing ball with the Clinton administration.

Old Smiths revolvers are fine guns. Newer autos, not so much.

kidthatsirish

I have S&W 642 airweight. It is a great gun, I use it for my ccw gun, and it will be the gun I leave with my wife on deployments. It has never failed to go boom every time I have pulled the trigger.

I dont have a tuarus, and have never fired one of their revolvers. But I can say that S&W makes a fine wheel gun.

hdcolt51

See if you can find a used smith,I have never owned a Taurus but have friends that do,never any problems with them.Ihave a few smiths and looking to get a few more.IMO revolvers= S&W, Semi-autos Colt,and
HARLEY DAVIDSON [:D]

dreher

If you are going to shoot it quite a bit, get the Smith. If you are going to throw it in a bedroom drawer as a night gun and never shoot it, get the Taurus.

goldslammer

Price is the biggest difference. My S&W 19 has a much smoother trigger, but my Taurus 669 is just as accurate. I like them both, but the Smith cost $200 more.

I've had a stainless Taurus 85 for 15 years, never had a bit of trouble from it.

CHEVELLE427

quote:Originally posted by redfishbob
Get yourself a charter arms.


daughter bought a new charter 22mag snub at 15 feet it was keyholing, with all typs of 22mag [:(]called charter was told to send it back on my dime [:(!], gun was 2 weeks old, traded it off at the next gun show to the dealer that sold it to us.[;)]

now my old bull dog 44 target is right on[:p]

River Rat

Both are worth their price. Smiths are better, but cost more. My last purchase was a Smith. It was pricey, but I don't regret it. If you've got the money, get the Smith. If you don't, get the Taurus. Especially their revolvers.

gunpaq

Here is a hand on owners comparison of S&W and Taurus.

I have both the S&W 1911 and the Taurus PT 1911 both in stainless.

Accuracy and reliability is the same in both.

Fit and finish is the same.

I like the Taurus sights and trigger best on the Taurus PT1911.

The only thing I do not like about my S&W 1911 is that is costs me $395.00 more than my Taurus PT1911 with less features. Could have bought another handgun or 1,000+ rounds of ammo for the difference in price.

The only thing I do not like about my Taurus PT1911 is the name Taurus and Made in Brazil inscribed on it..........but what the heck my Springfield 1911 has Made in Brazil inscribed on it as well.

jimdeere

quote:Originally posted by sinder_83
I have owned only one Harley, a 2002 Fat Boy, brand new at the time, the engine kept blowing. Luckily, Harley let me return the bike, and I went out and bought a Honda. A buddy of mine has three of their bikes and is always having to replace parts. I have had a S&W 642, the cylinder blew apart using +p loads. Smith and Wesson wouldn't let me return it because they told me I shouldn't have been using +p rounds, even though it has them listed on the barrel.

You are one unlucky man. And your buddy is a slow learner.[xx(]

Sig220_Ruger77

quote:I guess everyone has forgiven Smith for playing ball with the Clinton administration.

Old Smiths revolvers are fine guns. Newer autos, not so much.

Yep. Kind of funny how everybody remembers what ole' Bill Ruger said, but not what ole' Smith did.[:D]

I love the looks of the Smith's, just have never owned one(for some odd reason). I do have a taurus Raging Bull that I like very much!

Jon

DBMJR1

I can not recommend anything Taurus. I ordered parts from Taurus, on 02JAN09. Still have not got them. Their customer service is the worst.

cnsay

Friend took his apart to clean and lost some parts, called them and they sent out replacements in about a week. That convinced me to try one. Never had a problem with my Taurus 44 mag yet.