Educate Me - Old Taurus Model 82

[doc540]

Picked this one up at a local gunshow last weekend.

Action is smooth as silk, and I'll put it up against just about any Smitty.

I guess these were made in Brazil for LEO, then later imported?

What's the scoop?




Restamping had something to do with import reg's? Just guessing here.

[doc540]

Ok, what's the secret handshake?

[ylekot]

Several of the firearm discounters have a bunch of those...glad you got a nice working firearm...hope you got it for a decent price...the circle by the grip is where the LE marks were....

I will be picking up one(or three)of those with my tax return.....good truck/woods gun for me..

Do they have the lock?

[the_mad_rshn]

There is no lock on mine. My 82 looks identical to this one and I just got it last week.

Cheers,
Mad

[ylekot]

There is no lock on mine. My 82 looks identical to this one and I just got it last week.

Cheers,
Mad

EXCELLENT!!!!

How do you like yours?

[scrabtree6]

Taurus 82 model, 38Special caliber Revolver with 4 inch barrel, Used, Good Condition. come tax check time I might get one of these here, make a nice beater gun or if it's in nice enough shape I might reblue it and keep it nice who knows. the price is sure right though.

[doc540]

Shot it yesterday for the first time.

Overall action is good.

Single action excellent and equal to any S&W I've ever shot.

At 25 yds it shot about three inches high and to the right.

I used Van's cold blue on it which is the best I've found to date.

I'd really like to know the history of these guns being manufactured in Brazil and the relationship to Smith and Wesson.

Anyone know or have a link to the story?

This is all I could find:
"In 1968, the company was ready to venture into the U.S. market. This was accomplished by employing the services of a succession of U.S. distributors over the next several years. Their efforts met with only marginal success.

In the meantime, Smith & Wesson had been purchased by a conglomerate named Bangor Punta. In 1970, Bangor Punta also purchased 54% of Taurus. Thus, the two companies became "sisters". Smith & Wesson never owned Taurus. They were both independent companies. However, during the next seven years, a great deal of technology and methodology was passed between the two. What may come as a surprise to some is that more of what was "right" in Porto Alegre was sent to Springfield than was sent from Springfield to south of the equator.

1977 saw our present ownership buy 54% of Taurus outright from Bangor Punta. At once a quest to improve overall quality of Taurus product was initiated. Also, the company now began a dynamic expansion program."

[texastaurusguy]

I'd really like to know the history of these guns being manufactured in Brazil and the relationship to Smith and Wesson.

Anyone know or have a link to the story?

This thread from our FAQ section says about the same thing......

Why do Taurus revolvers look like Smith & Wesson?


I don't think there is much more known - they were sister companies owned by a parent company, where technology went back and forth. Then they separated. But that is likely why the guns look so similar, and why Taurus revolvers generally hold their own against a S&W.

[CNCSC]

Stop it with the good deals already or my kids won't get to go to Disney (again) this year! For 139$ wow, it would be a great truck/boat/beater/hammer. dang, I still haven't gotten over the P38 buds deal yeat!

[JR]

To be quite frank, older Taurus handguns, from pre-import days, also looked a lot like S&W, or Colt, firearms. Both of these old-line companies followed the "form follows function" adage back then. Short of looking like a Trantor, or a Mateba or Chiappa, someone will ALWAYS say that a firearm that they're snobbing upon "looks like a --------".

I have a pre-lock Model 82, in mint condition. Bought in the mid-1990's, it's a ringer for what you have. New, it cost just over $200.00.

Quite a few Brazilian Police Forces used the Model 82 as either issue, or approved buy, weapons. In the past fifteen years, they've been upgrading to semi-autos, and were holding armorer-approved revolvers in reserve. They are generally in the "carried a lot, shot a little" category. Good deals.