Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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Thoroughly enjoying my Heritage RR 4-inch SA revolver, and getting very interested in a smaller DA revolver option in .22 for hotel / Air BnB travel or for CC on my property late at night. I am really kinda limited to .22 or .22 mag because-- particularly if I wake up in the middle of the night-- it could be tough to handle my .380 given how bad my arthritis is-- particularly in my hands-- late at night and in the early morning hours.

The roster here is super limited. Since I'm looking at shorter barrels, the difference between .22 and .22 mag-- while still significant-- is not as big a deal as it is for even a longer barrel. I'm leaning towards .22 LR because it would be cheaper and easier to find ammo, probably less likely to encounter shortages, though I know that's debatable.

Options are limited to:

S&W for about $900
Ruger LCR for about $600 and change
Taurus 942 for about $400 and change

I'm leaning towards the Taurus mostly for cost reasons and b/c the 942 does get pretty good reviews. However, based on online searching, it seems like almost no one carries them, at least locally, though I will talk to some local gun stores (not Turners) to see what my odds are for ordering one. There isn't a huge rush to purchase, but I'd like to get this done in the next few months just because it seems like .22 revolvers are kind of going extinct in California.

Before I go to the store, I was just wondering if anyone know what's up with Taurus availability? Maybe this isn't that big of an issue, maybe it's just that California gun stores don't seem to post their inventory online, but where I do see it, it's always "out of stock." I'm getting a bad feeling about this. Is this a California thing?

The Rugers are kind of ugly, but I'd consider them if I had to. They are probably a hair more accurate.

The S&W is beautiful, but yeesh, I'd love to avoid spending a grand on this for a gun I'll probably shoot no more than once every six weeks, probably less.

Thanks! -- SRW

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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I’ve owned the longer barreled version of the Taurus 942 22lr revolver before, a stainless version. It was a nice revolver… after I polished the internals and made it a lighter pull and more pleasant action. Out of the box they are very gritty and hard triggers both for their production costs and the fact that rimfires need stronger mainsprings in general. But the Taurus was a very unpleasant gun to shoot before I made it “acceptable”.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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Bisbee wrote: Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:18 pm I’ve owned the longer barreled version of the Taurus 942 22lr revolver before, a stainless version. It was a nice revolver… after I polished the internals and made it a lighter pull and more pleasant action. Out of the box they are very gritty and hard triggers both for their production costs and the fact that rimfires need stronger mainsprings in general. But the Taurus was a very unpleasant gun to shoot before I made it “acceptable”.
Yes, I'd prefer the stainless version as well, and folks have posted on other forums that they often need to do some work done on themn, mentioning the stiff trigger. By "gritty" I take it you mean that you can feel friction when you pull the trigger. I also heard that they are not quite as accurate as the Ruger or S&W. And I don't know about the rubber hand grip long term-- every other piece of rubber I have on everything gets tacky and sticky when it ages. After a year or two, I might try to find wood grips for it.
tonguengroover wrote: Just cheap guns are selling faster than expensive ones.
Personally I'd never buy a hammer less gun. Sooo ugly. All of them.
Good theory, and I agree-- very ugly, just looks wrong, and I'd prefer SA/DA if I wind up getting the Ruger. I doubt that I'd ever have it sitting loaded and loose in a pocket or backpack, where the hammer could catch.

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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Accuracy was never an issue with my 942, nor any of the other Taurus revolvers I have owned. They are plenty accurate guns for the kind of handgun plinking distances we do.

And grittiness means roughness or sandy feel when you pull the trigger in the long Double-Action pull, like something hasn’t been polished off yet from the factory but may smooth out over the life of the gun. One can sit and just repeatedly dry fire the gun (with snap-caps) while binge watching The Walking Dead. Or one could just open up the gun and carefully polish each of the large contacting surfaces on a polishing stone because the original Brazilian builders just wanted to go Samba at the beach.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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UncleJon wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 2:24 pm Wow, just looked in Gunbroker for the 942 and LCR 22 and I’m thinking these companies have either paused production of these revolvers or greatly reduced it. I would try to find an LCR because the quality is there and the trigger is probably the best around.
I've got to go to a couple of gun stores in Burbank and ask what the deal is. I notice that some 606s, 65s, and 856s have shown up at Turner's in higher caliber, but the LCRx is nowhere in sight.

I have a bad feeling this ends with just giving up and getting the S&W in .22 mag for about $1,000 out the door. Maybe my Makarov is really okay for home defense or hotel / air bnb travel-- better in many ways, I know-- but I know there are times I wake up in the middle of the night and my hand are just super stiff. I'm real biased for home defense, my priority is really having the maximum chance of hitting my target and keeping the pistol entirely in control.

I'll clean up the Mak and take it to the range again and see how it feels before making my final decision.

Or, it may be that I have to drive to some weird-ass place in the middle of nowhere to find one. That would be okay, I could use an excuse for a road trip! I just have no idea how I'd go about locating one, however.

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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Hmmm now you’ve got me thinking more about self defense revolver shooting which should be done double action for speed and the heavy rimfire trigger pull. I don’t have stiff hands at night but I do have some arthritis in my trigger finger and am moving away from double action only guns and revolvers. For rimfire it’s nice to just be able to pull the trigger and move on to the next round if you have a light strike or dud round but I’d rather have a DA/SA or SAO pistol with manual safety even in 22lr for self defense because they are so easy and fast to shoot. I do think one with an extractor is rather essential though.

Stepping up the power these new mid sized 380s like the Smith Shield EZ and Ruger Security are fairly low recoil.

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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I once came across an old S&W .22mag, a somewhat collectible revolver with nice lines, prized for it’s rarity but was reputed to be an notoriously inaccurate gun. I bought it because I liked rimfires then found the .22mag is just a very expensive round to shoot (for what it is). Novel for how loud it was, unremarkable otherwise nor particularly fun to shoot, and again just expensive to feed it the required ammo. Anyway, sold it for a tidy sum to a local collector and actually felt good about parting ways.

Cannot recommend that caliber as a replacement for the .22lr revolver in any way shape or form. Do more research online about the 22WMR before you buy.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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I had a ruger 3 screw in 22wmr way back when I was a teen. Loved it cept the sharp crack. Mostly due to revolver build me thinks.
Put my paws on Walthers new WMP .22WMR. It's big. Fill sized semi auto. Grip is fantastic. Didn't shoot it but reviews are all good.
It was running 600 bucks when it first came out. Now you should be able to get one for 500. Includes 2 15 rnd mags.
I'd buy one. When I saw it I was in need of a new 9mm so I bought the Ruger MAX-9.

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/w ... iew/464468
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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Bisbee wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:55 pm I once came across an old S&W .22mag, a somewhat collectible revolver with nice lines, prized for it’s rarity but was reputed to be an notoriously inaccurate gun. I bought it because I liked rimfires then found the .22mag is just a very expensive round to shoot (for what it is). Novel for how loud it was, unremarkable otherwise nor particularly fun to shoot, and again just expensive to feed it the required ammo. Anyway, sold it for a tidy sum to a local collector and actually felt good about parting ways.

Cannot recommend that caliber as a replacement for the .22lr revolver in any way shape or form. Do more research online about the 22WMR before you buy.
Wow-- I had such a different reaction! With the RR and a 4.6 inch barrel, yeah, it was louder, but maybe 30% louder at most, recoil was only 15% greater, accuracy was noticeably better. People also say the rate of misfires is lower, but that's anecdotal, can't really be tested. I've read that it's a crap round for hunting because the target is destroyed, which sounds like it's pretty good for home defense, though choosing the right cartridge makes a big difference. Gel tests are give .380 a run for its money in terms of penetration. It is true that when you get to shorter barrel lengths, the difference in muzzle velocity between .22 mag and .22 LR decreases, but I hear really conflicting things about that. Some people say if you're thinking SD, it's .22 mag only, even for snubbies. As for cost, ammo didn't seem to be too insane, at least for 2022. I dunno, like, $18 or $20-something for 50 rounds? Surprised me, though, that .380 ammo was not much more expensive. Interesting.

Remember, I'm in California, so options are incredibly limited. So I went to a couple of gun stores today, and-- surprise, surprise-- what's in stock in .22 or .22 mag is mostly nothing. Oh, there are a ton of those absurd "Thunderstruck" double .22 mag pistols, new and used, I have zero interest.

There are some S&W 43Cs for $750 or something-- and that is one butt-ugly hammerless revolver. I mean, I guess I could do that if I had to, the shop I went to had a bunch of them, but... yeesh.

I did find one LGS where the staff was super friendly and started looking stuff up. @Unclejon, you are correct: Taurus appears to have paused production. There is no prediction when they will restart. "Somebody knows, but not our rep, it's someone much further up the food chain." He also said the Rugers are hard to find, but that didn't quite check out-- I could get one at Gunbroker or guns.com, and they could ship. And they may not be in stock forever.

Let's consider this hypothetical scenario: The 942 is unobtainium, and I'm just... not going to buy the S&W or anything hammerless because I have an irrational aversion to it. Let's say I'm going to buy tomorrow, and I'm limited to what's available on guns.com and on the roster. Here are my options for revolvers with hammers, 3 inches or less, in .22 mag or .22 long that are not derringers:

22 mag

LCRX 3 inch $593 (6 rounds) (7.5 inches)
LCRX 1.9 inch $612 (6 rounds)
S&W 351PD 1.9 inch $827 (-$50 rebate) (7 rounds) $827 (-$50 rebate)

.22 LR

LCRX 3 inch $605 (8 rounds)
S&W 317 3 inch (8 rounds) $817 (7.2 inches)
S&W 63 3 inch (8 rounds) $867


--> Which would you choose?

Maybe I just won't do this, and I'll learn to live with the Mak somehow-- try a less powerful .380 cartridge with less kick. I'm sure glad I got that gun on the cheap when I could. What I'm still hoping: I can find a friendly rep at an LGS who will lie in wait for me when Taurus does their next manufacturing run. If I found someone like that I trusted, I'd leave a $200 deposit with them for six months.

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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SunRiseWest wrote: Fri Jan 20, 2023 10:08 pm 22 mag

LCRX 3 inch $593 (6 rounds) (7.5 inches)
LCRX 1.9 inch $612 (6 rounds)
S&W 351PD 1.9 inch $827 (-$50 rebate) (7 rounds) $827 (-$50 rebate)

.22 LR

LCRX 3 inch $605 (8 rounds)
S&W 317 3 inch (8 rounds) $817 (7.2 inches)
S&W 63 3 inch (8 rounds) $867


--> Which would you choose?
If size isn’t a factor I’d go with the LCRX 3” 22 magnum because it’s got the most power and there are some good HP loads available but with arthritis I’d be thinking about that heavy trigger pull and would look into modern medium size semi autos in 22lr and 380. But I’m probably saying that in part because I want a Smith M&P compact 22.

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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wooglin wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 9:46 am Had forgotten about Charter Arms. Not sure if CA compliant or not, but here's their 22 revolver.

https://charterfirearms.com/collections/pathfinder

Still think you'd be better served by a 32, which is their Undercoverette model.
Yeah, that's a good thought, but the only Charter on the list for .22 long is the one with the 4.17 inch barrel, which is too large.

There is one with a 2 inch barrel on the roster in .32 mag and I admit, that's interesting -- I believe you can shoot plain-vanilla .32 out of that, which would result in about 1.7 foot pounds of recoil. (The recoil charts are particularly annoying.)

However, I wonder how that compares with using a low-power cartridge in the .380. I'm definitely going to look into that, as there could be a lot to like about that for home SD. However, the .32 is unappealing partly because I hate having too many different calibers of ammunition to have to keep stocked.

Also, I did have a bad flareup this morning-- they are pretty rare, but this one was intense. I probably brought in on by over-exertion-- my eBike battery died, and pushing that 40-pound kit bike up super steep hills really gets the blood running at 65 years old. This was the non-suspension eBike, too, so the bad pavement here really rattles the hands. Then I practiced punk rock for 40 minutes, and as much as my hands hurt while I was doing that? At 4:00 AM, they were incredibly sore and weak. I really need a backup option that is as close to zero recoil as possible.

However, all this is probably moot, because it looks like...

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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SunRiseWest wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:43 pm

Yeah, that's a good thought, but the only Charter on the list for .22 long is the one with the 4.17 inch barrel, which is too large.

There is one with a 2 inch barrel on the roster in .32 mag and I admit, that's interesting -- I believe you can shoot plain-vanilla .32 out of that, which would result in about 1.7 foot pounds of recoil. (The recoil charts are particularly annoying.)

However, I wonder how that compares with using a low-power cartridge in the .380. I'm definitely going to look into that, as there could be a lot to like about that for home SD. However, the .32 is unappealing partly because I hate having too many different calibers of ammunition to have to keep stocked.

Also, I did have a bad flareup this morning-- they are pretty rare, but this one was intense. I probably brought in on by over-exertion-- my eBike battery died, and pushing that 40-pound kit bike up super steep hills really gets the blood running at 65 years old. This was the non-suspension eBike, too, so the bad pavement here really rattles the hands. Then I practiced punk rock for 40 minutes, and as much as my hands hurt while I was doing that? At 4:00 AM, they were incredibly sore and weak. I really need a backup option that is as close to zero recoil as possible.

However, all this is probably moot, because it looks like...
If you haven't yet, you should watch all of the Lucky Gunner playlist on pocket pistols, which starts here.

https://youtu.be/Cv6PxB2TqLM

And Gun Sam has a comparo of 22, 32, and 380 here.

https://youtu.be/BUhZWzjjNfY

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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[/quote]
If you haven't yet, you should watch all of the Lucky Gunner playlist on pocket pistols, which starts here.

https://youtu.be/Cv6PxB2TqLM

And Gun Sam has a comparo of 22, 32, and 380 here.

https://youtu.be/BUhZWzjjNfY
[/quote]

Watched both of those, very helpful. Good case for the .32, absolutely, really appreciated Sam's thoughts on recoil-- hadn't realized it was that low on a .32. Also his thoughts on real-world SD situations... and seeing how many times his semi-autos jammed, as well as his observation that smaller semi-autos, even in center fire calibers, are going to be more prone to jamming than their larger relatives. For me, that's a nightmare scenario-- trying to clear a jam in the dark when I've just woken up. My fingers are so arthritic, it hurts just to sign my name even once I've been awake for a few hours.

Anyway, it looks like the hunt-- incredibly-- is probably over. I won't consider this a done deal until I have the piece in hand, but I found a 942 in Kentucky, and just put a deposit on it! Put the transfer pro at my LGS in contact with the shop in KY, spoke to her on the phone, she will send the shop's FFL and licensing info to them. The shop in Kentucky actually had a file on the LGS in Burbank I selected, they've done business before, incredibly, but it's been a few years and they needed to update the license info.

This really was not easy. I've been looking since mid December. Here's how I cracked it: I went to the Taurus form. I did NOT join, because of the TOS-- basically, you have to give Taurus irrevocable rights to publish anything you post, forever, with your real name and address. Uh, no, thanks.

First, I used search terms like "942 availability" and "shortage" and "manufacturing cycle" -- honestly, I had given up on actually finding one, I wanted to see when the next batch would be distributed! I got some interesting hits, learned a few things, but nothing that was actually useful.

Then, I just searched for "942." Paydirt-- found a post from a guy shouting that he got the last 942 in .22 mag from a shop in KY. (PM me if anyone needs the info.) And I figure... "Hmm, he got the last .22 mag, which is not on the roster in CA anyway, but... maybe there are some .22 longs left. Never spent any time in Kentucky, but maybe folks out there aren't that interested in .22 LR revolvers." Most branches of this outlet were sold out, but one of them had three left.

$342 out the door, plus $100 transfer fee, which seems to be standard. Still, at $442, this is a huge savings over the LCR, which is around $600, let alone the S&W, which is nearly twice the price-- and again, the only LCR with a hammer on the roster is a three inch, which wasn't really what I wanted. (Though the trigger assembly on the LCR is sweet, I'm sure.)

Super stoked. Seeing as I just flew through DROS a couple of months ago, I'm not too worried about that, so long as there's no weird shipping problem, looks like this is probably going to work out just fine.

They don't make it easy, do they?

Re: Anyone Know What is Up with Taurus 942 Availability - in CA or anywhere else?

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Wow. It just arrived in Burbank today. Headed out in a couple of hours to do the paperwork.

I have to say, the folks in Kentucky, and everyone I've dealt with at Burbank Ammo and Guns (the place I mentioned above) was really helpful. I do appreciate that BB A&G encouraged me not to give up-- that there really could be a few out there that were just hard to find, that everyone might have missed even though there are posts all over the Taurus forum whining about how difficult it is to find the 942. And they've been right on top of alerts, notifications, reminders, etc.

I think I have bought my last gun from Turner's. (Well... I've bought my last gun for a while from anywhere, for at least a year, I think... though I said that a couple of months ago and was wrong.) The last guy who checked me out at Turner's was helpful, and the guys who sold me the Mark IV and Makarov were reasonably helpful, but I still felt like a kid going into the speed shop for the first time... like I was tolerated, and they'd answer my questions politely, and add any relevant information they thought would help me avoid serious accidents, but they'd rather work with the cool kids. Or I felt like I was being sized up r.e. my politics, or there was some comment r.e. politics. Didn't feel that at all in Burbank.

Both shops I visited in Burbank were friendly-- I felt like a customer no different from any other. I chose Burbank Ammo and Guns for the transfer because they really went the extra mile, went online with me and looked around, explained why it's not easier to figure out the production cycle or distribution, etc.

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