# Taurus 990



## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

As mentioned in another thread, I have a Taurus M66 revolver in 357 Mag. I really like the gun but ammunition is very expensive and hard to find these days. So I don't dare shoot it as much as I would like. Taurus makes a revolver (M990) that at least on paper has essentially the same dimensions as my 357 Mag. but is a 9 round 22LR. My idea is to get a 990 for plinking and most of my practicing. I think I would shoot more and enjoy it more and with a gun that has the same size and feel of my bigger gun I think it would be good practice as well. I know that the recoil would be vastly different but that is not always so bad as practicing with less recoil does not create bad habits. And I would still shoot my 357 occasionally. Oh yea........ and I intend to sell the wife on the economic issue. The savings will pay for a new gun in no time. :wink: Anyway, if any of you have any experience with the 990 I would like to hear from you and also if you have any thoughts on my rational.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

A guy that I work with bought one and I was able to shoot it. I liked it a lot and thought it was a good outfit. I think you would like it too, as a companion to your M66.

You realize that you can also shoot .38 Specials in your .357 Mag revolver don't you? While not nearly as cheap as .22 LR, they are a lot cheaper than .357 Magnum.
Some people don't know this.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

Thanks for the input Pete. I am aware that I can shoot 38 special ammo in my 357 and I do. I also have an old 38 special. But 38 special ammo isn't all that much cheaper or easier to come by these days. At least that is the story I am preparing for my wife. :mrgreen: By the way, I haven't shopped for ammo much in recent months. Anyone know if it is getting any less scarce? I always check the ammo shelf at Cabelas when I am there but I haven't really noticed much more of a selection. And I haven't been in any of the gun shops lately.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

There are a few tricks left in the old dog. :wink: I took my wife shooting last week. She really like shooting my 357 Mag. (with 38 special ammo). So I let her shoot to her little hearts content. Then I pointed out the cost of the ammunition. And I .....sort ....of........mentioned.....that "Taurus makes a gun the same size and weight as this gun that shoots 22 RL." " Oh and by the way, I can buy 500 rounds of 22 ammo for less than the cost of 50 rounds for this gun." She thought that was a good idea. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 


I picked it up at Impact Guns last night. The 357 Mag. is the ss on top and the 22 is the blued one on the bottom. The 22 has a different grip that really does not matter much. Both are very comfortable. Both have great balance ( better than the 6 inch barrel that I handled). The 22 has a slightly stiffer trigger pull in double action than the 357 ( I have no idea why) but I think it will be fun to shoot and good practice. I can't wait for a day off!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Nice, she is a looker!


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

Cool!


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

You sly old dog! Slick way to get a nice new .22 revolver! Looks really good.
I would imagine that the Taurus trigger will improve the more rounds fired thru it.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

Product review:

I finally got to shoot my new toy and early impressions are very positive. It has great balance and it is very comfortable to shoot. I have relatively large hands and some arthritis and the 990 is by far the most comfortable 22 handgun I have ever shot. I think I still prefer the grip on my 357 a little better but the difference is too slight to be a factor. I was very impressed with it's accuracy. It was accurate enough that sighting in want very quickly and I am convinced that it is more accurate than my 357 Mag. ( at least at 20 yards). I was a little concerned about the slightly stiffer trigger pull compared to my 357 but in live fireing it turned out to be a non issue. In fact, I was very pleasently surprised with how accurately I was able to shoot it double action, particularly rapid fire. I think several factors contributed to this. First, even though it has a slightly stiffer trigger pull compared to my 357 (also a Taurus) it still has a very smooth and easy trigger pull compared to many other relvolvers I have shot, particularly my old High Standard 22 revolver that is now destined to be given to my son. Second, compared to other 22 handguns I have shot it is a rather "beefy" handgun for a 22. It fills my hand and I can grip firmly with all three of my grip fingers and I think this facilitates both a more steady hold and a smoother trigger pull. And third, it has virtually no recoil. So I do not have to re-aquire a sight picture after each shot. I have only to hold on the target and squeeze the trigger smoothly enough that I don't pull off. Now this brings me to the only remaining unanswered question, "Will my shooting skills with my 357 improve or decline with practice with my 22?" Only time will tell. But I think, in the mean time, I will have a lot of fun finding out. Oh and one more thing. My wife really likes it. too. :mrgreen:


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## BerryNut (Dec 29, 2008)

You are one persuasive man. OR it could just be that your wife knows anything you get she gets to play with and you get stuck with the clean up and mess.Very nice gun.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

Up date: As mentioned in this thread, I have a 357 Magnum revolver and I also have a revolver that is almost identical in size, weight and feel to my 357 but chambered for 22 LR. For various and sundry reasons, including recovering from carpel tunnel surgery, I didn't shoot the 357 for quite some time. In fact, to the best of my recollection, I didn't shoot it for nearly a year. But my hands are feeling better now and I thought it was high time I gave it a try. So I took it out shooting. Well, my hands handled the recoil pretty well and I was pleased with how well I was able to shoot it. Now, I am not nor do I profess to be an expert with a handgun but what I am trying to say is that my own personal skill with my 257 has improved over the past year without firing a round through it. Now I have been shooting the 22 a little more regularly and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that practice with any handgun will improve your skill with any other handgun. But there may be exceptions to this and I can't help wondering how much of a factor practicing with a gun that is almost identical in size weight and feel to the 357 but chambered for a much milder recoiling round has been in improving my skill with the heavier caliber. I can't help think that it has been a significant factor for the following reasons:
1. Economy. It is not unusual for me to shoot 150, 200 or more rounds through the 22 in a single session. I bought it for fun and practice and that is exactly how I use it. It is a ball to shoot and I love to take it out and just have fun. One of the things I like to do with it is practice drawing it and shooting rapid fire using the same belt and holster I use to carry the 357. And at $17 for 525 rounds I don't feel the least bit guilty taking it out and having a lot of fun. The more economical ammunition is the more one is likely to shoot. The more one shoots the more one practices and the more one practices the more one's shooting skills are likely to improve.
2. Recoil. The difference in these two guns out side of the obvious fire power and economy of ammunition is recoil, the 357 having considerable and the 22 being quite heavy for caliber has hardly any recoil. When I shoot it rapid fire I have only to hold the sights on target and CONCENTRATE ON A SMOOTH TRIGGER PULL. I can't help thinking this has been the single biggest factor in improving my shooting skill with the 357. I did notice that I am not as fast at rapid fire with the 357 as I am with the 22 simply due to recoil. But with a very firm grip the muzzle bounces right back into position, I can reacquire the sights quickly and concentrate on squeezing the next round. I have never shot 200+ rounds through the 357 in a single session. I cannot afford it. I don't feel the recoil of the 357 particularly bothers me (now that my hands are feeling better) but were I to shoot 200+ rounds in a single session it might. And if recoil were to bother me I think I would be much more likely to develop bad habits associated with recoil. I strongly suspect that waiting for uncomfortable recoil would make it much harder to concentrate on a smooth trigger pull. I am very much aware of the principle of "specificity of training" meaning the best way to improve any skill is to practice that skill in a realistic environment. This holds true to shooting as well meaning the best way to improve one's shooting skill with a particular gun is to shoot that gun. But my experience and the experience of daughter (see "Product review: very small handguns" in this same section which I have also resurrected) suggest there may be exceptions to this. Our experience leads me to the following conclusions:
1. Very heavy recoil (And recoil is relative to both the gun and the shooter.)can encourage bad habits associated with recoil and can in some cases (like my daughter's) actually be detrimental to shooting skill.
2. Practicing with guns with mild recoil can improve shooting skill even with guns of heavier recoil without encouraging bad habits associated with recoil.
3. I can't help think that practicing with guns of similar size and configuration enhances the carry over to guns of larger caliber.

Thoughts?


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

addendum: I took this photo with the intent of posting it with the other post but I chickened out out of fear of embarrassment. But on second thought I thought I might have a thick enough skin to take the heat. Now keep in mind that the point is that I did not shoot this "well" a year ago. But still be kind. -)O(-


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Next time open your eyes and see how good you can do! :mrgreen: Just kidding.
That really is good shooting, especially for rapid fire. I'll bet your getting to be a heck of a lot better shooter after all the practice you're putting in.
Thanks for the review Campfire.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Thats a dead bad guy at 15yds, not bad for rapid fire. Keep up the practice and that group will shrink.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

I have a taurus 651 2inch that i would be pretty happy with that group.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Speaking of Taurus’s, I just bought a SS model 941 in 22 Mag. I got the 5” barrel. Took it out for the first time today, ran 125 rounds through it. I like it so far, trigger is pretty good in double action mode and slick as snot in single action. I didn't test it off the bench but I did wear out some pop cans at 25 yards from over the hood of the truck, blasted a few offhand too. It will defiantly shoot better than I can. Oughta make a good trail and truck gun for me.


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