The main pros of Taurus 605 357 magnum are its excellent concealability, reliable five round mechanism, and budget friendly price point, while the main cons are its punishing recoil with full power loads and heavy double action trigger. This compact snub nose revolver provides shooters with a highly affordable option for personal defense that can safely fire both .357 Magnum and .38 Special ammunition. While it consistently delivers adequate accuracy for close range encounters, it is strictly designed for concealed carry and backup use rather than target shooting. Because it features a short 2 inch barrel and fixed sights, hitting targets beyond 15 yards requires significant practice, but its small footprint makes it incredibly easy to carry inside the waistband every single day.
Taurus 605 357 Magnum Pros And Cons
| Feature | Pros | Cons |
| Accuracy | Adequate for close quarters personal defense inside 10 yards. | Short sight radius makes precision shooting at distance very difficult. |
| Build construction | Solid steel frame handles high pressure magnum loads safely. | Weighs roughly 24 ounces, which is heavy compared to modern polymer micro pistols. |
| Sights and point of aim | Low profile fixed sights will not snag on clothing during a fast draw. | Machined front blade is hard to pick up quickly in low light conditions. |
| Cylinder and lockup | Simple and reliable lockup with a proven transfer bar safety mechanism. | Limited to a maximum capacity of only five rounds. |
| Trigger pull | Single action break is relatively crisp for precise aimed shots. | The double action pull is notoriously long, heavy, and gritty out of the box. |
| Concealability | Small footprint fits perfectly in an inside the waistband holster or deep pocket. | The cylinder width still presents a slight bulge compared to slim single stack semi autos. |
| Self defense performance | Offers massive stopping power in a highly reliable, malfunction resistant package. | Slow reload times and low capacity put the shooter at a disadvantage against multiple threats. |
| Ammunition versatility | Safely chambers both .357 Magnum and lighter recoiling .38 Special ammunition. | Short two inch barrel significantly reduces the advertised velocity of magnum loads. |
| Recoil management | Factory rubber grips help cushion the web of the hand slightly. | Firing full power .357 Magnum is brutal, painful, and induces heavy flinching. |
| Price/value | Frequently priced well below competing revolvers from Smith and Wesson or Ruger. | Fit and finish are basic, often showing rough machining marks internally. |
| Best use | Concealed carry, backup duty weapon, and budget friendly home defense. | A poor choice for high volume target shooting or first time handgun owners. |
| Limitations | Unbeatable value for a pocket sized magnum revolver. | Requires extensive practice to shoot accurately under stress due to the heavy trigger. |
Accuracy
The Taurus 605 is not a target revolver. It is a dedicated close quarters self defense tool. At standard defensive distances of 5 to 10 yards, it is completely capable of placing all five rounds in the center mass of a target. However, the short 2 inch barrel provides a very short sight radius. This means any tiny misalignment of the front and rear sights will result in a drastic miss at longer distances. Hitting targets past 15 yards requires intense focus and excellent trigger control.
Build Construction And Durability
Taurus builds the 605 model using a solid steel frame, available in either a matte black oxide or a matte stainless steel finish. This all steel construction is necessary to contain the extreme chamber pressures generated by the .357 Magnum cartridge. The durability is excellent for an everyday carry gun, though the trade off is weight. Unloaded, the gun weighs roughly 24 ounces, which can drag down lightweight athletic clothing if not supported by a sturdy gun belt.
Sights And Point Of Aim
To ensure the revolver does not snag on the inside of a pocket or a concealment garment, the Taurus 605 uses very primitive fixed sights. The rear sight is simply a U notch milled directly into the top strap of the frame, and the front sight is a fixed ramped blade. While these sights are incredibly durable and snag free, they are completely black and very difficult to see in dimly lit parking lots or hallways during a defensive encounter.
Cylinder And Lockup
The cylinder holds five rounds of ammunition, which is standard for most small frame snub nose revolvers. The lockup is generally tight and reliable. Because it is a revolver, it does not rely on the energy of the cartridge to cycle the action, meaning it is immune to the limp wristing malfunctions that plague small semi automatic pistols. If a round fails to fire, you simply pull the trigger again to rotate to the next chamber.
Trigger Pull
The trigger pull is one of the most common complaints about the Taurus 605. The double action pull, which is how the gun should be fired in a defensive situation, is very heavy. It often measures over 12 pounds and can feel slightly gritty when new. This heavy pull is intentional to prevent accidental discharges in a pocket, but it makes keeping the gun perfectly still during the trigger stroke difficult. The hammer can be manually cocked for a much lighter, crisper single action shot.
Ammunition Versatility
The absolute best feature of the Taurus 605 is its ability to shoot both .357 Magnum and .38 Special ammunition. Because the .38 Special cartridge is slightly shorter and operates at much lower pressures, it chambers and fires perfectly in the .357 Magnum cylinder. This allows shooters to practice cheaply and comfortably with .38 Special target loads, and then carry powerful .357 Magnum or .38 Special +P hollow points for personal defense.
Self Defense Performance
In a self defense scenario, the .357 Magnum is a legendary man stopper. However, buyers must be aware that a 2 inch barrel will not achieve the advertised velocity printed on the ammunition box, which is usually tested in 4 inch or 6 inch barrels. A significant portion of the magnum powder burns outside the muzzle, creating a massive fireball and deafening concussion. Many shooters find that carrying high quality .38 Special +P defensive ammunition provides better control and faster follow up shots.
Recoil Management
Physics dictates that firing a high pressure magnum cartridge out of a 24 ounce, two finger grip revolver is going to hurt. The recoil of the Taurus 605 with full power .357 Magnum loads is brutal and punishing to the web of the hand. While the factory textured rubber grips help absorb some of the shock, extended range sessions with magnum ammo will quickly induce a flinch. Switching to .38 Special drastically reduces the recoil to a very manageable level.
Price And Value
Taurus is known for producing budget friendly firearms, and the 605 is a prime example of their value proposition. It typically retails for significantly less than a comparable Smith and Wesson J frame or a Ruger SP101. For the civilian who needs a reliable, powerful concealed carry gun but cannot afford to spend premium prices, the Taurus 605 offers a highly functional and dependable alternative.
Main Drawbacks
The most meaningful disadvantages of the Taurus 605 are its limited capacity, heavy trigger, and excessive recoil. Five rounds can be depleted very quickly in a high stress defensive encounter, and reloading a revolver under pressure is much slower than slapping a new magazine into a semi auto. Additionally, the heavy double action trigger requires dedicated dry fire practice to master without pulling the sights off target.
Final Verdict
Is Taurus 605 357 magnum good?
Yes, it is a highly capable and rugged revolver that offers excellent value for the money.
This handgun is best suited for budget conscious concealed carriers, hikers needing a backup trail gun, and shooters who want the ultimate reliability of a revolver. The ability to practice with .38 Special and carry .357 Magnum makes it a highly versatile personal defense tool.
However, brand new shooters, people with limited hand strength, or those looking for a high capacity everyday carry gun would be much better served by a modern micro compact 9mm semi automatic pistol, which will offer double the capacity and far less recoil.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I shoot .38 Special in the Taurus 605?
Yes. Any revolver chambered in .357 Magnum can safely chamber and fire standard pressure .38 Special and .38 Special +P ammunition.
2. Is the Taurus 605 rated for +P ammunition?
Yes. Because it is built to handle the extreme pressures of the .357 Magnum, firing .38 Special +P ammunition is completely safe and causes no excessive wear on the firearm.
3. Does the Taurus 605 have a manual safety?
It does not have a traditional manual thumb safety. It relies on a heavy double action trigger pull and a mechanical transfer bar system that prevents the hammer from striking the firing pin unless the trigger is actively pulled.
4. Is it safe to carry the Taurus 605 with all five chambers loaded?
Yes. The modern transfer bar safety mechanism ensures the gun will not fire if dropped. It is completely safe to carry with a live round resting directly in front of the hammer.
5. What is the frame size of the Taurus 605?
The Taurus 605 is built on the Taurus small frame, which is extremely similar in size and footprint to the popular Smith and Wesson J frame revolvers.
6. Can I change the grips on this revolver?
Yes. There is a large aftermarket for Taurus small frame revolver grips. You can easily swap the factory rubber grips for wood, G10, or larger recoil absorbing grips by removing a single screw at the bottom.
7. Why is the muzzle flash so bright when shooting .357 Magnum?
Magnum ammunition uses slow burning powder designed for longer barrels. In a short 2 inch barrel, much of that powder remains unburned when the bullet exits, causing it to ignite in the air and create a massive fireball.
8. How many rounds does the Taurus 605 hold?
The cylinder holds exactly five rounds of ammunition.
9. Is this a good gun for a beginner?
Generally, no. While the operation is very simple, the combination of a heavy 12 pound trigger pull, tiny sights, and punishing magnum recoil makes it very difficult for beginners to learn proper shooting fundamentals without developing a flinch.
10. What is the barrel length of the standard Taurus 605?
The most common and popular concealed carry model features a 2 inch barrel, though Taurus occasionally offers 3 inch barrel variants for those who want a slightly longer sight radius and better velocity.