Taurus 650 .357 Magnum Snubnose Revolver

For the budget minded who want the reliability and idiot-proof simplicity of a revolver for their concealed carry gun, and the option of pocket-cannon level power, the Taurus 650 .357 Magnums warrant consideration. They are durable and compact, shrouded hammer, fixed sights, five shot, revolvers available in either matte stainless steel or blued alloy steel with a 2 inch snubnose barrel or a 3 inch barrel. Currently all models are fitted with a concealment style, two-finger, rubber overmold, polymer grip that, to my delight, mitigated some of the heavy .357 Magnum recoil to endurable levels, allowed easy use of HKS and Safariland speed-loaders, and didn’t excessively interfere with ejection of the spent cases. Externally the Taurus 650 is very close in size and general appearance to the J-framed S&W 640 revolver though it sports a more economical sand blast matte surface finish on the metal, is simplified mechanically, has noticeably looser manufacturing tolerances, and, at least on the gun I tested, a substantially heavier triggerpull (15 pounds vs. 11 on the S&W). However, none of these cost saving measures seemed to significantly diminish its performance and I found I could actually shoot it more accurately in low light than my S&W 640 because the Taurus had a deeper rear sight notch that allowed a clearer sight picture. Though not as beautiful or refined as the S&W, and more difficult to shoot precisely because of the heavy trigger, the Taurus demonstrated itself capable of impressive accuracy that was well beyond the minimum required for self-defense use. Best of all, with an MSRP of 469.99, you could buy two Taurus 650 for the cost of one S&W. For more information on Taurus firearms, visit www.TaurusUSA.com.