So I’m looking at getting a model 65 and a 66 possibly. I was wondering how do these, being medium framed revolvers hold up to shooting full magnum loads? Especially the 66 with it holding 7 rounds. Does the 7th round take any mass away from the cylinder or is it beefed up to count for that 7th round. Thanks in advance for your replies.
I bought my first Taurus revolver in 2018, a NIB Stainless Model 66, 7-shot, 4 inch barrel 357 Magnum. I handload all the ammunition that I have put through that Model 66. My
main/everyday load consist of 5.3g of Unique and 158/160g Lead Semi-Wadcutters in 38 special brass. That load shoots Great, and has little more felt recoil that my other load which consists of 2.8g of Bullseye and 158/160g Lead SWC (which is my
Target load) also in 38 special brass. I have loaded up some
Special Loads, The "
Elmer Keith Load" in 38 Special brass, and ran a few thru my Model 66 just to see how things worked (by a few, I mean about 50 rounds). Everything worked out
Fantastically Awesome with the
"Keith Load" !!! I backed the "
Original Keith Load" down a grain and a half (no sense in running at full throttle all the time for no good reason) and use that for when I go out for nature walks in the hills and desert like areas (I lived down in the Arizona Desert for almost 50 years and still have people that I visit now and then), just to get some needed peace and relaxation, ya never know what might pop up in SW Minnesota/SE South Dakota areas where I now live
. I have shot in total about 1500 rounds thru that Model 66, and it is just as tight and the action is just as smooth as the day I bought it in New from the factory condition. I have yet to fire any 357 Mag rounds thru it, but I think those "
Original Elmer Keith Loads" are at least as energetic as any Factory 357 Magnum loads one would find on todays store shelves (exception being the Buffalo Bore 180g Loads, those only get fired in my Smith 686 6 inch). The Taurus Model 66 7-shooter is,
in my opinion, one Sweet 7-Shooter, and fully up to the level of a Smith and Wesson 357 as far as quality/shoot-ability goes (in fact, my Taurus 66 actually has the nicer trigger pull, by just a little bit, right out of the box compared to my other revolver, a Smith 686 6 inch bought NIB just this past month). I am always comparing the two against each other, and find absolutely
No Fault in my decision to get the Taurus Model 66. I can only hope that you love your Model 66 (if you decide to purchase one) as much as I do mine. My Model 66 will do everything that I want it to do, Target shooting, Home defense, General Range day fun, Personal Protection, any of those things my Taurus Model 66 handles with ease (and with those factory rubber grips, recoil is the least of my concerns).
Good Luck on your decision, and Happy Shooting.
