Taurus 856 Concealed Hammer 38 Special 2in 6rd — Superb Pocket Revolver

Description

The Taurus 856 Concealed Hammer is the pocket version of the six-shot 38. Taurus catalogues it as 2-856021CH: a small-frame revolver in matte black carbon steel, six rounds of 38 Special rated for +P, a 2-inch barrel, a transfer bar safety and a hammer fully shrouded inside the frame.

Shrouding the hammer removes the only part of a snub-nosed revolver that reliably catches on a pocket lining or a cover garment. You give up the option of cocking it for a single-action shot, which on a two-inch barrel at across-the-room distance is not much of a loss, and you gain a gun that comes out clean every time.

MAG5 Firearms has the Taurus 856 Concealed Hammer in stock. Handguns ship to a licensed FFL on a signed 4473, and we coordinate the dealer paperwork for you.

Why the shrouded hammer changes the gun

• Nothing protrudes above the frame line, so the Taurus 856 Concealed Hammer draws from a pocket without snagging.
• It can be fired from inside a coat pocket in a way an exposed-hammer revolver cannot, because there is no spur to bind against fabric.
• Double-action only means one trigger press to learn, with no decision to make under pressure.
• The shrouded design keeps lint and grit out of the action, which matters on a gun carried loose.
• Six rounds, where most small-frame revolvers in this class hold five.

Steel frame, and what it buys

• Carbon steel barrel, cylinder and frame, all finished in matte black, which puts the weight above the aluminium-framed Ultra Lite.
• That extra weight is the point. A steel snub soaks up recoil that a light one passes straight to the hand.
• Matte finish throughout, so nothing reflects and the gun does not draw the eye.
• Finger-grooved black rubber grip, sized for concealment rather than for a full firing grip.
• Fixed sights with no adjustment screws to snag, which is the correct answer on a pocket gun.

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 2-856021CH
• Model: 856 Concealed Hammer, small frame
• Caliber: 38 Special, rated for +P
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 2 in, matte black carbon steel
• Cylinder and frame: matte black carbon steel
• Grip: black finger-grooved rubber
• Action: double action only, concealed hammer
• Safety: transfer bar

Ammunition for a short-barrelled 38 deserves some thought. Everything in the chambering is loaded to the dimensional and pressure standards published by SAAMI, but bullets designed to expand at rifle-length velocities often will not open at two-inch speeds. We stock Remington UMC 38 Special 158gr for practice and the Buffalo Bore 150gr wadcutter, which has a long record in guns exactly this size.

If you would rather have the option of a single-action press, the 856 Ultra Lite has an exposed hammer and a lighter frame. For more power, look at the Taurus 605 in 357 Magnum. Browse the rest of our revolvers as well.

Why this snub earns its place

• The Taurus 856 Concealed Hammer is built for one job, pocket carry, and it does not compromise on it anywhere.
• Six rounds instead of five, with no increase in size.
• A steel frame makes it noticeably more pleasant to practise with than an alloy equivalent.
• Holsters, speed strips and speedloaders for the 856 are widely stocked.
• Taurus backs it with a limited lifetime repair policy that follows the firearm rather than the original buyer.

This is a carry gun for someone who wants the draw to be uneventful. The Taurus 856 Concealed Hammer suits pocket carry, a jacket pocket in winter, or a purse or bag where a hammer spur would find every seam. It is also a sound backup to a semi-automatic, since a revolver fails in different ways and a second gun that shares no failure modes is worth more than a second magazine.

Ordering is simple. Choose it, tell us which FFL should receive it, and we handle the dealer side. If you have not picked a transfer dealer, call us and we will help you find one close by.