Taurus Model 65 Review: A Quality Security and Defense Revolver

Looking for a versatile revolver? I love the Taurus Model 65 for a couple different reasons. The revolver is great for defense, but is also really fun to shoot. I chose the Model 65 as one of my first revolvers years ago, because it can fill so many needs. I really enjoyed my time with it, but eventually moved on.

However, if you’d like to learn more about this revolver, feel free to continue reading on. The revolver will be fully reviewed, and we will lay out the pros and cons of it.

What is the Taurus Model 65 for?

Like we just said, this revolver is very versatile. It shoots .357 Magnum or .38 Special +P. This allows you to do a couple different things.

For starters, .357 Magnum is a great defense round. It is way more powerful than any comparable semiautomatic cartridges. For this reason, the revolver is good for home defense. You could also use it for personal defense, but it would be difficult to concealed carry.

.357 Magnum also serves well as a hunting sidearm. While I wouldn’t choose to take game with it, it can definitely serve well enough to put down a potential threat.

Lastly, since the revolver can also shoot .38 Special, it’s a pretty fun gun to shoot at the range. .38 Special is cheaper than .357 Magnum, so it’s better for range shooting.

However, the revolver is definitely aimed at defense uses. It is very popular among security forces and defense contractors.

Taurus Model 65 Review: Breakdown

This revolver is a six shot revolver that has a four inch barrel. In total, it measures 10.5 inches long and 5.48 inches tall. It’s made of almost entirely stainless steel, and it weighs in at 38 ounces. As previously mentioned, it shoots both .357 Magnum and .38 Special +P. The revolver is available either silver or black.

The revolver is hammer-fired, and has a double action/single action trigger. All in all, the action of the revolver is very smooth. The trigger is decent, but is a little long when shooting double action. The double action trigger in general isn’t that smooth, but when shooting single action, it is way better.

The pros of the revolver are the reliability, accuracy, and versatility. The reliability and accuracy will be discussed in later sections, and we already discussed this versatility above.

However, there are a couple other pros of this revolver I really liked. For one, it is extremely durable. Due to the fact that it’s almost entirely metal, the revolver is extremely resistant to the elements.

The primary cons of this revolver are the weight and double action trigger. Due to the fact that it’s made almost entirely of stainless steel, this revolver is extremely heavy.

As we mentioned, the double action trigger pull is definitely long, and it’s not exactly the smoothest. I much preferred shooting this revolver single action, but that’s not to say that double action doesn’t work.

Lastly, in terms of defensive capabilities, this revolver is somewhat limited by its magazine capacity and reload time. Since there are only 6 rounds, you will have to reload much more frequently than with a semiautomatic pistol. It would definitely be in your best interest to get comfortable using a speedloader.

Safety and Reliability

Revolvers are notoriously safe. Taurus revolvers are even safer, thanks to their added features.

Revolvers are safe to begin with due to the fact that they are hammer-fired. It’s very easy to see the exact condition of the revolver, especially considering that you can easily look at the cylinder to see if it’s loaded. Add in a longer trigger pull, and you’ve got a revolver that is nearly impossible to fire by accident.

However, Taurus takes this to the next level by adding in some more safety features. As with most Taurus revolvers, the Model 65 has the Taurus Security System. We’ve written about this before, but think about the security system as a lock and key. When the lock is engaged, you can’t pull the trigger, cock the hammer, or disengage the safety. It makes for very safe storage.

The revolver also has a transfer bar, which is extremely common in Taurus revolvers. This bar just adds one more positive block into the revolver, and ensures that the hammer can only strike the firing pin when the trigger is pulled all the way. Add this in to a long trigger pull, and you can see how this revolver has some great added safety features.

In terms of reliability, this revolver really can’t be beat. The Taurus Model 65 is a pretty standard revolver. As with most revolvers, there are very few internal parts, and it is nearly impossible for the revolver to jam. This revolver will shoot every time, no matter what.

Taurus 65 Review: Comfort and Shootability

Another feature of the revolver that we loved is the rubberized grip. As we’ve seen over and over again with Taurus revolvers, the molded, ergonomic grip is very comfortable, and does a good bit in improving the accuracy of the revolver.

When it comes to handguns, your grip is the most key aspect to an accurate shot. Having a grip that fits your hand this well and allows for a firm grip, regardless of the environment will make for a very accurate shot.

You’ll also find that this revolver is more accurate than many of the snubby concealed carry revolvers, due to the longer barrel. We’ve already covered the trigger pretty well, but the trigger doesn’t hinder you from shooting accurately, especially when shooting single action.

The one thing that we didn’t love is that the sights are fixed. While this wasn’t a problem for us, if you’re trying to shoot extremely accurately, you may have an issue with it.

Another aspect of the shootability that is good is how well this revolver handles recoil. .357 Magnum is an extremely powerful round, but this revolver eats the recoil up. Between the grip and the weight, the recoil is no match for this revolver.

Overall, the revolver shoots accurately and feels balanced in your hand. It’s extremely easy to load and use, and feels very natural to raise, aim, and shoot.

Accessories and Upgrades

There are a couple basic upgrades you could make to this revolver, but compared to Glocks and other semiautomatic pistols, there’s almost nothing. If you’ve got a local gunsmith, they could probably improve the trigger for you, but unfortunately an upgraded trigger is pretty hard to find aftermarket. You may be able to find a spring set, though.

First, we would recommend upgrading the front sight. For defensive shooting, this fiber optic front sight will improve your target acquisition. For other applications, you’ll be able to fine-tune your shooting better than with the fixed stock front sight.

As with any revolver, a speedloader is always a good idea.

Conclusion

The Taurus Model 65 is a versatile, inexpensive revolver that is a great size. We like that it shoots .357 Magnum, but the revolver does have its shortfalls. It’s an accurate, fun to shoot revolver that you will definitely enjoy.

Image source:

Reloading from the hot pot