[Lomax]

Couldn't resist this one. Taurus Model 84, 4 screw side plate, .38 Spl. with ribbed cylinder flutes, 4'' taper barrel, 'Target Grade' sights, 99% blue. It's an earlier Taurus import from INT. DIST. INC. Miami, FLA.

Floyd said I was the second owner of this piece. The original owner said he bought it new back in the 70's, fired it six times to see if it'd work, then stored it in a hall closet for forty-some years.

Floyd also commented on how difficult it was to open and swing out the cylinder. The revolver was free of rust, but dry as a bone and in need of a deep cleaning and oil.

The grip profile fit and inletting are good, but checkering and final sanding are crude looking at best. The stocks look like they were finish sanded with a linoleum knife. I have other K frame grips that'd fit, but these grips do feel good and have a character that rubber and plastic can't duplicate.

I really didn't want to remove the sideplate so off with the grips and into the ultrasound tank it went. After a five minute bath, the cylinder crane was removed before a second dip.

Old dried lube, dust and a little rust were causing the crane to frame binding. A dab of Gunslick helped immensely.

 

[glenwolde]

Ready for another 40 years in the closet....

Really, they need a little lube every decade.

 

[silverstring]

Nice review and clean up. Man that front site blade is tall. Nice pickup. Now let us know how it shoots.

 

[DeltaBravoKS]

Second owner, but first cleaner. That's nice of you to give it a good home!

 

[777Driver]

Nice review and clean up. Man that front site blade is tall. Nice pickup. Now let us know how it shoots.

Yeah, that front site blade looks like the verticle tail off of an old F-102 Delta Dagger.

 

[MOONDAWG]

Nice to run across a cherry classic model that only needs a little TLC...congratulations!

 

[Doctordeere]

I have a M84, imported by Spesco & rebranded "Falcon". It's the same generation as yours, but a wee bit older. It sure ain't no closet queen, it's performed flawlessly for 50+ years and still looks and shoots great. Hard to beat an older generation 80 series Taurus .38... enjoy it!

 

[Lomax]

Yeppers, the front sight looks like it could give you a nosebleed.

The model 80 is the gutter sight version also sporting a front ramp. Not as tall as the 84 though.

When Taurus raised rear sight elevation to accommodate an adjustable sight, the front 84 sight height was raised accordingly to parallel bore axis with the rear. The tapered barrel adds to the vertical illusion. "Target Grade" in older Taurus speak.

 

[Lomax]

I have a M84, imported by Spesco & rebranded "Falcon". It's the same generation as yours, but a wee bit older. It sure ain't no closet queen, it's performed flawlessly for 50+ years and still looks and shoots great. Hard to beat an older generation 80 series Taurus .38... enjoy it!

My pastor showed me his old security job service/trapping revolver. Not sure what model it was, but similar to a model 80. Pastor Louis seemed to think it needed a little fine tuning and wanted my opinion.

It was so beat up, it looked like its home was being stored in a plumber's toolbox. Timing no longer existed, it had deep gas/lead cutting in the frame, the grips were enhanced with black electrical tape(lost screw). It also had an added reloading step, prepare to catch cylinder & crane midair when you open the thing up(another lost screw). During my examination, it also passed the Brazilian castanet test.

I gave Pastor Louis the Taurus phone number and told him to send it in for needed repairs. In about a month Taurus sent him a brand new gun for free, and he was happy as a lark.

 

[DeltaBravoKS]

My pastor showed me his old security job service/trapping revolver. Not sure what model it was, but similar to a model 80. Pastor Louis seemed to think it needed a little fine tuning and wanted my opinion.

It was so beat up, it looked like its home was being stored in a plumber's toolbox. Timing no longer existed, it had deep gas/lead cutting in the frame, the grips were enhanced with black electrical tape(lost screw). It also had an added reloading step, prepare to catch cylinder & crane midair when you open the thing up(another lost screw). During my examination, it also passed the Brazilian castanet test.

I gave Pastor Louis the Taurus phone number and told him to send it in for needed repairs. In about a month Taurus sent him a brand new gun for free, and he was happy as a lark.

That was a great story, but also, seriously, you should take up writing. That was a very entertaining read!

 

[Lomax]

That was a great story, but also, seriously, you should take up writing. That was a very entertaining read!

I quizzed Pastor Louis as to what kind of ammo he used in his .38 and he said his friend and fellow trapper hand loaded them for him. Louie's Arkansas reloader used a piece of paper with quarter sized circles drawn upon it randomly. Then he used a teaspoon to fill in the circles with his favorite Acme shotgun powder. The powder was then scraped into a waiting cartridge and topped with some lead.

No wonder the gun rattles when shaken.