First 2 Taurus --(Judge & TCP 738) -- First Range Report

FIRST THINGS FIRST. How do you pronouce or type out multiple Taurus? Tauruses, Tauri, Taureece?

Hey guys I have picked up my first 2 Taurus handguns in the last couple of weeks and wanted to share some quick results. The new guns are a TCP 738 380 acp and a Judge Public Defender 45/410.

TCP:
125 rounds of my reloaded ammo (95 gr RN lead cast with 3.8 - 4.1 gr Unique)
1 stovepipe. The stovepipe was on a mag I was shooting 1 handed to see how it feed. Accuracy was a little better than expected. I also have a Kel Tec P3AT and the TCP seemed to have less recoil. It also has a really nice trigger.

Judge
150 rounds of my reloaded 45 Colt (230 gr RNFP 7.1 gr Unique {50} 7.6 gr unique {50} and 8.1 gr Unique {50}).
Cylinder did lock up 1 time. This was a result of a primer not seated deep enough. I attempted to run the same round through a Ruger Blackhawk and locked it up also. I also learned not to try that again, because getting the cylinder out on the SA Ruger with it was a PITA. Accuracy was very good with the 8.1 gr loads and pretty good with the 7.1 & 7.6 loads. I was actually suprised with the accuracy. everybody talks about how the Judge is a bad 45 colt gun. I also have a 7.5" Ruger Vaquero and a 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk. The accuracy is not as good as the 7.5" Vaquero, but I shot this 2" Judge on par with the 4 5/8 Blackhawk at about 20'. The 7.1 & 7.6 gr were very nice to shoot. The 8.1 loads had noticably stouter recoil but not too bad. The Judge also has a really nice DA trigger and the fiber optic front sight is nice

I did not shoot paper targets. I was shooting at empty 16 oz energy drink cans. So I do not have any groups to report. The first time I take a gun out, I like to just plink with it to get a feel for it and check for malfunctions.

All in all, I was impressed with both. They both seem well made. Judge locks up nicely and both guns have very nice DA triggers. I am very suprised with the triggers to be honest.

Like I said I have never owned a Taurus before but I did not have any aprehension buying one though. Lots of people bash them but my research shows most bashing is second hand accounts (most not all). Storoes of people they know with bad Taurus, not their own. I got both on sale from Sportman's Wharehouse and were at a price I felt I could take a chance on.

Judge NIB $379
TCP 738 NIB $199

I enjoy shooting pocket pistols and kinda have a thing for little guns, so the TCP for $199 was a no brainer. I got the Judge because, .... well because. Sorta got it (laugh if you want) for my friends to shoot. I have a few buddies who are big time hunters, but not really into handguns. When we get into handgun conversations they all seem to bring up the Judge. How they would like to have one, how their uncle has one ect. I figured it would be nice to have one for when they come over. In a way i would like to get them more into handguns and if shooting my Judge will get them shooting handguns with me, then I think that is a good thing.

Thank you for the report!

Good deal. Im not a big fan of the older Taurus(es?) due to (as you said) what ive heard about them. Only owned one, a newer model 85 ultralight and it was fine. Have a friend that owns many and all of his run great. Cant knock em.

Shot another 50 rounds through each and no issues at all. The triggers on both are great. Sorry to bust the Judge haters bubble, but the Judge is actually pretty darn accurate.

I like my little 738. It went through a tempermental spell, but I later found that a spring had gotten out of place when I put it back together after cleaning. I also polished up the ramp for my own satisfaction.
I carry it a lot because it is so easy to throw in my pocket in the little Stick-o-Pauli wallet holster....especially in the summer when I'm wearing shorts and a T-Shirt and don't want to look like "Mr Tactical".

My wife has had a public defender for a couple of years now, and it is her favorite keep near in the house/ truck gun. We keep it loaded with the Federal copper plated buckshot and it seems to pattern them decently enough at a range it would ever be used at. We weren't very bright when we bought it though and got the bobbed hammer version. Thank God it has a decent DA trigger since you can't rock it back 99% of the time. Nice review and I hope you continue to enjoy your Judge. They aren't perfect at anything but they are pretty darn good at most things.