The Taurus 24/7: the Brazilian-made polymer-framed pistol lives up to its name—it's accurate and reliable, 24 hours a day 7 days a week

Guns Magazine, Nov, 2004 by Dave Douglas

Once upon a time, about 60 years ago, in a serene Brazilian riverside village named Porto Alegre, a small tool manufacturer started business under the name Forjas Taurus. Soon the small tool manufacturer turned its sights (clever gun reference) toward making guns. The firm's first revolver came along in 1941 and it combined elements from several manufacturers including Colt, Smith & Wesson and some Spanish brands. Forjas Taurus or just Taurus as we know it now) became a major factor in the South American market.

Meanwhile, up north in the good old US of A, a huge conglomerate named Bangor Punta purchased Smith & Wesson. A few years later, it also purchased 54 percent of Taurus. Contrary to rumor, myth and legend, Smith & Wesson never owned Taurus. They were independent Companies, kind of like Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken owned by Yum Brands. They both make food but you never see a Colonel's Recipe Extra Crispy Chicken Chalupa, do you? But, during the next seven years or so, a great deal of technology and methodology was passed between the two gun makers. Taurus says more of what was "right" in Porto Alegre was sent to Springfield than was sent from Springfield to south of the equator. In 1977 the present ownership at Taurus bought 54 percent Of the company back from Bangor Punta. Taurus began a quest to improve the overall quality of the product as well as a dynamic expansion program.

The Italian firearms giant Beretta won a substantial contract to produce small arms for the Brazilian Army. The deal mandated that Beretta build a Brazilian factory and use Brazilian labor. When the contract ran out in 1980, Beretta sold the plant, lock, Stock and barrel, (another clever gun reference there) to Taurus. Taurus now owned everything that once belonged to Beretta, including drawings, tooling, machinery and a highly experienced walk force. Now Taurus was really in the pistol business. So, in 1982 the Brazilian management decided to open an affiliated company in Miami, Florida, to make a run at the US market, enter Taurus USA. The first year or two in America were slow as a solid distribution system had yet to be established. They were an unknown commodity in the United States. The Taurus guns had not been advertised or written up in the shooting press. This situation changed dramatically in the next few years.

Why the history lesson you may ask? We know about Smith & Wesson. We know about Colt. They're part of our nation's history. Now that the Beretta M9 has been adopted by our military as their issued pistol, we know about them too. Many of us thought that Taurus was a south of the equator knock off company of Smiths, Colts and Berettas. Not so. Taurus revolvers and autoloaders all have legitimate lineage from the Taurus Company's evolution.

A few years back, Taurus started its line of Millennium pistols based on the 9mm cartridge. These were the company's first venture in the polymer frame arena. That line evolved to encompass most of the popular calibers including the .45 ACP. The next evolutionary step was a natural. Taurus is jumping into role high-end self defense market with the 24/7. This type of gun must work every time. A beautiful, well constructed, accurate but finicky handgun is really not an option. I'll take ugly, well built and accurate enough at 25 yards any day over the former, as long as it works as designed every single time.

The 24/7 is a double-action only, striker-fired, polymer-frame pistol. It seems that every gun manufacturer has one these days. But this gun really takes the requirements of a defensive firearm to heart. The Taurus 24/7 combines the best of both worlds. It is a handsome, well-constructed gun that is accurate and works every time. The initial offerings are chambered in the popular calibers of 9mm and 40 S&W. A .45 ACP offering has been announced and should be available soon.

The safety features on this gun are enough to make any product liability attorney cry for their mama. But we all know they don't have mothers don't we? But in reality, gun safety must always be up at the top of our list of important stuff. DAO guns are inherently safe by design. They are the closest thing in an autoloader as you can get to a revolver. Most companies don't even put a thumb safety on their DAOs. Taurus does. It's your choice. You can use it or not. When the thumb safety, which locks both the trigger and the slide, is combined with a striker block and the double action trigger pull, you will really need to go out of your way to have an unintentional discharge. This gun also includes the Taurus Safety System that is a locking device on the right side of the slide that renders the gun unable to be fired. It locks the slide and the action. Two keys are provided upon purchase.

The 24/7 has the most comfortable grip of any polymer gun I've ever shot. It feels narrow due to the finger grooves. The finger grooves have an integral ribbing on the front that feels soft. to the touch and tapers toward the sides of the grip. It is much more comfortable than checkering but offers the same positive grasp under recoil and reduces muzzle flip. The palm swell makes the gun feel very positive and controlled in the hand. A deep cut at the web of your thumb naturally places your hand high on the back strap and in doing so lessens felt recoil by placing your hand close to the line of the bore. When you combine these design ergonomics it's hard to get an improper hold on the gun. Another nice touch in the 24/7's ergonomics is the slight dimple in the frame just above the front of the trigger guard. It's designed as a reference point for indexing your finger along side the gun and as a helpful reminder to keep that finger off the trigger until you want to destroy something. Tauras also includes the dimple on the left side of the frame for left-handed shooters, who are often left out of the feature equation. One of the tricks used by revolver competition shooters was and still is to smooth out the face of the trigger and round off the sides. It makes for an easier trigger pull and smoother break. The trigger pull is very smooth and consistent throughout the entire stroke with just enough stacking right at the end to let you know you're about to fire. Another plus is the extended dust cover that serves two purposes. First is to limit dirt, grime and holster dust bunnies from entering the inner workings of the pistol, the other is a place to mold in a weaver type rail for mounting a light, laser, or combination of the two.