{"id":83802,"date":"2026-11-11T15:19:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T15:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ammunitiontogo.com\/lodge\/?p=83802"},"modified":"2026-10-14T17:51:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T17:51:03","slug":"taurus-850-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ammunitiontogo.com\/lodge\/taurus-850-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Taurus 850 Revolver for Concealed Carry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Revolvers continue to rebound with modern shooters. They\u2019re fun, reliable, and often just plain cool. I first got into wheel guns about a year and a half ago because, frankly, I wanted something different at the range and occasionally on my hip. I carry the same sidearm probably 85 percent of the time, but sometimes I just want some variety. And I want that variety to have some personality. Revolvers are the obvious choice.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, gunmakers have noticed the resurgence and are responding with some nice options. No one believes wheel guns will replace Glocks or whatever, but I like that I don\u2019t have to comb gun shows or used gun counters to find a good revolver (even though I do that too). Taurus is one of those companies offering good revolvers that meet modern demands. They were among the first to offer optic-ready wheel guns with their T.O.R.O line, and now they\u2019ve entered the shrouded-hammer carry gun market with the Taurus 850<\/a>. Think Smith & Wesson J-Frame, but all-steel.<\/p>\n

Designed for concealed carry, the Model 850 is chambered for .38 Special ammo<\/a> and is available with a 2 or 3-inch barrel. It is rated for +P ammo. You can choose either a matte stainless or matte black finish. The relevant information is in the specs section below. My Taurus 850 has the matte stainless finish and a 2-inch barrel. This review will address that gun specifically.<\/p>\n

Taurus 850 Revolver Features<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The 850 was a bit stiff out of the box, but it smoothed out with use and some gun oil. I have a 175 rounds through it as of this writing, and it got noticeably better around the 60-round mark. It clearly just needed a little breaking in. The cylinder and crane, while not exactly slick, operate easily, and I like the checkered cylinder catch.<\/p>\n

Ejector Rod & Cylinder<\/h3>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The shrouded ejector rod is also checkered at the end, though I don\u2019t use it. But it looks good and provides some grip if you do. The cylinder holds five rounds of .38 Special, which is standard for this size revolver. It\u2019s compatible with a number of speed loaders. The shrouded hammer lends itself to concealed carry, even in a pocket, assuming a proper pocket holster. I\u2019ve had no problems with snags.<\/p>\n

Sights & Grips<\/h3>\n

\"holding<\/p>\n

The sights aren\u2019t fancy, with a top groove and a black, ramped front sight. But they work. Again, that\u2019s standard for this kind of gun and further reduces the chance of snags when drawing. I like the contoured rubber grips, even though I\u2019m a sucker for wood grips on a wheel gun. These are nicely textured, with a comfortable thumb shelf on each side. I\u2019m ambivalent about finger grooves, and these are fine. I do, however, like the slight pinky groove near the bottom. They are positive and ensure a good grip on the draw, so I see no reason to swap them out for anything else.<\/p>\n

The Double Action Only Trigger<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re new to wheel guns, you may not like the DAO trigger<\/a>. It\u2019s long and seemingly heavy, and it admittedly takes more practice than the average semi-auto trigger. But I like DA triggers because they give me the potential for better control since I can stage it to the break and know exactly where I am. I also have the option to ease up and not take the shot if the situation changes suddenly. But again, that takes practice. A lot of it.<\/p>\n

The long DA pull hits a definite wall before a clean break. My Lyman trigger gauge won\u2019t read it, but I estimate the pull at around 12 pounds before an easy break once I commit. That\u2019s not as bad as it might sound. Learning to stage the trigger to the break and pausing for a split second makes the trigger quite good. I really like it, but then again, I really like DA guns. I will say that I like the Taurus 850\u2019s trigger better than my brother\u2019s Smith & Wesson 442\u2019s DAO trigger.<\/p>\n

The Taurus 850 on the Range<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

As I said, I have 175 rounds through the Taurus 850. My friends at Ammo-to-Go generously provided the following loads:<\/p>\n