Total Titanium Taurus

American Handgunner, Annual, 2000 by Carolee Boyles

The Titanium Guns

Model 85T This is the titanium version of the Model 85, one of Taurus's most popular handguns. It's a five-shot, .38 Special rated P that weighs 15.4 ozs.

The Model 85 grip is designed to be as small as possible for legal concealed carry and as a backup for police officers. As a result, it doesn't have the Ribber grip but rather a compact boot-grip design.

Another titanium version of the Model 85 uses titanium, but not in a Total Titanium configuration.

"At one time we referred to it as the Multi-Alloy," Mehalik says. "Now it's called the Model 95. It's an ultra-light version of the gun with an aluminum alloy frame and a titanium barrel and cylinder. The overall weight of the gun is about 13 ozs. so it's lighter than the Total Titanium version. It's available in both single and double action, with a regular hammer with a full-hammer spur. Or you can get it in what we call the Police Model 85. In this version, it's double-action only, with a concealed hammer."

The rest of the guns in the series have a compact frame.

"Whether they're in steel or titanium, they feature a Ribber grip," Mehalik says. "All of these guns are essentially the same except for the number of cylinder holes and the caliber."

Model 617T This is the smallest seven-shot .357 available and is the lightest of the titanium guns. It comes in bright spectrum blue, matte spectrum blue, stealth gray and shadow gray and weighs 19.9 ozs.

"We took the same basic configuration and stretched the barrel to 4 inches," Mehalik says. "Then we added the aesthetics of the Raging Bull. We call it the Tracker. It's the backpacker's or hunter's companion version of the Total Titanium snub noses. It's currently produced as the Model 627 seven shot in .357. The .41 Magnum version is our model 425. We also have plans to bring it out in a 6" version that can mount a scope."

Model 415T The Model 415T is the .41 Magnum version of the same gun. It's the longest of the Total Titanium guns, with a 2 1/2" barrel and a 7 1/8" overall length. It's also the heaviest of the titanium guns at 20.9 ozs.

Model 450T This is the .45 Long Colt titanium. It holds five rounds, and weighs 19.2 ozs. It comes in bright spectrum blue, matte spectrum blue, stealth gray and shadow gray.

Model 445T The .44 Special version, like the 415T and 450T, comes in four finishes and holds five rounds. It weighs 19.8 ozs.

Model 731T This revolver is not available yet. "Because we're having a difficult time manufacturing enough titanium for our more popular calibers, we're not offering the 731 currently," Mehalik says. "We hope to make it available later this year. It's essentially the same revolver as the Model 85T but as a six-shot .32 H&R Magnum."

PT-111 Semi-auto The Millennium pistol has a titanium slide on a blue polymer frame. "There's a weight advantage between the .45 Pocket Pistol, which weighs over a pound, and the 9mm PT111, which weighs 16 ozs.," Mehalik says.

Future Taurus Titaniums

"It's possible we'll be incorporating titanium into our non-polymer semi-autos," Mehalik says. "Depending on how they sell, the overall weight advantage and price increase might be justified. Right now, we're using an aluminum alloy frame which offers strength."