“The new Taurus 405 and 445 revolvers are aggressive wheel-guns [as opposed to all those candy-ass pink revolvers, presumably] that deliver superior accuracy and stopping power without the heft or bulk of most large caliber revolvers.” The good folks at Taurus tell us not to worry about the fact that they’re .44 and .40 snubbies, in terms of being able to shoot the guns at the range without yelling “DAMN!” “These 5-shot revolvers are available in blue or matte stainless finish with the Taurus Ribber Grip® that reduces felt recoil.” I’ve made no secret of the fact that I consider large caliber lightweight snubbies amongst the hardest handguns to shoot at anything beyond point-blank range (at which time you might want to consider some other strategy), the most painful with which to practice and, thus, a highly questionable choice for self-defense. Did Taurus listen to me? No. They listened to the market . . .
The 445 is chambered in .44 Special and features an Ultra-Lite frame that weighs only 22 ounces. The revolver’s barrel measures 2 inches, with an overall length of 7 inches. The 405, Taurus’ first .40 S&W revolver, features a lightweight frame that weighs just 29 ounces and includes stellar clips. The revolver’s barrel measures 2 inches, with an overall length of 7 inches.
MSRP $452 – $514.
I have had to fix three Taurus revolvers-2 905’s (9mm revolver) and one .44 magnum Tracker-basically a K frame size 5 shot. All 3 had the same problem-the cylinder gap was too tight and the cylinder would freeze up during fire. Just glancing at the photo I’m betting anything but the lightest loads will have the same problem. I’ve talked to Taurus via landline about this and felt I was given the polite brush off.
I wonder what kind of balistics they get? I’m think the muzzle blast from the 40 would probably be disabling . Super flinch!
Who ever brings out a .45 ACP snubbie is going to get my money. I had hopes that Ruger would bring out a .45 ACP LCR, but still waiting.
+1
SW has made them since time began. They have the same limitations as any rimless cartridge in a revolver.
Charter makes the Pitbull (pretty much a rimless version of the Bulldog) in 45 acp and, due to the cylinder’s construction, doesn’t need moon clips to load up. Good luck finding one though.
I know it’s a new cartridge, but why go for a 44 mag. snub before a .327 magnum? .327’s performance out of 2″ barrels is actually rather good, especially when compared to 38 spl, and the cartridge’s thin profile means 6 shots instead of 5.
Ok… I am a total sucker for snubnose revolvers, and a total sucker for big bore snubnose revolvers. I am not a huge guy, 5’7″ 145 lbs, I work on a computer, but I really don’t have a problem with recoil. In fact, I’m pretty small and weak. I think managing recoil is just about practice.
As far as being accurate at a distance with snubnose revolvers, I don’t think it’s impossible. I’ve noticed personally that barrel length has less to do with my overall accuracy than I initially thought. My observation is that weight helps me a lot, but not really barrel length on its own. I’m no sharpshooter but I have no problem landing shots on a 2′ x 2′ targetboard at 50 yards with a snubby. I’ve lobbed .357 magnums out of a snubby out to 100 yards with good result.
The only thing I feel a longer barrel gets me is that during practice the longer sight radius gives me a little bit more noticeable feedback that my trigger pull is affecting sight alignment.
Also, .44 special is not anything to write home about as far as recoil goes. I think it is a fantastic self defense revolver round, and snubby .44 specials have always had a stable following.
The gun I wish they still made was the Taurus M44C. It was a 5 shot steel frame .44 mag snubnose which was ported! Woo!
-D
“The only thing I feel a longer barrel gets me is that during practice the longer sight radius gives me a little bit more noticeable feedback that my trigger pull is affecting sight alignment.”
The iron sights on my little S&W 442 are hard to see so I got a Crimson Trace laser. Now I can at least shoot minute-of-bad-guy rapidly at modest distances.
The snubbie recoil, even just being a 38 Special, took a while to get used to. Unexpectedly it’s less unpleasant now than at first but I couldn’t shoot it all day. Of course a snubbie is not intended to be a target gun.
.40 S&W snubbie with clips? Sign me up. My EDC is a compact .40 pistol, and recoil is nothing to complain about. Since this revolver is heavier and has beefier grips, I wouldn’t think that recoil would be an issue at all. And not suffering caliber proliferation? Priceless. Just get rid of he damn internal lock. If S&W can’t make an internal lock that’s fail-safe, what are the odds that Taurus can do it better?
Light but painful: I have an S&W scandium .357 (“Kit Gun”), 3″ bbl with a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable V-notch rear sight. Bought it for carrying when I ride the ATV in the Idaho boonies, so the main points were light weight, decent sights, and a cartridge powerful enough for mountain lions and low-lifes. It weighs all of 12 oz empty, and is hardly noticeable in a Milt Sparks holster (shameless plug: EXCELLENT holsters, worth the 5 month wait, and made in Boise, Idaho – NOT China).
Downside: fire it with full-up .357 mag ammo, and it feels like someone has taken a ball-peen hammer and given you a good swift smack at the base of your thumb. ZERO barrel flip – that sucker just punches straight back, and hard. OK to shoot with .38+P loads, so those are what I used to get the sights mostly aligned, then .357 for final sight-in. Not something to use for recreational plinking, but the light weight and power do what I want. As an aside, the most painful handgun I have tried was a Taurus Titanium Tracker in .41 mag. The 1/4″ gap between my middle finger knuckle and the back of the trigger guard was rapidly closed when I fired it. OUCH. Might work better if you had larger hands. The scandium S&W doesn’t do that to me – it just has the ball-peen effect on my thumb-base.
Trade-offs in everything – if you want light weight and power, you pay the cost.
I’ve got a Taurus snubbie 44 special, and I don’t think the recoil is that bad. I did have to change the grips however; with my hands my little finger and ring finger weren’t clutching anything, so basically I had my middle finger managing the gun, since the first finger was pulling the trigger. Larger grips helped.
The Charter Arms .44 Bulldog was the same idea, just 35 years ago. Firing it felt like getting smacked by a broomstick in the web of your thumb. I quit after 15 rounds, ouch!
The right grips (high enough in the back), and the correct hand position,make a snubnose a lot more comfortable to shoot.
Bought one about a week ago. Makes your teeth chatter when you’re not expecting the recoil. None of my Federal or Remington ammo (Border Patrol issue) fit in the moon clips (fall right out). Speer Gold Dot won’t hold either. Only Winchester (Ranger & white box) has worked so far. Called Taurus & they are sending me a new set of moon clips. I’m satisfied so far, but hope that the new moon clips hold the other ammo since my stockpile is mostly Remington & Federal.
Do you need moonclips? I know the 905 can have rounds dropped in and simply picked out after firing. Is the 405 the same?
S&W as well as other lightweight snubbies have a snappy recoil, unlike their heavier counterparts. I prefer an all steel snubby due to this problem. I don’t know why someone can’t make these revolvers without moon clips. The 13 pound d/a trigger pull in the 405 Taurus is not conducive to a smooth and easy trigger pull and becomes an inherent problem. The 44 special in a snubby is no problem and has a smooth light trigger pull. I can shoot steel plates at 25 yards with it as well as my .38 2 inch.
You actually make it appear really easy with your presentation but I in finding this matter to be actually something that I believe I might by no means understand. It sort of feels too complicated and very extensive for me. I’m having a look forward on your next post, I will attempt to get the cling of it!
If your wanting a small 45acp. Try out the new Heizer 45 double tap. 🙂 2 shot 45 acp. fits in your front pocket no problem (however, I do not promote carrying it there) 12 oz w/the aluminum, 3″ barrel. Also comes in a 9mm
I have the taurus 445 and the recoil isnt bad at all but I have large hands and really enjoy big bore guns.
I’ve been shooting 2 to 3 inch barreled .44 revolvers since Charter Arms came out with their first bulldog in the 70s (Bulldog, Bulldog Pug, Rossi 720 and Taurus 455 Titanium). Before firing that first Bulldog for the first time, I looked around to my friends and said, “Watch where it (gun) goes.” I had bought into the expectations of monstrous recoil. Fired and – no problem. The Taurus came with standard rubber grips, not the ribbers. I often shoot Cor-bon out it and the recoil is manageable. Hit ~ 8 inch paper plates consistently at 30 yards (single action). Raise, align, squeeze, repeat.
I suspect some people become worried about recoil just as some young people get worried about math. Their elders put fear in them. 🙁
Is it mandatory that the moonclips be used when shooting the 405, or can the gun still be used without the moonclips?
yes it can, but the extractor wont grab the casing so youll have to pull it out with your nails.some fall out but not often
Bought Taurus 405 for my wife and it shoots lights out.. She complains about her hand stings after about 75-100rnds or so but smiles while she says it.. Loves the punch and knows it will put the hurt on any scumbag needing some attention. Bought her a moonclip unloader from brownells abour $20. It helps keep the clips straight and tight best of all easy to unload.. Still looking for 5 more stellar clips..The 405 is a small hand cannon in its own right and lots of gun. If you have an autoloader in 40sw this is a great addition I highly recomend.
I bought the rossi 44M version of the above, 5 shot, 2-ish” barrel. I love it. It’s very civil with specials, and FUN with mag loads. I’ve shot heavy weight rounds from it, and it’s a bit punishing, but lighter loads (which are probably better for def anyway) are not too bad.
You don’t want to shoot it all day, but with ammo like it is these days, who can afford to anyway.
I wish I had a chrono, so I could see how fast the pellets are flying.
PS, this is my new daily carry…
and when I go to the range, I always look forward to shooting it. When I can afford its meals!
Cant help but notice there is no range report, or any real photos… He never actually says he has ever even touched this gun – all he does is call taurus stupid for making a 40 snubby.
I thought this webssite was called TRUTH about guns, not armchair rants about guns…
I recently bought a Taurus 445 UL in .44 Special with a blue (black) finish. I had to ship it back to Taurus right away as the cylinder release was unsatisfactory and it was hard to swing out the cylinder for reloading. The Taurus service reps were great to work with and I had my revolver back in less than three weeks. I reload for this caliber and use a 180-grain cast bullet propelled by 5 grains of Red Dot. Super accurate with very manageable recoil. Carry load is CorBon 165-grain JHP. This revolver inspires confidence.
I recently bought a 405. I was thinking this would be a good back up to my Barrett 96. I have to say I was not disappointed in the least. Using hand loads for both I decided since this was going to be a back up to load with the same ammo.
Using a 140gr FP with 4.6gr HP-38 this little revolver comes to life.
The recoil is not excessive much less than I expected. The accuracy was impressive at ranges it was intended for.
At the 10′ line in single action fire, hits on target were under 1″
Double action fire did open the group up but not to the point of turning me away from this little jewel.
I have had a 445 for several years. I have put several hundred rounds of standard loads through it for practice with no problem. The recoil is heavy but not severe. I consider the gun to be accurate and easy to carry. I have installed Crimson Trace Laser grips for better use in low light or no light situations. I can’t think of a better carry gun.