Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in 7-Shot Black — Superb Target Revolver

Description

The Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in is the long-barrelled version of Taurus’s seven-shot medium-frame revolver: a six-inch barrel with a full-length ejector rod shroud, an adjustable rear sight, matte black oxide over alloy steel, and a finger-grooved rubber grip.

Six inches is where .357 Magnum finally gets to finish burning. The difference between this and a two-inch snub firing the same cartridge is not subtle — several hundred feet per second, far less muzzle flash, and a sight radius long enough that the gun is limited by the shooter rather than the other way round. The Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in is the version to buy if the revolver is going to live at a range, in a truck or on a hunt rather than under a jacket.

What the extra barrel gives you

• Velocity. A full-power .357 load out of six inches does what the box says it does; out of two inches it does not.
• Sight radius. The distance between front and rear sight is what makes precise shooting possible, and the Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in has the longest of any Model 66.
• An adjustable rear sight, so the gun can be zeroed for a specific load rather than sighted for whatever the factory chose.
• The Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in holds seven rounds, where most medium-frame .357s hold six.
• Weight out front, which settles the muzzle and makes the recoil of a full Magnum load roll rather than snap.

What it is not

• The Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in is not a carry gun. A six-inch medium frame goes in a field holster or a range bag, not under a shirt.
• Black oxide is a finish, not stainless steel. Wipe it and oil it after a damp day, or it will show you where your hands were.
• The trigger is a working double action, not a tuned target trigger. Shoot it single action for precision — that is what the hammer spur is for.
• It will shoot .38 Special and .38 Special +P all day, which makes practice cheap, but scrub the chamber mouths before going back to Magnum brass.
• With seven chambers there is no speedloader on every shelf. Check availability before you count on one.

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 2-660061
• UPC: 725327200161
• Calibre: .357 Magnum / .38 Special +P
• Capacity: 7 rounds
• Barrel: 6 in, alloy steel, shrouded ejector rod
• Frame: medium, alloy steel
• Finish: matte black oxide
• Sights: adjustable rear, ramp front
• Action: double action / single action, exposed hammer
• Safety: transfer bar
• Grip: black finger-grooved rubber

.357 Magnum and .38 Special are standardised by SAAMI, and the Magnum case is a tenth of an inch longer — which is why the shorter round chambers in this revolver and the longer one will not fit a .38. On a six-inch barrel the gap between the two cartridges is at its widest, so it is worth owning both: .38 for volume practice, Magnum for anything serious.

The same revolver with a four-inch barrel is stocked as the Taurus 66. For a ported hunting .357 with a rail, look at the Raging Hunter in .357; for a lighter field gun, the Tracker 627 at 6.5 inches; and for carry, the five-shot 605.

Why the Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in earns its place

• The Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in has the barrel length that lets the cartridge actually perform.
• Seven rounds and adjustable sights, at a working-gun price.
• Steel construction that will take a lifetime of full-power loads.
• Two cartridges out of one cylinder, which keeps practice affordable.
• Nothing to forget under stress but the trigger.

This is a range revolver, a woods gun and a handgun-hunting piece for whitetail and hogs at sensible distances. It is also an excellent revolver to learn on, because the weight and the sight radius forgive a lot while you build the fundamentals. The Taurus 66 357 Magnum 6in is not for concealed carry and not for someone who wants one gun for everything — but for anyone who already has a carry pistol and wants a proper .357 to shoot, it is hard to argue with.

In stock now at MAG5 Firearms in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Handgun sales ship to a licensed dealer in your state, where you will complete a Form 4473 and the background check before taking delivery.