Taurus 605 Executive Grade 357 Magnum 3in — Superb Polished Snub

Description

The Taurus 605 Executive Grade is the finished version of Taurus’s five-shot .357 snub: a three-inch polished stainless barrel, cylinder and frame, Altamont hardwood grips, a brass bead front sight, and a Nanuk hard case in the box.

Everything mechanical here is the same as the standard 605, and that is worth saying plainly. What you are buying is the finishing — a hand-polished stainless surface instead of a bead-blasted one, real chequered wood in place of rubber, and a front sight you can actually see in daylight. The Taurus 605 Executive Grade is a working revolver that has been finished properly rather than a different gun.

What the Executive Grade treatment adds

• The Taurus 605 Executive Grade has a hand-polished stainless finish across barrel, cylinder and frame, rather than the matte surface of the standard gun.
• Altamont hardwood grips, chequered and fitted with a medallion — slimmer than rubber, which helps concealment.
• A brass bead front sight, which picks up light far better than a plain steel ramp.
• A Nanuk hard case included, so the Taurus 605 Executive Grade arrives in something worth keeping.
• Underneath: five chambers in .357 Magnum, a three-inch barrel with a shrouded ejector rod, an exposed hammer and a transfer bar safety.

Honest notes

• The Taurus 605 Executive Grade shows everything. Fingerprints, holster wear and handling marks are all more visible than on a matte gun — this is a finish that rewards care.
• A brass bead is a daylight sight. It is brighter than a plain ramp in normal light and does nothing in the dark; if low light is your concern, the 605 with a tritium front sight is the better buy.
• Wood grips are slimmer and prettier than rubber, and they transmit more recoil. Full-power .357 in a small revolver is firm; with these panels it is firmer still.
• The three-inch barrel is the useful part of the specification — real velocity over a snub, and a full ejector stroke that clears Magnum cases properly.
• Practise on .38 Special. It is cheap, it is pleasant, and it uses the same sight picture.

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 2-605EX39
• UPC: 725327940555
• Calibre: .357 Magnum / .38 Special +P
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Barrel: 3 in, polished stainless steel
• Frame: small, polished stainless steel
• Cylinder: polished stainless steel
• Sights: brass bead front, fixed rear
• Action: double action / single action, exposed hammer
• Safety: transfer bar
• Grip: Altamont hardwood
• Included: Nanuk hard case

.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 here and the longer one will not fit a .38-only revolver. If you shoot mostly .38, clean the front of the chambers before going back to Magnum brass, or the longer cases will stick.

The plainer versions of the same revolver are stocked as the two-inch Taurus 605, the hardwood-gripped 605, the tritium-sighted 605 Night Sight and the optic-ready 605 TORO in stainless.

Why the Taurus 605 Executive Grade earns its place

• The Taurus 605 Executive Grade puts a polished stainless finish on a carry revolver, which usually costs several times this.
• Real hardwood grips rather than rubber.
• A brass bead front sight that is genuinely easier to see in daylight.
• Three inches of barrel — enough for velocity and for a full ejector stroke.
• A hard case included, not an afterthought cardboard box.

This suits someone who wants one small .357 and wants it to be a pleasure to own — a carry revolver, a nightstand gun, or a gift that will be kept. It is also a sensible buy for a collector of working guns rather than safe queens, because nothing about the Taurus 605 Executive Grade is fragile. If you intend to carry it hard in all weather and never polish it, the matte stainless 605 will look better for longer and cost less.

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.