Taurus 856 38 Special +P 2 in. Matte Black 6-Shot Revolver – Superb Concealed Carry Classic

Description

The Taurus 856 is a six-shot .38 Special on a frame the rest of the industry builds as a five-shooter. That extra round is the whole argument for the gun, and it costs you nothing in size: this is a genuine two-inch snub in matte black carbon steel, with a black finger-grooved rubber grip and an exposed hammer.

The Taurus 856 is rated for .38 Special +P, which means you can load a modern defensive round rather than being stuck with old standard-pressure ammunition. Fixed sights, a transfer bar safety, and a shape that disappears into a pocket holster.

What the Taurus 856 gets right

• The Taurus 856 holds six rounds of .38 Special in a small-frame revolver, where almost every competitor gives you five
• Rated for .38 Special +P, so modern defensive loads are on the menu rather than off it
• 2-inch barrel in matte black carbon steel, with a finish that does not reflect light at the wrong moment
• Black finger-grooved rubber grip, which spreads recoil and gives you a repeatable hand position
• Exposed hammer, so you keep the single-action option for a deliberate shot
• Transfer bar safety, meaning the firing pin cannot reach a primer until the trigger is all the way back
• Fixed sights machined into the frame, with nothing to snag on a draw

Six rounds and what that actually means

• One extra round is a twenty per cent increase in capacity, which is not a small thing in a gun that only holds a handful
• The cylinder is fractionally wider than a five-shot of the same class, and in practice nobody notices it under a shirt
• Chamber walls are thinner as a result, which is exactly why the Taurus 856 is a .38 Special +P and not a .357 Magnum
• Speedloaders and speed strips for the 856 are their own pattern. Buy them for this gun rather than assuming a five-shot loader fits
• Steel frame rather than aluminium keeps +P recoil civil. The Ultra Lite versions are lighter to carry and harder to shoot
• Practise double action. A snub revolver is a double-action gun in every situation that matters

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 2-85621
• Caliber: .38 Special, rated for +P
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 2 in., matte black carbon steel
• Cylinder and frame: matte black carbon steel, small frame
• Grip: black finger-grooved rubber
• Action: single and double action, exposed hammer
• Safety: transfer bar
• Sights: fixed
• UPC: 725327620839

.38 Special has been in continuous production since 1898 and remains one of the most thoroughly standardised cartridges in existence, with pressure and dimensional specifications published by SAAMI. The +P designation is part of that standard rather than a marketing term, which is why a revolver either is rated for it or is not.

One point worth being straight about. Carbon steel is not stainless, and a matte black finish is a surface treatment rather than armour. Carried against skin in summer, a Taurus 856 in this finish will show surface rust if it is neglected. A wipe with an oiled cloth once a week is all it takes, and if that sounds like more attention than you will give it, buy the stainless version instead.

Why this revolver earns its place

• Six rounds instead of five, at the same size and weight class
• Steel construction that makes +P loads comfortable rather than punishing
• The Taurus 856 is simple enough that it works after years in a drawer with no maintenance
• No magazine, no slide and nothing to fumble under pressure
• Small enough for a pocket holster, an ankle rig or a purse
• Cheap enough to own alongside a semi-automatic rather than instead of one

Everyday carriers, backup-gun buyers, new shooters who want something they can operate without thinking, and anyone who has decided that reliability matters more than capacity. The Taurus 856 is the most sensible small revolver Taurus makes and it sells accordingly.

If you want stainless instead of carbon steel, the matte stainless 856 is the low-maintenance choice. For a lighter gun, the 856 Ultra Lite in black drops several ounces onto an aluminium frame.

If you would rather have nothing to snag at all, the 856 with the concealed hammer is the pocket specialist. For the magnum option in the same size, look at the Taurus 605 in .357, and for cheap practice the eight-shot 942 rimfire matches this frame.

Every Taurus 856 ships with the factory case, the manual and a lock. Transfers go to your FFL and we handle the paperwork end the same day.