The Carryconcealed.net team went to the range to test out the Taurus 605B2. This is a medium frame 357 with a 2 inch barrel. Even with its small size it packs a powerful punch. We were testing it on the range and we had people stop shooting to see what kind of "Cannon" we were shooting. Because the barrel is so short the gunpowder does not have enough time to burn and you get a great "Flame Thrower" effect. Accompanying the "Flame Thrower" is the concussion. Part of the shooting range would fall down every time we shot the more powerful rounds. Because this is a 357 you can shoot lighter 38 loads if you do not need the power provided by the 357 loads. If you miss the bad guy with the bullet the flames will singe them into honesty. Blake is one of our Concealedcarry.net testers and he liked the performance of the 605 and was able to place tight groups at the 15 and 20-yard marks.

The model we tested had the hammer. There are advantages to having the concealed hammer and there also advantages to the model with the hammer.

The Concealed Hammer: This will not get caught on clothes when pulling for defense. The trigger pull will be constant every time so that when in an emergency the gun will perform the same every time.

The Exposed Hammer: This has the opportunity to get hung on clothes, but has some advantages. One advantage is the ability to pull the hammer back for a lighter trigger pull. We were able to get tighter groups when using the hammer back and could hit targets further out.

The product comes in Stainless or Blue Steel and the product is built to the Taurus Zero Tolerance standards. They have built this as if their lives depended on the handgun. It is also available with a concealed hammer and comes with the Unlimited Lifetime Repair Policy. The 605 also comes with the TSS or Taurus Security System. The key allows the owner to lock the gun and help maintain control of who can shoot the gun. At Carryconcealed.net we try to encourage the CCW community to be responsible and lock the guns when not being carried for protection. The Key for the gun is different enough that it would be easy to find on a key ring, but it then means that you can not leave the keys and the gun around. One solution is to use a combination trigger lock and use the TSS system when you can not afford the additional room that the combination trigger lock takes up.

One great safety feature of the 605 is the Transfer Bar. This is a blocking device that stops the hammer from striking the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled all the way to the back. One of Concealedcarry.net’s testers stated that he would feel safe carrying this handgun with all of the 5 rounds in the cylinder. There is the normal feeling to not put a round under the firing pin just incase it was dropped. We will leave that decision up to you and we will also see about getting a response from Taurus on this question. After they respond, we will update the article.

Rounds Tested:

We tested several different rounds to include the 357 Premium Handgun Cartridges, 180 Grain, Cast Lead Flat Point; and 357 Magnum Gold Dot Centerfire 125-Grain Hollow Point. We also ran some 38 rounds through the 605. We found that the pistol handled anything we could throw at it. We are also going to use the .38 and 357 in tests in ExtreemeShock ammunition later this month. We are seeing information that would support that there are rounds available that do not have the large amounts of gunpowder, but yet have significant stopping power. The ExtreemShock rounds we will be testing would be 124 and even 85 grain. In the shot on the right you can see the additional gun powder burning giving the "Flame Thrower" effect.

Model Tested: 605B2

Caliber: 357

5 Round

Barrel length 2 Inch

Double Action or Single Action with pulling the hammer back.

Rubber Grips

Blue

24 oz

Small Frame

Fixed Rear sight.

Full hammer pull           - 9 lbs

Cocked hammer pull    -  3 lbs

MSRP $391 – These are available and we have seen them for even as low as $263. However they are a bargain at $391.

The bottom line – Our testers gave it a 5 out of 5 for performance in a 357 magnum and 4 out of 5 for a CCW pistol. This is due to the external hammer and the possibility of getting it stuck on clothes. I was out voted on this point, as I actually prefer the hammer. Clark –Carryconcealed.net