Wheelguns continue to remain popular for concealed carry, something that the folks at Taurus are well aware of. With the increased number of people exercising their rights to concealed carry and constitutional carry the time was right for the reintroduction of the Taurus 650. The 650 is a shrouded-hammer, five-shot revolver chambered in .357 Magnum.
The Taurus 650
It’s been nearly 10 years since we last saw the 650, but the current market makes it a great time to bring it back. The 650 has a shrouded hammer and a smooth, Double Action Only (DAO) trigger pull. It holds five rounds and is chambered in the venerable and potent .357 magnum cartridge. The sleek wheelgun is built on an all-steel frame, and comes with fixed sights, and either a 2- or 3-inch full lug barrel. The 650s are fitted with a compact rubber boot grip. Weight is right under 23 ounces. They’re available in either a matte black or matte stainless finish.
The Taurus 650 is the epitome of simplicity with it’s fully enclosed hammer, and DAO trigger and is perfect for pocket carry. The enclosed hammer helps to keep crud, lint and dust from getting into the action and makes for a fast, snag free draw. It’s fitted with an internal transfer bar safety so all you need to do is pull the trigger when it’s needed. The Taurus 650 is compatible with a variety of existing five-shot speed loaders and holsters for similar .357 Mag. models, making it easy to add to your every day carry plan right away. MSRP on the 650 is a reasonable $455 for the matte black models and $470 for the matte stainless ones.
Key Features of the Taurus 650
Removable Serrated Blade Front Sight: The blade front sight is serrated to reduce glare and allow for quick accuracy in all lighting conditions. The front sight is also removable, allowing it to be swapped out to meet your personal preference
Durable Steel or Stainless Steel Frame: Built to withstand rigorous use, the Taurus 650’s steel or stainless steel frame provides the durability needed for both daily carry and extended shooting sessions.
Double Action Only (DAO) Trigger System: The 650’s DAO trigger offers a smooth and consistent pull, enhancing shooting precision and reliability in high-stress environments.
Five-Shot Cylinder Chambered in .357 Magnum / .38 Spl +P: The Taurus 650 is chambered to handle up to .357 Magnum, allowing it to also fire .38 Special and .38 Special +P loads, providing flexibility in ammunition choice.
Shrouded Hammer for Snag-Free Concealment: The internal shrouded hammer ensures a seamless draw from concealment, minimizing snags and enabling easy operation even from a pocket or bag.
It is a Taurus, so NO
Well said!
No offense intended but that is what I now consider a uninformed opinion. I have a Taurus 651 all Titanium 357 that is beautiful, smooth in operation and tight! Because it only weighs 17 oz. I will only shoot standard pressure 38 Spc. or +P. It’s a joy to carry in an IWB holster.
Taurus has come up in quality, and they know ‘Wheel Guns’ very well.
You Know so little
Taurus is not afraid to bring something back or bring out something wacky (View, Curve).
Also not afraid to dump something and replace it overnight (85 vs 856).
S&W and Ruger could be a little more aggressive.
I’d love to see a modern Model 12 S&W or a 6 shot LCR.
But they don’t listen to me.
A 6 shot LCR IS available and it’s in the potent .327 Federal Magnum.
and 22 magnum
Nothing wrong with 22 mag but if I’m looking for a defensive revolver, it won’t be a rimfire.
I was alluding to a larger framed LCR or a K framed airweight.
The NightGuard revolvers were an attempt but I see no need to pay for scandium to launch a 38+P. Scandium/aluminum alloys are strong, but also brittle.
I’d be happy with a Mg/Al frame that shoots 6 rounds of 38+P
Again, .327 Federal Magnum (which will also safely shoot .32 H&R Magnum. Do some research and I think you will see some options. Just sayin’.
Appreciated.
The 32 H&R does yoeman work and can easily be loaded to true magnum performance.
Everything I see about 327 indicate that it can be loaded hotter but often has tremendous variance in each shot. We see the thing with 30 carbine in a revolver. A long, thin cartidge can induce pressure spikes. The only reason the 327 I needed is to keep it from going into a 32 Mag with an aluminum frame or one of H&Rs revolvers.
Like 38 in 357 chambers there is often a velocity drop due to the “free bore” of the longer chamber. Hence 32 mag gives its best performance in 32 Mag chamber.
Finally, 32 Mag is less likely to open (IME) with 100-110 grain hollow points. The 85g HP open but disintegrated at magnum velocity. I’ve killed a couple of hogs with 32 Mag and they work well, but did not open – only deformed. I really like the 32 Mag for a utility round – especially 120 lead bullets at around 1200fps. For personal defense I’d prefer something a little heavier and broader that can expand and penetrate. 38 special loaded to its potential can easily hit 1000 fps in a 2 inch gun and 1150 in a 4 inch gun.
The 22 magnum is only 6-shot, while the .22lr LCR has 8 rounds…
True. But I’m looking for a true mid-bore With 6 shots.
Hmmm…one pic appears to have a 3″ barrel??? I will never get a 2″ revolver again.
Why not? Makes the gun a flashbang dispenser.
We have a 50 y.o. Dan Wesson 44 mag with the changeable barrels. With the 2 1/2 in barrel you can roast marshmellows with a bullet on the way to the target. That might also work for a 2 in 357?
Why? What’s the matter, can’t shoot straight. Spend more time with one and you should be able to catch on.
Looks good.
I like old school.
Priced nice.
I only buy one gun a month though and this month was a Ruger Redhawk.
Next months plan was a Winchester 70 chambered in 338-06.
Nothing on Feburary’s list but who knows what the better half is going to want.
A happy wife makes a happy husband, LOL.
Yet another belly gun. They’ll probably make some $$ on it.
Why did they drop the capacity to 5 and make it weigh more than the 6 shot 856?
to make the gun stronger to handle .357 loads…..but really, just put .38+p loads in it and you will be doing just fine!!!
JACK S.
At that point, why not just buy the 6-shot 856 model and then you get 6 shots of .38 Special +P rather than just 5 shots of .38 Special +P in the 650 model?
Taurus is a decent handgun. Good job offering a 3″ barrel. .357 is a good idea for ammunition logistics, but I would load.38 SPL +P. Just me. Oh, replace those soft rubber grips. They stick to your clothes. If you can’t handle the recoil, grow some pecans.
Gadsden Flag,
“Good job offering a 3″ barrel.”
That was my thought exactly.
For reference I purchased the Taurus Model 856 revolver with 3-inch barrel chambered in .38 Special +P about two years ago. I love it. It is reliable and accurate. And it is fun to shoot since it weighs 23.5 ounces. The pleasant surprise: it is surprisingly thin for a 6-shot revolver–Taurus made the cylinder as small as possible and it really shows. It is so thin that it feels like a 5-shot revolver.
I like the look of Taurus revolvers, especially the barrel underlug. I think the Model 44 and Model 66 are cool looking handguns, but I am reluctant to purchase because of Taurus’ perceived quality. Can someone convince me otherwise??
Johnny, I understand the underlug thing. I like it too. Nothing looks better than a 3 1/2″ S&W model 27? A Python? With the rib? The L frame is the perfect.357 revolver. I wish I had one.
I’ve got a 3″ Model 629 that is just gorgeous. Its proportions are aesthetically perfect, and the underlug makes the look. I carry it A LOT! I like the underlugs on Ruger GP-100s, too — very similar to the Taurus 66.
If you have Smith and Ruger you are not missing anything by not having a Taurus.
I had several of the Taurus in years gone by. They were working guns. I put them on a level with Charter Arms. They work.
But why? Smith and Ruger are a class above.
Johnny, you have a nice 629. Is it a round butt? I have a 6″ 629 and a 4″ Mountain Gun. It’s almost scary how well that Mountain Gun shoots.
Round butt. I also own a 4″ and a 6″. My 629s are the most accurate handguns I own.
Love my Taurus 692. Comes with a 357 mag/.38spclwheel and a 9mm wheel. The 9mm is 7 shots and uses moon clips. Fully lugged and ported. The 9mm shoots like a 22LR. It’s very accurate and has never given me any trouble.
Johnny LeBlanc,
My understanding is that Taurus had some quality problems many years ago, perhaps 20 or more years ago, and they have since fixed whatever was lacking.
I have shot about 6 different Taurus revolvers and 6 different Taurus semi-auto pistols manufactured in the last 12 years and all of them have been flawless. I would not hesitate to purchase a Taurus handgun if I had an empty spot in my handgun lineup.
Or, lemons, or tangerines, or Japanese persimmons. They’re all ripe in my backyard now. Happy Thanksgiving!
Tangerines are like potato chips. No way to eat just one.
At 23 ounces I’ll stick with a Glock 19
Corey C,
A Glock 19 is certainly a fine handgun. If that is an excellent solution for you, hooray!
Note that the simplicity of a revolver is a better solution than a semi-auto handgun for some people.
Revolver advantages:
— Routine cleaning is much easier since there is no disassembly.
— If you have a dud cartridge, you just pull the trigger again.
— You never have to rack a slide.
That second advantage (just pull the trigger again if you have a dud cartridge) is huge in a desperate self-defense situation–it is much faster, easier, and more reliable than the “tap, rack, bang” procedure on a semi-auto handgun.
If you dislike the primary disadvantage of a revolver–limited ammunition capacity–just carry a second revolver for the infamous “New York reload”. As silly as that may seem, there are some significant advantages to that. First of all, you should have a revolver on two different body locations which could be valuable. Second, you have a second handgun which could hand over to a responsible second person for mutual defense in some situations.
And a third advantage to carrying a second revolver: you have a “backup gun” in case your “primary” revolver fails for whatever reason.
Taurus. For shooters who like to perform malfunction clearance drills on revolvers.
Taurus. For shooters who have pretty UPS drivers. (You know you’ll be sending it for repair.)
Eff Taurus
Many people have reported quality/durability shortcomings of Taurus firearm products built long ago, perhaps prior to calendar year 2000.
Taurus firearm products manufactured in the last 10 to 15 years have an excellent quality reputation.
Note that all firearm manufacturers these days produce sub-par (a.k.a. “lemons”) once in a while. I was at a Cabelas store about 12 years ago and asked the person at the firearms counter to look at a new revolver from a big name manufacturer with an excellent quality reputation. As the attendant was about to hand over the revolver, he noticed a quality defect and set it aside. He fetched another of the same revolver. Again, he noticed the same quality defect on that one as well. When he found the same quality defect on a third revolver, he politely informed me that there was obviously a manufacturing problem and they were pulling them off the shelf.
I have several Taurus revolvers. They are excellent, reliable guns. I have one based on the Smith model 66 with a trigger pull I would put against any Smith or Colt. And it is a tack driver. I have a 692 that is a very, very nice weapon. Shoots well. Taurus may have made some bad weapons in the past but the ones I have are great weapons that I would bet my life on.
Surprised at the negative comments about the Taurus revolvers. I own several and find them excellent firearms. Very reliable and a couple are tack drivers. Maybe they were bad quality many years ago but I find they are well built, reliable, and accurate firearms. I would not hesitate to purchase another if I needed a revolver (already have .22, .22 magnum, .38/357, .41, and .44 magnum)