[IowaShooter]

Picked this up after work Friday when I stopped for "just some ammo"....

NIB Taurus Ultra-Lite Model 380UL

Came with 5 easy-to-load moon clips (note the notches in the clips between the rounds)...the rounds really snap in easily with just easy finger pressure

1.75" barrel

16oz fully loaded (5 rounds)

Very comfy grip

Surprisingly smooth DA only trigger, I absolutely love the balance and weight of this small snubby

 

[DeltaBravoKS]

I've been watching them on GB but they sure don't run cheap (to me).

At 16oz I assume it may have a kick. Please let us know how it shoots!

 

[IowaShooter]

Here's my range report!

It was a .380 shootout at the indoor range

New Taurus snubby .380 vs the relatively new Sig P238

The 5-shot 15oz (unloaded) 1.75" barrel snubby sure seemed to like the 90gr Fiocchi JHP ammo

Sig P238 also loved the ammo - no hiccups

I shot at 5 yds... Some rounds using two hands, but mostly one-handed

Not precision slow fire... Just point and shoot (but did use sights) relatively fast fire

The bottom left picture shows my first 10 shots with the Taurus - I was happy with that performance

The bottom right picture shows 15 more shots with the bobbit-hammered revolver (for a total of 25) at the center-most target

In that same pic...the 20 shots at bottom right-most target are with the Sig

Observations

Wow... I've had a few snubbies but this one has possibilities of staying in the stable

DAO trigger is better than one might expect and reminds me of the S&W bodyguard .38 trigger -- but the Taurus might be a bit lighter! Still is a bit gritty (it's brand new) but it may smooth out... It's really not bad as it is

The rear sight is adjustable. The sight is low profile anti-snag half moon that is in a slot with an adjustment screw on one side. I won't be adjusting it (it seems to shoot at point of aim)

I like everthing about this revolver... The recoil is not bad, hence follow-up shots are easy, the thumb rests (ambi) on the grips are comfy, the moon clips are AWESOME .... They are actually easy to load... They is a "cut" in the metal between the rounds which gives them some 'give' when inserting rounds

At 16oz loaded I can carry this all day in a pocket

Not sure why my Sig P238 group was a bit scattered... I may need more time with that gun too!

Read all about it!
https://www.taurususa.com/firearms/...olvers-380-auto-5-round-matte-black-anodized/

 

[IowaShooter]

I've been watching them on GB but they sure don't run cheap (to me).

At 16oz I assume it may have a kick. Please let us know how it shoots!

I posted a report above... It shoots great! I too was shocked at how much the little revolver cost (compared to deals one can find on other snubbies)

I've become a .380 fan... So I 'had to' give this a try

I'm sure I'll see them much cheaper soon (never pays to buy guns early in their life cycle... IMHO)

 

[GhostHorse]

Congratulations on a great revolver buy! I've been looking at those too.

Do you happen to know if M85 grips will fit it?

 

[caryg]

I too looked at the Taurus 380 revolver. My problem is I just like having a hammer on my guns. That and still preferring the venerable 38 special bullet saved me a few bucks on my Taurus 38 snubbies. But I have to say your new revolver is very intriguing. Congratulations. Nice gun.

 

[IowaShooter]

Congratulations on a great revolver buy! I've been looking at those too.

Do you happen to know if M85 grips will fit it?

I do not know if they will fit

 

[glenwolde]

I too looked at the Taurus 380 revolver. My problem is I just like having a hammer on my guns. That and still preferring the venerable 38 special bullet saved me a few bucks on my Taurus 38 snubbies. But I have to say your new revolver is very intriguing. Congratulations. Nice gun.

I had one of these. Except it was blued and had the heaviest DA trigger pull I've ever experienced. I thought about sending it back to Taurus for a new hammer (they told me $35, plus shipping it to them of course) and putting a spring kit in it but ultimately I decide it wasn't worth the investment. Handy little revolver but I shot my TCP738 better and it was thinner so I gave up on it. I had fun playing with it though.....

https://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/reloads/70480-wildcat-making-rimmed-380-case-m380-revolver.html

 

[IowaShooter]

I too looked at the Taurus 380 revolver. My problem is I just like having a hammer on my guns. That and still preferring the venerable 38 special bullet saved me a few bucks on my Taurus 38 snubbies. But I have to say your new revolver is very intriguing. Congratulations. Nice gun.

I had one of these. Except it was blued and had the heaviest DA trigger pull I've ever experienced. I thought about sending it back to Taurus for a new hammer (they told me $35, plus shipping it to them of course) and putting a spring kit in it but ultimately I decide it wasn't worth the investment. Handy little revolver but I shot my TCP738 better and it was thinner so I gave up on it. I had fun playing with it though.....

https://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/reloads/70480-wildcat-making-rimmed-380-case-m380-revolver.html

I either got lucky with the DAO trigger or they've made improvements since you had one

You're right... Too heavy and this would not be worth keeping

I'm not a "change the springs" kind of guy on my revolvers

 

[glenwolde]

I either got lucky with the DAO trigger or they've made improvements since you had one

You're right... Too heavy and this would not be worth keeping

I'm not a "change the springs" kind of guy on my revolvers

I think they've worked on that. I know of two others that were the same as mine, and it was a complaint I heard here on the forum. Normally I don't like to change factory springs for reliability reasons but it would be the only option really on that gun.

 

[MOONDAWG]

Congrats on your new "round gun"; enjoy it and good shooting!

 

[taurustoter]

Man OP, that's a good looking revolver!

 

[bigC]

Congratulations on the new revolver.

 

[Fatboy46]

the idea of a .380 ACP revolver seems to be a solution to a problem that didn't exist. I get it for the .45ACP being used in the .45 Colt revolvers in WW1 and WW2- .45ACP was plentiful, moon clips allowed it to be used efficiently in revolvers. STILL didn't address the SLOW reloading issue, but moon clips helped. So, why a .380 revolver? You can get a .38 revolver and shoot short .38 S&W in it.. Maybe .38 Colt... What is next a .25ACP revolver?

 

[maloy]

It's been done.

Maloy

What is next a .25ACP revolver?

 

[Jlwilliams]

the idea of a .380 ACP revolver seems to be a solution to a problem that didn't exist. I get it for the .45ACP being used in the .45 Colt revolvers in WW1 and WW2- .45ACP was plentiful, moon clips allowed it to be used efficiently in revolvers. STILL didn't address the SLOW reloading issue, but moon clips helped. So, why a .380 revolver? You can get a .38 revolver and shoot short .38 S&W in it.. Maybe .38 Colt... What is next a .25ACP revolver?

380 is the cartridge with the most market share growth right now. For the last (iirc) ten years or so, it has increased in sales faster than any other round. That's why Taurus makes this revolver.

 

[taurustoter]

380 is the cartridge with the most market share growth right now. For the last (iirc) ten years or so, it has increased in sales faster than any other round. That's why Taurus makes this revolver.

...that, and it's just cool.

 

[IowaShooter]

First and only snubby I've ever had that is fun to shoot!

 

[GhostHorse]

If you want something smaller than an M85 without going to a tiny caliber, the 380 revolver makes a lot of sense. A View is smaller, as the comparison photo in this article shows, but honestly unless you put a bigger grip on it the View is a novelty, not a real defensive tool. And they aren't making more Views. The M380 is a good defensive tool out of the box. Yes, moon clips are different. I'm sure a little practice would take care of that.

I'd like to have one; one of these days...

 

[Renaldow]

Do you happen to know if M85 grips will fit it?

They should. The way Taurus does their grips is for small frame or large frame revolvers. That revolver looks to have the current standard small frame rubber grip on it, the same as all their other small frame revolvers like the 85 and 605.

Glad you like the new revolver, OP! I thought about one, but just couldn't find a need for it as I've got a few 380 autos already and am happy with the 38 and 357 revolvers I have. Are you able to buy extra moon clips for it?