Taurus Announces the 856 Executive Grade Revolver

Taurus, manufacturer of premium handguns for defense, hunting, and sport shooting, launches the first in a new series of handguns with the introduction of the 856 Executive Grade revolver.

Personal defense practitioners have long valued Taurus revolvers for their quality construction and reliable service. Now, Taurus ups the ante in their EDC revolver lineup with the 856 Executive Grade. If you have not already read our deep-dive in this sleek revolver, you can find the article here.

For years, the 856 has been the go-to favorite for revolver fans looking for a dependable EDC handgun, thanks to its small frame, smooth operation, and easy-to-conceal profile. The 856 Executive Grade takes that same winning performance and elevates it with several appearance and performance modifications applied in its own production room at the state-of-the-art Taurus manufacturing facility in Bainbridge, Georgia.

The 856 Executive Grade features all-stainless-steel construction with an exquisite hand-polished satin finish. The combination exceeds mere aesthetics. The stainless steel’s natural corrosion resistance combined with the silky finish delivers a more comfortable feel in the hand, easier clean up and maintenance, and a smoother draw through leather and clothing. Even the premium Altamont walnut grip provides improved function as well as form. The checkered panels and intelligently contoured profile ensure positive handgun retention and control in stressful conditions and comfortably manages .38 Special +P defense cartridges for fast sight picture reacquisition.

Loading those defense cartridges is quicker and more precise thanks to the 856 Executive Grade’s smooth and chamfered cylinder chambers. By slightly radiusing the chamber edge, cartridges slip easily into the cylinder by preventing the case mouths from “tripping” on the chamber edge. This is an especially welcome feature when manually reloading or when using a speed loader under duress.

Another enhancement to the 856 Executive Grade is found in the trigger. Each revolver is hand-tuned to deliver a smoother trigger pull and a sear break that is crisp and predictable. This custom tuning allows the shooter to maintain better control of the sight picture through the trigger pull and a cleaner break for greater accuracy.

The 856 Executive Grade also comes with a 3-inch barrel and a concealed hammer. Taurus engineers chose this barrel configuration for its longer sight radius and improved velocity when compared to 2-inch barrel revolvers. Combined, the more precise sight alignment and higher velocity means more accurate and harder-hitting terminal performance in a personal defense handgun.

Finally, the 856 Executive Grade comes with a spurless hammer. With the hammer contoured flush with the frame, the revolver won’t snag or hang up when drawing from deep concealment.

For transportation convenience, the 856 Executive Grade comes with a lock-compatible Pelican™ Vault hard case, providing maximum impact resistance and weather protection for any travel scenario.