Taurus Spectrum .380 at Shot Show 2017

Gun Watch ^ | 20 January, 2017 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

A pick for the "best" new product at the Shot Show is a highly subjective thing.  The item that most impressed me was at the Taurus booth.  It is the likely replacement for the Taurus 738 TCP, the Taurus Spectrum.

It seems that Taurus has not been able to keep up with demand for the 738. The 738 has an excellent reputation for reliability. It is small, easy to conceal, and
is in the popular .380 caliber.  I liked the ergonomics of the 738.  So why has Taurus introduced what appears to be a replacement for the 738?

First, a caution.  I have not shot the Spectrum. This is not a review, only my impressions from the Shot Show.  I only handled it and dry fired several specimens  on the Shot Show floor.  I am generally not impressed with multiple colors. However, it is easy to see how multiple color schemes can be a valuable marketing tool.

What impressed me about the Spectrum was the ergonomics, most particularly, the trigger. The trigger is a true double action only. Taurus says that each pull of the trigger cocks and releases the striker, allowing for multiple primer hits. The relatively wide trigger makes the pull feel much lighter than the listed 7-9 pounds.  I was reminded of the excellent double action triggers on some of the older Smith and Wesson revolvers.  The trigger is the same every time.  I believe that with the fixed barrel, the pistol has potential for excellent accuracy.

Taurus includes two magazines with the pistol, a six round and a seven round with a magazine extension.  The magazine extension has an innovative rebated pinky finger spot slightly back from the grip. Most magazine extensions angle the extension forward and down in front. This extension goes down and back.  It fit the hand very well. The frame of the pistol has slightly softened areas to reduce felt recoil.  The engineer in me suspects it will work as designed.  Even a small ability to dampen recoil will likely be noticeable in the very small, light, pistols.

The sights are fixed and large enough to be used.  If they are correctly regulated, they will be serviceable.

The minority of people who actually shoot much, and like to make the most of each pistol, would be a little better served with a simple adjustable sight, perhaps drift adjustable.  Most people are not going to be taking coyote at 40 yards with this sort of pistol. I know a couple of expert shots who have done it. The capability is likely there, if the sights can be made to work. Small pistols are often very accurate. It takes an accomplished, practiced shooter to get the most out of them.

Maybe, in later runs, arrangements could be made for a simple adjustable rear sight.

The pistol weighs 10 ounces unloaded.  It is slightly bigger and wider (.07 inches) than a Ruger LCP. Both are extremely small, concealable pistols.

The proof, of course, will be in the shooting. That will have to wait until production runs become available, probably sometime later this year.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

I have read mostly good reports on the 738. The major differences with this pistol are the true Double Action Only trigger, the multiple color schemes, the softer plastic in the grip, and the magazine extension.

The proof will be in the shooting.

[captain_dave]

I’ve been underwhelmed by the quality and accuracy of the last two Taurus pistols I’ve used.

[riverrunner]

If Taurus can over come their reputation of having some that don’t work this is a very nice handling firearm.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I am not a Taurus fan. There are just too many superior weapons on the market. If I want a .380 I’ll get a Bersa Thunder.

[Gaffer]

At one time I’d have agreed with you.

I bought a Taurus PT111 (G1) Millennium in 1999 for my wife. It was a pure DOG! Every time it was fired it dropped the magazine, and it was a devil of a time to disassemble it and maintain. I kept it in my safe for a long time. It was an extremely marginal pistol, IMO.

Then a year ago I read about a lawsuit over it and other nearby models and a settlement. I sent it back and after 6-8 months of waiting, I received its replacement, the G2.

It is indeed a very fine weapon with all the features I like and would want and it shoots very reliably. While the free replacement period was a pain, what I ended up with was what I very much wanted in the first place.

[JonPreston]

I hesitate to buy a .380 related to a fear that it’s stopping power is lacking. In it’s favor is it’s carry convenience. Can anyone tell me more about the .380 caliber?

[central_va]

James Bond carried a Walther PPk. And he got laid a lot.

[Chode]

The minority of people who actually shoot much, and like to make the most of each pistol, would be a little better served with a simple adjustable sight, perhaps drift adjustable.

if you need sights at the range and the purpose this gun is made for, you've got bigger problems to deal with.

[JonPreston]

No doubt about it’s cool factor, but could it bring down Oddjob? :)

[central_va]

To bring down Odd Job you need a hat with a surgical steel blade brim that can be thrown like a frisbee.

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Ditto on the Bersa Thunder. Has the look of a Walther PPK but more reliable IMHO. Love mine.

[marktwain]

Are you saying the pistol is not capable of being used beyond 7 yards?

Are you saying that because there are better platforms for longer distance shooting, that these small pistols cannot be used for them?

Why limit your options to extreme short range only?

Even at short range, there are times when the target will be small, such as during a hostage situation, or someone firing from behind cover.

Sights just add capability for very little cost in size and weight.

True, very few have the skill required to use the capability, but they are out there.

There are also a tiny number that have become so familiar that they can use the silhouette of the pistol as a sight.

Not all shots will be at center of mass from 10 feet.

[American in Israel]

Double action only means no precise aimimg. This a point blank range slugger for self defense, so the fixed sights are fine.

[CodeToad]

Looks a lot like the Ruger LCP, which I carry every day. Great little pistol. (I also carry a Kimber 1911 Ultra TLE loaded with handloaded 185gr Gold Dots at 1200fps, for you he-men in the crowd)

[riverrunner]

There are people who are very capable of using smaller handguns far beyond what the are designed for.

I had a German PPKS that was very capable of 2.5 inch groups at 50 yards I shot that size groups at that range many times with it.

Fixed barreled handguns are normally very accurate.

[marktwain]

Double action only means no precise aimimg.

---

A common misconception. DAO can be shot very precisely, especially light DAO such as this pistol has.

With proper technique, DAO pistols can hit quite small targets at long distances.

[left that other site]

I despised my Taurus .380 TCP. Couldn’t wait to get rid of it.

Sticking, snagging, misfiring, hard to clean, persnickety about ammo, and I tried everything from changing the springs in the magazines to polishing the chute.

Small enough to carry in a little pink holster, but that was its only good quality.

Everything else about it sucked.

[ebshumidors]

If you want reliable, get a Makarov.

[American in Israel]

After being a target pistol aficionado, a DAO purchase was a sore disappointment. While I can hit decently, at range each shot takes a whole lot more time and energy making a DAO a very poor choice in a long range situation.

Try your multi target 50 yard shot regime DAO and compare your times.

Sucks, that scenario gets you dead.

[American in Israel]

After being a target pistol aficionado, a DAO purchase was a sore disappointment. While I can hit decently, at range each shot takes a whole lot more time and energy making a DAO a very poor choice in a long range situation.

Try your multi target 50 yard shot regime DAO and compare your times.

Sucks, that scenario gets you dead.